The annual Whaley Bridge town meeting was held on the evening of 27 April at which a presentation was given to David Johnson who is retiring as Caretaker of the Mechanics Institute, after many years.

WBTC Chair, Rodney Gilmour, thanks David Johnson (right) for his long and faithful service as Mechanics Institute Caretaker

Reports were received from:

County Councillor Alison Fox: here

Borough Councillor Andrew Fox:

Borough Councillor David Lomax: here

Borough Councillor John Pritchard: here

Town Council Chair Rodney Gilmour: here

No report was received from the Community Police

Relief Caretaker required

The Whaley Bridge Mechanics Institute is a Registered Charity and provides a community building with rooms for hire, a reading room and the Town Council’s office.

We are looking for an efficient and reliable Relief Caretaker, to cover for leave or sickness of our main Caretaker (including some weekends and evenings). The Relief Caretaker therefore has a zero-hours contract, and may work for only a few weeks per year; the main Caretaker normally works 15 hours per week.

The successful candidate must be able to work alone but also as part of a small team. The main job purpose is to provide high standards of cleanliness, security and maintenance of the Mechanics Institute and the role includes setting up of rooms as necessary. A competitive per-hour rate will be offered

The Mechanics Institute is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Any offer of Employment will be subject to receipt of a satisfactory DBS Disclosure Form.

Application forms are available from the Mechanics Institute, or please contact townclerk@whaleybridge.com by Wednesday 9 May.

Whaley Bridge Mechanics Institute, 27 Market Street, Whaley Bridge, SK23 7AA

Tel: 01663 733068  

WHALEY BRIDGE TOWN COUNCIL

Vacancy for Town Clerk 

Are you a good manager and an excellent communicator? Whaley Bridge Town Council, in north-west Derbyshire, is looking for a Town Clerk – the head of the Council’s paid staff. The job description is attached. A competitive salary will be offered.

The post is part-time, with contracted weekly hours of approximately 25; exact arrangements can be tailored to an extent to suit the successful applicant. The Council’s office is in the Mechanics Institute, Market St, Whaley Bridge. Its meetings are generally in the evening of the 2nd Thursday of the month.

Applications should be sent to towncouncil@whaleybridge.com, for the attention of the Chair, by noon on Tuesday 8 May.

_________________________________________________________

Job Description: TOWN CLERK (and Responsible Financial Officer)

Overall Responsibilities

The Town Clerk manages all the activities of the Town Council, in accordance with legislative requirements and the policies set by Councillors. He/she is the head of the Council’s paid staff, and is accountable for the effective management of all the Council’s resources.

The Town Clerk is also the Council’s Responsible Financial Officer, ensuring careful stewardship of the Council’s finances and maintenance of its financial records.

Specific Responsibilities

1. To carry out the legal responsibilities of being the Council’s Proper Officer.

2. To prepare agendas and meeting papers for the Council and its committees, and to attend their meetings, so as to advise councillors thereat and prepare minutes.

3. To produce reports and data required for effective decision-making.

4. To drive forward proactively the implementation of decisions made by Councillors, ensuring relevant stakeholders are kept advised, and utilising specialist advice as necessary. To monitor, post-implementation, whether those decisions are achieving the desired result.

5. To develop the Council’s annual budget for Councillor discussion and approval.

6. To maintain the Council’s financial records (regularly reviewing achievement against budget), and to ensure (i) value for money in purchasing and (ii) efficient invoicing and credit-control for services provided by the Council.

7. To create effective grant applications, as required.

8. To ensure suitable and timely responses to incoming correspondence and messages, creating a positive external impression of the Council and its activities.

9. To proactively explore opportunities for modernising and improving the Council’s activities and administration. To keep abreast of emerging best practice in the Local Council sector.

10. To ensure effective supervision, administration and maintenance of Council-owned street-furniture, premises, allotments, sports area and other land.

11. To ensure that suitable and sufficient risk-assessment of the Council’s activities is carried out (and regularly reviewed) and that identified mitigations are implemented.

