Archive for category: Council News

Nominate your Star of Stamford  

Do you know an unsung hero in our community? Have you come across a voluntary organisation which is making an incredible impact in the local area? Then nominate them for recognition in the Stars of Stamford Community Awards!

Stamford Town Council is looking for exceptional people to shine a light on with special awards recognition at our Stamford Celebration event in the Spring. Residents can nominate a person or organisation they feel has gone above and beyond in helping the community and making our town truly special.

There are three categories open for nominations: 

Young Person of the Year: This award will recognise an incredible person aged 18 and under who has made a selfless and notable contribution to the local community.

Community Group of the Year: This award honours the work of an amazing local voluntary group that has made a real impact with its efforts to assist the people of Stamford.

Community Champion of the Year: The person who receives this award may have made a big difference within a sporting organisation, might have assisted a neighbour in need, given up their time to read to local schoolchildren or provided vital help in an emergency. We’re looking for somebody who deserves recognition for an act of kindness or a selfless undertaking that has made a meaningful difference to others.

Other: Can you think of somebody who is amazing but not quite covered by the categories above? Then let us know!

We’ll also need your help selecting our overall winners! Highly commended finalists will be selected by our judges, and the public will be invited to vote who they think should be chosen as the overall winner of each category. The voting period will be open between March 26th and April 10th – voting will take place via an online form or a downable copy that can be dropped off at the Town Hall on St Mary’s Hill. Our finalists will be invited to attend the awards night, where the overall winner will be announced.

How to enter 

For all categories, please ensure the person you nominate lives, works or volunteers in Stamford. If you nomination is for somebody in a paid role, it must demonstrate that the person goes the extra mile to provide a service to the community.

Awards will be presented at the Stamford Celebration as part of the Annual Town Meeting on Tuesday April 28th, with a drink’s reception with Mayor of Stamford Councillor Amanda Wheeler beforehand for our finalists.

The deadline for nominations is March 2nd at 4pm.  

The online nomination form, including full details of how to enter somebody for an award, is available here: Stars of Stamford Community Awards entry form

You can also download a physical copy or pick one up from the Town Hall on St Mary’s Hill – download the entry form here. All hard copies must be returned to the Town Hall by the closing date above.

Call out to community groups 

We’re looking to showcase the achievements of Stamford community groups and voluntary organisations with a special exhibition at our Stamford Celebration event on April 28th. We’re looking for representatives from community organisations who would be interested in putting together a small display explaining what they do and highlighting any recent successes. They would then be welcome to be on hand during the evening to answer any questions and connect with members of the public.

It is free to exhibit, and the space available will be advised once all expressions of interest are received.

To register your interest and find out more please email [email protected]

The side entrance to Stamford Cemetery has been permanently closed in a bid to deter anti-social behaviour on the site.

The decision to close the side gate to an adjacent footpath was taken by councillors after multiple reports of people congregating on the site at night and issues with dogs being let off their lead.

The Council has sadly received reports of dog’s mess being left behind on grave sites, including on children’s graves, and complaints about aggressive dogs off leads. There have also been incidents of fly-tipping via the side entrance.

Access to the site is now via the entrance and exit gates on Little Casterton Road. Dogs can be brought on site when visiting a grave, but they must be kept on a short lead.

A spokesperson said: “We have taken this step to protect the cemetery and ensure it is kept to a high standard for those who are visiting their loved ones. The cemetery is also a working site and it’s important its used for the right reasons. The Town Council offers ample much-loved green spaces at the Recreation Ground and Meadows for dog walking and other leisure pursuits.”

Come and join the Mayor’s Charity Sound Bath at Stamford Town Hall!

On Thursday 15th January La Lune Yoga and Wellness will lead a relaxing sound bath in the historic Court Room at the Town Hall at 1pm.

There is a minimum donation of £10 with all proceeds going directly to the Mayor’s chosen charities, Mindspace, George’s Food Hubs and and the 2nd Stamford Scout Group.

Book your place here: https://laluneyogawellness.as.me/schedule/56149a17/?appointmentTypeIds[]=85530490

Stamford Town Council has agreed its budget for the coming financial year and set a precept increase of £100,140. For a Band D household, this will result in a change of £12.02 per year, which is equivalent to around 23p per week. The budget reflects a balanced approach to maintaining local services while keeping the impact on residents as low as possible.

The precept is Stamford Town Council’s share of the council tax which funds the services it delivers for Stamford. It is the main source of income that allows the Town Council to carry out essential responsibilities, upkeep assets, protect the town’s collections, and deliver civic events, free public events – including the popular Christmas Market and Christmas Lights Switch-On – and other projects that benefit residents.

The increase was necessary to ensure the Town Council can continue delivering for the town in the coming financial year. The budget was reached after careful analysis of expected costs such as maintaining green spaces, grants for community projects, increased staffing costs and heritage conservation, to everyday basics including toilet rolls for public conveniences and dog waste bags.

Each year the Town Council works hard to ensure value for money for residents and to be open and transparent about how its money is spent, while striving to keep the cost of the precept as low as possible. There is a dedicated team of volunteers who provide vital assistance with heritage and Town Hall activities, and support is provided to community groups who carry out projects in the town, such as Stamford in Bloom and Pride of Stamford Litter Pickers. The Town Council has also secured substantial grants to cover initiatives such as tree planting on the Meadows, the refurbishment of the Shack building on the Recreation Ground and a Community Energy feasibility study across Stamford.

2025 has also seen Stamford Town Council fund a team delivering youth work through Art Pop-Up at the Shack. And as part the Town Council’s intention to restore a museum to Stamford, there have been a series of cultural workshops for schools and the Town Hall’s first museum-standard exhibition of the Phillips collection, a successful venture that saw more people than ever visit to marvel at the Georgian and Victorian posters on display.

What we do  

Stamford Town Council manages the cemetery, 278 allotment plots, the Recreation Ground, sections of the Town Meadows, and the Town Hall on St Mary’s Hill. The precept now also covers the substantial running costs of a number of assets that were handed over to the Town Council from SKDC, including the Red Lion Square toilets, Empingham Road playing fields, Uffington Road playing fields and the Bastion.
The Town Council also administers community grants, promotes access to its heritage collections, cuts grass verges throughout the town, maintains tennis courts and organises a programme of free civic and ceremonial events.

Reopening the Frank Newbon gym is also on the horizon as the Town Council is in the process of agreeing a transfer of the equipment and will then take on responsibility for insuring and servicing this equipment, alongside the play equipment on the Recreation Ground.

Additional income is also generated through services offered to the public, including room hire, allotment rents, bereavement services and civil ceremonies, which further allows investment in community assets, projects, activities and events.

Mayor of Stamford Councillor Amanda Wheelers says: “Stamford is lucky to have an incredible community spirit and so many individuals and groups who give their time and skills to make Stamford such a wonderful town. However, without the necessary funding in place to maintain and improve our buildings and playing fields, we will not be able to sustain or improve the services that our community enjoys. At a time when more and more land is being given over to development, protecting and enhancing our green spaces and ensuring our town is resilient and thriving is essential.”

Photographs by Larry Wilkes Photography