Chevron News from Town Council Clare Summer 2020 Clare emerges from lockdown At the time of writing we are taking our first steps out of the lockdown imposed by the pandemic. On June 15th some non-essential shops were able to reopen, and on July 4th hairdressers and pubs were also allowed to start trading again. Prior to June 15th, the District Council and the County Council put into place alterations to allow for social distancing in Clare, particularly in Market Hill and the High Street. We don’t know how long the barriers will stay up. Tel: 01787-277702 Tot Rock video during lockdown for Clare Library FB. Email: [email protected]https://www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/libraries/clare-library The staff at Clare Library have been busy during lockdown assisting customers with eLibrary accounts, providing online quizzes and craft activities, running Tot Rock and Top Time sessions on Zoom, calling customers in isolation, and 3D printing PPE. They reopened on July 7th and could not wait to get back into the library and see you all. As with all businesses, there are measures in place to keep everyone safe, so please be patient with the staff while they try to provide you with the best possible service. Please phone or email with any queries or to reserve or collect a title. Parking Enforcement One of the changes waiting for us as we emerged from lockdown was parking enforcement. During the month of June, West Suffolk Civil Enforcement Officers have made 141 patrols in Clare. In the same month they have issued 30 PCNs. Businesses in the main have welcomed the re-introduction of enforcement as it frees up spaces on Market Hill and the High Street which makes it easier for their customers to park. Residents living in the centre of Clare and those car owners who work in the centre have been displaced and have more difficulty in parking. Car Park This has highlighted the need for a solution to our off-street parking problem. On Wednesday last week senior officers from West Suffolk District Council and Suffolk County Council and our County and District Councillors met with representatives of Clare Town Council and other community representatives to look at long-term options. Having caught people’s attention, we hope to pressure both authorities to make the provision of a car park in Clare a priority. Clare reps at the meeting made it clear that West Suffolk bears a deal of responsibility for our parking situation given that they continue to approve large- scale applications without putting in place the infra- structure to support these extra houses. They were also reminded that they had recently approved planning applications in the centre of the town that provided no parking provision at all. Shopping All our high-street businesses have now reopened and is hoped that Clare people will support them as they try to weather the coming recession. With the changes arising from the pandemic, many more people will continue to work from home and spend more time in Clare. Hopefully they will shop locally. We have two new businesses on Market Hill: House of Duvall Antiques and Collectables which opened up just before lockdown, and Guv'nors Barbers, which arrived during the lockdown and so was only able to open on July 4th. We wish them both good luck with these new ventures.
Transcript
ChevronNews from
Town CouncilClare
Summer 2020
Clare emerges from lockdownAt the time of writing we are taking our first steps out of the lockdown imposed by the pandemic. On June 15th some non-essential shops were able to reopen, and on July 4th hairdressers and pubs were also allowed to start trading again.
Prior to June 15th, the District Council and the County Council put into place alterations to allow for social distancing in Clare, particularly in Market Hill and the High Street. We don’t know how long the barriers will stay up.
Tel: 01787-277702
Tot Rock video during lockdown for Clare Library FB.
Email: [email protected] https://www.suffolklibraries.co.uk/libraries/clare-libraryThe staff at Clare Library have been busy during lockdown assisting customers with eLibrary accounts, providing online quizzes and craft activities, running Tot Rock and Top Time sessions on Zoom, calling customers in isolation, and 3D printing PPE. They reopened on July 7th and could not wait to get back into the library and see you all. As with all businesses, there are measures in place to keep everyone safe, so please be patient with the staff while they try to provide you with the best possible service. Please phone or email with any queries or to reserve or collect a title.
Parking Enforcement
One of the changes waiting for us as we emergedfrom lockdown was parking enforcement. During the month of June, West Suffolk Civil Enforcement Officers have made 141 patrols in Clare. In the same month they have issued 30 PCNs. Businessesin the main have welcomed the re-introduction of enforcement as it frees up spaces on Market Hill and the High Street which makes it easier for their customers to park. Residents living in the centre of Clare and those car owners who work in the centre have been displaced and have more difficulty in parking.
Car Park
This has highlighted the need for a solution to ouroff-street parking problem. On Wednesday last week senior officers from West Suffolk District Council and Suffolk County Council and our County and District Councillors met with representatives of Clare Town Council and other community representatives to lookat long-term options. Having caught people’sattention, we hope to pressure both authorities tomake the provision of a car park in Clare a priority.
