Hello and a Happy New Year to all.

You will see below that Bingley Town Council has maintained our element of the precept at last year’s level.

Bradford Council are proposing an increase of 4.99%.  They are consulting on their budget and the cuts that they need to make to ensure a balanced budget. I’d encourage everyone to respond to their consultation to ensure that valued services are maintained where possible.

Bradford Council budget proposals 2024-25 consultation pages

The Initial Proposed Financial Plan and Budget Proposals for 2024-25

Budget Proposals Equality Impact Assessments

Regards

Councillor Philippa Gibbons

Chair

Budget, precept and projects agreed for 2024-25

At a recent meeting of Bingley Town Council, the budget for 2024-25 was agreed, at £310,710. This included setting the precept at £238,290, which is £27.77 for a Band D property, a 0.06% decrease on last year’s figure.

Projects that were agreed to be pursued in the next financial year include covering the costs of the following:

• Christmas trees and lights in the Bingley area;
• Bandstand concerts in Myrtle Park in the summer;
• A way-marking scheme to direct tourists to Five Rise Locks;
• Facilitating six Play in the Park events around the parish in the summer holidays;
• Improvement of the path by the riverside.

The budget also continues to hold funds for the provision of grants to support local groups in their community work.

Neighbourhood Development Plan for Bingley – Regulation 14 consultation

At the recent Full Council meeting, the draft Neighbourhood Development Plan for Bingley was approved, and it was agreed to go to Regulation 14 consultation, the next stage of the progress with the Plan.

This consultation will run from 12^th February to 4^th April 2024, and many statutory consultees, as well as all Bingley Town Council area residents, will be contacted regarding this. Please keep watch out for a postcard regarding this consultation, which will be delivered to all households in the parish the week prior to the consultation commencing.

As part of the Regulation 14 consultation, two drop-in events will be held in our Town Council offices at the Hub, Myrtle Place, Bingley, on Saturday 24^th February and Sunday 24^th March 2024, from 10am to 2pm, where you can view the Plan and ask any questions related to it.

Community Litter Pick

Boundary Commission consultation

Eldwick Ward news from Councillors Heseltine and Truelove

The Boundary Commission is consulting on new ward boundaries for the whole district. The proposals for Eldwick meander through the village and take no account of community identity, clearly identifiable boundaries or the fact that Eldwick is one identifiable village attached to the wider township of Bingley.

If the proposals go ahead, some streets or parts of streets will be represented by Bingley Ward Councillors, the rest of us shipped off to an expanded Baildon Ward. 

We feel Eldwick residents have a closer association with other Eldwick residents and Bingley town just down the road, rather than Baildon over the large hill and extensive moor.  In any event Eldwick as a village should remain as one.

Please comment on the proposals at the boundary commission portal, consultation closes 5^th February 2024 https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/bradford

Bingley Town Council, including your Eldwick Ward Councillors, would also like to hear your views prior to our submissions – please contact: david.heseltine@bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk, mark.truelove@bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk and/or enquiries@bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk 

Further information from the Boundary Commissions website can be found below:

Community identity:

A sense of community is often shaped by the amenities and services people use: shops, places of worship, schools and other facilities.

It can also be shaped by attachment to representative organisations like tenants and residents associations, community organisations and local business forums.

Convenient and effective local government:

We try to propose wards that use clearly identifiable boundaries, have appropriate names, and make it as easy as possible for the councillors to do their jobs.

How you can help:

You can help us draw up wards that reflect the communities local people live in. All of our final reports contain recommendations that have been improved by input from local people. In the consultation on warding patterns tell us about the communities you represent. In the consultation on our draft proposals tell us how they fit with your experience of local communities.

Please respond to our consultations and tell us where the most identifiable boundaries are in your area. Suggest names for the wards, and let us know in the consultation on our draft proposals if you think there is a better alternative.

Bingley Town Council Meetings and Events

January 2024

Saturday 20^th – Community Litter Pick at Britannia Bridge, 10am to 12pm

Wednesday 24^th – Events, Marketing and Communications Committee Meeting at The Hub, 6:30pm

Saturday 27^th – Community Group Networking Event at Cardigan House, 10am to 12pm