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Saturday 5th February 2005
The pending development of the new town centre is raising
concerns about some of our old buildings and there is a great deal of confusion
over which are protected and which are not.
The only survey of such properties was completed in 1977 when the existing
government guidelines incorporated all pre-1700 buildings that had not been
substantially altered and almost all those built between 1700 and 1840.
There were originally 75 listed buildings in the parish of Bourne. Fifty-one of
them were within the Conservation Area but two have been demolished. The other
24 were outside the designated area, in Eastgate, Cawthorpe and Dyke, but four
of these have also been pulled down and so 69 listed buildings remain.
There has been some discussion in the Bourne Forum over the status of the grain
warehouse in Burghley Street, which many people wish to see preserved, and it
has been suggested that it is protected but this is not the case. It is not a
listed building and can therefore be pulled down if South Kesteven District
Council desires to do so without recourse to the appropriate government
department.
The warehouse is not specifically identified for preservation in the plans
presented to the public by the preferred developer of the town centre, Henry
Davidson Developments, although they do suggest retaining existing buildings of
architectural quality. Their goodwill is therefore necessary if the warehouse is
to survive. A scheme for converting this building into apartments was included
in the presentation from the S Harrison Group, one of the three short listed
developers, but they did not get the contract.
Grain warehouses have been an integral part of Bourne's commercial life in past
centuries and the only one remaining that is protected is the former Wherry's
warehouse on the east side of South Street, opposite the Wellhead Gardens,
dating from the late 18th century and is Grade II listed, but unless it receives
attention soon, it may well deteriorate beyond repair.
The frontage in North Street on the edge of the core area for the new town
centre development contains several listed buildings, all of which will need
special permission if any move is made to alter them, and details of these are
published on this web site this week because they are facing an uncertain
future. Unfortunately, not all of them have been well cared for and the case for
their protection cannot be soundly argued because although the ground floors of
all are occupied by commercial interests, some of the street facades and upper
storeys have not been given the attention that befits a property that relates to
our heritage. I am even tempted to say that Bourne would benefit if one or two
were removed from the street scene because of past neglect.
Ownership of a listed building is not an easy undertaking. Firstly, it needs to
be economically viable, whether as a home or a commercial property, but its
exceptional status also means that it must be maintained to preserve those
characteristics that attracted the protection in the first place. Improvements
are carefully monitored by the local authority and major changes cannot be made
without specific permission, neither can it be pulled down without similar
dispensation. But there are benefits because local authorities and other
organisations look kindly on applications for financial help when urgent
maintenance is required to keep it in good order.
Those who support conservation therefore have every reason to believe that our
heritage is not in good hands and while budgets influence decisions, both in the
public and private sector, other buildings of history are likely to disappear.
We have already lost several, sometimes in suspect circumstances, and the number
will grow. It is now almost two years since the Old Grammar School in the
churchyard, a Grade II listed building, was closed because the structure was
unsafe and as nothing has been done in the meantime to raise the money needed
for its repair, this 17th century building is being left to fall down. The
Vestry Hall in North Street stands empty and unused. It was built as a Calvinist
chapel in 1867 and was subsequently used as a drill hall, military hospital,
youth club and for social functions, but is now privately owned and as it is not
listed, it is doubtful if a commercial case could be made for its retention in
the event of the present owners wishing to pull it down while our local
authorities are unlikely to provide money to save it if the need arises.
Working through the 69 listed buildings that remain in the parish of
Bourne, only those used as private houses have a confident future because their
owners will protect their properties and they have an indefinite residential use in a
secure market. The Abbey Church, our only Grade I listed building, appears to be
safe, although the guardianship of the Church of England must never be taken for
granted, and the Red Hall, our second most famous building, is in the hands of
Bourne United Charities, the wealthiest organisation in Bourne, and so we assume
the trustees will protect their interests and ensure its survival but the rest
face an uncertain future.
Perhaps we are witnessing a change in the climate of preservation and that only
those projects that can command national attention and financial support from
the lottery fund and public benevolence will succeed. Local councils no longer
produce men of stature and vision as they did in the past and causes that were
once a challenge founder without effort. If the current trend continues, then
the historic buildings that are currently scattered around the town will slowly
disappear and once small, attractive market towns such as Bourne will become
cloned examples of their neighbours and our lives will be the poorer for it.
My speculation last week (Diary 29th January) about the poor attendance
at some town council meetings has produced a doughty champion in the shape of
Councillor John Kirkman, who has leapt to the defence of errant colleagues. He
has sent me a long email on the subject and whilst agreeing with my prognosis
that there is no great interest in standing as a councillor, insists that those
we have are doing a great job. He has also provided me with an excellent set of
statistics outlining their attendance over the past four years and while
admitting that there are absences, blames illness, holidays and social
engagements.
This was not the point of my observations which were sparked off by his
colleague, Councillor Shirley Cliffe, who expressed dissatisfaction about
non-attendance at meetings of the town council when she said: “Our district and
county councillors prefer to go to their meetings instead of ours. We are just
as important. We have five district councillors and I am beginning to think that
they should not be on other councils.”
The statistics sent to me by Councillor Kirkman appear to bear out these remarks
because they show that among our 15 town councillors, Councillor Cliffe has the
highest attendance record of 97% over the past four years while colleagues who
also only belong to the town council occupy the next seven places with 94% to
79% and councillors who also belong to other authorities occupy the bottom five
places with between 61% and 52%.
