About the Council

Whaley Bridge Town Council is an elected body made up of 12 Councillors, with 3 Councillors representing each of the 4 wards of Fernilee, Furness Vale, Taxal and Yeardsley.

The Council meets in the Mechanics Institute at 7.30pm on the 2nd Thursday of each month. An additional Annual Town Meeting is held each year.

An agenda, which is published a week before the meeting (along with the minutes of the last meeting), is displayed on the notice board outside the Mechanics. The agenda and meeting minutes will also be published on the website as soon as possible. Members of the public are encouraged to attend the meetings and may speak on any subject during a 15 minute Open Forum Session at the start of the meeting. If they wish, they can then leave. If they stay, they must remain silent for the rest of the meeting. Meetings are split into two sections; the first deals with general day to day business, and the second deals with planning applications.

Our responsibilities include: Consultation on planning matters; Provision of Allotments; Brookfield Pond; The Mechanics Institute; Running and managing the 3G pitch and Pavillion changing rooms.

The last Town Council elections were held in May 2019 at which 9 candidates were elected unopposed and 3 were co-opted.

Councillors attain office through election or co-option. If you would like to find out more about the role of a Councillor please contact the Town Clerk

In addition to full Council meetings Whaley Bridge Town Council has two Committees to support its work;

Personnel Committee
Terms of reference: To make recommendations to Council on personnel issues. No delegated powers.
Method of reporting to Council: Verbal or written reports.
Membership: Cllr M Glover (Chair), Cllr J McCarthy, Cllr R Gilmour, Cllr M Ridgway.
Attendance: Closed to the public

Regeneration Committee
Terms of reference: To make recommendations to Council on regeneration projects. Delegated powers to commit up to £400 per project.
Method of reporting to Council: Verbal or written reports.
Membership: Cllr M Thomas (Chair), Cllr G Hall, Cllr R Magowan, Cllr M Ridgway, Cllr L Smith, Cllr B Taylor.
Attendance: Open to the public

Finance Committee
Terms of reference: To make recommendations to Council on budgetary requirements and to scrutinise the spending of the Council.
Method of reporting to Council: Verbal or written reports.
Membership: Cllr M Thomas (Chair), Cllr M Glover, Cllr G Hall, Cllr D Lomax.
Attendance: Open to the public

Mechanics Institute Refurbishment Committee
Terms of reference: To make recommendations to Council on the ongoing project to install disabled access at the Mechanics Institute.
Method of reporting to Council: Verbal or written reports.
Membership: Cllr M Thomas (Chair), Cllr R Gilmour, Cllr G Hall, Cllr J McCarthy, Cllr M Ridgway.
Attendance: Open to the public

Whaley Bridge Town Council has adopted the High Peak Borough Council's Members Code of Conduct.

The Town Clerk, who is also the Town Council's Responsible Financial Officer, can be contacted through our Contact Us page.

The Clerk's Office is open to the public from 10.00am until 12.00pm every weekday. Appointments at other times are available by prior arrangement.