Clare reps at the meeting made it clear that West Suffolk bears a deal of responsibility for our parkingsituation given that they continue to approve large- scale applications without putting in place the infra-structure to support these extra houses. They werealso reminded that they had recently approved planning applications in the centre of the town that provided no parking provision at all.
Shopping
All our high-street businesses have now reopenedand is hoped that Clare people will support them asthey try to weather the coming recession. With the changes arising from the pandemic, many more people will continue to work from home and spend more time in Clare. Hopefully they will shop locally.
We have two new businesses on Market Hill: House of Duvall Antiques and Collectables which opened up just before lockdown,and Guv'nors Barbers, which arrived during the lockdown and so was only able to open on July 4th. We wish them both good luck with these new ventures.
Summer 2020
Welcome to this summer edition of the Chevron
magazine. I had planned to stand down as Chair of
the Council this year but decided I would offer to stay
on to see us through the current crisis. At its meeting
on 21st May the Town Council voted for me to stay
as Chair and Margaret Godwin to continue as Vice-
Chair.
The Coronavirus pandemic will change much of the
way we live in the future. Some changes will be
temporary, but many will be permanent or, at least,
long-lived. We all know how social distancing has
affected everyday life. Even as the threat of the virus
is contained, the need for social distancing will
continue until effective vaccines or treatments are
discovered
The Town Council held it first virtual meeting back
on the 21st May. Although it was a very different
experience, we managed to get though all the
business and were even able to facilitate our usual
public participation session, with people successfully
dialling in. The Government has changed the law and
meetings will have to be held virtually until May 2021.
The resignation of Rosemary Warmington is a great
loss to the Council and she was so well known in the
town. Hopefully when she has fully recovered her
health she might become involved again.
Maureen Smith, our Responsible Finance Officer
has decided to retire at the end of August. We will
miss her and also her financial skills which have
kept the Town Council in good stead. Her leaving
party will have to be held over until social distancing
regulations allow.
Keith Mison is also retiring from his position as
Cemetery Management Officer after many years. He
is not leaving us just yet so I hope we will have an
opportunity say goodbye to him properly later on.
You will see on page 5 a column by Cllr. Jim Meikle
who is one of our three West Suffolk District
Councillors. In the next edition we will invite one of
the others to write a column.
Rosemary Warmington
Councillor Rosemary Warmington resigned from the Council in June. She had been seriously ill (not COVID-related) and spent some weeks in hospital.
Upon her return home she has taken medical advice and account of her family's wishes, and has decided she needs time to fully recover. Rosemary has always been the sort of person who has to do a job properly and knows at this time it would be impossible for her to do so and has therefore stepped down in order that someone may replace her who can give the Council their full attention.
The Council wishes to acknowledge the valuable contribution Rosemary made in her role as a Councillor and to thank her for the support and hard work she has dedicated to both Council colleagues and the local community.
The Council sends Rosemary its very best wishes for the future.
A casual vacancy
The resultant vacancy from Rosemary’s resignation could have been filled in one of two ways: if after a set period (in this case by 9th July) an election had not been called for, the filling of the vacancy would have been delegated to the Town Council who would then have decided if there is a suitable candidate to fill the position. We have been informed that 10 electors have called for an election. At the moment the earliest the election can be held is 6th May 2021. The Council willcontinue with only 8 members until then. In the next few months the Council will have to precept for the£3,000 it will cost to run this by-election.
CLARE MASKSA group of people have been sewing and making masks for the volunteers, the elderly and the vulnerable in Clare. If you know of anyone - a neighbour or a friend - that falls into this category and would like masks, please ring Jenny Catton on 01787 277 585. Also, they could do with morepeople who can make the masks, so if there is anyone who is willing to sew, they would be very grateful. Again, please ring Jenny.
CHAIR’S COLUMN
Clare in Bloom NewsClare in Bloom volunteers have been unable to garden in the community until ‘lockdown’ was slightlylifted, but since then we have worked in pairs ensuring we socially distance responsibly.
Over a weekend we planted up 30 floral containers through the town centre co-ordinating our plantings with the hanging of the floral baskets put up by Clare Town Council.
This year we have planted our containers up with geraniums, petunias and scaevolas which will give us solid colour right until the autumn.
We hope the hanging baskets and the floral containers together will give enjoyment to all residents and visitors throughout the summer.
