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In presenting this annual report to you I am conscious that it is now about the eighth one I have done since joining the Council nearly eighteen years ago. It is the time when I am able to report and advise on our activities and even more importantly to thank those that help so much in making our unique organisation such an effective one.
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I therefore make no apology for once again referring to our prime objective and the way in which we, as volunteers, strive to achieve it. Throughout the last twelve months we have endeavoured to maintain a very high level of service to our community. You will see from the attendance details featured elsewhere that a total of eleven full meetings of the Council have been held this year. In addition there have been numerous other meetings including those of the various committees, special ones for our residents and between individual officers and members.
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There has been full representation at all of the local groups that we have been traditionally involved with over a number of years together with some new ones e.g. the Werrington Extended Schools and Services Area. We have continued with our participation in local authority consultation initiatives such as Parish Liaison & Planning Forum meetings, and have played an active part in Peterborough Association of Local Councils (PALC).
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My sincere thanks to all our members for their hard work, commitment and dedication throughout the last twelve months. Our Secretary Alison Melnyczuk has taken on a new appointment as the Town Clerk at St Ives Town Council and I am most grateful for her help and support throughout the year – and I understand that she still hopes to remain with us as a co-opted member. The efforts of our Planning, Environment and WAGG committees under the excellent respective leadership of Roy Beard, Janet Goodacre and Shirley Wicks, have been supreme. Their reports will clearly demonstrate how extremely proactive they have been on your behalf. Once again major planning issues have dominated our activities, by no means the least of which has been that of the proposed North Werrington Development - this has been a very time-consuming exercise requiring a very high level of expertise and commitment by our dedicated group of members drawn from both the planning and environment committees.
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The time and effort freely given by our members in maintaining our very unique and effective Council should not be underestimated or indeed taken for granted. Our Council is one that does not impose an additional tax burden onto its community, is free from political interference and influence, and which merely exists to do the best it can for our environment and those that live and work in it.
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Regrettably two of our number will not be seeking re-election this year namely, David Rayment and Janice Bodgere. We sincerely thank them for their efforts and commitment to this Council, and wish them well for the future. I am however pleased to welcome our new members, David Hedges, Jonathan Orbell (who form the basis of our new Publicity team), David Burley (who needs no introduction), and Susan Hedges (who has joined us to help with the secretarial duties).
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The help and assistance provided by our Ward Councillors both directly and indirectly has been considerable and much appreciated. They are all valued members of this Council and we hope that those seeking re-election this year will continue to receive the deserved support of the community.
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We continue to seek ways of encouraging our youngsters to contribute in a positive way towards the well-being of our community and its environment. I am delighted to see that once again there is a very worthy recipient of the Good Citizenship Award for Youth, namely, Joe Pauly.
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Peterborough City Council’s continued interest, help and financial support is much appreciated.
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The local newspapers, Werrington Spotlight and Connect publications have maintained a high standard of reporting of our activities and we are grateful to them for helping to keep our residents responsibly informed on key issues affecting our community and its environment. There are many new challenges ahead for the Werrington community and its environment – I look forward with great confidence that we have the team to deal with them in the best possible way.
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