The discussion is not about the ability of councillors but the time they make
available for their town council work and it is quite apparent that other
commitments which are often deemed to be more important and more pressing,
sometimes take precedence to the detriment of the town council and this is the
point that Councillor Cliffe was making. It is also worth remembering that
councillors are paid for their work on the district and county councils but not
on the town council and so which to attend if meetings clash becomes an obvious
choice.
This was the subject of a lively debate by the town council this week when
Councillor Cliffe said that the last meeting of the highways committee was
almost abandoned because they could not raise the necessary quorum minimum of
six members. “We had to call Councillor Trevor Holmes who was ill in bed and ask
him to come, otherwise we would have had to cancel the meeting”, she said.
Other interesting remarks on the subject came from two other members who both
belong to South Kesteven District Council and various other organisations in the
town. Councillor Don Fisher (61% attendance) told the meeting: “Some of the
other organisations we sit on are extremely important”.
While Councillor Kirkman (76% attendance) said: “Councillors are entitled to a
social life and are allowed to have family commitments.”
So there we have it. Councillors want to belong to the town council, often the
first stepping stone in public life and the one which leads directly to
membership of other councils and organsiations, yet they also want to be absent
when it suits them.
Councillor Kirkman has also suggested in his email that I might profit by
attending some of the meetings of the town council “to make a more accurate
judgment” but I can assure him that I have spent many hours in council chambers
during the past 50 years and know exactly what goes on. There is no evidence to
indicate that Bourne is setting a new trend and, as with elsewhere, councillors
will be judged by results and not on the way they conduct their business.
One last thought. Councillor Kirkman insists that councillors "do not miss
meetings on a whim" as I had suggested yet Councillor Fisher gave as his excuse
for failing to turn up at one meeting last month that he could not get a lift
and if that is not a whim (an impulsive or irrational thought) then what is?
Perhaps he should have taken a
taxi.
What the local newspapers are saying: Bourne has the
highest concentration of affordable homes in the East Midlands, according to a
front page report in The Local. Around 30 per cent of the land earmarked
for residential development is given over to such properties and 600 are being
built at Elsea Park, the prestige estate to the south of the town (February
4th). Unfortunately, the report does not discuss how much these “affordable”
houses will cost but a check on the prices of low cost housing in the property
pages is not good news for young couples because they will not get one for under
£100,000 and that means both earning good salaries which will rule out starting
a family for the time being. The euphoria of the announcement appears to have
spread because Councillor Jayne Pauley, chairman of the town council’s planning
committee, told the newspaper: “We want young people to stay here and not be
priced out. People should be able to stay in the place where they were born and
brought up.” No one will argue with that but the reality is that the cost of
housing in all categories is still too high and out of reach of first time
buyers and will remain so while property prices continue to rule the economy.
There has been a setback for the opening of a skateboard park in Bourne and the
Stamford Mercury reports that the organisers are looking round for
another site (February 4th). Last May, it was suggested that it might be built
on the old water cress beds between Baldock’s Mill and Manor Lane but this
column pointed out that it would not be a suitable location because it was too
remote, lacked a suitable access and was within the town’s conservation area.
Wiser counsel has prevailed because this is now deemed to be an inappropriate
place and so as work goes on with the costing and design, other sites are under
consideration, notably the town’s recreation ground.
Everything, as common parlance has it, is up for grabs, even another wedding
ceremony for married couples. That is the prize being offered by the
Lincolnshire Registration Service in the latest issue of County News Monthly,
the free newspaper delivered to every household by the county council. With St
Valentine’s Day approaching (on February 14th) and with romance in the air,
married couples are being offered a chance to win the ultimate romantic event.
Ceremonies for the civil renewal of marriage vows were introduced three years
ago and have become extremely popular with couples of all ages to give that extra
special meaning to an anniversary or birthday, conducted by a professional
celebrant using selected readings, promises poems and music. They
normally cost around £175 but the winner of the competition will get one free on
a date of their choosing. Those wishing to participate have to answer a simple
question and post or email their entry (only one per household) by March 14th
and it will go into the big draw. Whatever next?
Thought for the week: Bourne is full of charity shops, estate agents and
fast food outlets. Do we need any more? – Louise Marshall of Morton, near
Bourne, quoted by The Local in a news item that another takeaway is planned for
Abbey Road, Friday 4th February 2004.
Saturday 12th February 2005
The Old Grammar School
is up for sale. The property,
which is one of the oldest secular buildings in the town, has been put on the
market for an undisclosed sum by the Bourne Educational Foundation, a registered
charity that has been responsible for its administration in recent years.
The ancient building is located in the churchyard a few yards away from the
Abbey Church and has been standing empty for some months after a structural
survey revealed that it was unsafe because of a lack of maintenance. At least
£20,000 would be needed for repairs, although that figure is now likely to be
much higher but it is Grade II listed and therefore protected from demolition or
drastic change.
Heritage Trust of Lincolnshire has scheduled the school as a building at risk
because of the crumbling brickwork and roof. Potential buyers are advised that
because of its unique setting, options for alternative uses will
need to be closely monitored by council planners. There is pedestrian access
only across the churchyard from Church Walk and the current lack of any form of
vehicle access may well be a constraint for some uses.
