Wednesday 31 December 2008

Welcome Gift

An anonymous benefactor has donated the fee for the use of the Tenbury Regal for the Primary School end of term film.

Following Tenbury Town Council's refusal to waive the usual hire fee, it was feared that this additional expense would have to be met from the limited funds available to the volunteer Tenbury Film Group.

Although the Town Council were steadfast in ensuring that they made a profit from the School Film, they may not have been so lucky with the Pantomime that they promoted in the week before Christmas which appears to have landed the Council with a significant loss.

Wednesday 24 December 2008

Wall work finished?

Worcester County Council promised that work on the replacement wall in Market Street would be completed by Christmas. Well depending on your definition of completed then after 163 days it possibly is!

Saturday 20 December 2008

Tenbury Regal Cinema


I wonder if Tenbury Town Council, the owner of the Tenbury Regal are going to offer a lifeline to the volunteer led Tenbury Regal Cinema Group?

Tenbury Town Council (and by default, us the Council Tax payers) support the Bowls Club and Tennis Club with thousands of pounds of subsidy each year.

By contrast, they charge the Cinema Group thousands of pounds a year for the privilege of running a community service that is accessed by a far greater number of residents.

Playing catch up.

The two local print Newspapers covering Tenbury Wells have been playing catch up this week.

The Tenbury Advertiser leads with the destruction of the Mulberry Trees recorded here on 6th December, and the Ludlow Journal, leads with the "Use it or loose it" message from the Tenbury Wells Regal Cinema recorded here on 2nd December.

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Shop Window Competition

Traveltrail won the Tenbury Chamber of Trade Christmas window competition with their interpretation of Joy to the World.

The winner of the Public Competition to Guess as many window themes as possible should be announced shortly.

Wednesday 10 December 2008

Sculpture Reconfigured

The reconfigured plaques.

The Art Trail Sculpture at the entrance to the Burgage have been reconfigured and is now back in place.

The three plaques were originally mounted on a stone plinth, but the fixings were found to be of insufficient strength to withstand the rigours of life in the Burgage. They were also rather hard to read.

The plaques have been strengthened and remounted on a large steel plate.

Tenbury Mayor unveils the original sculpture

Monday 8 December 2008

Royal Mullberry Trees Destroyed by Vandals


Three Mulberry Trees in the Tenbury Wells Burgage were destroyed by vandals at the weekend.

The trees planted to commemorate the Queens 80th Birthday were grafted from trees growing at Buckingham Palace.

It has been estimated that the cost of replacing these trees is in the region of £150, provided replacement trees can be found.

Saturday 6 December 2008

Mistletoe Festival & Lantern Parade

A smaller and colder Mistletoe Festival took place today, with entertainment, a craft fair and charity auction. Also the results of the trader shop window competition, with Traveltrail taking 1st Prize and Soap Opera & McCartneys taking joint second.

Entertainment at the Mistletoe Festival

Mistletoe Queen & attendants
Listen to Mistletoe Queen on Radio 4 Womans Hour Programme

Santa leads the Lantern Parade


The Lantern Parade

Friday 5 December 2008

Use it or lose it.

DONT LET THIS HAPPEN TO THE TENBURY REGAL
A use it or lose it call, has gone out from the Tenbury Regal Cinema team.

Recent low attendance figures have brought about a turn in fortune for the volunteer run cinema. During the summer 7 sell out screenings of Mamma Mia helped to boost the funds, but recent very low audience numbers have eaten away at this surplus.

The Tenbury Regal Group have to pay enhanced fees to the film distributors when there is a large audience, but still have to pay a substantial distributor fee, and a hire fee to Tenbury Town Council even if no one turns up. Ironically they even have to pay a distributors courier fee when the Regal is unavailable for films due to other bookings.

A coffee morning is being held in the Regal Community Centre starting at 10am on Saturday 17th January 2009 with an auction of film posters at 11am. You are urged to come along a discuss the cinema and it's future.


Tenbury Regal Website

Tuesday 2 December 2008

Christmas Window Competition

If you get a chance, take a stroll around the shops in Tenbury this Christmas.

Nearly every shop has been refitted within the last 18 months and new hi-tech lights decorate the street scene.

To add to the Christmas magic many of the shops have entered the Tenbury Chamber of Trade shop window competition. Some truly magical window displays have been created to put a smile on your face, to tease the mind and get you guessing which Christmas song they represent.

There also some unusual gift ideas and great bargains to be found in the shops.

MHDC offer help to ailing companies

Cllr Philip Grove, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development at Malvern Hills District Council has encouraged any companies in the Malvern Hills area facing financial problems to contact the Council, preferably before they need to call in the administrators.

He explained that whilst the Council does not have the funds to assist companies directly they can access a number of grants which may be enough to help companies continue trading.

New Multi Purpose Building

Its full speed ahead for the new multi purpose, health and well being building planned for the Palmers Meadow area of Tenbury.

The new building, which will incorporate new changing facilities for the football and rugby club has been given the green light and it is hoped that a design architect will be appointed soon, once suitable funding has been found.

The second multi purpose, art and culture building, proposed for the Regal site appears to have stalled.

Tenbury Play Equipment

Tenbury Town Council is still well on target to apply for up to £100K in grant aid to refurbish the children's play area and provide new facilities for older children and young people.

In conjunction with other organisations, various public consultation exercises have been carried out and others are planned.

In particular, children and young people have been encouraged to take an active part in the consultation process.

Tenbury Police

Tenbury Police have requested that the public call their new number 0300 333 3000 with any concerns about suspicious behaviour.

Although the crime rate around the Tenbury and Teme Valley area remains low, the current economic climate will inevitably lead to an increase in crime.

There have been reports of Fuel and Heating Oil thefts and thefts of scrap metal, although these have reduced with the reduction in fuel prices and halving in the value of scrap.

In recent weeks the street patrols have been tackling the problem of young people cycling on pavements and the usual problems of under age drinking.

The national drink drive campaign also starts today, and as the occurrence drink driving is still statistically high in the Teme Valley area they will be stepping up their patrols and random stops.

A national Power Company have donated a 'large' number of low energy light bulbs to Tenbury Police to distribute to vulnerable people to enable them to leave a light on for security reasons without running up a large bill. Anyone requiring a bulb or who know someone who would benefit from a bulb should contact the front desk.

Free Parking in Tenbury

Malvern Hills DC have announced that they will allow Free Parking in their Tenbury Wells Car Park on 12th, 13th, 19th and 20th December 2008.

MHDC have decided not to reduce Car Parking charged following the reduction in VAT, but to allow additional free parking.

They are also hoping to announce no increases in Car Parking charges during 2009.

It has been estimated that the Tenbury Wells Car Park is revenue neutral, and MHDC could allow free car parking in Tenbury with no overall loss of revenue, but they have refused to move from their policy of treating all their car parks the same. MHDC make significant profits from some of their car parks.

Tenbury Wells, is in competition with Leominster where parking is now free.

New Town Councillor

Following the resignation of former Mayor Councillor Bob Martin, Tenbury Town Council have co-opted the Rev Ian Williams to serve on the council.

Unusually the whole co-option process was carried out at a special meeting of the Town Council to which the press and public were excluded.

Tenbury Town Council regularly use the Section 100(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 to exclude the press and public from official meetings, and where the act cannot be stretched to apply they hold informal meetings which they are also able to exclude the public and press.

(Only meetings where Councillors are "summoned to attend" are official meetings)

The Council have voted to adopt the Freedom of Information Act, model publication scheme, but rather than make all relevant documents available on their website, the will use the website to direct enquiries to the Town Clerk who will copy documents and make a charge.