Like all three tiers of local government, town councils have the power to provide a variety of services, but the duty to provide only certain of them.

Currently Aylsham Town Council:

• maintains the street lighting, including the replacement and the installation of additional standards (except in Red Lion St, Norwich Rd, Sir Williams Close and Henry Page Road, which are the responsibility of the County Council)
• maintains three properties belonging to the town (The Town Hall and 23 Market Place, both listed buildings, and Cemetery Cottage, originally the home of the cemetery keeper)
• cares for certain open spaces (The Staithe and Old Station Yard in Millgate, the Lychgate Garden, and various play areas on local housing developments),
• maintains the Cemetery and the Churchyard
• provides and manages the allotments
• manages the Market Place and its markets
• monitors street cleaning and the Burgh Road and Buttsland car parks on behalf of Broadland District Council
• provides and manages the public toilets (new ones currently being built for completion late 2006)
• and provides, inter alia, litter bins, dog waste bins, bus shelters, and the Christmas lights and decorations.

The Town Council is also consulted by Broadland District Council (the local planning authority) on all planning applications referring to Aylsham. These are discussed at the three-weekly Council meetings (Aylsham has no planning committee) and are available for study beforehand in the Council office (open 09-30 to 12-30 Mon-Fri), and in the Library (see Directory of Organisations for specific opening times). The plans for discussion at the coming meeting are listed on its agenda (posted the week before on the council notice board on the wall of the Town Hall) and on the Town Council pages in the Aylsham Post. The Clerk of the Council can also supply details of when a particular application is likely to be considered. Opinions on a plan can be expressed both in writing and during the public adjournment during the council meeting at which it is to be discussed.

The Town Council is Custodian trustee of the Recreation Ground given to the town by the Goulder family, in memory of their sons killed in the First World War. A significant portion of the precept is allocated each year towards the maintenance costs of the Recreation Ground, which, as a registered charity, has its own Management Committee, including 3 Town Council representatives.

Aylsham attained Cittàslow status in November 2004, and in line with the rules of this international organisation, the Town Council appointed a Cittàslow Committee, which meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month (except August and December). The Cittàslow Committee is made up of Councillors and representatives of a wide range of community organizations. The main Committee now has a Community Events Sub-Committee which organizes a variety of activities and events throughout the year to suit all ages, including the summer carnival, music and art/craft events. Future plans include a Food Festival and a range of specialist markets.

The District Council has given the income from the Aylsham recycling banks to the Town Council to distribute as it sees fit and, on their application, the council makes grants to local charities and organisations that it considers benefit the town. Applicants are asked to write to the Clerk of the Council outlining the purpose of their organisation and what the money will be used for. Larger organisations are asked also to send a copy of their audited accounts. The Council prefers not to use this money to subsidise annual running costs. At present a regular grant goes to the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Trust, which makes awards to local young people for educational purposes, and to the Cressey Henry Page Charitable Trust, which provides assistance to groups and individuals in need.

The Town Council also looks after the interests of Aylsham in other less tangible ways:

• by attending district and county meetings on topics relevant to the town
• by returning an opinion on numerous government, county and district consultation documents,
• by sitting on the committees of various town bodies (e.g. The Old Peoples’ Welfare Association, Aylsham Twinning, the Aylsham Partnership, Aylsham Area Forum, Aylsham Learning Community )
• by liaising with the police, county and district officers on a variety of issues, and last, but not least, by pursuing queries, complaints, and suggestions as to possible new or changed services made by members of the public. The council is always pleased to receive constructive suggestions.

Council Meetings take place every three weeks on Thursday at 7-30pm. The Council Chamber is accessed from the green door opposite the Daisy Chain in Town Loke and is on the first floor. If you wish to attend a meeting and have difficulty climbing stairs please telephone the Clerk of the Council on 01263 733354, and the meeting will be moved to the Green Room on the ground floor. The agenda is published on the Friday of the week before and can be seen on the notice board close to the green double doors at the other end of the building which are now used to enter the Town Hall. All meetings are open to the public and there is a public adjournment during which members of the public can address the Council.