The school was a gift to this town, given to Bourne in the 17th century when
William Trollope, a local landowner, left a bequest in his will that provided
for an endowment of £30 a year to maintain "an honest, learned and godly
schoolmaster" in a free grammar school incorporated by royal charter and built
by himself. His will, dated 16th November 1636, stipulated that it should be
called "The Free Grammar School of King Charles in the town of Bourne and County
of Lincoln, of the foundation of William Trollope, gentleman."
The single storey building was completed in 1678 with a red brick superstructure
over a solid stone foundation but it is not certain whether this stonework is
from Trollope's original school or whether it dates back even further. Repairs
and alterations were carried out from time to time, particularly in 1858 and
again in 1876 when new outbuildings and two new end windows were added. Five
years later, a new stove chimney was erected and repairs carried out to the
floor, dado boarding was fitted and when the ceiling was removed, the oak roof
became visible.
The school closed in 1904 because of a declining number of pupils and there were
several unsuccessful attempts to reopen it but it was eventually replaced by the
present Bourne Grammar School in 1921 and two years later, in January 1923, the
old building was sold to the board of governors for the nominal sum of £100. It
has largely been unused since except during the Second World War of 1939-45 when
the premises became an ambulance station and a headquarters for the girl guides
who continued to use it to store their equipment and for meetings during the
summer months although notices posted on the door in April 2003 have now banned
entry because the structure is unsafe.
Another old building left to deteriorate is the Chapel of Rest in the
town cemetery that has now been deconsecrated, a move seen by some as the first
step towards demolition.
The deconsecration was granted on 1st December 2004 by the Bishop of Lincoln,
the Rt Rev John Saxbee, on the initiative of the town council as owners of the
building and although this involved the bishop and two members of the council
signing the official document, no public announcement was made. Until this time,
when deconsecration was a fait accompli, the town council treated it as a
confidential matter and the public were not privy to their deliberations. Only
after the order was signed was it freely mentioned and even then, not until
mid-January.
Why was this so? The only interpretation can be that the town council was intent
on demolishing the chapel but needed first an order of deconsecration but this
might attract protests from various quarters and delay the outcome and so
negotiations were conducted in confidence. If there is another explanation,
perhaps we can be told what it is.
The effect of the order is to remove the chapel from all church restraints
although it also states that it shall only be used for the purposes of storage,
office and workshop accommodation in connection with the cemetery but strangely,
such restrictions do not prevent it from being pulled down.
These covenants may be seen as a stumbling block to its future use if the
council did decide to try and preserve it but determination can work wonders as
can be seen by the redundant St Michael’s Church in the pedestrian precinct at
Stamford where more than thirty years ago councillors fought and won to overcome
all such encumbrances and this fine building now enjoys a new lease of life as a
parade of shops and offices while the adjoining churchyard has become a small
open park to sit and rest awhile. All obstacles can be overcome given the
resolve to succeed.
The Civic Society is determined not to let this building go without a fight and
their purpose is made clear in their February newsletter in which the secretary,
Mr Robert Kitchener, reveals that the town council has already turned down one
opportunity to preserve it. “At one time”, he writes, “it was offered that the
Collyweston roof could be replaced with mock tiling that would be free of charge
to the council but the offer was not taken up.” He also proposes that a detailed
property survey should be undertaken before any action is approved and suggests
that it might be sold off to an enterprising developer who would relieve the
council of the costs of restoration while an alternative use would be as a small
museum for memorials, plaques and books of remembrance.
The Civic Society is but one voice and although there are others, there has been
no public outcry for the preservation of the chapel but by the same token, there
has been no clamour to pull it down except by our town councillors who will make
the final decision but I fear that the objections may not be sufficient to save
it. Perhaps a referendum might be the solution but this would be a costly
operation and if the support is similar to that for the local assembly meetings
or even our local government elections then it would hardly be a worthwhile
exercise. The decision will therefore be left to the town council, which on the
evidence is not exactly brimming with bright ideas, and while public apathy
persists, it will continue on its present course without recourse to challenge.
The problem is that local government is not renowned for its imagination and the
public therefore tends to get what is immediately affordable rather than that
which is worthy. The town council has however agreed to provide some funding for
a report on the condition of the chapel by a qualified person, most probably a
structural surveyor, and this will no doubt be crucial to the final decision. If
it were to be preserved then the bill is likely to result in significant
increases in the council tax and if it is pulled down, the stones and slate
would realise a small sum and the site will then be used to provide a bespoke
facility for staff and equipment storage.
I suggested last week that those who lean towards conservation are now a
minority in society and as a result, we may be seeing the end of a determined
effort to save our historic buildings and that as they come to the end of their
useful life they will be replaced. Councillor John Kirkman, who has already
stated that the chapel should be pulled down, told me this week: “Several
debates and difficult decisions lie ahead and the more informed the debates are
the better the decision will be. But whichever way it finally goes, a few or
many people will be annoyed.”
There is an element of democratic optimism here that I do not share. In my
opinion, the writing is on the wall and this fine Victorian building is doomed to
extinction.
What the local newspapers are saying: The town is gearing
up for the fight to prevent houses from being built on meadowland adjoining The
Croft, a large property in North Road dating back to 1922. This long running
planning row will come to a head at a public inquiry on Tuesday 15th March and
the Stamford Mercury reports that a three-strong deputation from the town
council will be among the objectors (February 11th). Our M P, Mr Quentin Davies,
has announced his intention to be there and The Local carries an appeal by him
for a large turnout that would impress the government inspector and demonstrate
the opposition in the town against the development although not everyone should
attempt to speak. “Otherwise it will appear that we have been exaggerating the
strength of public opinion but it will be up to the inspector to decide who will
speak on the day”, he said.
