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Annual Town Meeting

23 April 2019

Annual Town Meeting 2019Introduction

• New format this year • Chairman’s overview• Short presentations from councillors and volunteers

• Covering the key activities of• Stokesley Town Council• Stokesley Manorial Lands Trust (MLT)• Stokesley Town Hall Trust (THT)• The Globe Community Library

• All councillors are trustees of MLT and THT and two councillors are trustees of The Globe

• The Town Clerk is Treasurer / Secretary of the two trusts

Annual Town Meeting 2019Agenda

• Chairman’s Introduction and Overview – Graham Sowerby

• Finance - Mike Canavan

• S106 / CIL / S137 Priorities and Expenditure - Stewart Brennan

• Major Projects – Toilets Refurbishment and Levenside Footpath Project - David Oxley

• Manorial Lands Trust and The Markets– Andy Wake

• Parking Improvements - Bryn Griffiths

• Events - Ian Blakemore

• Town Hall Trust – Bill Griffiths (Friends of the Town Hall)

• Open Spaces / Allotments – Carol Lewis

• The Globe Library – Jane Hall (Manager) and Gill DeCosemo (Trustee)

• Planning – Sean Carey

• Health & Safety - Chris Johnson

• Closing Remarks – Graham Sowerby

• Public Questions and Comments

Annual Town Meeting 2019Questions / Comments

• Opportunity to ask questions on each topic at the end of that presentation

• Further questions and comments are invited after the final presentation

Annual Town Meeting 2019Chairman’s Overview

• Strategic Objectives for 2018-19 identified as• Cobbles – Progressing negotiations with Hambleton District

Council• Parking – Developing strategy and• Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) – Implementing agreed

projects• Public Toilets – Refurbishment

• Further details in later presentations

• Town Council first in Hambleton District to achieve he Local Council Award Scheme Foundation Award, a national standard• Recognition for high quality standards in how it conducts affairs

its policies and training for staff and councillors

Annual Town Meeting 2019Thanks to Volunteers

• In Stokesley we are very lucky to have numerous volunteers who give their time to a whole host of activities, Thanks to:• SPIOTA for their continued hard work• The Friends of the Town Hall who raise funds and support activities• The Globe volunteers who not only ensured the library remains open

but is now a real community venue• The many individual who litter pickers and the team of volunteers led

by Mr March who litter pick in Stokesley; it makes a real difference• All the volunteers who supported to the “Great British Spring Litter

Tidy Up” and Stokesley Fish Bar• All those who assist with Community Care lunch club, host coffee

mornings and support the various groups and activities in the town

• This list is not exhaustive and the Council thanks everyone for their voluntary efforts for the benefit of the community

Annual Town Meeting 2019Ongoing Activities

• The Council continues to • Produce a quarterly newsletter that can now be found in

the ‘Market Place’ magazine as well as on line

• Host monthly surgeries on the first Saturday of each month between 11 am and 12 noon

• Work with the Police particularly when Anti-Social Behaviour has occurred around the town• The Council is currently looking to install a CCTV camera in the

Play Park which will be monitored by Hambleton District Council

Annual Town Meeting 2019Co-operation with Hambleton DC

• Following suggestions by the Council, Hambleton District Council is producing a ‘Welcome Pack’ for new businesses• Will provide information and advice to owners

• Help eliminate issues that have arisen regarding appropriate signs etc.

• The Council is • Pleased to have the ‘Town Wifi’ up and running

• Continues to promote this facility.

