JUST RELEASED

Search for

COUNCIL ACCOUNTS AND AUDITS

by Roger Taylor, consultant solicitor
Wellers Hedleys

LEGAL MATTERS

Town criers gathered in Knaresborough from as far afield as Australia.
Pic: Andrea Hunter, Knaresborough Town Crier consort

OYEZ! OYEZ! OH OZ!
A CRY FROM DOWN UNDER

A distant visitor was among the entries in the annual KNARESBOROUGH Town Criers competition. The event is held annually as part of the town’s Festival of Entertainment and Visual Arts. Criers from around the UK and sometimes further afield take part in the competition, which is held in accordance with the rules of the Loyal Company of Town Criers. As well as entrants from across North Yorkshire, one stood out, having travelled halfway round the world to compete – Kevin Howarth, from Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia! Helmsley’s David Hinde came first, ahead of Terry Ford, the Otley Bellman.

Penmachno Community Council found a way to communicate beyond the Welsh hills.

COMMUNITY SPIRIT BEATS MOBILE BLACKSPOT

In an inspiring tale of community spirit and collaboration, the residents of PENMACHNO in Eryri National Park, North Wales, have successfully tackled their long-standing issue of having no mobile phone service by installing a cutting-edge, free wi-fi system in the centre of the picturesque Welsh village. Residents of the Conwy village were left disconnected in an increasingly digital world. Determined to find a solution, the community council led a project to install a comprehensive wi-fi network in the village. Working with volunteers, the project received generous funding from a local charity and the National Park Authority.

Ready for visitors at the Anson Museum.

READY TO EXPLORE TOWN HERITAGE

POYNTON Town Council is bringing together talented and passionate community groups for a week of free Heritage Open Days in early September to explore the Cheshire town’s history. The heritage and craft of canal boat roses and there will be tours of The Centre, which was built in 1838, and a Poynton Players open afternoon. Later in the week a Heritage Fair is being held and an accessible canal boat trip brings a waterways discovery. There will also be an Anson Engine Museum Open Day and collieries walking tour.

Charity representatives and councillors.

PARENTS AND CHILDREN’S JOINT FITNESS AREA

MARLDON, COMPTON & WESTERLAND Parish has taken huge strides to help the fitness and wellbeing of its residents by having adult fitness apparatus installed. The equipment, supplied by Fresh Air Fitness and funded by the Marldon Lands Charity, is on a field near to the Marldon Parish playpark in the Devon village, enabling parents and children to participate in healthy recreation. Parish council chair Derek Hore said: “This is a wonderful gesture by our local charity and shows how the council and outside parties are working together to enhance the quality of life within our parish.

Green Flag celebrations at Gillingham in Dorset.

FLYING THE FLAG FOR GREEN PRIDE

Communities across Britain are celebrating earning prestigious Green Flag Awards from Keep Britain Tidy. The scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark for the management of recreational outdoor spaces. GILLINGHAM Town Council gained Green Flags for sites at The Stour, The Lodden and The Shreen. The Dorset town’s Mayor Roger Weeks said: “The town council staff and volunteers from the Gillingham Action for Nature Group work tirelessly to ensure that our sites are maintained to high standards and everyone involved should feel extremely proud.”

Attention2Place’s Sophie Evingar with volunteers at the chalk stream.

CELEBRATING RARE STREAM’S BEAUTY

A year of events centred on a rare Somerset winterbourne chalk stream culminated in a glorious summer celebration of its unique beauty and ecology. Prompted by the stream’s deteriorating quality, BISHOP’S SUTTON Parish Council invited Sophie Evingar and volunteers, from the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to give a series of presentations. Villagers learned about the wonder of the stream and their impact on its ecology. Financed by the trust and Heritage Lottery Fund, activities continued with a series of events run by Attention2Place, a partnership of independent scholars.

Ukrainian musicians Olena and Olha

REFUGEE TALENT GETS TIME AND SPACE TO IMPRESS IN FROME

FROME Town Council’s Welcome Hub marked Refugee Week UK with a variety of events. They included a graffiti art workshop with Mutartis Boswell, a migration-themed workshop for schools, stand-up comedy, crafts, yoga and storytelling, celebrating the stories and contributions of displaced people. All the performers have direct experience of being displaced, or are the children of displaced people. Musician Olha Koptieva and members of the Somerset town’s Ukrainian community shared crafts, activities and live music, with a family fun day in Victoria Park rounding things off.

 Mayor of Patchway Dayley Lawrence had a fair old time at the Throwback Festival.

THROWBACK TO A GOLDEN AGE

 PATCHWAY partied all day and well into the evening as the Gloucestershire town let its hair down at the town council’s Throwback Festival. Brilliantly compered throughout the day by the Edinburgh Fringe-bound Jack & Jordan, the main stage and festival was opened by Mayor of Patchway Dayley Lawrence before children’s entertainer JoJo Sparkles wowed the crowds. The music was designed to take people back, starting with a 1950s theme and progressing with The Beatles Story as the nostalgia flooded in. More than 40 community stalls and local craft vendors added extra value, with local organisations also playing their part.

 Scroll supplied by Mike Goodwin, Clerks & Councils Direct

DIAMOND SERVICE BY CLERK

A parish council clerk who oversaw more than 1,000 meetings has retired after 60 years of service. HEPTONSTALL Parish Council presented Roger Greenwood with an illuminated scroll to mark his retirement. Roger was appointed clerk to the West Yorkshire council in May 1963, following in his father’s footsteps. On his retirement, villagers threw a party for Roger and his family. Those in attendance included the local MP, past and present councillors from Heptonstall and surrounding councils, various local groups and residents during which he was presented with the scroll and other gifts.