Dentists are being recruited from Spain to help ease the growing crisis in
obtaining dental treatment, according to The Local. The newspaper says in
a front page report that the additional staffing could fill vacancies at
surgeries in Bourne caused by a general shortage of qualified practitioners
throughout the country (February 11th). The initiative is part of a government
drive to employ 1,000 more dentists this year as well as increasing the number
of graduates into the profession. The problem of obtaining speedy dental
treatment has become a talking point in recent months as more practices shun
patients registered with the National Health Service in favour of private
treatment, a sure sign that in the years to come the only treatment available
will be that we have to pay for.
Bogus callers are being targeted by Lincolnshire police in an attempt to protect
the old and the vulnerable. The Stamford Mercury says that two elderly
residents in Bourne were robbed last month by men claiming to be from the water
board and there are fears that they are travelling the district on the lookout
for other victims (February 11th). A Nominated Neighbour scheme has now been
launched to protect them in which people living nearby can help check whether
unexpected callers are bona fide before allowing them into their homes and young
people in the community are being asked to keep an eye on elderly neighbours
while relatives should advise them that spare cash ought to be banked and
valuables locked away.
The number of people who reach their 100th birthday and therefore qualify for a
telegram of congratulations from the Queen has increased in recent years because
we are living longer through better hygiene, an improved diet and a growing
awareness of our health. Reaching the century in years past was not unusual but
neither was it a common occurrence and those who did were respected by the
community.
Although she made no contribution to public life, Mary Ann Buckberry earned
herself a reputation as the Mother of Bourne by reason of her longevity, living
until she was 101, the oldest person in the town during the early years of the
last century.
She was born at Peterborough in 1817 but moved to Bourne when she was twenty,
before the railway had arrived and the carrier's cart was the only form of
public transport.
Mary married twice and outlived both husbands but had several children, the
number unknown, and spent her final years living alone at a cottage in North
Street by which time she had become a familiar figure in the town and was
frequently seen standing at the end of the passage leading to her home, weather
permitting, ready to talk to anyone who went by. She not only lived to see the
arrival of the motor car but also took her first trip in one at the age of 99,
travelling almost 100 miles in one day to visit a granddaughter.
Her memories of earlier times remained good until her death, living through six
reigns, taking part in the coronation celebrations for Queen Victoria in 1838
and, as a girl, singing in the choir at Peterborough Cathedral. She also
remembered toiling long hours in the fields to earn a shilling a day.
Mary worked for many years as a weekly help for the family of William Redshaw
and went to his house in North Street every Monday to assist with the household
chores, particularly the washing. Redshaw (1856-1946) was a professional
photographer and to celebrate her 100th birthday in 1917, Mary agreed to sit for
her portrait that was taken by Redshaw at her cottage and the occasion was
subsequently recorded on Friday 15th September in an interview with a reporter
from the Stamford Mercury:
The state of Mrs Buckberry's health is such
that she bids to live for several more years. Her eyesight and hearing are both
very good; she takes a great interest in all that goes on in the town and likes
to be told all the news about the war [the Great War of 1914-18 was then in
progress]. Her memory is very good for things that happened in her early years
but she forgets present day things. In talking to our representative, she said
that her life did not seem very long and she hopes she would live some time yet.
She can remember sugar being dearer than now and not near so good either. She
lives by herself and most mornings makes herself a cup of tea about 3 o'clock.
Her appetite is very good and she does not seem to have to pick her diet.
During her final weeks, Mary became increasingly feeble and was
unable to look after herself and so she went to live with her only surviving
son, William Cooper, at his home in Eastgate, where she died peacefully in her
sleep on Tuesday 16th April 1918. Her funeral took place the following Friday
when she was buried in the town cemetery, the ceremony being conducted by the
Congregational minister, the Rev J C Jones, and during the evening service on
Sunday, he referred to the passing of the town's oldest inhabitant who, he said,
would be remembered as the Mother of Bourne.
Message from abroad: What do the charities in Bourne do with their money?
Aren't they supposed to disburse the interest on their capital at least? I think
someone should read the relevant Charities Act to the trustees and get them to
use the money for the purposes it was bequeathed or donated. – contribution
to the
Bourne Forum from
Dennis Staff, Ottawa, Canada, Sunday 6th February 2005.
Message from home: It's great up north but you can't beat the friendly
faces of Bourne. - email from Darren Spanswick, Winsford, Cheshire, Sunday
6th February 200.
Thought for the week: The Civic Society promotes ideas that seem beyond
the imagination of business or government. - Robert Kitchener, secretary of
the Bourne Civic Society, writing in the February issue of their newsletter on
alternatives to demolishing the Victorian chapel in the town cemetery.
Saturday 19th February 2005
The proposal to put another deck of parking spaces on to
the Burghley Centre car park is likely to encounter some opposition before it
comes to fruition. The location is not within the core development area of the
new town centre but it has been suggested by Henry Davidson Developments of
Nottingham, the preferred developer chosen to carry out the £27 million scheme
which will create more than 160,000 square feet of new space and regenerate the
town’s appeal as a retail outlet and leisure destination.