Annual Town Meeting 2019Remembrance

• Councillors attended the Remembrance Day service and parade • Marked the centenary of the end of WWI

• The Council • Provided refreshments in the Town Hall

• Arranged for Bilsdale Brass Band to play at the event

• Purchased two of the ‘Tommy’ Soldiers installed at the Cenotaph on the West Green

• Cleaned the cenotaph with support from local business owner John Hughes

Annual Town Meeting 2019

Finance

Annual Town Meeting 2019Finance

• Review covers the Income and Expenditure of • Stokesley Town Council• Stokesley Manorial Lands Trust• Stokesley Town Hall Trust

• Reserves

Annual Town Meeting 2019Stokesley Town Council Finances

• CIL Income from Tanton Fields Development• Grass cutting Income from NYCC and HDC• Precept Includes Money to Fund Library

Management

• Toilet Refurbishment and New Christmas Lights Funded by CIL Income

• Grass cutting Frequency and Areas Cut Exceed Funding from NYCC and HDC

• Office Rental Paid to Town Hall Trust

Precept£123,000

Community Infrastructure Levy

£81,283

Allotment Rents £2,255

Grasscutting £2,557

Events £2,120

Other,£1,441

Town Council Income 2018-19

Total Income £212,656

Council Staff Costs£49,830

Library Staff Costs£18,207

Insurances £3,844

Play Area £7,628

Grasscutting

£12,854

Trees£14,155

Toilets£54,461

S137 Grants£3,450

Events£3,636

Website£1,895

OfficeCosts

£10,666

Other Open Spaces £7,188

Allotments £2,158

Christmas Lights£16,234 Professional Fees £1,016

MIscellaneous / Elections£5,762

Other £2,276

Town Council Expenditure 2018-19

Total Expenditure £215,258

Annual Town Meeting 2019Stokesley Town Hall Trust Finances

Laundry &

Cleaning£3,364 Utilities

£5,492

Insurance & Licences

£4,529

Staff Costs£35,541

Furnishings / Repairs / Servicing£17,652

Entertainment Costs£4,002

Bar Stock £1,396

Professional Fees£792

Other£3,245

Town Hall Expenditure 2018-19


Town Hall Lets£60,116

Bar Sales£2,880

Ticket Sales£4,262

Donations£5,611

Transfer from MLT £2,000

Town Hall Income 2018-19


• Letting Income > £60,000 for first time• Donations include £1,600 from FoTH and

£2,000 each from Yorkshire Building Society and Jack Brunton Trust

• Lowest support from MLT in past many years

• Completed full redecoration of all rooms• Part payment made for new bar• Further replacement of tables• Ground floor damp treatment

Annual Town Meeting 2019Stokesley Manorial Lands Trust Finances

• Major Income Sources are the Weekly Friday Market, the Annual Fair and the Monthly Farmers’ Market

• Income from Leases / Licences, mainly Il Mulino

• Fair Payments include Traffic Management Costs and Return of Deposit

• Lowest support to THT in past many years• Expenditure low as no major schemes

undertaken – but in plan for 2019/20

Donations£730

Friday Market Rents£18,306

Farmers Market Rents£6,669

Leases

£1,422

Fair£12,868

Other£402

Interest£108

Manorial Lands Trust Income 2018-19


Rates£513

Fair Payments£3,449

Donations£161

Transfer to THT£2,000

Repairs£492

Audit Fee£726

Manorial Lands Trust Expenditure 2018-19


Annual Town Meeting 2019Reserves at end March 2019

• The Town Council had reserves of £140,000• £75,000 held in a long-term, low-risk investment portfolio• These reserves

• Ensure the short term financial viability of the Council• Provide income towards costs of grass cutting

• The Manorial Lands Trust had reserves of £138,000• Of this £40,000 is held in a long-term, low-risk investment portfolio• These reserves provide

• For the ongoing viability of the both MLT and THT• Funds for capital expenditure projects; infrequent but often significant

• The Town Hall Trust holds only negligible reserves


Section 106 / CIL / S137 Grants

Annual Town Meeting 2019Section 106 Priority Projects

• Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 provides contributions from developers to the costs of providing community and social infrastructure, e.g. from the Stokesley Grange development

• The following projects and priorities have been agreed by the Town Council for future funding as income is accrued

Project Name

Managing Organisation

Details Need for Project Cost (£) Community

Priority

Levenside Footpath Project

Stokesley Manorial Lands Trust

Rebuild river wall and provide more accessible footpath

Residents’ consultation confirmed priority

£100,000 1

Stokesley Sports Hall

Hambleton District Council

Refurbish the Stokesley Sports Hall; subject to funding from others, e.g.

