Princess opens new council HQ (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Princess opens new council HQ

SOME 20 years after Prince Charles officially opened Cotswold District Council's new headquarters in Cirencester, the newly renovated offices have been re-opened by his sister.

Princess Anne formally unveiled a commemorative plaque in the new Trinity Road council chamber last Friday to mark the conclusion of the £4million project.

The Princess, accompanied by her Lady in Waiting and a detective, drove herself by Range Rover to the offices from a previous appointment in Bristol, arriving some 15 minutes late.

Wearing a floral-pattern knee-length dress beneath a dark blue jacket with a gold brooch on her left shoulder, the Princess was greeted by Gloucestershire's Lord Lieutenant Henry Elwes of Colesbourne, and his wife Carolyn.

After talking with CDC chairman Tim Royle, leader Leslie Jones, and chief executive Clive Abbott, she was shown the contemporary "infill" which, with its partly glazed roof, has covered what was formerly a grass area between two wings of the original building, a workhouse.

The new structure has provided a home for development control, planning, and housing and environmental health staff, and a two-storey extension which has been added has allowed provision at first-floor level of the new chamber.

The Princess talked at length to Maurice Brennan, head of health and environment, and Tony Jones, head of planning, before moving into the chamber where she met members of the council.

She belied her well-publicised "stern" image by smiling broadly as she walked through, chatting, and sipping a cup of tea.

And she laughed out loud when Cllr Roger Somerville told her they had met before "on a railway station."

There was more laughter when Cllr Royle invited the Princess to "pull the chain" and unveil the plaque.

She responded: "They always say the biggest problem in new buildings is the plumbing but I didn't realise you wanted me to be the first to test it."

She told those present that, as a resident of the district who enjoyed its facilities and its geographical attractions, she felt privileged to see what the council had achieved.

"This was obviously the right decision for you as a council and for Cirencester as a town," she said, adding that it was a bonus that many of the council's staff would now be rehoused under one roof.

Princess Anne paid tribute to councillors as people who gave of their time to work on behalf of the local community, adding: "It is something that is not always terribly well appreciated."

The Priness also visited Home Farm Trust in Avening on Monday.

The trust is a charity dedicated to people with learning disabilities.

As its patron, Princess Anne was invited to the trust's residential service at Old Quarries in Rectory Lane for a cup of tea and a tour of the premises.

Dressed in a pleated white knee length skirt and high necked blue top, Princess Anne was welcomed by Henry Elwes, Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire.

Mr Elwes presented trust staff, but it was two smartly dressed men that caught the royal eye when she was introduced to Robert Evershed and John Blackie - the first two residents to come to Old Quarries in 1969.

Afterwards, she was led into a darkly lit sensory room.

"We invited Princess Anne to have a go on the sensory board and she said it looked like a Fisher Price kit she had in a play room," said John Haynes from the Water Foundation.

Princess Anne also had the chance to explore the resident's craft room.

Support worker Hayley Marciniak said: "She spoke with Rosalind who was writing a letter and said her writing was neat."

After a short tea break, Princess Anne was entertained by residents' dancing with coloured material, before handing out new long service awards to staff in celebration of its 40th anniversary.

"I've met her twice before and she is always very pleasant and down to earth," said Diane Baker, a staff member with over 30 years under her belt.

Later Princess Anne visited the pottery and computer rooms before viewing renovated bungalows for residents.