Yesterday, 19 March 2020, Baildon Town Council's Governance Committee met to agree business continuity and contingency arrangements for the Town Council during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Town Council acknowledges the seriousness of the situation, including the unprecedented advice to cease all non-essential physical contact and for more vulnerable people to self-isolate.

The Town Council confirms its commitment to keeping its employees, volunteers, service users and the general public safe. It is also acknowledged that although the majority of the Town Council's functions are not legally mandatory, the Town Council has an important role to play in community leadership and co-ordination at this difficult time, working closely with other public authorities and the voluntary and community organisations in the Baildon area.

In the above context, the following decisions were made, which will come into effect from today, 20 March 2020 and will continue until further notice when circumstances allow:

Baildon Town Council's office at Baildon Library will close and officers will continue their duties remotely. The office landline telephone will indicate an alternative contact number to callers. Existing mobile telephone numbers for individual officers will remain in service. E-mail will still be used and answered as per usual timescales. Councillors' contact details will remain the same and can be found at www.baildontowncouncil.gov.uk.

Baildon Town Council will provide Coronavirus-related information via the news channel of its website at www.baildontowncouncil.gov.uk, which will be updated as required and linked to district and national websites as appropriate. Information will also be posted on the Town Council's Facebook page "@BaildonTownCouncil".

Meetings of the Town Council and its committees, sub-committees and working groups will be suspended, except for those meetings that are statutory requirements. To facilitate this, executive decision-making powers have been delegated to the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Council's Responsible Financial Officer and the Chair of the Council. These powers may be exercised by the Town Clerk to allow the Town Council to continue operating and to protect it from liabilities.

Baildon Town Council will withdraw the Town Council volunteers from service at Baildon Library until circumstances change. The continuation of library services in the Baildon branch library will therefore be a decision for Bradford Council, as the Libraries Authority. If Baildon Library is closed to the public, the nearest available staffed library is at Wellcroft in Shipley. Shipley Library is currently opening from 10.00am to 2.00pm from Monday to Saturday. These openings hours may change and can be checked at www.bradford.gov.uk or 01274 437150.

Bracken Hall Countryside Centre will close to the public. Regular opening hours of noon to 4.00pm on Saturdays and Sundays will cease and the building will not be available for special bookings or room hire at any time.

Baildon Public Toilets at Northgate will remain open as usual, subject to regular review and the Town Clerk's discretion. Cleaning will continue. All users are respectfully requested to ensure that good hygiene in the toilets is maintained, including hand-washing, for which facilities are provided.

Baildon Allotments at Thompson Lane and Charlestown will remain open.

The following services commissioned by the Town Council will not meet: Baildon Youth Council, Baildon Buddies (social club) and activities provided under the community development contracts. The Youth Club at Baildon Community Link, which is funded by Baildon Town Council, will also be suspended.

Events which would have been supported by the Town Council, financially or otherwise, that have now been postponed or cancelled, include: The Great British Spring Clean; Baildon Carnival; events in public parks, including VE Day and the Roberts Park Sundowner; and guided walks provided by Baildon Walkers are Welcome, Bradford Countryside Service and the Friends of Bracken Hall. It is with regret that the commemoration event to mark the 50th Anniversary of the death of Ian Clough will also need to be postponed.

Baildon Town Council will be providing additional funding to support the three community organisations that provide community development services on behalf of the Town Council. The community development providers are Health Action Local Engagement (HALE), Baildon Community Link and The Saint Hugh's Centre.