Sport England

Ageing current facilities plus feedback from users.

£200,000 1

North Road Play Park Equipment

Stokesley Town Council

Provision of additional equipment to be agreed (initial request was for

additional skate ramps)

Request from a group of young people. Subject to

further consultation. £50,000 2

Fitness Trail Stokesley Town

Council

Fitness trail around town for all ages. Define facilities to be provided

and locations to be used.

A requirement to provide family activities.

£20,000 3

Great Ayton to Stokesley Cycleway – The Endeavour

Way

Stokesley and Villages Community

Regeneration Group

Development of cycle link between Stokesley and Great Ayton

Public consultation / discussions with Sustrans

£54,964 allocated from Stokesley

Grange development 2

Annual Town Meeting 2019CIL Income and Expenditure

• Community Infrastructure Levy • Within Stokesley Derives from Tanton Fields Housing Development

• Payments Made to HDC Which Retains 85% for Projects Within Hambleton

• 15% Paid to Town Council

• 3 (of 4) payments received in 2018-19; final payment in 2019-20

• Town Council Consulted Residents on Priorities• Toilet Refurbishment – Completed

• New Christmas Decorations – Completed

• Levenside Footpath Project – Discussions Ongoing with Environment Agency

• Play Park CCTV – Purchase Agreed, Details Being Finalised

Annual Town Meeting 2019S137 Grants 2018-19

• The Council is able to award grants to support community organisations under the Local Government Act 1972 Section 137

• Grants are made to voluntary groups or charitable organisations which are • not for profit• able demonstrate funding will directly benefit the Town, or residents of the Town

• In 2018-19 grants were made to:• Rotary Club £500• Moorsbus £400• SPIOTA £1750• Town Hall Toddler Group £500• Royal British Legion (Poppy Wreath) £50• Stokesley Choral Society £250


Major Projects

Annual Town Meeting 2019Major Projects

• Public Toilets

• Public consultation rated refurbishment of gents, ladies and disabled toilet facilities as a top priority

• Levenside Footpath Project

• The plan for the repair of the river wall and the making good of the riverside footpath is the top priority in the Council’s Open Spaces Action Plan

Annual Town Meeting 2019Toilets Refurbishment

• Architect designed

• Contractors - Foden Construction

• Refurbishment carried out in early 2019

• Officially opened on 8 March

• Construction Cost £49,643

Annual Town Meeting 2019Levenside Footpath Project

• Footpath in urgent need of reconstruction

• Reconstruction of the riverbank retaining wall is pre-cursor to footpath work

• Council liaising with the Environment Agency to bring together their improvement proposals for the River Leven and the proposed riverbank repairs

• Funding contributions secured from HDC Making a Difference Fund and the Co-op Community Fund


Manorial Lands Trust

The Markets and The Fair

Annual Town Meeting 2019Manorial Lands Trust (MLT)

• The ‘Manorial Lands’ left in a Deed of Trust 100 years ago, to the then Parish Council, for the benefit of the townspeople of Stokesley

• Were the ‘wastes’, or unenclosed areas, of the manor and include College Square, The Plain, Leven Wynd, ‘Cattery Lane’, the High St cobbles and areas alongside the River Leven

• The Manorial Lands Trust, a registered charity, whose objectives are to • Provide an income from activities upon the areas of

Manorial Land • Support Stokesley Town Hall Trust• Maintain the Manorial Lands and its structures• Promote charitable events for the benefit of the

residents

Annual Town Meeting 2019Manorial Lands Trust Income

• The primary sources of MLT Income are

• The weekly Friday Market

• The monthly Farmers’ Market

• The annual Fair in September• Held in the week leading up to

Stokesley Show

• An annual attraction that draws large numbers of people to Stokesley

Annual Town Meeting 2019Manorial Lands Trust Income

• The weekly Friday Market• Operates from 0830 to mid-afternoon• Town Clerk is Market Superintendent• Wide range of stalls – fish to batteries• Welcomed several new stalls during the year

