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Yarm Town Council Parish Assembly Meeting

Click here to view the minutes of the meeting held in Yarm Town Hall at 7pm on Tuesday 26th April, 2011

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Yarm Town Council Update

In 2007 James Wharton decided to take over the council by nominating eleven conservative candidates nine were successful and Yarm Independent Association with 100% success took two seats. The first meeting in May 2007 was the AGM when they took all committees and chairmanships. They did not know what to do and thought they could do anything without taking legal precautions.

The chairman became Mayor of Yarm almost instantly and it became evident that this title was most important to him. He promised people a car park for Yarm without realising that the allotments would be an unpopular location.
They did not realise that allotments had to be released by Government North East and that this process could take thirty years and still be doomed to failure.

December 2008 two vacancies occurred one due to resignation and the other due to lack of attendance. Again in 2009 another vacancy due to lack of attendance.
Two elections cost the town approximately £17000. James Wharton insistedthat an election take place as jt was good practice for his parliamentary election.

The main areas of work are the cemetery, the allotments and recreation.

Recreation. The Gala was a success but the funding for the first year from Camerons Brewey was not repeated as it cost £6700. YIA suggested that for it to be sustainable it should be self funding. Last year a local business man donated £3000 . This year they refused to reduce their expenditure and the cost to the town was £3200.. New play equipment was organised by Yarm Independent Association for Snaiths Field when Clr John Whyte seemed to lose interest.

Cemetery. They arranged for a clean up of the cemetery which was somewhat overgrown with bushes and the end result was quite amazing but they did not seem to want to continue further. The chairman of cemetery was eventually taken by YIA who continued with the environmental improvements which entailed removing about 150 tons of clay that had been thrown into the sides of the cemetery making it look rather untidy. The prison service have certainly excelled themselves on this job and hopefully in the spring residents will see the enormous improvements afforded to the cemetery.

Allotments Enthusiastically managed by Philip Suddes who has spent many hours organising the various lettings and additions to the waiting list. Mr Bob Wegg chairman of the allotment garden association and his committee have also helped by being available to show prospective tenants vacant gardens and completing paper work for residents wishing to join the waiting list.. They also do maintenance work which saves the town a great deal of money each year.

By 2009 the new councillors had abandoned the Recreation and Cemetery responsibilities and the work for these two areas was taken on by Yarm Independent Association.

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Yarm Town Council

Marjorie has enjoyed every minute of her time as a member of Yarm Town Council. She has been a member of the council since 2000 with usually 100% attendance. She is now Vice Chairman and this year due to the illness of the Chairman led the Riding of the Fair. The council has supported the Travellers and the Showmen for many years. Some have become very good friends and are pleased to see councillors each year. There are a few people who object to the Fair in the High Street but the Council must make every effort to see that the Fair continues as this was a requirement of a covenant placed on the deeds of the Town Hall when it was given to the Town by the Clapham family. If the council was not seen to do this the people of Yarm would have to pay present day market price for the Town Hall. It is our heritage and old Yarm people as children sat around the gipsy fires and thoroughly enjoyed the magic of the occasion.

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