Bingley Town Council mailing no. 20

With summer only a short way ahead, it’s good to be able to highlight some of the events that will be enlivening our town in the next month. Read on for details of the upcoming Bingley Walking Festival and how you can volunteer as a helper at the Bingley Canal Festival.

We’ve updates on our forthcoming summer markets, our regular conversations with our local policing team and on the plans for the reprovision of public toilets.
 
There’s a brief report on the Annual Town Meeting, and do pick up a copy of our latest printed newsletter, or view it on our website – the link is given below.

Best wishes,

Ros Dawson
Chair, Bingley Town Council
 

Bingley Walking Festival
 
Bingley Walkers are Welcome received funding from the Town Council in 2017 to help publicise their first, highly-successful walking festival, and their second event is now scheduled for Monday 7^th May. There will be walks to suit walkers of all abilities, ages and experience that will take in some of our local sights and landmarks. All walks begin from Bingley Market Square and the schedule is as follows:
 
10.00 Family walk
11.00 Bingley and Saltaire walk
13.00 Mystery and History walk, and Long Walk
14.00 Micklethwaite walk
 
More information can be found at www.bingleywalkersarewelcome.org.uk
 

Plastic-free Bingley

The Town Council received a presentation from a representative of the newly-formed Plastic-free Bingley campaign at its meeting on 24^th April, and has agreed to give the campaign its formal backing.

The group aims to fight plastic pollution that affects Bingley itself and subsequently our rivers and seas as part of the Surfers Against Sewage ‘Plastic-free Coastlines’ initiative.  The council has been asked to lead change and work towards plastic-free status for the town by agreeing to:

·         Lead by example to remove single-use plastics items from our premises

·         Encourage plastic-free initiatives, promoting the campaign and supporting events

·         Appoint a representative of the council to sit on the campaign steering group

The campaign group has an active Facebook page and is already taking steps to persuade local food outlets to reduce the amount of single-use plastic they use, e.g. straws, cups etc and to provide additional recycling facilities in shops.

Other Green and Clean news

Thanks to all 32 people who assembled in Cottingley for our latest litter pick on Saturday 14^th April. Various streets and green areas were covered, with various corners of the rec being particular hotspots, and 55 sacks of rubbish were collected.

Our next events are on 16^th June, 11th August and 13^th October.

Annual Town Meeting
The Annual Town Meeting of the electors of Bingley was held at Bingley Methodist Church from 6.30 to 8 pm on Thursday 26^th April.  The meeting is convened by the Town Council and is an opportunity for parishioners to have their input into matters that affect Bingley.
 
Following a brief review of Council activity during the year from the Council’s Chair, Cllr Ros Dawson, there were presentations from three invited guests: Chris Slaven, Bradford Council Emergency Planning Department, Dr Jag Picknett, Friends of Bingley Pool, and Jamie Illingworth, Chair of Bingley Chamber of Trade. Questions were then invited from the floor.
 
The Pool and the Chamber of Trade were amongst the many organisations that had received grants from the Town Council during the year. It was good to see so many representatives of the funded groups at the meeting with displays and information illustrating their activities and how they had used their grant. The evening was rounded off with some light refreshments and a chance to mingle and view the displays.
 
 
Office and public toilets
A meeting of the Town Council’s Town Centre and Regeneration Committee on 12^th April reviewed the Council’s plans for the redevelopment of the toilet site in Jubilee Gardens and proposed several ways to progress the project, following the unexpected offer to the Council in March of the use of part or all of the Magistrates’ Court building for community uses.
 
At the full council meeting on 24th April, it became clear that the Magistrates’ Court would not after all become available. The meeting discussed the request by local campaigners for a reasonable adjustment to the plans for the development of the toilet site to include a Changing Places (CP) facility and agreed that its response would include the recommendation that a CP facility instead be installed in Bingley Pool. This would involve converting one of the disabled changing rooms in a dry area at the pool.  The plan has the go-head from Bradford Council which owns and runs the pool although any equipment and works, estimated by Bradford Council at £11,000, would have to be met by the Town Council.  An alternative might be to purchase a mobile Changing Places kit (for example https://www.migloo.co.uk/naked) that could be used in the dry area changing room but moved as needed. The Pool offers longer opening hours than the Council offices and will provide support staff and training and cover ongoing costs.
 
Although Bradford Council has indicated its plans to shut Bingley Pool, there is no fixed date for closure and, in the meantime, the Friends of Bingley Pool are also pursuing and are optimistic about a Community Asset Transfer of the pool itself to retain the amenity.
 
Given the investment required and the resource implications, the Town Council would like to ascertain if the plan to install a Changing Places facility at Bingley Swimming Pool – either permanently or by using mobile equipment – has the support of those most likely to benefit from it. Any feedback or requests for more information should be emailed to: enquiries@bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk
 
The Town Council will draft a written response to the request for a reasonable adjustment, and it is hoped that a response from a legal advisor will be available at the next full council meeting.
 

The Spring 2018 newsletter is out!

A new edition of the Town Council’s newsletter has just been published and is being distributed to various locations around the parish, including the library, GP surgeries, post offices and a range of local businesses. You can also view the newsletter at this link: http://bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/BTC-NL-spring-final-low-res.pdf
 

Town Council by-election Crow Nest Ward

An election in respect of the vacancy in Crow Nest ward following the resignation of Michelle Chapman will be held on 3^rd May.

The candidates are:

Dale Barton, Liberal Democrats

John Brazendale, Labour Party

Bingley Canal Festival
 
The second Bingley Canal Festival takes place on Saturday 19^th May. If you haven’t got a ticket for the FA Cup Final or an invitation to the royal wedding, don’t despair: you’ll find plenty to entertain you locally!
 
The event starts at 10.00 when the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Society’s floating museum Kennet descends the Five-Rise Locks; it will then be open to the public at the top of the Three-Rise flight. Alongside the Kennet will be the CRT Explorers, Lion Learners, Canoe Trail and free boat trips, and Bingley Walkers and Welcome will be leading Sir Fred Hoyle walks at 10.00 and 11.30. There will be refreshments and entertainments  (bouncy slides, trampolines, rides, singing from the All Together Now choir) and a range of stalls in Bingley Arts Centre, in the market square and on the canal towpath, with the day closing at 16.00.
 
See further details on the Bingley Canal Festival 2018 Facebook page. Volunteer helpers and marshals are needed on the day. If you can help, please contact Marcia Churley at Bradford Council’s Shipley Area Office – marcia.churley@bradford.gov.uk / 01274 437146.