Ruby Chambers Young Person’s Sports Award

Award Winner Ruadhan Taylor receives The Ruby Chambers Young Person’s Sports Award 2023.

Ruadhan (Rory) is pictured with the newly elected Atherstone Town Mayor – Cllr Sara Bishop who presented the award at the Annual Town Assembly on the 22nd May 2024.

Honorary Citizen 2024

The new Honorary Citizen of Atherstone for 2024 is Jayne Collins.

Jayne is pictured with the newly elected Atherstone Town Mayor – Cllr Sara Bishop who presented the award at the Annual Town Assembly on the 22nd May 2024.

Notice of Co-Option

MAKE A CHANGE 

BECOME A LOCAL COUNCILLOR

JOIN US AND MAKE A LOCAL CHANGE

 

The Town Council has a vacancy for the North Ward to be filled by co- option at the Full Council on April 17th 2024.

Anyone wishing to know more about the role of a Councillor should contact the Clerk at the above address.

Written applications via email or post are invited by Midday on Monday 15th April 2024, explaining your reasons for wishing to be considered for co-option, should be addressed to the clerk.

Kate Clover

Town Clerk

20th March 2024

Nominations for Honorary Citizen Award 2024

35th Year of World Aids Day 2023

Atherstone Town Council thanks all those who supported the recent marking of the 35th World Aids Day. Civic heads from around Warwickshire joined the Atherstone Community in a service of remembrance and reflection followed by a candlelit vigil with the New Inspirations Choir on the Market Square. Thankyou to Rev Michael Brandsma and the volunteers at St Mary’s Church for all their help co-ordinating and hosting this event.

Remembrance Service & Parade

Atherstone Town Council would like to invite you to join us for our annual Remembrance Service and Parade on Sunday 12th November 2023.

Atherstone Town Council / Royal British Legion: Remembrance Service & Parade, Sunday, November 12th, 2023. 9:30 Remembrance Service: St Mary’s Church, Vicar Micheal Brandsma, 10.30 Remembrance Parade*: St Mary’s Church to Atherstone Cemetery, 11.00 Act of Remembrance: Atherstone Cemetery, Sheepy Road. 11.30 Remembrance Parade*: Atherstone Cemetery to St Mary’s Church Following the parade refreshments will be served in St Mary’s Church. *Parade timings are approximate

 

 

Statement: Christmas Lights Switch On

Atherstone Town Council understand that many residents and visitors to Atherstone were disappointed in the Town Council’s decision to suspend the community grant scheme in July 2023 and the subsequent impact this has had on community voluntary organisations and events such as Dicken’s Night.

 

Additional pressure has been placed upon the Town Council’s finances, due to significant levels of expenditure in 2023/24 which had not been accounted for in the budget set by the previous Council in January 2023. Following a review of the Annual Governance and Accountability Return 2022/23, the External Auditor has stated that the reserves held by the Town Council are too low and advised that there is a need to ensure the Council can continue to function for a reasonable period should other funding be delayed or cease.

 

The Town Council made the difficult decision to suspend the Grants Scheme due to the potential financial difficulties it may have in meeting its statutory obligations. The Council were without a Town Clerk until mid-September and the depleted staffing resources throughout the summer followed by an induction period has meant any further analysis and review of the Council’s finances has not yet been possible. It is with regret that the Town Council are not able to offer 50% grant funding towards the Dicken’s Night fireworks as has happened in previous years.

 

The Town Council organise and fund the supply and installation of the Christmas Lights throughout the Town and the Christmas Tree outside St Mary’s Church for the Community each year. At the September Town Council meeting comments expressed, indicated uncertainty for the Town Mayor’s usual proceedings in relation to the Christmas Light Switch-On.

 

Prior to the Town Council meeting on 18th October, we wrote to the Dicken’s Committee to ask whether they wished for the Town Council Christmas Light Switch on to form part of the Dicken’s night celebrations as in prior years. The Dicken’s Committee advised they had formally voted that they did not wish to be involved with the Christmas Lights Switch on this year unless the Town Council reversed their decision on the funding of the fireworks.