After a couple of days of downpours we took the opportunity to plant our much-anticipated Dry Garden, which is located alongside the Ancient House in the High Street. We have planted a selection of Beth Chatto perennials sourced from the well-known garden nursery in Elmstead Market near Colchester.
We have started in a small way, choosing plants that will flourish in this site as it sees the sun all afternoon and evening. Plants include Nepeta, Agapanthus, Ballota, Sedum, Salvia, Stipa grass, Verbena Bonariensis, Thyme and Irises.
A start on the Dry Garden
Our next step is to cover the area with a gravel mulch which will give good drainage. Our aim is to maintain the garden over ensuing years and see it grow and flourish. We hope it will illustrate that we can all produce a beautiful planted space as our world warms up and water is in short supply.
We would like to thank Anglian Water for their support in helping to fund our Dry Garden project, as well as Paul Sutton who has completed thegroundwork for us.
Thank you also to Paul at Plants that Grow whosupplied us with our container plants.
If you would like to help us in our work to green Clare please contact
We have plans to add in more plants which love the sun such as grasses, lavender and other aromatic herbs for the bees. The plants will now start to put on much growth.
Summer 2020
Summer 2020
TOWN COUNCIL VACANCIESResponsible Finance Officer
Cemetery Management OfficerThe candidate will work alongside the Town Clerk with the aim of providing a caring, well organised, dignified and efficient burial service for all residents and the wider community The role requires 100 hours pcm to be worked flexibly, with any additional hours as may be required to deal with interments.
Cemetery Assistant
The candidate will work alongside the Town Clerk with the aim of delivering excellent financial management and support to the Council and the community it serves. The role requires 25 hours pcm to be worked flexibly but to include (i) at least one session in the office per week to coincide with the clerk; (ii) attendance at up to two evening meetings pcm;(iii) office cover for the clerk when required.
Salary Scale rates will range from SCP 13 (£11.45/hour) - SCP 17 (£12.39/hour).
The role requires five hours pcm to be worked flexibly.
Salary Scale rates will range from SCP 7 (£10.16/hour) - SCP 12 (£11.22/hour).
Salary Scale rates will range from SCP 7 (£10.16/hour) - SCP 12 (£11.22/hour).
and efficient burial service for all residents and thewider community
For further information on the role, please contact Town Clerk Catherine Hibbert on 01787 277559.To apply, send your CV and covering letter of application to [email protected]
Applications close at midday Friday 24 July 2020.
The candidate will work alongside the Town Clerkand the Cemetery Management Officer with the aim of providing a caring, well organised, dignified
Summer 2020
Cllr Jim Meikle’s Column 'AN INDEPENDENT VIEW'
from Jim Meikle. Independent District Cllr. Clare, Hundon & Kedington Ward.
When I stood for election, I did not bargain for Covid 19. The pandemic has produced both positive and some very sad negative challenges. The community of Clare responded to those challenges with considerable forethought. Localism works!
A highly efficient practical support network of area coordinators and volunteers has supported the vulnerable in our area. I would pay tribute to the Clare Community Coronavirus -19 Response Group who are still working daily to keep us safe. It has been my privilege to help and support them. A secondary wave of infection is a very real risk, hence the town centre safety measures. There are those who still fear to emerge from their homes. Please don't be tempted to carry on as normal: the risk to yourself and others is too high.
The Clare Community Hub is looking to reopen very soon to provide help and support those in difficulty. Mentally and physically the pandemic has been challenging, furlough is coming to an end and jobs are disappearing. Whatever the problem, please don't suffer alone, come at talk to them. A problem shared etc….
West Suffolk Council has in good faith distributed £35m in the district, which has paid dividends for Clare. Almost all our businesses and services have survived. However, the council is losing £1.5m per month with a further £1.6m of council funds spent on Covid -19. Nationally, councils are challenging the government to come good on its commitments.
On the first of July the West Suffolk Council will meet for the first time since the outbreak. The Independent Group will be challenging again the planned budget for 2021 onwards which proposed a worryingly high level of borrowing. With the above level of debt and an inevitable oncoming local government reorganisation, we should be ensuring continuity of services, not expansion.
One of the silver linings of this crisis was the undoubted improvement in our air quality and noise levels. The changes in a few weeks were astonishing but are almost eroded already. You can do your bit: working from home where possible is a proven practical option now for many and we can continue to shop locally and by service delivery.
