Todmorden Lib Dems want to bring services back to Todmorden

Todmorden Liberal Democrats today launched a bold and exciting plan to bring the control of many local services back to Todmorden under the control of Todmorden Town Council.

Services the Lib Dems want to be run locally in Todmorden include:

• Management of the Town Hall
• Centre Vale Park
• Todmorden and Walsden Libraries
• The Sports Centre
• Town Centre Street Cleaning
• Playgrounds

In addition, the Lib Dems propose that the town council and local traders should run the market jointly.

The Lib Dems say that most people in Todmorden think that Calderdale Council is far too remote and that local services would be better run here in Todmorden.

Changes in the law mean that it is now possible for Calderdale to hand over control and management of local services – including staff and existing budgets – to town and parish councils like Todmorden. The Lib Dems want to appoint a town manager to oversee the running of local services.

 

Todmorden Town Council

Liberal Democrat Manifesto

Introduction

Todmorden Town Council has now been in existence for 40 years. It has tried hard during these years to represent the wishes and needs of Todmorden people to Calderdale Council and various agencies like the Water Authority, the Environment Agency and the NHS. It has also been involved with Todmorden Pride, the Tourist Information Centre, Age Concern, the Todmorden Welfare Trust and many other charities and voluntary groups.

It has also carried out many small environmental improvements and projects

Now it is time for local people to run local services.

Taking back power from Calderdale

The law about what town councils can do has changed. TCs can now take over functions from Calderdale councils and get the cost of these services paid out of the existing council tax

We propose that the Town Council should take over the management of the following services from Calderdale:

• Management of the Town Hall
• Centre Vale Park
• Todmorden and Walsden Libraries
• The Sports Centre
• Town Centre Street Cleaning
• Playgrounds

In addition we want the Town Council to take a lead in running the market alongside traders and other interested parties.

We will achieve this by negotiating the transfer of Calderdale Council budgets and staff, including the current cost of running the services. We will employ a Todmorden Town Manager to oversee the running of these services under the direction of the Town Council. It would of course be open for the Town Council to change priorities and shift spending or in the last resort increase it if it so chooses

There is an additional advantage in doing this because Town and Parish Council budgets are not capped like Calderdale Council is. This means that damaging cuts in local services can be avoided.

Keeping Todmorden on the map

Todmorden has many issues that the Town Council needs to move forward or continue progress already made.

The Town Council should:

1. Spur Calderdale Council to take action to make the owners clean up the derelict sites in centre of Todmorden.
2. Encourage the development of small business office and workshop space as well as hotel beds.
3. Discuss the current plans for a private residential development for the over fifties in Bramsche Square/Rose Street as to whether this is in the best position. Check out the viability of an alternative proposal for this site of a mixed development of shops, business units and flats, and the proposed elderly persons development located on the site at Halifax Road or at Adamroyd mill.
4. Encourage private developers, Housing Associations and Pennine Housing 2000 to provide 1 and 2 bedroom accommodation on one level suitable for elderly people and wheelchair users.
5. Oppose the demolition of the old Todmorden Grammar School Building, whilst accepting the loss of the more modern and dilapidated building. For historical reasons it would be incredibly sad to lose it. Press Calderdale Council to look at cost effective ways to improve and keep it. Protect local wild life sites.
6. Take a lead in developing a Neighbourhood Plan so that local people have a much greater say about future development in Todmorden. Ensure that it is alive and active and adaptable if needs change in the future.
7. Continue work on preventing dog fouling including more dog bins and an efficient emptying service.
8. Refurbish the shelters within Centre Vale Park, and demolish the derelict bandstand. Involve the students at Todmorden High school with the refurbishment and raise funds within the town in order to rebuild a bandstand designed by local artists and architects.
9. Spur the rail companies and the new government to make sure that trains start running to Burnley and beyond, along the restored Todmorden Curve. Encourage them to take action on making the second platform at Todmorden station accessible to all.
10. Introduce better traffic calming measures, more pedestrian crossings, particularly in Cornholme. This may include 20 MPH zones.
11. Continue to fund two extra Police Community Support Officers for Todmorden – a scheme that has been running since 2010 on the initiative of Lib Dem Town Councillors.
12. Promote the best use of Todmorden Health Centre as a community hub, providing a broad range of health and social care services for local people with management by local people.
13. Make the town centre more pedestrian friendly and accessible for all by carrying out a kerb watch and altering pavements that are substandard. Pedestrianise Water Street and Bridge Street next to the Town Hall.
14. Continue to work to complete the skate park/bmx track in Centre Vale Park and improve the Walsden, Russell Street and Carr House Estate playgrounds and create a new one at Longfield.
15. Continue to support local organisations and voluntary groups, including the Todmorden Information Centre.

 

 

 

 

   Leave a comment