Bingley Town Council mailing no. 47 (November 2020)

Dear resident,

It has been a long wait, and we have had various teething problems to overcome, but we are very pleased that Bingley’s new public toilets are now available for use. Open every day from 9 am to 6 pm, we hope these will meet with the approval of residents and visitors alike. Further information is below.

I am delighted to be able to announce the appointment of our new part-time administrative officer, Ruth Thompson, and look forward to welcoming her to the team. Starting from 16 November, Ruth will be working 15 hours a week with the council to cover the hours that have become available through Laura Jowett’s decision to reduce her own hours as Administrative Officer. Ruth’s post is for 6 months pending the outcome of a staffing review. Please bear with us while we go through a partly remote induction process.

Plans are in place for this year’s Christmas tree and lights and we will advise of the switch-on date later this month. Winter-spring bedding plants and bulbs have been delivered to local groups who will be planting up their local green areas and parks.

With the new national COVID-19 restrictions, our November market has unfortunately had to be cancelled. The council will be continuing to work with community partners to ensure that residents have the support they need while restrictions are in place. We wish you good health during this difficult period.

Kind regards,

Helen Owen

Chair, Bingley Town Council

Photo: Joseph Wood (14), poppy cascade by Bingley 5 Rise Frocks WI at All Saints Church

Remembrance

Unfortunately the Remembrance Day Parade and Service organised and run by Bingley Remembrance Group has had to be cancelled this year due to COVID-19. The Council is taking part in the live-streamed only Remembrance Sunday service at All Saints Parish Church when the Chair will lay a wreath on behalf of the town. The service will be live streamed on YouTube and will start at 10:30am on Sunday 8 November. This can be accessed via the parish website, www.allsaintsbingley.org.uk or via the parish YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC15Nj2OKCYKwT6R5zc7exIA/.

The Bingley Poppy Appeal is now unable to run its pop-up shop, but poppies can be purchased from Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Tesco Express (Crossflatts) and Co-op supermarkets in Bingley, the BP petrol station, Boots Canalside, Eldwick, Gilstead and Bingley Post Offices, and local Nisa and Premier stores. Merchandise such as pin badges and wristbands are available in Eldwick and Gilstead Post Offices and Stephen Smith’s Garden Centre. Wreaths can be obtained from Collin MacDonald; see contact details on any legitimate Poppy Appeal tin/poppy box in the local area.

Funds from Priestthorpe Annex

At its meeting on 27 October, the council agreed to contact Bradford Council seeking further information about the funds raised by the sale of Priestthorpe Annex.

The site on Mornington Road had been neglected and left derelict by Bradford Council, and was finally sold to a developer in 2018 after a campaign by the Town Council. Bradford Council decided to use the sale proceeds to create a charitable fund to give grants for educational purposes in Bingley. This was to continue the original aim of the 19th century benefactors of the Annex who created a technical school to improve the skills of local people. However, it has meant that Bradford Council has effectively kept control of the funds and there is a lack of clarity about how far they are able to benefit local people.

The Town Council resolved to request the following:

• The accounts from the trustees (Bradford Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee).
• Information about how and when groups in Bingley can apply in 2021 for funds
• How much groups in Bingley can apply for
• An update on the amalgamation of the funds with two other funds administered by Bradford Council
• An update on progress with  the Charities Commission for permission to expand the geographical area to include Bingley Grammar School and other schools in Bingley parish

Bingley Hub – new public toilets now open

The new public toilets at the Bingley hub – the renovated former toilets block at Myrtle Place – opened on Saturday 24 October.

They are open every day from 9 am to 6 pm. Both toilets have baby-changing units and are suitable for most wheelchair users. Facilities are sensor or foot-operated to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection.

Work on the provision of a Changing Places facility continues and it is hoped to put proposals before councillors shortly.

The Council’s office itself will not be open to the public during the period of the current COVID-19 restrictions. It will re-open by appointment when government advice permits.

Vacancy for a councillor in Bingley Central & Myrtle Park – Co-option

Five residents have expressed interest in being co-opted to the council to fill the position left vacant by the resignation of Councillor Richard Holmes in Bingley Central & Myrtle Park Ward. All candidates are being invited to an Extraordinary Meeting of the full council on 17 November when a vote will be held by the existing councillors.

COVID-19

Restrictions

From Thursday 5 November, the new national restrictions will apply – New national restrictions. They include the following.

