Arundel Town Council Update in The Bell

Question: This sounds like a successful collaboration?

We can all get more done for the town by working together. The Chamber of Commerce worked with us very effectively to place social distancing and face mask signage. We then worked with them to secure government funding for the ‘Shop Safely in Arundel’ Christmas campaign. The Lido generously made its car park freely available to us for our Farmers Market ‘click and collect’ service. When there was a tidal wave of anxiety about Arundel being forgotten in the vaccination programme we worked with Arundel Surgery to let everyone in Arundel know how their vaccinations would be arranged. So, there was lots of co-operation.

Question: What else did you achieve in the pandemic?

The Farmers Market working group did a great job. We now have double the number of stalls and residents have a real chance to ‘shop local’, in the open air. Volunteer marshals have worked alongside councillors to make the market safe and the road closures work.

We supported the Bee Project too, with the community apiary now sited in the orchard and the Pollinators’ Garden being built next to the Royal Mail offices. That is only the first stage of making Arundel the UK’s leading ‘Bee Friendly Town’.

The Tidal Flood Defence work was completed. Over the years the council had accumulated a £64,000 reserve for this work, which helped to generate investment of over £7m in our flood defences.

With our Tree Warden, Bob Tanner, and the Arundel Gardens Association, we found sponsors for 35 new Lime Trees in that magnificent double colonnade in Mill Road. Another council working group launched the campaign to get a safe cycling and walking pathway between Arundel and Ford. Our MP, Andrew Griffith, is championing this project for the town, and it has the support of our District and County Councillors, another example of us all working collaboratively.

Canada Park playground has been completely refurbished and the Skateboard Park will soon be opened, both being projects which we have jointly funded with ADC.

Many Arundel events had to be cancelled. But we did manage to find respectful, Covid-safe ways to mark VE Day, VJ Day, Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day. Some people felt that these events were more poignant for being low key. In all the travails of the year it was helpful to remember the sacrifices of earlier generations. The Community Awards honoured the inspiring way that the town had rallied together.

Question: That’s quite a list! But there have been some contentious moments too?

Following our participation in the 2019 consultation, we have welcomed Highways England’s decision to build an A27 Bypass at Arundel. Some people are strongly – and sincerely – opposed to this, but the Council believes that we need to see an end to the environmentally- harmful congestion at Ford Road roundabout and ‘rat running’ through the town. Together with Andrew Griffith MP, we are asking Highways England to take every step to mitigate the effect on people who are most affected by the route chosen.

Question: What has the Council learned this year?

We learned to work remotely on Zoom and Teams, and to say, ‘You’re on mute!’ in unison!
We have recognised that whilst the Town Council has very little statutory power or money to do things, it has great scope to lobby for the things that residents want. And, of course, we have seen the benefits of working in co-operation with other organisations.

Question: What were the best moments in the year?

Laying out the children’s Christmas Cards in the Town Hall, with Sharon Blaikie, Chair of the Chamber of Commerce, and seeing the energy and imagination that the children at both schools had put into their competition entries was simply brilliant.

Question: You mentioned Mill Road earlier. Where are we with campervans?

We do not want Mill Road turned into an unofficial campsite where campervans park for months on end. We would prefer them to use one of Arundel’s car parks. Ideally, we would like a traffic regulation order which prohibits parking on Mill Road between 10.00pm-7.00am. Only West Sussex County Council can provide this, and they do not see it as a priority. That debate will continue, and we feel optimistic.

A very small minority of campervan owners foul the watercourses and light fires on the verges. Unless the police catch them in the act it is hard to deal with them.

Question: So, what can we expect to be different in this coming year?

Our 2021/22 objectives are shown on the Arundel Town Council website. Many are unfinished projects from 2020/21. But we have some new goals. We will provide start-up funding for a group supporting people with dementia and their carers. We are focusing more on climate change and environmental issues because Arundel does not exist in a vacuum. There are plans to establish a Youth Council in Arundel. If we can obtain funding, we plan to do a consultation on parking, shared spaces and some limited pedestrianisation in the town.

Question: What is keeping you awake at night?

The Town Hall roof intermittently leaks and needs restoration. The initial cost estimate was up to £250,000. We are working with Savills to find a lower cost solution and concurrently seeking a grant. We must look after the building, it is Grade II listed, part of the town’s heritage and the leak is a risk to the Atherley Chamber which is one of the finest rooms in Arundel. But we know that every pound spent on the roof is money that we will not be able to use on other projects to benefit the town.

The Wheels that keep the Town Council in Motion …

When speaking about the Town Council we often refer to the Mayor and Town Councillors. But it would be a mistake to overlook the team of Council Officers and employees who help them achieve their objectives and carry out their plans.

Town Clerk

The person in charge of this team is the Town Clerk, Carolyn Baynes. Carolyn started in the Town Hall office as Administration Assistant. Sequential promotions, and the hard study saw her become Town Clerk in 2019. As Town Clerk Carolyn is responsible for ensuring that the instructions of the Council are carried out, whilst ensuring that the Council acts legally and complies with all its complex regulatory obligations. It is often said that the quality of relationship between the Town Clerk and the Mayor is critical in an effective council and the Town Clerk has to re-establish that relationship every time a new Mayor is elected!

Carolyn has lived in Arundel for 18 years where she has raised her four children, become embedded in the Town and honed her skills as a rugby manager.

Administration Assistants

Two hardworking and efficient Administration Assistants support Carolyn and help to deal with the daunting number of information bulletins, questions and requests that arrive daily. Aby Dingle (left) joined in early 2019, moving to the area with her husband who grew up locally. Lesley Lazareski (right) enthusiastically took over this role whilst Aby was on Lesley’s background is in administration, and in Arundel she has worked as a castle tour guide and volunteered at the museum. Lesley will be splitting her time between supporting the Town Clerk and supporting the Town Hall Events Manager.

Town Hall Events Manager

Arundel Town Council owns the Town Hall, a beautiful grade II listed building, built for us in 1836 by the 12th Duke of Norfolk. In normal times it is a celebrated wedding venue, and our newly-appointed Town Hall Events Manager, Sarah Eynon, will be hoping to restore this income stream. The Council want to see the Town Hall used by residents more often for other events, and Sarah will be developing this programme. Sarah joined in April, having spent the last ten years of her career working in events management, so she comes well-prepared for the task ahead.

Community Events Manager

Having built our wedding and events business successfully for 8 years, arranged the marriages of over 500 couples, (and possibly arranged more than one wedding for restless clients), Sue Roderick is now focused on the community events which make Arundel such a special place. These include the Farmers Market, the Festival and the Bee Project-all of which require enormous amounts of time, organisation and enthusiasm. To this task Sue brings legendary skills in pressganging volunteers and making sure that they enjoy their volunteering.

In addition

We also have our meticulous bookkeeper Roisin O’Neill (below left), John Lysandrou (below top right) our Town Hall Keeper who has kept the Town Hall building finely tuned for a full 15 years now and Sergio Podgaiski (below bottom right), our hard-working cleaner who keeps the Town Hall clean and safe, which we all appreciate is even more essential in these uncertain times.