Page 24 - Phonebox Magazine June 2007

Mercury Report
Olney Town Council Meeting of Monday 14th May 2007
Introduction
Rachel Medd, wife of Councillor Richard Medd and trustee of the Ann Hopkins Trust, died on Sunday 13th May. The meeting began with a period of silence.
Election of Mayor
When Paul Watson became Mayor, he'd intended to serve for one year. This time had passed so he was now handing over his duties. The Councillors nominated John Smail for the post and he was duly elected. Having signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and donned the Mayoral chain he presented Paul with a caricature of him running the London Marathon, which he had recently completed. The caricature was a remarkably good likeness in many ways although, as was pointed out, Paul is somewhat shorter in real life.
Other elections
John Sharp was elected to the post of Deputy Mayor, and the various committees and their Chairs, almost completely as last year, were also elected.
Olney for You – Healthcheck
David Coles had explained the progress and current state of the Healthcheck in the Town Meeting a few days before. He therefore presented it only briefly here.
The groups have finished their investigative work and the results are being combined to form a vision statement and action plan. Next, there'll be a public meeting, the results of which will be presented to Olney Town Council.
For more information on the Healthcheck, visit www.olneyhealthcheck.com
Olney Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG)
John Sharp presented this topic, explaining that the group had conducted an Environmental Audit around the town and that Olney had looked fantastic. The worst part had been some rubbish in the Co-op car park.
He noted that there'd been an improvement in anti-social behaviour, with the CCTV camera in the East Street Car Park and an arrest in the cemetery for a drugs offence
both having made a difference. He believed that young people now gathered in the Industrial Area, which was preferable. He also noted that the Alcohol Free Zone was expected to be in place by the end of May and that signs to inform the public of this had been ordered.
Cemetery gates
The Council had received a letter from the Olney NAG requesting that it consider locking the Cemetery gates at night in an attempt to quell the anti-social behaviour that has been experienced in the Cemetery. This behaviour had consisted of drug taking and motorcycling.
John Sharp had emailed Philip Winsor of Milton Keynes Council (MKC) to ask whether the Council has arrangements in place to lock any of its Cemeteries at night. The response was that only one is usually locked and that this has drawbacks as well as benefits. The drawbacks included having to check that no one gets locked in and that, if vandals climb in while the gates are locked, Police Officers cannot then get in to deal with the situation.
Lettings & Property Management
THE TEAM: 2007
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