In effect, this will be a multi-story car park, a suggestion that has already
brought strong criticism in contributions to the Forum on the grounds that it
will immediately become a magnet for anti-social behaviour, attracting every yob
from the neighbourhood.
There is also the question of access, a problem already dealt with in this
column in the past because the use of Meadowgate as the entrance and exit road
is not exactly the perfect solution. It was known when this facility opened in
1989 that the daily chase for one of the 170 available parking spaces would
create chaos along this road and this has happened in no small measure.
Frequently, particularly on market days, the town's busiest shopping time,
traffic piles up along the road as far as the junction with Harrington Street
and beyond and a continuous line of parked cars on the north side with several
others parked intermittently on the south side often results in gridlock. The
road at these periods is a potential death trap, conditions that are compounded
as pupils go to and from the Robert Manning Technology College in Queen’s Road,
and it is only because cars are forced to slow down to snail's pace that serious
accidents are avoided.
Meadowgate is a narrow road originally intended for the horse and cart and yet
those responsible for our highways have turned it into the worst traffic
bottleneck and road hazard in Bourne today, a situation to which anyone who has
driven down it can attest. Yet the solution, as I suggested three years ago, is
a simple one: turn Meadowgate into a one-way system, entered at the Harrington
Street end and exited via Hereward Street at Abbey Road. If a multi-storey car
park is built outside Budgens, the amount of traffic using Meadowgate will
double and apart from the increased hazards to both drivers and pedestrians, the
value of the properties along the road will inevitably be affected. Perhaps a
petition from homeowners aware of the possible plummeting prices of their houses
might awaken our local councillors to the seriousness of the problem.
There is also the question of the sensitive location. The proposed site does not
lie within the town’s Conservation Area but it is on the very edge of it and
therefore planners have a duty to ensure that new developments both in and
immediately out do not impair its character. Before the project to site a huge
lump of concrete at this point goes any further, planners should consider the
terms of the Town and Country Planning Act of 1971 under which the Bourne
Conservation Area was scheduled and when it was signed in 1977, South Kesteven
District Council promised to observe in the future: “To avoid the erosion of the
intrinsic character of the area by despoliation and unsympathetic development
and alterations and to protect both the inward and the outward views from the
Conservation Area.”
These are matters on which the public will need reassurances before the project
goes ahead and they will also want to be told why such an unsightly
structure to take more cars is necessary at this point. Perhaps it is a method of attracting
outside investment and if so, it will certainly herald the introduction of pay
parking that was successfully resisted by the public in May 2004.
Ivan Fuller, co-ordinator for the Town Centre Management Partnership, suggests
that the increased spaces provided would offer a natural synergy between the
shopping centre and both sides of North Street and although the scheme has by no means
been finalised, the developers have already made preliminary enquiries with the
owners of the Burghley Centre to discuss its feasibility. A transport and car
parking assessment is also to be carried out by consultants that will no doubt
take into consideration the issues raised by any decked car park proposal.
Multi-storey car parks are not popular and developers of the new out of town
shopping centre recently opened at Spalding recognised this and sensibly opted
for conventional car parking with modern security features which is a joy to
use. This dislike has been engendered by experience and the siting of
multi-storey car parks in towns and cities throughout Britain does not have a
good track record. Only those with a round-the-clock supervision for seven days
a week and fitted with the latest technology operate satisfactorily and it is
doubtful if the demand in Bourne would finance such a luxury.
There seems little doubt that decked parking will blight the area in which it is
built. If additional car parking spaces are required, and as the many housing
developments come to fruition then this will be the case, a more appropriate
site well away from the Conservation Area would seem to be a more acceptable
solution rather than create an eyesore within the town centre area and add to the
current traffic chaos. Unless a sensible solution is found now, Bourne will be
stuck with a sub-standard system for many years to come and one that will be
difficult to remove.
New signs have gone up on the approaches to Bourne telling visitors that
it is an historic market town with a church, a water mill, the place to get a
cup of tea and spend a penny. All of this is true but as with most roadside
signs that use the standard government logos they do not tell the full story.
The Abbey Church was established in the 12th century and has lasted for almost a
thousand years but is now struggling to survive and needs £100,000 a year for
the next four years if it is to remain open and this cannot be achieved by
prayer alone.
Baldock’s Mill was built in 1800 on a site that has been occupied by a water
mill since the Domesday Book was compiled in 1086 but is now maintained as a
heritage centre purely by the goodwill of a handful of people and when they go
its future is in doubt. In the meantime, the scarcity of volunteer help means
that it can only open for two hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
The cup that cheers the motorist on his way may be an elusive commodity in
Bourne for although there are 32 food outlets, most serve kebabs, pizzas and
other exotic takeaways and you will be lucky to be served with a pot of Earl
Grey and cream cakes at teatime and certainly not on a Sunday afternoon when
most are closed.
Our public lavatories should not be advertised. It is not many months ago since
there were none in Bourne, all closed, allegedly because of vandalism, although
those in South Street have since been re-opened and given a lick of paint after
a public outcry but it requires an urgent need and a strong constitution to
patronise them and if visitors chance to stop at those in the bus station then
they will be unlucky because they are bolted and barred.