• The monthly Farmers’ Market • Operates from 0830 to 1430 hours• Run by Northern Dales Farmers Market Ltd• FARMA Farmers’ Market of the Year 2014• Daily Telegraph Top 20 Farmers’ Markets 2017• Draws people from a wide geographical area• Additional market on a Sunday in December

in the run up to Christmas

Annual Town Meeting 2019Manorial Lands Trust

• Trustees for several years expressed dismay at the lack of maintenance of the High Street cobbles leased to HDC for Pay and Display parking

• Has programme of planned refurbishment for areas of land which are the Trust’s responsibility• Leven Wynd cobbles in 2016-17

• Tarmacadam on Masonic Hall triangle on West Green in 2017

• Work on the Market Cross cobbles scheduled for later in 2019


Parking Improvements

Annual Town Meeting 2019Town Centre Parking Improvements

• Aim: to increase the number of short term parking places by • Moving long term parking away from Town

Centre• Investigating cheaper use of HDC Showfield Car

Park• Taking a Phased Approach

• High Street Cobbled Area:• Manorial Lands Trust to take back lease from

HDC • HDC to pay for reinstating cobbles back to

standard

• College Square:• Improved Layout

• More Spaces

• One Way System

• Traffic Regulation Order

• The Plain:• Investigate Short Term Parking Possibilities

• Potential Traffic Regulation Order

• Levenside:• NYCC Highways to manage displacement parking

Annual Town Meeting 2019Town Centre Parking Improvements


Events

Annual Town Meeting 2019Events Annual Review

• The Town Council has provided financial and volunteer support….

• ….the Communications and Events committee – 4 councillors, 3 members of the public

• Foodfest

• New format – a weekend of celebration – 6th - 7th October 2018

• Stokesley Sparkles

• Bigger and better – evening of 28th November 2018


Foodfest 2018

• New format – a weekend of celebration –6th to 7th October 2018

• Saturday - Northern Dales Farmers Market….

• ….followed by beer and bands in a marquee on the Plain

• Sunday – indoor and outdoor food vendors and music


Stokesley Sparkle 2018• Bigger and better – evening of 28th

November 2018

• New lights switch on….West Green and Town Hall

• Santa in his grotto

• Late night opening

• Children’s discovery trail

Annual Town Meeting 2019…Events this year!

Foodfest – 11th to 13th October 2019Stokesley Sparkles – 29th November 2019


Friends of the Town Hall

Annual Town Meeting 2019FRiENDS of the Town Hall (FoTH)

• Formed in 2014

• FRiENDS Mission Statement• We support the upkeep and running of the Town Hall

• We contribute by giving our time, energy, ideas, and involvement to help with fund raising and day to day operation, or by just keeping in touch

• By our efforts we will to continue to improve the facilities for the betterment of the community”

• Produce regular newsletter

Annual Town Meeting 2019FRiENDS of the Town Hall

• Activities• Monthly Coffee Morning on Farmers’ Market Saturday

• Several Friday Coffee Mornings

• Christmas Farmer’s Market Coffee morning extravaganza goes from to go from strength to strength’

• Mince pies, mulled wine and entertainment from guitar and Ukulele groups

• A big money raiser

• Treasure Hunt

• Regular Autumn Quiz night

• Supplied the Easter bunny in the Children’s Easter Disco!

• Staff the bar for Music Events

• Some DIY work

Annual Town Meeting 2019FRiENDS of the Town Hall

• Funding provided for:• New electrically operated blinds for the Main Hall

• New public address system for the Main Hall

• Period Fireplace for Bar

• New Steward’s Desk

• Replacement fridges for the Bar refurbishment

• Raised over £1600 in 2018-19

• Purchased FoTH Aprons for Coffee mornings• Gives a more professional look

• We will continue to support Stokesley Town Hall• We need NEW FRiENDS - Join us!


