Wareham Town Museum entrance - East Street
The death of former Wareham Town Councillor and Purbeck District Councillor Mr Roy Anderson was announced on 9th March 2009, following a long illness. At the funeral on 19th March at Lady St Mary's Church, Wareham, attended by the Mayor and many councillors, tributes were paid to Mr Anderson for his work in the community and in local government over many years. The Town Council sends its condolences to Mr Anderson's widow, Nancy, and to all his family at this sad time.
Annual Town Meeting
A reminder that this meeting of the parish of Wareham hosted by the Council will take place on Wednesday 22nd April in the Corn Exchange. Questions from electors of the town - on any Wareham issue - are welcomed.
Town Council Meeting
25th February 2009
Notes from the Wareham Town Council meeting of 25th February 2009:
Revision Of Standing Orders
Newly revised proposed Standing Orders were presented by the members of the Standing Orders Working Party. It was decided that their adoption should be deferred until the next meeting so that all Members would have a chance to read and fully digest them, referring any comments to the Town Clerk before the next Town Council meeting - scheduled for 7th April 2009.
Beating Of The Land Bounds - Update
The Mayor gave an update following a meeting attended that day at Poole Borough Council. The ceremony was due to take place on Saturday 28th March 2009.
Confirmation Of Town Mayor Elect/ Nomination Of Deputy Town Mayor-Elect
Confirmed that the Town Mayor-Elect for Civic Year 2009/10 was Councillor Mrs Audrey Tighe; Councillor Eric Osmond was nominated as Deputy Town Mayor-Elect.
Internal Audit Report
A report containing a few minor items was received from the Internal Auditor following audit on 10th February 2009.
Risk Assessment
The Council formally approved its revised Risk Assessment document.
Pride In Purbeck Spring Clean Initiative
The Council had received an invitation from Purbeck District Council's Principal Officer, Environmental Services, to participate in the 'Pride of Purbeck' Spring Clean Campaign from 1st April 2009 to 30th April 2009. Councillor Burns referred to the initiative as having already been noted, he had been working with members of the Wareham Town Trust who were due to meet along with community volunteers at 10 Am on Sunday 15th March to commence a clean-up operation.
These included a report from Wareham in Bloom Chairman, Councillor Osmond, who reported further instances of vandalism to two floral display tubs at St John's Hill. Youths had been apprehended following damage in Church Street and letters sent by the Police to parents. Councillor Burns gave further instances of vandalism and under-age-drinking near the Town Walls and reports of the distress of elderly people living nearby in sheltered accommodation.
Discussions took place on problems with youths and perceived limitations of the Police Community Support Officer scheme. Noted that many youths were travelling from outside Wareham with as many as 60/70 said to be regularly congregating in the town. The supply of alcohol to under-age youths was noted as a problem that had to be addressed by County Council Trading Standards officers; there were severe penalties for retailers caught doing this.
Councillor Osmond stated that he would take a full report to the next Wareham PACT meeting and the Town Clerk was requested to write to the Chairman of PACT with details of the problems that had been highlighted.
Future School Provision in Purbeck - Consultation Letter
The Council's letter of response to a consultation by Dorset County Council on future school provision in Purbeck was also discussed at the Town Council meeting. The letter had been as a result of a resolved item at the last Policy, Resources and Finance Committee. Some Councillors, however, felt that the wording of one paragraph implied that the Council would accede to a rise in council tax to preserve the present three tier system and, following discussion, it was resolved to confirm by letter to Dorset County Council that this was not the majority view of Wareham Town Council.
Wareham Town Museum Committee
Amongst many items on the agenda at the meeting of 3rd March 2009, the Museum Committee discussed the following:
Family History Day
T o take place on 23rd May 2009. A poster is being produced, eleven tables had been booked in the Corn Exchange and it would be opened by the Mayor with Town Crier in attendance.
New Heritage Lottery Fund geology display was in the process of being completed, with new fossil exhibits and panels and a computer to run the Jurassic Coast display programme had been delivered.
Collection documentation
Ben Buxton and Heather Fenwick had made good progress during the winter period.
Family History Corner in the Museum was nearly completed.
Accreditation - every 5 years the Museum had to be accredited and registered as part of a national scheme with the Museum Libraries and Archive (MLA) and this was now due again, a major 3 stage task that promised to be very challenging.
Two forthcoming window displays at Neville-Jones window in North Street - details given of a Museum display and a Family History display.
The Town Museum will re-open on 10th April 2009
Volunteers to man the information desk, get involved with the exhibits and to help its many visitors are always needed - if YOU can help to keep things ticking over, please contact Mrs Janice Hale at the Town Council offices: Tel: 553006.