Then we come to the word historic and yes, this does convey some truth because
Bourne is founded on the site of ancient springs from which the Saxons, Danes
and Romans drank and around which they settled. It is now known as St Peter’s
Pool but it is in a sorry state because it is not maintained as befits its status
while some of our public buildings are in a similarly parlous condition, all
through the neglect of those who are supposed to look after them.
Road signs such as this, therefore, should not be taken too seriously. They are
an important enticement to passing motorists to stop and rest awhile and they
will be welcome but when they do, we hope they will not be disappointed with
what they find here.
What the local newspapers are saying: A 40% pay rise for the clerk to
Bourne Town Council, Mrs Nelly Jacobs, is given prominent treatment by our two
main local newspapers this week (February 18th) and The Local reports
that it was approved at a special meeting on Tuesday but only after causing deep
divisions among members. The controversy has been so intense that it was decided
to call in an independent financial adviser to assess the scale of salary that
should be paid and his recommendation was in favour of an increase of £7,000,
pushing the clerk’s salary up to £25,437, but despite the ruling, many senior
councillors voted against it.
Differing views were voiced by Councillor John Smith who said: “We have obviously
not been paying the clerk at the proper rate for the job and I am ashamed” and
Councillor John Kirkman who warned: “Nobody doubts the capability of the clerk
but I cannot support a forty per cent increase in one year” while Councillor
Linda Neal told the meeting: “Some people may be prepared to see a double figure
increase in the rate precept but I do not believe that many voters will
countenance this.”
The Stamford Mercury supported the theory that the pay rise would
increase the council tax precept from £19.52 to £21.29 for a Band D Property
although I was later told by Councillor Trevor Holmes: “This is a case of
misinformation. We have done our sums and there will be no impact on the town
this year. There will be no increase in the precept of £19.52 and none is
needed.”
Nevertheless, there is a dilemma. The efficiency and popularity of the clerk is
not in doubt and it is accepted that the council’s affairs are better run now
than at any time since the authority was formed in 1974. The question is however
whether paying a salary that accounts for one quarter of the council’s entire
income is prudent for what is essentially a parish council with limited powers
and whether this does, in the words of our government, represent value for
money.
Councillors on another local authority however have decided that moderation in
pay awards is the best course of action. The Stamford Mercury reports
that allowances for members of South Kesteven District Council are to rise by 3%
after deciding to ignore the recommendation from an independent panel for a 23%
increase because it was too high and would have a great impact on the council
tax bills (February 18th). One councillor even refused that saying he would give
his increase to the tsunami relief fund.
Wild flowers are being stolen in the Bourne area, according to The Local
which reports that two men have been seen digging up roots of bluebell and wood
anemone in Elsea Wood to the south of the town (February 18th). All such plants
are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 but disturbed
ground in many forests and roadside verges at this time of the year reveals that
the practice is still prevalent. Stealing wild flower plants is not only risky
but also hard work and the rewards are not particularly high and as most species
can be bought at garden centres it is difficult to understand why anyone bothers
because if caught, the stigma would be that of the countryside vandal rather
than law breaker which to my mind carries a far greater shame.
The Bourne Forum has become a busy place for debate about issues
affecting the town with contributions most days and topics range far and wide.
It is therefore reassuring to see that some councillors take advantage of it to
give us their views, notably Guy Cudmore, a member of the town council and a
regular visitor whose detailed and erudite postings leave no stone unturned.
Fellow councillor John Smith also files and here we have the benefit of his
experience as a cabinet member of South Kesteven District Council to which he also
belongs. We hope that both will continue to enlighten us on those matters
that will affect the future of our community and explain those intricacies that
baffle and confuse.
I am however disappointed that more councillors do not contribute, especially
those other members of SKDC who have been issued with £1,000 laptops at public
expense. Their own official web site and its offspring Bourne Online do not have
public forums, the latter having been discontinued last year in a state of
chaos, and as the local newspapers appear only once a week with limited space
for letters, this is the perfect opportunity for councillors who also belong to
other authorities to keep in touch and to explain what they are about,
especially when questions involve those matters in which they are actively
engaged. To disregard them is to negate their duties as an elected
representative and they should not depend on merely popping round to see us once
every four years when seeking our vote.
There are members of SKDC who have not opened their laptops since they were
issued two years ago but others, some of them senior councillors, are active
with the new technology and the Forum should not be overlooked by them as this
web site is now attracting around 1,000 visitors a week, a larger number than
the votes most of them polled at the last election.
Councillors, particularly those with the experience of long service, have a duty
to keep us informed. It is not enough to carve out a high profile in the
committee room and council chamber and then leave the public in the dark. We too
are entitled to share their thoughts as much as their colleagues and although
the introduction of public open forums before each monthly meeting of the town council is a
step in the right direction, it is not always convenient for people (or
councillors) to attend and what is said is shared by only a small audience
whereas the Forum reaches the electorate in the comfort of their own homes.
As the only regular and immediate public debate in the town where ideas can be
exchanged and information disseminated at any time, the Forum should not
therefore be ignored because to do that is to disregard those they represent and
any councillor who wishes to keep in touch with what the public is thinking will
find it advantageous to log on now and again to find out and perhaps give us the
benefit of their wisdom in return. This is democracy in action in the modern
world.