12. To lead, direct and develop all other members of staff as their line manager, and to ensure the creation and consistent application of suitable HR policies.

13. To act as the external representative of the Council when required.

14. To ensure the effectiveness of the Council’s website. To prepare press releases about the activities or decisions of the Council.

15. To act as Secretary and Financial Officer to Whaley Bridge Mechanics’ Institute (a registered charity), ensuring effective management and administration of its premises.

Experience & qualifications

16. To study to achieve the status of Qualified Local Council Clerk as soon as reasonably practicable.

17. Must be well experienced in use of MS Office software (Word, Excel, etc) and familiar with moving towards a paperless office.

18. Some experience of local government might be advantageous, but is not essential.

Neighbourhood Planning grants – Locality
Locality will continue to deliver the Neighbourhood Planning Support Programme over the next four years, from 2018-2022. The programme builds on the 2015-18 programme and any support previously received will be taken into account. The programme will provide anyone working on a neighbourhood plan with support from the Locality team, AECOM and other partners/specialists through:

• a basic grant of up to £9,000
• additional grants for eligible groups with an extra £8,000
• technical support through expert partners AECOM and other specialists

Under the new programme there will be some important changes to eligibility criteria for support available to groups. In addition, the amount groups are eligible for in grants will depend on what they have received in the 2015-18 programme. Get full details of the changes and what you’re eligible for on neighbourhoodplanning.org
The new programme opens for applications on 3 April 2018.
https://mycommunity.org.uk/2018/03/15/new-neighbourhood-planning-programme-changes-to-my-community-everything-you-need-to-know/
 
Reaching Communities England – Big Lottery Fund
The Reaching Communities programme aims to make positive change in communities. Big Lottery particularly want to hear about ideas that support:

• Lasting and sustainable changes to places and spaces
• Communities to develop happier and stronger relationships with each other
• Taking action to focus on the root causes of social problems to tackle them at the earliest possible stage

Through Reaching Communities funding you can apply for between £10,000 and £500,000. Successful grant can fund some or all of the costs associated with delivering a project, including staff salaries, training, volunteer expenses, management costs, equipment, premises costs, monitoring and evaluation and overheads. The programme can also fund up to £100,000 for small scale capital work, such as refurbishment, the purchase of vehicles, land or buildings.
Big Lottery encourage applicants to contact them before applying for additional advice and support before you submit your application.
The programme is due to re-open for applications on 2 April 2018.
https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/funding/programmes/reaching-communities-england
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Our local Safer Neighbourhood officers are reaching out to reassure the public following rumours of gangs stealing dogs in the New Mills, Chapel and Whaley Bridge area on Facebook.

Photos of vans have been circulating on the social media site alongside claims that dogs are being stolen, but they aren’t aware of any reports to police of dog thefts in the New Mills, Chapel and Whaley Bridge over the last few weeks.

PCSO Tracy Jones of the Whaley Bridge Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Understandably, the posts are making people feel quite concerned but we haven’t had any reports to the police of this nature, where dogs have being stolen in the New Mills, Chapel and Whaley Bridge during the past few weeks.

“Having your dog stolen would be extremely distressing though, so if you are a pet owner and feel worried about your dog being stolen then there are some simple measures you can take from keeping your home and garden secure, not leaving your pet tied up and unattended.

“Ensure your dog is microchipped, and your registered details are up to date, and when in public that your dog is wearing a collar and ID tag.”

PCSO Jones added: “If think your dog has been stolen, check with any family or friends who have access to see if they have taken the dog out, and then call the police. You should also report any suspicious activity to us.”

“If you have lost your dog, or have found a dog, call High Peak Borough Council as they keep a record of all dogs lost and found.”

To report your dog as lost to High Peak Borough Council, call 0345 129 4870. You can find out more information about their dog control service on the website, www.highpeak.gov.uk.

To report suspicious activity, or a stolen dog, call 101 the non-emergency number for Derbyshire police, except in an emergency when a crime is being committed, then the number is 999.