The Ambler Online

Civic Service
I was delighted to host a Civic Service at St. Cuthbert’s Parish Church during Local Democracy Week and would particularly like to thank everyone who worked so hard to make it a success. It was a real pleasure to welcome young people from all of our local schools: Coquet High, Amble Middle, Amble First, Links First and St. Cuthbert’s RC First. Bringing all the schools together in this way made the event special for all of us and it was a credit to everyone concerned. On the day I suggested that among those at the service there might be a future Town Mayor of Amble. We need to build links with our youngsters if our democracy is to flourish in the future and it begins at the very local level with our Town Council – hopefully this will include working with the various School Councils which are already active. I am sure we can learn from each other.

Planning ahead
Work to prepare the Town Council budget for next year is underway. It is already clear that there will be an expectation from the County Council for Town and Parish Councils to take on what they see as “local” services. That may mean some difficult choices: as ever the need to protect and develop important local amenities such as play areas balanced against the level of Council Tax we can reasonably expect people to pay.

Thank you
As another year draws to a close it is time to reflect and say thank you to everyone who has helped to support the Town Council in 2009. This has been a very challenging year and the impact of the change to the unitary Council was made more difficult by the fall out from the credit crunch. It has also been a sad year with the retirement of former Councillors Betty Gray and Audrey Jones and the death of John Hedley. We welcomed a new Councillor, Ray Saunders and a “returning” Councillor, Sarah Mitchell. We are lucky to live in a town which has such a strong sense of community and that is demonstrated right across the year: whether it be the St. George’s Day celebration, the response to the gardening competition in the summer, the Civic Service or most recently our Remembrance Day service which was so well attended.

One of the best examples of that community spirit is the Amble Christmas lights, supported by the Town Council, but only made possible by the dedicated team of volunteers and fundraisers who actually make them happen and bring a splash of colour to the town when it is most needed.

As we look forward to the Christmas period may I wish you all the joy that it can bring and all the best for the New Year.

Robert Arckless
Mayor, Amble Town Council

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