Let's keep the traffic levels down.
Civil Car Park Enforcement has arrived and provided mixed blessings. There is more access for shoppers, but business and resident parking has been displaced without provision. I am still working hard to overcome the obstacles to finding a car park solution for the town centre in the short term.
Finally, the virus has not gone away and we are still at risk. Please safeguard yourself, your families and others by respecting the social distancing and safeguarding rules. Be safe and well.
Best wishes. Jim Meikle.
Summer 2020
Suffolk Constabulary is warning pet owners to take extra care after seeing a number of dog thefts this year. Sergeant Brian Calver said: "Organised crime groups are actively targeting addresses, with working breeds tending to be those that are favoured by criminals. "The loss of any pet can be devastating to owners, with the added trauma of not knowing what sort of conditions the dog is being subjected to. We would advise dog owners to review security of any outdoor kennels.” There have been 12 confirmed cases where dogs have been stolen within the county this year, and Sgt Calver said all bar one of the incidents involved the theft of dogs that would be classed as working gun breeds. Security measures to prevent thefts include good quality locks and lighting, while consideration should be given to CCTV and sensors as these offer an early alert to the presence of intruders. Gardens should be well secured with fencing or hedges, while gates should be kept locked. Owners are advised not to leave dogs out in open gardens and yards when they are not at home and, if possible, they should be brought into the house overnight. Ensure your dog is chipped and, if neutered, mark the dog's tag as such as this makes them less attractive to thieves that may want to steal them for breeding. When out walking, if you let your dog off the lead, don't allow it to leave your sight. Sgt Calver also advised dog owners to ensure they were not giving away personal details online. Anybody with any information regarding the theft of dogs or other pets is encouraged to contact Suffolk police via:www.suffolk.police.uk/contact-us/existing-report-update
During the lockdown the amount of traffic on the roads was considerably reduced. From 23rd Marchthe roads through Clare were almost empty.
The Town Council continued to deploy our VASmachine at various sites on the roads into town.We were amazed to find that even though only essential journeys were supposed to be undertaken,some drivers still decided to use the roads as a racetrack.
Speeds were recorded of over 85mph in CavendishRoad and similar speeds on Stoke Road. The datahas been sent to Suffolk Constabulary and has resulted in Police enforcement on Cavendish Road.The Town Council has now got enough volunteersto set up the Clare Community Speedwatch team. We are just waiting for the police to agree the training sessions.
Hanging Baskets in the SummerThis year we have put up 72 hanging baskets and Clare in Bloom have planted 30 containers in the town. The planting scheme for the baskets was this year chosen with the expert help of Nickie Carpenter and Christina Glover. After a tendering process the contract for providing the baskets was again awarded to ‘Plants that Grow’, a local nursery in Great Yeldham.
The baskets this year, I hope you will agree, are looking superb and help show the town at its best. Apart from being pleasant for us to see, the better the town looks the more likely visitors are to return and, importantly, recommend us to others - and visitors are going to be especially important this year. Hanging baskets are an expensive project for any town. This year the Town Council was able to fund part of the cost itself, but without the donations from the people of Clare it would not happen. Last year you raised over £1,500 and I hope you will be able to do the same this year. Please see the enclosed sponsorship sheet and please give generously! Paul Bishop
Summer 2020
When the world began to hear worrying news about a new virus affecting the Chinese city of Wuhan in January 2020, few could have imagined that we would find ourselves living in a world very different to the one we had known. Like so many other communities we followed Government guidance and,, from March 23rd 2020, almost all our local amenities were shut. Stay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives.
The wonderful Co-op stayed open for our food and toilet rolls; our amazing Pharmacy was there for us with advice, reassurance and repeat prescriptions and Mark and his team at Humphrey's the butchers still happily sold us sausages. But everywhere else businesses, pubs, restaurants, coffee shops, and the Library were 'Closed till further notice'. Schools and churches closed their doors and even the Guildhall Surgery was working via phone, email and virtual consultation only. COVID 19 was sweeping the land.
The immediate effect on all our lives was unsettling– food purchase was suddenly a priority. With ordinary life on hold, those of us fortunate enough tohave some outside space set to with an energy we hardly knew we had - planting veggies, involving the kids in as many outdoor activities as home schooling would allow and appreciating the superb weather which ironically decided to play out through the country as we watched images from hospitals and care homes where the most appalling things were happening.
