PLANS AHEAD: making YOUR NORTHSTOWE an even better place to live, work and visit!
Published: 16 March 2022
Northstowe Town Council: making YOUR NORTHSTOWE an even better place to live, work and visit!
You may wonder what you could get involved in as a Town Councillor, were you to nominate yourself for the upcoming elections. Well, we recently explored what the Town Council has been doing since it was formed in May 2021.
But there are also a lot of PLANS ALREADY SET IN MOTION. Here are some of those things that have already been set in motion by the Town Council and which are likely to happen over the next 12 months, and where you – as a Town Councillor - can help shape the further direction of these plans;
- The Events and Markets Committee has big plans: building on the success of the independently-working Northstowe Foodies, the Town Council is keen to pilot the First Northstowe Market! At the time of writing a market survey for residents and partners is still live, and a market is to be piloted later this year.
- The Events and Markets Committee will also support a number of new community events and is planning to work with many community groups to deliver a street party during the Queen’s Jubilee Bank Holiday Weekend.
- The Planning Committee will continue scrutinising planning applications, to ensure these will come with maximum community benefits, with key applications such as for the phase 1 Community Centre and Enterprise Zone expected in late 2022.
- The Finance and Governance Committee will further develop Town Council policies such as a Grant Giving Policy, enabling the Town Council to actively support valuable new and existing community initiatives.
- The Personnel Committee will prepare to attract a second member of staff, to deal with the expected growth in events management, communications and the market pilot.
- The Assets and Asset Transfer Committee will start preparing for key discussions to be held with other Local Authority tiers, developers and asset owners, about the potential for open spaces and sport facilities to be taken on by the Town Council at some stage.
- The Town Council as a whole will also take further important work areas already instigated such as road safety measures; climate action planning; and town vision development.
Are YOU convinced you can make a difference as a Town Councillor?
Do you want to stand for the upcoming Town Council elections?
Want to find out more? Here are some things you can do;
· Check if you are eligible to stand for Town Council elections – detailed eligibility criteria and a nomination form can be found on the South Cambridgeshire District Council’s website and can also be found at the Town Council’s website, www.northstowetowncouncil.gov.uk.
· Come to one of the Town Council meetings to see the Councillors in action: all Full Council and Committee meetings are accessible to the public, and we welcome residents making use of the public participation session at each meeting.
· Come to the Annual Town Meeting, where you can hear about the Town Council and its partners’ work, and where you can ask us any question you may have: this will take place on the evening of 16th March 2022 at Northstowe Secondary College.
· Contact your Clerk: email me at townclerk@northstowetowncouncil.gov.uk, call me on 07724588949, or contact me via our Facebook or Twitter accounts.