WHITCHURCH TOWN
COUNCIL
Whitchurch Town Hall, Newbury
Street, Whitchurch, Hampshire, RG28 7DW.
Telephone: 01256
892107 Fax: 01256 893102
e-mail: whitchurchtowncouncil@whitchurch.hants.gov.uk
From time to time, Whitchurch Town Council
receives anonymous letters/e-mails. It is our policy not to respond to such
correspondence. Please provide full name, address, plus any alternative
preferred contact details, and the Council will make every effort to reply
as quickly as possible. Thank you.
WHAT DOES YOUR LOCAL TOWN COUNCIL DO?
Information Centre
The Town Hall Office is open Monday,
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9.30 a.m. – 11.30 a.m., or by prior
arrangement at other times during the working week. The Clerks will assist
with enquiries and complaints covering all local government services. Where
they cannot personally help, they will provide details of, or liaise with,
others who can. They also deal with phoned, faxed, e-mailed and written
enquiries.
Services Hosted
The
Citizen’s Advice Bureau on Tuesday mornings 9am – 12.30pm.
The
Volunteer Bureau on the first Friday in every month 10am – 11am.
The
Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages each Thursday 10am – 11am by appointment only. Phone 01256 322188.
Relate,
Basingstoke& District hold consultations with families and individuals on
Tuesday evenings, by appointment only. Phone 01256 423843.
Councillors’ Surgeries each Thurs. morning with representatives of the Town,
and Borough Councils (unless they are otherwise engaged), between 10am
and 12 noon. Prior appointment is recommended. Phone 01256 892107.
Wessex
Business Link on Tuesday afternoons 1.45pm – 4pm.
The Town Project Manager is in attendance on
Wednesdays.
The Community Wardens hold monthly surgeries, on Thursday afternoons, 3pm – 4pm Look out for the dates in the Notice Board or on the
Whitchurch Website.
Information
It produces the
“eYe” newsletter, and organises parish-wide distribution, with the
invaluable help of the local Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators. Download the latest copy here.
It provides Tourist Information and deals with genealogical enquiries from all over the world.
Local Services
It
administers allotments and garages/parking spaces in Winchester Road.
Whitchurch Town Council is the Burial Authority for the Andover Road
Cemetery, dealing with the statutory documentation and record keeping.
It is
responsible for Cemetery ground maintenance, and allocation of interment
space.
It
assists Hampshire County Council in its responsibility to local footpath
management and maintenance.
It is
responsible for approx. 100 of the local street lamps, for which Hampshire
County Council is contracted to carry out repairs and maintenance.
It is
responsible for ground maintenance/landscaping, and maintenance and repair
of the play equipment at the two recreation grounds at Kingsley Park and
Alliston Way.
It
administers the Annual Local Community Awards Scheme and organises the Award
Ceremony.
It
administers the Town Hall Trust in order to maintain and hire out the Town
Hall, (including leasing out part of the building to HSBC Bank), for the
benefit of the local people.
It
administers local litter collecting on behalf of the Borough Council’s
Environmental Health Department.
*It
administers the finances, and provides adequate insurance cover, to enable
the above services to continue.
Representing Whitchurch
Whitchurch Town Council has a representative(s) on the Parish Hall
Management Committee, Whitchurch Association, Hampshire County Council (HCC)
Rail Forum, HCC Passenger Transport Consultative Meetings, the Whitchurch
Welfare Trust, Whitchurch Neighbourhood Watch, Whitchurch C of E Primary
School Governing Body, the Millennium Green Trust the Ardglen Business
Forum, the Whitchurch Ramblers. The Council will make every attempt to be
represented at meetings, functions and events of other local
groups/organisations on request.
It is a
member of “Action for Market Towns”, the Council for the Preservation of
Rural England, Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust and Hants Wildlife
Trust, among others.
The
Clerk is the administrator for the Ardglen Business Forum, set up to bring
together, and promote local businesses.
The
Town Council represents the views and needs of the Town following
presentations by members of public at Council meetings, or organised public
consultations.
It
maintains a close working relationship with the local police, administering
the Whitchurch Area Strategic Partnership (WASP), with representatives from
Police, Neighbourhood Watch and Councillors. Meetings are held as required
throughout the year. The local Community Police Officer also attends Full
Council Meetings whenever possible.
It also
provides information and promotes local opinion on Borough, County and
Central Government issues, which may have an effect on rural areas, such as,
and including Whitchurch.
Meetings
The Town Council holds a minimum of 9 Full Council Meetings per year on the 1st Monday of the month, (4 are required by law), plus the Annual Meeting and the Annual Town Assembly (Parish Meeting). Minutes of these meetings are ratified at the following meeting. There are also meetings of the Leisure and Environment Committee, (3rd Monday in each month, excepting August and where they fall on Bank Holidays); Development Committee, (2nd and 4th Monday in each month, excepting August and where they fall on Bank Holidays); Resources and Policy meetings, (approx. 4 – 6 per year, called as required). All meetings are open to the public and are advertised in the Parish Notice Board, in the Parish Magazine, and on the Whitchurch Web-site.
Planning
The Council seeks professional advice, applies for permissions and grant funding for such projects as bus shelter provision, environmental improvements, public seating, recreation ground equipment, footbridge and footpath improvements, landscaping and tree planting.
It considers and makes written comment to the relevant authorities on planning applications for individual and major developments, Local Plans and Policies, Government White Papers etc.
Co-operation with other Councils
It
facilitates and works with the Borough and County Councils on projects to
enhance the appearance of, promote the assets of, or improve safety, in
Whitchurch.
*The
Town Council sets and manages budgets and provides public accounts in
accordance with up-to-date Accounts and Audit regulations.
It may
initiate actions ~ from land purchase to prosecutions, on behalf of the
Community.
Best Value
From
2000, all English and Welsh Local Authorities came under a duty of Best
Value. (LGA 1999). Only councils, with a gross budgeted income in excess of
£500,000, are required to produce a Best Value Performance Plan, and are
subject to Best Value audit/inspection, but all Councils, however small, are
expected to embrace “Best Value” principles and practices.
Local
Councils must review their activities by:
Challenging why, how, by whom a service is being provided.
Comparing performance against that of other councils/organisations providing similar services.
Consulting local people, organisations/businesses through public
meetings/publications, and press coverage.
Encouraging Competition to ensure the most efficient/effective
services.
Whitchurch Town Council strives for continued improvement, carrying out its
functions with regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness. The
Committees review their performance and up-date a Statement of Objectives
each February/March, charting the Council’s proposed, ongoing and/or
completed activities and projects for the current and coming financial
years. (Available for viewing at the Annual Town Assembly, and thereafter
at the Town Hall).
At all times, your Councillors strive to act in
the best interests of the Town, but they can only do this if they are kept
well informed of the needs and opinions of the local people. Please let
them know your concerns and observations, by direct approach to individual
Councillors; by attending Council meetings and taking part in the public
participation immediately prior to commencement; by writing, phoning, faxing
or e-mailing; or by personal visit to the office, where the Clerks will be
happy to note and pass on any enquiries or comments.
The Town Council is registered with the Information Commissione to make all information, regarding the Council’s activities, available to the Public.
Please see the reference copy in the entrance hall, or apply to the Town Clerk. |