Open Spaces and Allotments

Annual Town Meeting 2019Open Spaces

• Open Spaces are:• Areas of Public Access and amenity for recreation

and community benefit

• In Stokesley maintenance is undertaken by a mixture of agencies• including NYCC / HDC and private contracts

• The Town Council maintains MLT land and most open spaces on the older housing estates

• Grass cutting• Routine, major element the budget

• Council provides more cuts than funded by NYCC

Annual Town Meeting 2019Open Spaces

• Work undertaken in 2018-19

• Survey and development of forward plan

• Rolling maintenance programme for hedges and trees

• Retain / Replace where appropriate

• Refurbishment of benches

• Remedial Action to Storm Damaged Trees

• North Road Play Area

• New Christmas Decorations

Annual Town Meeting 2019Allotments

• Managed and maintained by the Town Council • Land rented from Lady Hullock's Trust.

• Fully compliant with Health and Safety Guidelines and Risk Assessments • Documents displayed at the allotments

• Full occupancy level• Improved standards enforcement and turn

around times

• In the Open Gardens this June - for the third year


The Globe Library

Annual Town Meeting 2019The Globe Library

• Now not just a library; now a real community venue

• Thanks for all the financial support, including• The Town Council for employing the Library Manager• Friends of the Library, neighbouring Parish Councils, our

business sponsors and the Co-op Community Fund

• After years of decline before becoming a community run library in 2018-19:• Opening hours increased from 19.5 to 26.5 hours per week• Visits were up 54%• PC hours up 34%• Book Issues increased by nearly 10%


• Growth in activities for children:• Visit from Kirkleatham Owl Centre

• With snakes, owls, chicks, lizards and a duck in the library!

• Miniature horses, including Digby the Guide Horse.

• Chess Club

• 3D Printing Club • Won a European technology award of €2,500 to invest more

technology clubs

• Summer Reading Challenge • Many activities including stories of Little Alf and building a giant

Gnasher


• Growth in activities for adults - building on existing regular groups:• Popular quizzes • Poetry and Prosecco night with Kate Fox• Short Story Competition

• Presentation night with Chris Bostock

• Food hygiene, ukulele, willow weaving and family history courses

• Second Citizens’ Advice Bureau session each week• NatWest and Newcastle Building Society drop-in

sessions• Live theatre


Planning

Annual Town Meeting 2019Planning

• In 2018-19 the Council has

• Commented on all 50 Planning applications for properties in Stokesley

• Attended all site visits in the Stokesley by HDC Planning Committee

• Attended all meetings of HDC Planning Committee at which Stokesley applications have been discussed

• Continued to push HDC over planning enforcement issues

• e.g. The old North Road Club site and adjacent former bungalow

• All planning decisions are taken by HDC• Town Council comments on the

applications


Health and Safety

Annual Town Meeting 2019Health and Safety

• Health & Safety Committee meets annually in January

• Committee members are myself, Mike Canavan, David Oxley, Andy Wake and Graham Sowerby.

• 19 Risk Assessments completed by end 2018 • Reviewed at least annually and updated as necessary

• Assessments for Cleaning, Events, Hazardous Substances, Work Equipment and Working at Heights completed in 2019

• Work underway on Use of Volunteers, Fire, Grounds Maintenance, Noise, Vibration, Office Activities, Stress and the Cobbles

• Fire Safety Training completed in January 2018 • For all stewards, clerks and library staff

Annual Town Meeting 2019Health and Safety

• Actions completed from Lone Working Risk Assessment

• Mobile phone provided for employee(s) working away from the Town Hall

• Phone provided for Steward’s use in the Town Hall when working alone

• System of notification of failure to return home by Steward after working alone in the Town Hall implemented


Closing Remarks

Annual Town Meeting 2019Closing Remarks

• Wish to say a big thank you to all our staff • The Stewards who make the Town Hall a friendly and welcoming place• Peter Dobson, tidies the Play Park and cleans the toilets• Our two Clerks who work hard to support both the Town Council and the two

Trusts

• Thanks to all my fellow Councillors, who volunteer to serve the Town and have worked hard

• Special thanks to Stewart Brennan after his decision not to stand for re-election• Leading and active role in many Town Council achievements; will be missed

• Welcome to Karen Robinson as a new councillor in May


Questions and Comments