Working parties are formed from time to time to look at issues or projects in more detail. These are advisory groups without any delegated powers, that report to the Town Council.

In addition, as required by law, the Annual Town Meeting is held each March, in the main body of the Town Hall. This is a meeting of electors, and provides an extended opportunity for the public to question the council on the past year, hear about the plans for the future, and to listen to and question other speakers on issues affecting the town.

Other public meetings are also held from time to time.

Obtaining Information & Contacting Council Officers

The Council Offices is on the first floor of the Town Hall, and is open from 09.30 to12.30 Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays). Access is via the green door to the left of the green double doors now used to enter the Town Hall. Visitors who do not wish to climb the stairs should use the intercom telephone in the lobby; a member of staff will either deal with the enquiry over the telephone or come down to the ground floor to talk in person. The Council notice board is to the far right of the double green doors. Council information is also published in the Aylsham Post, the community newspaper delivered to every Aylsham household, and in the Church Magazine. Agenda and Minutes of Council meetings are available from the Council Office, or in the Library on a read-only basis.

The Clerk of the Council is Maureen Anderson-Dungar, assisted by Hilary McCann (Admin.), and Annette Palmer (Accounts Assistant & Cittaslow Admin Support). If you wish to come in and speak specifically to the Clerk, it helps to ring first to check she is free. The Town Council also employs Roger Mann (Town Hall Caretaker), Martin Davies (Market Superintendent) and Stephen Newstead (Market Place/Public Toilets)

Address: Council Office, Town Hall, Market Place, Aylsham, Norfolk, NR11 6EL
Tel: 01263 733354
Fax: 01263 735663
Email: townclerk@aylsham-tc.gov.uk

Aylsham has thirteen Town Councillors who each represent the whole town (no wards). Current councillors are:

Town Council elections take place every 4 years. The next election is in 2007. If there are insufficient candidates to fill every vacancy or a vacancy occurs between the main elections, the Council co-opts additional Councillors by secret ballot from amongst those who have asked to be considered. (Co-option can not take place between elections if 10 or more electors request an election).

Broadland District Council

Current responsibilities
The District Council is responsible for planning and conservation, housing, homelessness enquiries, environmental health, waste collection and re-cycling, car parks, providing tourist information, business development, supplying and/or distributing subsidised bus, train and leisure passes, and organising elections and the Register of Electors. Besides its own council tax the district collects the Town Council’s council tax, called the precept, Council Tax on behalf of the County council and the Police Authority, and business rates on behalf of central government.

A detailed list of the District Council's responsibilities can be found in the telephone directory.

Aylsham has three District Councillors:

District Council Office Enquiries
Thorpe Lodge, Yarmouth Road, Thorpe St. Andrew Norwich NR7 ODU
Tel: 01603 431133 - main switchboard, or see the telephone directory for direct lines to various departments
Fax: 01603 300087
Minicom: 01603 703399
Email: news@broadland.gov.uk
Website: www.broadland.gov.uk
Enquiries can also be made at the Council Information Centre within Aylsham library – Tel: 01263 731517

Norfolk County Council

Current responsibilities
The County Council is responsible for all highways and footpaths issues, education, social services, libraries, etc. A detailed list of its responsibilities can be found in the telephone directory.

Aylsham has one County Councillor:

County Council Enquiries
County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich NR1 2DH
Tel: 0844 800 8020- enquiries - direct lines for various departments can be found in the telephone directory.
Website: www.norfolk.gov.uk
Enquiries can also be made at the Council Information Centre within Aylsham Library – Tel: 01263 531517

Member of Parliament
Mr. Keith Simpson MP
House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
Tel: 020 7219 4053
Email: keithsimpsonmp@parliament.uk

Members of European Parliament
See notice boards for details

Aylsham Council Information Centre
In the library opposite the Post Office, near the Market Place
Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 09.30-17-00 Sat 09.30-12 noon
You can pay your council tax here, collect bus and rail passes, and obtain information on a wide variety of District & County Council issues.