Agenda Item 8
Progress report for Wychavon LSP Meeting 1st February 2012
1. Evesham Christmas Lights Switch-on Event
a. Record crowds marked the switching on of Evesham’s Christmas Lights on Saturday 19th
November. Santa was there with four of his Reindeer and the Christmas cheer was in
abundance thanks to live performances from The Evesham Singers, Celebration Reed
Brass Band, The W Factor Finalists, Vital Statistics, Crooked Steeple Morris and The
Marabooboo All Stars. The pictures below give a flavour of the festivities!
2. Grants update
Evesham Pump out facility
a. Evesham Market Town Partnership has approved a grant of £7,000 to dredge sections of
the River Avon in Evesham that have become a hazard to visiting boaters and problematic
to organisers of the Evesham River Festival and Angling Festival.
b. The grant forms part of a much larger project worth £26,000 to improve Evesham’s offer to
users of the River Avon and encourage more boaters to overnight in the town. This will
include a new Pump-Out Facility at Evesham lock which will enable visiting boaters to pump
out waste and sewerage from the on-board tanks that are common on modern boats. The
facility will be installed, maintained and administered by Avon Navigation Trust and is
funded by contributions from Evesham Town Council, Cllr John Smith, The Environment
Agency and Avon Navigation Trust.
c. Dredging will be undertaken by Avon Navigation Trust in consultation with the Evesham
River Festival Committee, Evesham Angling Festival Working Group, Wychavon District
Council and Evesham and District Angling Association. This project will be funded from
contributions from Evesham Market Town Partnership and Evesham Angling Festival
Working Group.
Evesham Preedy Trail
d. In partnership with Evesham Town Council and Evesham Anglican Deanery, Evesham
Market Town Partnership has funded a project to create an Evesham Preedy Trail Leaflet.
e. The Preedy Trail Leaflet celebrates the work of Frederick Preedy who was born to an
Evesham family and achieved fame as a national architect and stained glass designer.
f.
There are many examples of Preedy’s work in and around Evesham and the Preedy Trail
Leaflets will be available in all Evesham Anglican Churches, Hotels and Tourist Information
points so that they may encourage community and visitor interest in the rich story of church
architecture and stained glass.
g. The project has now been completed and the Preedy Trail launch reception was held at All
Saints Church, Evesham on 19th January 2012.
Business Support
h. To date 19 businesses have received business grants thanks to funding from Evesham
Market Town Partnership. The Partnership allocated £3,000 from its 2011/12 funding
allocation which has lead to the creation of 41 full time jobs and 8 part time jobs and levered
in £14,000 of private sector investment.
2012-13 Action Plan
i.
At the Partnership Meeting held 13th December 2011, Partners reaffirmed that Supporting
and Improving the Local Economy is Evesham Market Town partnership’s prime objective.
To this end proposals for projects have been sought to that align with this objective and the
Partnership will decide which projects are to be included in the 2012-13 Action Plan at our
meeting to be held at Harvington Parish Rooms in March.
3. Abbey Road Bridge Replacement
a. Evesham Market Town Partnership is in the process of agreeing a package of measure that
aim to help support businesses in Evesham when the bridge on Abbey Road is replaced.
The package will include:
i. PR Support for Evesham Town Centre;
ii. Business Development Advice and Guidance for Retailers;
iii. A period of reduced parking charges;
iv. Business Rate support;
v. Enhanced Business Grants;
vi. Improved signage; and
vii. Close monitoring of traffic congestion pinch points.
b. Evesham Market Town Partnership proposes to allocate resources to these initiatives in
partnership with Worcestershire County Council, Wychavon District Council, Evesham Town
Council and the Vale of Evesham Commerce and Tourism Association.
Gerry O’Donnell
Chairman
Evesham MTP