24th May 2022 Annual Report and future projects.

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Have your say.

Future Projects in Alford.

Issue 1: Town Council Offices

History.

1.Since 1974 Alford town council had its home at Alford Corn Exchange and until 2013 occupied the first-floor clerk’s office and Town Council chamber rent free. When the owners of the building, East Lindsey District Council, decided they had no further use for it, the Corn Exchange was transferred to the newly established Alford Corn Exchange community group. A rent was agreed for the Town Councils continued occupation of the council chamber and for a ground floor clerk’s office.

2.In 2015 Lincolnshire County Council, as a cost saving measure, decided to close most of its public libraries including the one in Alford. It did, however, also decide to encourage those communities which were to lose their libraries to open community libraries run by volunteers. Alford Focal Point was formed and registered as a charity and took a lease of the library building from the County Council at a peppercorn rent. The charity, with the help of grant aid, improved facilities at the building and on the first floor to create new usable office space a kitchen and a conference room large enough to be used as a Town Council chamber.

3.After negotiations with both Lincolnshire County Council and East Lindsey District Council prior to the pandemic it had become clear that in order to retain many services in Alford their operation would have to be taken over by the town council or volunteers supported by the town council. To do this more staff would be needed and the clerk’s office at the Corn Exchange would not be large enough to accommodate the personnel required.

4.Shortly after the start of the first lockdown it became clear to the Town Council that running its operations from the Corn Exchange was no longer feasible and that it made sense to have the town clerk working from the room at Alford library which had by then become the Town Council chamber. Alford Focal Point had already agreed that volunteers working for Alford Hub could use another office space on the first floor of the library. In this way the Town Council and Alford Hub were able to better co-ordinate their response to the needs caused by the pandemic.

5.The Town Council became aware that Lincolnshire County Council might be willing to transfer the freehold of the library building to Alford Town Council subject to the Lease to Alford Focal Point. After successful negotiations the transfer took place earlier this year.

Issue 2: The Public Toilets.

History.

1.In recent years the public toilets in Alford have been managed by the town council which has had a lease of the building from its owners East Lindsey District Council. The costs of running the toilets have been shared between both councils. As part of its asset transfer programme East Lindsey District Council has now transferred the ownership of the toilet block to the Town Council.

2.There have been an increasing number of problems with blockages in the pipe work under the toilets. The Town Council found after a camera survey that many of the pipes under the toilet block were made of a pitch fibre material and have come to the end of their working life. Also most of the sanitary apparatus in the toilets is outdated and the baby changing area is in need of a major upgrade. Renewal of the all the toilet facilities is the Town Council’s preferred option so the architect drawing up plans for changes to the library building was requested to incorporate this renewal into his plans for the redevelopment of the whole site.

Local authorities have discretionary powers but not a duty to provide public conveniences.

Section 20 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

Your council works for you and therefore we are committed to giving everyone in the town a voice.

There are several ways you can have your say. Members of the public are invited to complete the questionnaire and to return it along with any comments to the Town Clark by the 7th June 2022



1. Complete the electronic questionnaire below.
2. Email: town.clerk@alfordtown.com Post: The Town Clerk, 5 South Market Place, Alford, Lincolnshire. LN13 9AF
3. Collect a paper version of the questionnaire.
   

Paper copies are available from The Town Clerk's Office, Alford Library and Alford Hub office,  5 - 6 South Market Place, Alford.

                                                                      Alford Hub Community Information Point, Baby Bank & Uniform Bank, 19 High Street, Alford.

                                                                      Alford War Memorial Hall, 4 Chauntry Road, Alford LN13 9HQ

 GDPR STATEMENT Alford Town Council will use the data to assess the community's requests and permissions about the development of the Alford Library Building and Public Toilets and obtain a loan to action the redevelopment. Other than your postcode, your name and address will not be used as part of the statistical evaluation, and your answers will form part of a collective assessment.

Thank you for helping Alford Town Council to help you, by making Alford a great place to live, work and play!