Thought for the week: A multi-storey car park for Bourne is great news
for skateboarders, lovers of concrete, drug addicts, public urinators, outdoor
drinkers, spray-painters, vandals, fly-tippers, litter-leavers and generally all
those who enjoy traffic congestion, fumes and a poor walking, working and
residential environment. Sales people for multi-storey car parks try every town
looking for some gullible mugs and they seem to have hit the jackpot in Bourne.
- Brynley Heaven, in a posting to the Bourne Forum, Sunday 6th February 2005.
Saturday 26th February 2005
The sprinkling of snow we have had this week is a
reminder that severe winter storms usually pass us by and that as Bourne is
situated ‘tween fen and uplands we often appear to have our own weather pattern
with the result that meteorological extremes are rare. But they do happen.
Ninety years ago, while the Great War was in progress in Europe, Bourne was cut
off by a snowstorm that caused major disruption to public services for more than
48 hours and leaving a trail of damage. The blizzard conditions prevailed
throughout Tuesday 28th March 1916 when trees were uprooted in various parts of
the town, four on the Abbey Lawn, three in Mill Drove, two near the villas in
West Road, three in a field near the railway station at the Red Hall, two at the
bottom of Eastgate and one close to Dr John Gilpin's surgery in South Street.
The telephone and telegraph services were down and in the evening it was
reported that not a single telephone subscriber could be reached while the
following morning telegrams were not being accepted by the Post Office because
they were unable to send them. One telegram sent before noon on the Tuesday was
not delivered until 9 o'clock the following morning, an unheard of delay.
Roads were completely blocked and rail services badly disrupted and trains due
into Bourne from Saxby just before 11 am on Tuesday were held up by deep snow
drifts at South Witham and had still not arrived by lunchtime the following day.
The 12.15 pm express to Leicester reached South Witham but was forced to return
with its passengers to Norwich. All trains were running late on the Great
Northern system and the journey to Grantham took about four hours. A train which
left Bourne for Spalding at 3 pm to bring home passengers from Spalding market
arrived in Bourne at 7 pm in the evening after the electric signalling system at
Twenty failed.
The motor mail cart usually due at Bourne by 4 am did not arrive until after 7
am on both Tuesday and Wednesday and on the Tuesday run it was held up by
telegraph poles that had blown down across the road. Several passengers were
stranded at Bourne railway station including three soldiers who were given beds
for the night at the Red Cross hospital in the Vestry Hall. The surprising
feature of the storm was that is caused only a small amount of structural damage
to property, mainly dislodging slates, tiles and guttering that collapsed under
the weight of snow.
A deep division has become evident among members of the town council as a
result of their deliberations over a pay rise for the clerk. The issue has been
thrashed out over several meetings which is the way forward in our council
chambers and after outside mediation and a majority vote, we now have an
excellent clerk who is being paid the rate for the job. That ought to be an end
of the affair and the council should move on to more important matters.
But rumblings of discontent continue and the fifteen members appear to be
divided into two factions, one more forward looking and anxious to take a more
active role in the life of the town and the other still rooted in the past,
making decisions with the balance sheet and pocket calculator. The gulf between
them is therefore likely to surface again over other matters in the future. This
is a pity because the council has only limited powers and one would have thought
it possible to agree over those few issues to which they are entrusted. Debate
is essential to explore all avenues but the final arbiter is the show of hands
and once that has been taken, the result should be endorsed by all, no matter
what their private reservations.
The main problem looming that they must tackle is the future of the Chapel of
Rest in the town cemetery, condemned by some councillors because of the high
cost of maintenance and a shock to all when the figure was revealed because they
have been custodians of the building since 1974 and it was therefore
seen as a sign of their failure. Nevertheless, it is to be hoped that the
council will not take the easy way out by pulling it down and find a more
imaginative and acceptable solution.
Five members of the council are nominated to serve as trustees of Bourne United
Charities, one of them being the current chairman, and this organisation has
sufficient funds from bequests made to the town in the past and a mandate under
its terms of administration with the Charity Commissioners to save this building
for the community, as indeed they could the Old Grammar School currently
administered by the Bourne Educational Trust. Perhaps their fellow members on
the council might press them to explain what they are doing to help in this
direction.
One thing is certain: discord is unproductive but anything is possible given
unanimity, harmony and teamwork which is what we expect from our town
councillors. The alternative is confusion, botched decisions cobbled together in
the cause of compromise, and no clear lead for the people they represent. Bourne
is facing changing times and if our councillors cannot see us through them with
equanimity, the result may be catastrophic.
What the local newspapers are saying: The bickering over the pay rise for
the clerk continues in the columns of the Stamford Mercury with a letter
from the mayor, Councillor Mrs Pet Moisey, who is also chairman of the finance
committee, giving an assurance that it will not push up the council tax this
year by £2 per household (February 25th) as the newspaper suggested last week.
“The salary increase of £7,000 has already been included in our budget and no
changes will be made to that”, she writes. “The coming year’s council tax of
£19.52 is just 2p more than the current tax which had been agreed at a full
council meeting on February 1st. The increase of 40.5% was a reflection of the
amount the clerk had been underpaid over the years.”
The figures published by the Stamford Mercury in their report on February
18th were quite specific, that the clerk’s salary increase would push up the
town council’s tax precept from £19.52 to £21.29 for a property in Band D and if
these figures are now deemed to be incorrect, we may ask where reporter Samantha
Dilks got them from. She did not make them up and so we must be forgiven for
thinking that perhaps she was told them in an off-the-record briefing afterwards
by one of the opposition councillors and included them in her report without
reference to the source.