Stay at home

This means you must not leave or be outside of your home except for specific purposes. These include:

• for childcare or education, where this is not provided online
• for work purposes, where your place of work remains open and where you cannot work from home (including if your job involves working in other people’s homes)
• to exercise outdoors or visit an outdoor public place – with the people you live with, with your support bubble or, when on your own, with 1 person from another household (children under school age, as well as those dependent on round-the-clock care, such as those with severe disabilities, who are with their parents will not count towards the limit on two people meeting outside).
• for any medical concerns, reasons, appointments and emergencies, or to avoid or escape risk of injury or harm – such as domestic abuse
• shopping for basic necessities, for example food and medicine, which should be as infrequent as possible
• to visit members of your support bubble or provide care for vulnerable people, or as a volunteer

Meeting with family and friends

You must not meet socially indoors with family or friends unless they are part of your household – meaning the people you live with – or support bubble. A support bubble is where a household with one adult joins with another household. Households in that support bubble can still visit each other, stay overnight, and visit outdoor public places together.

You can exercise or visit outdoor public places with the people you live with, your support bubble, or 1 person from another household (children under school age, as well as those dependent on round-the-clock care, such as those with severe disabilities, who are with their parents will not count towards the limit on two people meeting outside).

Outdoor public places include:

• parks, beaches, countryside,
• public gardens (whether or not you pay to enter them), allotments
• playgrounds

You cannot meet in a private garden.

Businesses and venues

To reduce social contact, the Government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close. These include:

• all non-essential retail, including, but not limited to clothing and electronics stores, vehicle showrooms, travel agents, betting shops, auction houses, tailors, car washes, tobacco and vape shops.
• indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks,
• entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centres and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions, botanical gardens;
• personal care facilities such as hair, beauty and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services, non-medical acupuncture, and tanning salons.
• Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Essential retail should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.

Non-essential retail can remain open for delivery to customers and click-and-collect.

Playgrounds can remain open.

Hospitality venues like restaurants, bars and pubs must close, but can still provide takeaway and delivery services. However, takeaway of alcohol will not be allowed.

Hotels, hostels and other accommodation should only open for those who have to travel for work purposes and for a limited number of other exemptions which will be set out in law.

Some venues will be allowed to remain open for specific exempt activities, like childcare and support groups. Support groups that are essential to deliver in person can continue with up to 15 participants where formally organised to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support. This includes support to victims of crime, people in drug and alcohol recovery, new parents and guardians, people with long-term illnesses, people facing issues relating to their sexuality or gender, and those who have suffered bereavement.

A number of public services will also stay open and you will be able to leave home to visit them. These include:

• the NHS and medical services like GPs
• Jobcentre Plus sites
• Courts
• Civil Registrations Offices

Photo below: Polyanthus, pansies, myosotis, bellis and wallflowers awaiting collection at Myrtle Park depot

Community Partnership Group

The Community Partnership Group is coordinated by Bradford Council’s Ward Officer for Bingley and formalises the group of local organisations that came together in the early stages of the pandemic to address community needs.

At its meeting on 1 October, there was an update on the status of COVID-19 measures in Bradford and updates from Bingley Food Bank, the Community Kitchen, HALE, CABAD and Ward Councillors. The Town Council continues to support the Food Bank and to maintain contact with the Bingley and Bingley Rural Resilience Support Group.

The next meeting will be discussing the need for extra support at Christmas for individuals and families.

Bradford Council help number reminder – 01274 431000

If you need immediate help or support, for example you are having to self-isolate , please call 01274 431000 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm).

Bradford Council’s team can help by:

• putting you in touch with a local food hub
• sorting out a priority supermarket delivery slot
• helping with loneliness and getting someone to give you a call
• referring you for welfare support

You can also visit: ​www.nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk  

Officer hours

The Town Council’s office is closed due to the lockdown with staff working from home. Bingley Town Council can be contacted by email at enquiries@bingleytowncouncil.gov.uk or by telephone on the following numbers:

• Town Clerk – 07703 188660
• Administrative Officer – 07856 365806 (hours will vary)

Dates for your diary

Most activities, including group litter picks and markets, are currently on hold.  

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The next ordinary meeting of the Town Council is at 6.30pm on:

Tuesday 24 November 2020

The meeting will be held on Zoom. Formally convened Town Council meetings are not password protected and agendas for meetings containing the link for the meeting can be found on the Town Council website and on our Facebook page.

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You can see all the council’s meeting dates in the calendar of the Events section of its website, and a full listing is available as a separate document, updated weekly, in the Documents section of the site.

So that we can keep as many people as possible informed, please do share this newsletter with friends and family and encourage them to subscribe too.

Bingley Town Council, Myrtle Place, Bingley BD16 2LF