We stayed indoors or at least at home, only venturing out for our hour's exercise, and all the time being aware of keeping 2 metres away from other people.Those of us who loved the buzz of coffee shops and pubs where we could meet friends and family really missed the chance to talk. We had to use Facetime, Skype, Zoom or WhatsApp instead. Clare Town Council swiftly moved to arrange a COVID support network to help those of our community who were too vulnerable to shop for food or collect medications or who needed a kindly voice to help them through the isolation time.
But what was this? Streets empty of traffic, the air free of planes, the sound of birdsong so loud, the chance to hear the buzz of insects in the garden and time to appreciate the spring advancing in town and park. Time to meet neighbours over the garden fence we hadn’t had time to get to know before, to
design rainbows for our windows and clap for our NHS and keyworkers and the many people who have continued to work throughout. Right now in early July 2020, the 'lockdown' is slowly being lifted with shops re-opening, takeaways thriving and the prospect of social spaces being opened up for outdoor entertainment. The hanging baskets and floral containers brighten our town centre and we are able to see our families and friends at a distance.But we must still be wary - and it will be a while before we can give our friends and family a hug.
Nickie CarpenterRecorder for Clare
I have been recording the impact of COVID 19 on our community for a major project being put together for Suffolk Archives, so that local historians of the future will have some knowledge of how all our lives changed in 2020.
LOCKDOWN CLARE - SUFFOLK 2020
Summer 2020
The lockdown is the biggest hit to our personal lives and to our community since the two World Wars impacted on the town, and will be long remembered by those of us who have been through it.
Recognising this, the Town Council and other organisations are getting together to create history - Clare's history - with a project to capture some of what's happened to us during this dreadful time. Its aim is not only to produce a video and written record for our own benefit, but to create something to pass on to future generations. This way they will be able to see a part of our life as we have lived it and by taking part in the project, we ourselves will, in a small way, become part of our town's long and amazing history.
To be involved is easy. If you would like to become part of Clare's story, just send in a memory or memories of what life has been like for you or your partner, family or anyone close to you (or you may recommend a contribution from someone you don't know well, or even personally, but you feel they deserve a place in our Making History project). The photographs, stories, anecdotes, musical pieces, songs or poems can be funny, sad or thought-provoking. The only thing we ask is that they reflect genuine events or emotions.
For submissions of all kinds of material or ideas email: [email protected]
For more general enquiries, suggestions etc, email:[email protected]
If you would prefer to write, then send your letter to:
The Clerk's Office The Old SchoolCallis StreetClareCO10 8PX (mark envelope 'Making History')
If you have something to say but need help to record or capture it, let us know and we may be able to come to you - along with a camera and recording equipment!
All contributors will be asked to complete a registration form to enable participation in the project.
Councillor Tony Litton
Clare in Lockdown -Making History Clare Community Beehive
It's almost exactly a year since beehives were installed in Clare Castle Country Park and it appears that the bees are happy living in our lovely town!
The idea for a community apiary was the brainchild of then councillor Davina Neale who arranged meetings ffor those interested from which “Clare Community Bees” came into being. The aim of the group is to encourage these wonderful pollinators to thrive here for the benefit of gardens and crops and to provide an educational resource for Clare.
A grant from the town and other local councils enabled us to set up the hives.
Our bees survived their first winter but emerged with a high infestation of mites which has set back their development a little. However, in May we were alerted by a Clare resident that a swarm of bees had settled in a tree in their garden. We were able to collect this swarm and so boost the bee numbers.
Covid-19 has delayed our plans to show visitors around the apiary and demonstrate the fascinating life of bees, but we hope to be able to welcome visitors soon.
Many thanks to the Town Council and our County Councillor Mary Evans, the Trustees of Clare Castle Country Park for providing a site, the Alfred Williams Charitable Trust, Ecofrenzy and everyone else who has supported us.
Although we are looking for £40 per basket or container any donation will be gratefully received.
I enclose a cheque for £ _____ You can of course pay by BACS directly. Account No. 00536007 Sort Code 30-98-31. Please email to let me know you have made a donation at [email protected].
Name:_____________________
Address_____________________________
I would like to help with sponsoring the hanging baskets or containers in Clare this year.
Tel: _______________________
Email:__________________
We intend to list everyone who has contributed to this project in a future issue of the Parish Magazine and on the Council's website at the end of the summer. If you do not wish to be mentioned please tick this box.
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