In the meantime, I have had a lengthy and detailed email from Councillor John
Kirkman suggesting that there will indeed be repercussions for the council tax
payer because the clerk’s pay rise of £7,049 will also incur increased pension
and national insurance costs which will lead to an extra £2.12 on council tax.
He adds: “A salary increase in line with what the overwhelming majority of the
working population will receive, i e about 3%, would have resulted in the
council tax demand being reduced by about £2. As it is, the total salary and
wage bill will now be in the region of £70,300 or 51.24% of the council’s
overall budget.”
The problem with all of these calculations is that they are foreign territory
to the man and woman in the street and it is a sad commentary on public
interest that by the time the council tax bills do drop through our letter
boxes, the entire affair will have been forgotten.
The town’s only hotel, the Angel in North Street, is closing down until the
summer to enable a major refurbishment programme be carried out on the interior.
The Local reports that staff have been given notice and groups that meet
there regularly advised to go elsewhere while the work proceeds (February 25th).
Some changes have been made in recent weeks but the management has decided that
complete closure is the only solution to finishing the project. There was a
coaching inn on this site for centuries although the present hotel was built in
1800 and since then the familiar façade has become synonymous with the face of
Bourne as you enter the town from the south. The courtyard and coaching arch can
still be seen and although the stables have been converted for other uses, the
ostler’s bell has been retained as a reminder of the days when the horse was our
only means of transport power.
I called in at Warners Midlands plc last week for a quote on a small
printing matter but the visit turned into a rite of passage because for the
first time I was faced with the fact that I am now an old man who may not be
taken seriously by the younger generation.
The entrance hall at the old maltings in West Street is sumptuous with polished
wood floors, green leather Chesterfields and exotic rugs, displays of old
printing machines at vantage points and framed engravings of county scenes on
the walls, while over it all beams the benevolent face of the man who started it
all, Lorenzo Warner (1901-1995), from a gilt framed oil painting hanging on the
wall.
The reception desk resembles that of a London hotel and the lady in charge was
equally efficient, summoning assistance by intercom after I had outlined my
business. It was but a small matter, a few hundred copies of my latest
publication, The Bourne Chronicle, a 40-page compilation of dates and events in
the town’s history that I hoped to sell for the benefit of local organisations,
and soon two young executives in smart suits, blue shirts, colourful ties and
matching clipboards, were listening to my requirements and nodding politely.
They showed interest, patience and forbearance but I fear that they were
disappointed at not capturing a large six-figure order.
The company’s multi-million pound business continued around us, for this firm is
a leader in the production of colour printing, turning out an endless stream of
glossy national magazines, brochures and catalogues and employing a staff of
over 300. But, I thought, what is good enough for Britain is good enough for
Bourne.
I showed them a copy of my booklet and we discussed paper and print quality. “It
is”, I said earnestly, “for the benefit of the town.” Nod, nod, scribble,
scribble.
“This will be just a short run of copies but I do want a good quality.” Nod,
nod, scribble, scribble.
“I would also like a quote as soon as possible.” Nod, nod, scribble, scribble.
“Can you give me an idea of how much it might cost?” “Impossible”, I was told,
“but in view of your urgency, we will email you by this evening with a figure”.
I went home and told my wife that I had been in conference at Warners and we
waited expectantly for their reply. But we waited in vain and after two days, my
wife suggested that the young executives may have treated the meeting merely as
an indulgence after seeing an old grey-bearded gent who had tottered in from the
street with a tatty envelope containing the work of several months but which
they quietly regarded as not worth the consideration of the mighty printing firm
they have become. This appears to be a correct assessment because I have still
heard nothing.
No doubt the smart suits have dined out on the story of the old codger who dared
step inside the hallowed hall and how they humoured him, patted him on the head
and sent him on his way hoping that his magnum opus was in good hands. Perhaps
they have forgotten, or even do not know, of the firm’s humble origins, because
Lorenzo who started it all, began his business life delivering newspapers as a
lad and later, when running the printing business, took every small job going
which paid for the bricks that eventually built the empire. It is therefore to
him and his enterprise that they owe their jobs.
From the archives: On Saturday last, Sir John Trollope's hounds met at
Manthorpe. At a little before one o'clock, reynard made his entrance into Bourne
by the south side of the town, passing through Mr Thomas Osborn's yard, through
Mr G J Nicholls' paddock, over the river and into the Rev Joseph Dodsworth's
bottom garden; thence he crossed the Abbey Lawn and into Dodsworth's top
garden, which is surrounded by a wall more than six feet high: here the poor fox
had, as it were, jumped into a large cage from which there seemed no escape, and
he quickly concealed himself behind some flower pots in a little outhouse
communicating with the garden: this however, brought him only a short respite,
as the hounds and huntsmen were soon up with him and he was speedily doomed to
death. He was then brought on to the lawn and after the brush and head had been
cut off, the master of the hounds stepped forward and threw the body of the fox
into the air to fall amongst the dogs, which in a very few moments, tore it to
pieces and consumed it. Besides the huntsmen, there were present on the lawn a
large concourse of persons who appeared highly excited by the sport. – news
report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 28th January 1859.
Thought for the week: Knowledge can be communicated but not wisdom.
–
Hermann Hesse, German novelist and poet (1877-1962).
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