Poynton with Worth Town Council is one of the 10,000-or-so Parish and Town Councils in England and Wales. It is the first tier of local authority and is committed to working together with Poynton residents for the benefit of the whole community. The Town Council is based at the Civic Hall, off Park Lane. The Council comprises of fourteen elected members and employs seventeen staff (7 full-time).
The Town Council is a consultative body responsible for representing the community’s views to government, either national or local and it does this in a variety of ways such as responding to planning applications, highway schemes, transport plans, health services and local waste strategies. The Town Council acts as Poynton’s voice on many issues, including defending the Green Belt and protecting the environment.
Additionally, the Town Council has tax raising powers and collects annually with the Council Tax receipts, a ‘local tax’ known as the precept to pay for enhancements to town facilities. This includes Village Ranger, CCTV, graffiti removal, community grants, the provision of Hockley and Brecon Play areas, the upkeep and maintenance of parts of the Inclines, allotments, the Civic Hall, Christmas lights and 84 street lights.
The Town Council employs three Community Support Officers who are a visible uniformed presence in Poynton. They provide an ‘eyes and ears’ service aimed at reducing the fear of crime for residents and improving quality of life. Their remit includes dealing with environmental crime issues, such as littering, fly tipping and dog fouling and reducing incidents of low level crime and antisocial behaviour.
In 2020, the Town Council helped coordinate support for the community during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Civic Hall, owned and maintained by the Town Council, is home to an increasing number of local voluntary organisations and clubs. During 2020/2021 the hall was used as a Covid-19 vaccination centre.
The Town Council also contribute funds to the Citizens Advice service, community events including Poynton Summerfest and Christmas Fest. Support is also offered to voluntary and community organisations including Poynton in Bloom, Friday Morning Shoppers and Time out Café.
The Council meets approximately five to six times a year. In addition, it has 5 standing committees and may create working-groups for large projects or short tasks. Working groups can co-opt additional members from the community.
The Standing Committees are:
Town Councillors receive no form of salary, attendance or other allowances and give freely of their time.