THE FACES OF SHERBORNE
In our monthly series of “The Faces of Sherborne” we introduce you to the people behind the faces. This month (April 2012)
MEET MARJORIE SNOWDEN - SHERBORNE TOWN MAYOR
To be Town Mayor once is a worthy achievement, to be Town Mayor twice definitely deserves admiration and this is exactly what Marjorie Snowden has managed, coming to the end of her second term as Mayor next month in May. Marjorie has lived in Sherborne for 15 years and has served as a Councillor for well over half of that, not that she intended to, but with a background in local politics she once asked a question from the floor at a local Sherborne town meeting and that was that: Marjorie was persuaded to stand and use her previous experience for the benefit of Sherborne.
Read the full interview below:
Q: Do you think there are any advantages in coming to the post of Mayor for the second time?
MS: I would say that, as an experienced Councillor, it is very useful to be aware of and be familiar with the issues that face the town. This allows you to see where the priorities need to be very quickly and so hopefully there is not a lot of time lost in setting out the things that need to be done.
Q: What would you say those priorities are in 2012?
MS: Unfortunately, there are some things in the town that have been overlooked and so the Town Council has set out a Town Plan for the next few years which lists all of the priorities. There are 27 items on that list and we have highlighted the five things that are most urgent and most important. Some town buildings had not received due attention and so one of the priorities is an audit of all of the listed buildings belonging to the town – there are fourteen of them – that need maintenance or repair. The town needs a face-lift! Another priority is the skateboard park for the youngsters; this was left over from the previous council’s work and needs to be completed. Finally, as Sherborne is not suitable for manufacturing we need to emphasise and encourage education, retail and visitors.
Q: Is the implementation of the Town Plan constrained at all because of the political make-up of the Council?
MS: Fortunately not. We have 8 Conservatives, 1 Liberal Democrat, 1 Green and 2 independents, but everyone has had input into the plan. Sherborne has also been chosen for a pilot scheme on Localism in the West Country as a small market town. We are currently preparing a pilot Neighbourhood Scheme which all councillors contribute to and then it will be set out for the public to comment. Each of our councillors oversees an area in which they have some competence or experience . The Town Clerk looks after the governance and day-to-day workings of the Council.
Where we do have constraints of course is with the budget. Our share of the community charge was frozen this year so we do have a restricted budget. One big advantage that Sherborne has, however, is the Simon Digby Memorial Trust. He was the town’s MP and he was quite a philanthropist. He gave land to the town for various purposes, for example, he gave the land to have the Digby Hall built. He left some money to be invested for the benefit of the people of Sherborne and this allows about £40,000 to be disbursed every year on various projects for the town.
Q: What about the Town Council’s relations with West Dorset District Council (WDDC) and Dorset County Council (DCC)? It seems that the Town Council is not always in charge of what happens in Sherborne; can this be frustrating?
MS: Sometimes. We submit a budget proposal to WDDC based on set responsibilities that we are obliged to undertake as well as some wish-list items; we do not always enjoy a great deal of discretionary spend. We are in charge of what you might describe as the built environment but we have no control over the roads and the pavements. More and more, we are trying to act as the agent of the County Council so that they provide us with the allocated budget to carry out the agreed tasks – at least that allows us some discretion in how things are done.
Planning in general is decided by WDDC. The plans are sent to the Town Council who only act in an advisory capacity but WDDC are not obliged to follow the town’s recommendations so obviously the contentious issues are the ones when they do not agree with our findings. Otherwise, we have a fairly free hand with the budget and the new Local Government Bill has loosened some of the constraints.
Q: As you near the end of your year as Mayor are you happy with the progress that has been made?
MS: I think we have got into place a good plan and we have agreed a number of things that have received support from both WDDC and DCC so I would say we are at the “end of the beginning”! Housing remains a tremendous challenge – one rule does not fit all, Sherborne is completely different from our nearest neighbour, Yeovil, and these differences need to be respected.
Q: What have you enjoyed most in your year as Mayor?
MS: One of the greatest pleasures is the opportunity to go to various events in the town, seeing it in all of its guises. There are some very diverse groups of people who are all proud of their town. But there are also pockets of poverty which need attention and support.
Q: What about challenges for the future?
MS: Well it has been the ambition of the council for many years to support the Arts activity in the town and we are gradually getting there but it is difficult at the current time. It would be lovely to see the Arts sector better established so let’s hope we can find a good fairy to allow our plans to come into being!
Q: You obviously love Sherborne. After all, it is where you chose to live. How would you describe it to visitors?
MS: Yes, although I am originally from Harrogate in Yorkshire, I lived and worked in Sutton for many years but I always wanted to move down here. I had a brother who worked in Poole and I spent a lot of time in the area. I spent two years looking before I decided on Sherborne and I think it is the most beautiful town in the county. It’s a very harmonious town and much of its appeal comes from a lovely blend of the traditional with forward-looking ideas, giving it a thriving future. We mustn’t be complacent though and we need to be vigilant to protect this balance and harmony.