The Town Council The Town Council was formed by Statutory become too ill to continue in office, or, and South Moor; Stanley, and; Tanfield. Instrument (No: 1185, Local Government, perhaps move away from the area for The name and contact details of all Town England) dated the 11th April 2007 and employment reasons etc. In such Councillors holding office at the time of began to operate on the 1st April 2009. circumstances the process set out in the writing can be found at the back of this Local Government Act 1972 is applied, and; report. The Town Council has a full complement of in 2011-12, led to the co-option of 20 elected Members. At the time of writing Councillor Ron Harrison and Christine Town Councillors are normally elected for a all 20 positions are occupied by 13 Town Weightman in the Annfield Plain and four-year term of office. However, due to Councillors who were elected in the 2008 Tanfield wards respectively. Councillor local government reorganisation which local elections and the remaining seven Gareth Andrews was also co-opted to the came into effect in 2009, the current term having been co-opted between 2009 and Stanley Hall ward towards the end of 2010- will cover the five years between the 2008 the present. 11, but, due to a serious accident, wasn’t and 2013 local elections. able to sign the necessary (declaration of Co-opting a Councillor between elections acceptance) papers or take up office until Although the two organisations are entirely occurs when, for example, sitting members the beginning of 2011-12. unconnected, the Town Council is based in the offices previously occupied by the The whole Town Council area is divided Green Corridor Neighbourhood Partnership into seven wards which are based on (GCNP) at 57-61 Lenin Terrace, South population size. Annfield Plain; Craghead Stanley, DH9 6LW. and South Stanley; Havannah; South Moor; Stanley Hall, and; Tanfield are In accordance with local government each represented by three elected reorganisation, GCNP which was part of Members (Town Councillors) the former Derwentside District Council whilst Catchgate ward has two ceased operating on the 31st March 2009. Members. This presented the Town Council with an opportunity to instantly access reasonable The Town Council’s seven premises at a relatively low cost with effect wards are co-terminous with from ‘day one’. However, in the medium the four County Council term, the Town Council recognises the electoral divisions of need to be more centrally based and Annfield Plain; Craghead thereby more accessible to the whole area. 10 During 2011-12 the Council therefore A number of Sub-committees and working above, the acquisition of assets, either began to look into the possibility of taking a groups also operate below the committee alone or in partnership with others, remains part of full stake in land or property assets structure. an option as a means of revenue that might help achieve this whilst also generation to offset the level of the precept, helping towards the level of occupancy of The aforesaid decision-making process and to improve local services or facilities, to commercial property for regeneration related committee structure was to be retain key community assets or services purposes. reviewed and streamlined during 2011-12, and in terms of helping with the but, this piece of strategic work had to be regeneration of the area. On an annual basis the Town Council deferred due to the long term absence of elects a Chair and Vice-chair. During 2011- the Deputy Clerk and the greatly increased Such assets will naturally be considered on 12 these positions were held by Councillors volume of work falling on the Clerk. their merits and relative benefit to the Tina-Marie Parry and Peter McLaughlin Therefore a Scheme of Delegation will be community, however, people are often respectively. The Chair, or the Vice-chair in brought forward in 2012-13. Such a surprised that the law enables the Town their absence, preside over meetings of the scheme is normal practice in larger local Council to: provide community buildings; ‘full’ Council. Although the circumstances councils such as Stanley as well as in so use a school building; accept property; did not arise in 2011-12, if necessary the called Principal Authorities such as the promote entertainment and the arts; Chair may be required to use a ‘casting’ County Council for example. One of the provide allotments; provide public baths vote. Otherwise the Chairs have the same obvious benefits is a simpler committee and washhouses; acquire, provide and role, responsibilities and obligations as structure with clear terms of reference and maintain monuments and memorials; other councillors. the delegated authority to take decisions on contribute towards cemeteries expenses; behalf of the whole council. This reduces be a burial authority; provide mortuaries During 2011-12, the Town Council the number of meetings and the related and post-mortem rooms; provide and continued the practice of taking almost all bureaucracy that is required whilst enabling maintain bus shelters; provide conference official decisions, known as decisions to be taken and implemented facilities; provide and equip buildings for RESOLUTIONS, at full Council. Since 2009 more quickly. By law, a few decisions, such athletic, social or educational use; provide several committees have also evolved as setting the level of the annual precept, buildings for offices, public meetings and below the full Council to focus on the must be taken by full Council; however, assemblies; provide public conveniences; following key themes or priorities: many other matters can be devolved in the provide gymnasiums, playing fields, holiday interests of efficiency. camps, boating pools and to acquire land ● Communications and Events; for recreation/pleasure grounds and public ● Crime and Community Safety; As a new organisation the Town Council did walks. ● Finance and General Purposes, and; not inherit and does not own any land or ● Planning. property assets although, as mentioned 11 The Town Council Whilst land or buildings is for the future, during 2011-12, the Town 8.2 Extending the previous year’s ‘Festive Lights’ improvement Council continued to take a significant financial, contractual and scheme into surrounding settlements; legal stake in the following: 8.3 Supporting miscellaneous community events; 1 More than doubling the Stanley area’s (part of the County 8.4 Ongoing preparations of a ‘Neighbourhood Development Council managed) Neighbourhood Warden service; Plan’ to ensure that, in future, other parties who make 2 More than trebling the Stanley area’s (part of the County Council planning, economic development and regeneration managed) Civic Pride service; decisions that affect the local area, must take account of a 3 Funding a unique to the Stanley area, Community plan that has been developed by people who are directly Environmental Caretaker service (under the management of the accountable to local people; County Council) whereby two full-time workers carry out 8.5 Supporting the Police and other enforcement agencies in numerous environmental jobs that would otherwise go undone tackling crime and anti-social behaviour over and above the to the physical detriment of the public environment; extent of their statutory obligations; 4 Extending the Community Environmental Caretaker service by 8.6 Supporting healthy living, recreational and youth funding five of the ten related apprenticeships for local young engagement activities; people; 8.7 Supporting community banking and 5 Introducing an Environmental Warden service to free up the financial education activity; Community Environmental Caretakers to focus in on local ‘grot- 8.8 Supporting community groups by spots’ while odd jobs continue to get done on a responsive basis helping to increase the across the whole area; funding pot for the second 6 Negotiated improvements to the winter weather treatment of round of Participatory footpath and public spaces, including acquiring plant and Budgeting (in partnership machinery to ’bring more hands to the pumps’; with Stanley AAP), 7 Continuing the provision of free dog-waste bags to local whereby local people residents when the county-wide service was withdrawn due to vote on how public funding cuts; money is awarded 8 Using the Town Council’s three-tier grant-funding scheme to to local projects. help support the delivery of the Town Council’s strategy by allocating funding to public, private and voluntary sector bodies (*Many more examples who could do the job better than the Town Council. In 2011-12 are listed in the Action this ensured action that would otherwise not have happened has and Performance benefitted various neighbourhoods or the whole area, including; section in this report). 8.1 Supporting and in some cases facilitating and managing services of Remembrance and ‘Armed Forces Day’ etc; 12 Corporate aims and objectives Vision: Your Council is committed to improving your area, improving the quality of life and developing a sense of pride by working together to ensure that our actions reflect your priorities. The Town Council’s vision is expanded ● (High) Housing and the environment; economic downturn, local government “upon by the Strategic Town Plan 2009-14 ● (Medium) Shopping, leisure, culture and reorganisation and change of national (the Strategy). However the Town Council heritage; government, not to mention the Localism recognises that by simply having a written ● (Medium) Traffic and transport; Act 2011, it