The Town Meeting held last week is called annually to give residents the opportunity to question the Town Council on its past year policies and future plans.
This is a mandatory meeting, but very few people attend and last year there were only two members of the public present.
There were many more in attendance this year, but they were there to hear the proceedings of the
Extraordinary Meeting on the Town Centre Market which followed.
The Mayor gave a review of the year reporting on the Performance Plan where 21 targets of the 46 set were completed, 23 ongoing and 2 behind schedule. The council pay particualar attention to our environment and many projects were undertaken, many included children and volunteers who gave 750 man hours to improve nature areas around the town.
The traditional facilities were provided, but there were problems with the Fireworks Display and the Mayor indicated the council were reviewing the Great Aycliffe Show where there was possibility of replacing this weekend event with a series of community activities at other venues over a week.
The Council will continue to partner town groups to procure and improve facilities. It will also support the Youth Council and provide grants for this age group. The Neighbourhood Plan is an important project which will be ramped up in the coming year.
The Council’s Finance Manager Dan Austin reported another good year with savings made and revenue increases, but warned the future looked dire as Government cuts continue to decimate the council finances bringing serious challenges to the council’s income and expenditure.
Budget pressure will mean increases in Council Tax, efficiency savings and reduction in services. Fortunately due to prudent management of their finances in the past the Council faces the government cuts from a strong position and  will not need to make severe cuts themselves until after 2015. In fact they have been able to peg any increase in Council Tax for  five years.
The council is subject to an annual inspection of its finances and as in previous years it has received a clean bill of health on all aspects as a result of the hard work and commitment of Councillors, management and staff.