Bingley residents are encouraged to have their say on key issues affecting their town through a Community Consultation being carried out by Bingley Town Council in September.

The consultation is to take place at a series of events in September and via a questionnaire, available in hard copy and on-line.

Residents will be asked:

• to shape the Town Council’s priorities from 2020-2023
• to comment on the initial draft of a Neighbourhood Plan for Bingley
• suggest what money raised through the new CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) should be spent on

Cllr Ros Dawson, chair of Bingley Town Council, said: “This is an opportunity for residents to identify priorities so that the council ensures its resources are targeted on what’s possible and what people would like the council to deliver. We hope that everyone will get involved and have their say.”

The Community Consultation launches on Saturday, 7 September at Bingley Market and runs until Wednesday, 25 September.

In the consultation questionnaire, residents will be asked to indicate which activities, from the many that the Town Council is currently undertaking, are most important. The list includes responding to the climate emergency, revitalising the market and supporting efforts to keep open Bingley Pool. Residents can suggest any other key areas they feel the council should address.

As a result of having a Town Council, Bingley has already received around £16,000 from the CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy), a charge paid by developers of property in the parish to Bradford Council. Residents are encouraged to suggest what sort of projects the CIL funds should be spent on and on the emerging Neighbourhood Plan.

The Neighbourhood Plan is a document that creates policies that will influence building and development in the Bingley Town Council area until 2030. Eventually, it will also entitle Bingley to receive a greater proportion (25%) of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) monies. An initial draft of the Neighbourhood Plan can be found here Bingley Neighbourhood Plan.

Cllr Steve Williams, vice chair of the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, said: “A lot of effort has gone into the draft plan so far and we’re at the stage where we’d like feedback from residents on what they like and don’t like about the plan – and if there’s anything else that should be included.”

The events, at which information will be displayed and councillors and staff on hand to answer queries, will be held as follows:

• Sat 07/09/19 9am to 1pm – Bingley Market and Bingley Arts Centre
• Mon 09/09/19 2pm to 4pm – Eldwick Church (in the café area)
• Thu 12/09/19 5.30pm to 7.30pm – COPWA (Crossflatts Old People’s Welfare Association)
• Mon 16/09/19 1.30pm to 3.30pm – Bingley Methodist Church
• Tue 17/09/19 7pm to 9pm – St Wilfrid’s, Gilstead
• Fri 20/09/19 10am to 12pm – Cottingley Community Centre
• Wed 25/09/19 10am to 3.30pm – Bingley Business Expo, Bingley Arts Centre

All the information will also be available from the 7th September on line at www.bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk , via Bingley Town Council’s social media sites: Twitter @bingleycouncil and Facebook @BingleyTownCouncil and from the Town Clerk enquiries@bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk Cottingley Community Centre