Parish and/or Town Councils.
There are over 9,000 parish and town councils in England and they form the tier of local government closest to the people. The term town council is of course synonymous with parish council which means that any parish council can style itself town council if it considers it appropriate so to do. Collectively, parish and town councils, and community councils in Wales, are often termed local councils. The chairman of a town council may be styled town mayor, as is the case in Keighley.Up until the local government massive reorganization in the early 1970’s when Baildon was swallowed up by the then new Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Baildon did in fact have its own Town Council, and used the building, Rushcroft, just above the Co-op, and next to the current vicarage, as its “Town Hall”, or at least council offices.
Parish and town councils are local authorities and have a limited number of duties. They do, however, have wide powers, should they decide to use them and they may, with agreement of the district or county council, exercise certain functions normally carried out by those councils. Baildon Parish Council do exercise their right to comment on local planning applications within the parish, by way of the Planning Sub Committee, with once again, meetings that are open to members of the public usually held at the Link.
It is important that parish and town councils should maintain a close relationship with the local community. Baildon Parish Council is enthusiastic about public participation. The public are always very welcome to attend council meetings as observers, and Councils must arrange at least one town or parish ‘annual’ meeting each year which all local electors may attend and may raise issues of local concern, or simply offer any thoughts, ideas, or comments. Baildon Parish Council meet on the second Monday of each month, currently at The Link, the meeting is due to start at 7.30pm. However 15 minutes before the meeting proper, time is given over to members of the public to raise any subject they care to, so there is no need to wait for the annual meeting.It is important to remember of course, that often parish councilors have a day time job to do; after all they have to earn a living, or may be bringing up young children, itself a full time occupation. Parish Councilor’s are ‘volunteers’ even though elected, but the role is unpaid, and usually all council work is accomplished out of office hours, and in their free time, evenings and weekends.