 

Following communication of the above decision by the Dicken’s Committee on 17th October, the Council decided to host a small gathering in the Market Square to switch on the Town Council’s Christmas Lights and commemorate World AIDS Day on 1st December 2023.

 

It has been evident that the above decisions made by both the Town Council and the Dickens Event Committee has caused significant upset to the Community for which we wholeheartedly apologise. The Town Council and the Dicken’s Event Committee are now in communication with each other. Councillors are preparing a motion to rescind the previous decision and reinstate the light switch on event to Dicken’s Night on 25th November 2023. The Chairman intends to call an Extraordinary Meeting of the Town Council on Wednesday 1st November.

 

Allotment Award 2023

ATHERSTONE TOWN COUNCIL ALLOTMENT AWARDS 2023

Atherstone Town Council Allotment Awards were presented at the Town Council Meeting on Wednesday 20th September 2023.

The Town Council manages two allotment sites in the Atherstone, one on Gypsy Lane and one on Bracebridge Road.

Over 150 tenants are eligible to enter the annual allotment awards and once again the standard of entries was very high.

If anyone is interested in renting an allotment in Atherstone there are waiting lists at both sites and enquiries can be made to the Deputy Town Clerk on 01827 720829.

List of Winners Merevale Allotments:

First Prize Full Plot – Mr Steven Ford Plot 15

Second Prize Full Plot – Mrs Ellen Chetwynd Plot 32

First Prize Half Plot – Ms Liz Peel Plot 38b

Second Prize Half Plot – Mrs Gillian Kiteley Plot 33a

Best Newcomer – Ms Liz Peel Plot 38b

Commendation – White Hart Community Group Plot 50

List of Winners Gypsy Lane Allotments:

First Prize Full Plot – Mr and Mrs Hart Plot 38

Second Prize Full Plot – Mr Kenneth Knight Plot 8

First Prize Half Plot – Mr Roger Fildes Plot 22b

Second Prize Half Plot – Mrs Yvonne Stone Plot 33

Best Newcomer – Mr and Mrs Airey Plot 25a

Commendations – Mr and Mrs Strugnell Plots 4b and 4c

Mr Garth Strugnell Plot 4a

Mr Chris Boss Plot 11

Report by Cllr Jones on behalf of the Judging Panel

Despite the plant nourishing rain showers it was a privilege to spend the evening inspecting the Merevale View and Gypsy Lane allotments. We were all impressed by  the work, skill and ingenuity demonstrated in so many of the plots.

Gypsy Lane had the tallest beans (Plot G41) and the most enormous squash plant (Plot G11a) and Merevale had the exciting Dahlia show flowers (Plot M21b) and a community plot (Plot M50) that earned a special commendation. Judging which plots to present awards to is a subjective matter where the judges had their own preferences.

Is a beautiful tended vegetable plot (Plot M54a) more worthy than a well run pigeon loft (Plot G7)? Is a well stocked chicken run (Plot G13) higher ranking than a pollinating bed complete with a bee hive (Plot M38b)?

Despite not having a set of predetermined scoring criteria the judges’ deliberations actually presented clear award winners for each category, along with a few special commendations for extra skills on display.

Welcome to our new Town Clerk

Atherstone Town Council is delighted to welcome Kate Clover as our new Town Clerk.

Town Clerk – Kate Clover PSLCC

Kate joins the council team after four years experience as a Clerk and nine years within the Town and Parish Council sector.

Prior to this, Kate has worked within the local government sector since 2005 in roles within Housing & Council Tax Benefits and Accountancy.

Kate is already familiar with the local area. She moved to Kingsbury in 2012 and regularly visits Atherstone as her local town.

Keith Barnett, Chair of Atherstone Town Council, said: “Kate will be a key member of our team, bringing new skills and experience. She will be instrumental in continuing the development of the Council’s relationships with the town, its residents and visitors.”

Kate is looking forward to getting to grips with her new role. She said: “Becoming the Town Clerk of Atherstone is a new and exciting challenge for me. I’m looking forward to helping to continue to develop Atherstone as a great place to live, work and visit.”