Bishop’s Stortford Town Council is considering making available a fund to provide capital grants to local organisations which benefit the residents of the Town.  The Council has already invited expressions of interest from sporting bodies, it is now inviting expressions from any organisation serving the town which may benefit from a capital grant.  Although no firm decision has been made, it is likley that grants available under this fund will be in the range £10,000-£1,000,000 (Smaller grants are available under our ongoing Community Grants programme).

Further details and the form to use to express an interest are available on the grants page.  Responses must be received no later than 15th January 2022.

HTC, WTC and BSTC (“The Town Councils”) are in the process of reviewing the arrangements for the next 3-5 years and are acting jointly to invite tenders for CCTV installation, maintenance and monitoring services to provide CCTV surveillance in the three towns. Further information can be found here.

To honor HM the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022 the Town Council will be burying a time capsule and planting a tree in Monastery Park.

The Town Council is calling for residents of Bishop’s Stortford to supply a record of their memories’ of the Queen’s 70 year reign to be included in the capsule. The entries can be written text or stories, drawings, photographs, newspaper clippings or small physical items etc. The Council will also include items representing Bishop’s Stortford in 2022 such as a map, newspaper etc.

All entries can be dropped off to the Tourist Information Centre either in person, via post or electronically via tic@bishopsstortford.org until 4pm on 22 June 2022.

For more information visit: https://www.bishopsstortfordtc.gov.uk/jubilee-time-capsule

A recording of the Remembrance Sunday Parade and Service from Sunday 14 November 2021 is available on our Youtube Channel- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8LtfpGMX-eARKsi8hwE0TQ

Thank you to all those who attended and assisted with the day. Special thanks to South Mill Arts for providing this service for the town.

Bishop's Stortford Town Council is currently consulting on its proposal to seek powers to enable the more extensive reuse of burial space than is currently possible, in order to ensure that space is available beyond the mid 2030s and for the forseeable future.  Comments must be received no later than 15th January 2022.  A full explanation of  the proposals and the rationale is set out in the document 'Bishop's Stortford Cemetery Act - Consultation - Final' which appears on the Cemeteries page or may be downloaded here

Visit our Remembrance webpage https://www.bishopsstortfordtc.gov.uk/remembrance for further information on Armistice day on Thursday 11 November and the annual Remembrance Day Service 14 November 2021 at 10.50am

The Remembrance Sunday Parade and Service in Castle Gardens on 14 November will be live streamed and available for viewing here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8LtfpGMX-eARKsi8hwE0TQ. Thank you to South Mill Arts who will be providing this service for the town.

2 October is #bishopsstortford Farmers and Crafts Market! Come to North Street between 9:30 and 1:30 to check out our traders wonderful handmade products!

Check out their social media below to get a sneak peak at what will be available

Beau Petit Macaron

Bishop's Stortford Art Society

Bar Suds

Bon Voyage Candles

Stort Valley Spirits

Golden Soaps Ltd.

Bishop's Stortford bee keepers

Menas indian banquet

Jam Shed

One Jewellery

We hope to see you there! #mymarket

The Town Guide has lots of useful information about things to do in Bishop’s Stortford,
the towns green spaces, community events, and has a list of useful local numbers
included in the fold out street map. This guide also details the municipal services in
Bishop’s Stortford, including Bishop’s Stort Town Council which offers a range of
different services including; community bus services, allotments, cemeteries, events
and venue hire.

Bishop’s Stortford has something for everybody. The traditional town centre still
features a bi-weekly market, but also has a convenient and modern shopping centre.
Bishop’s Stortford’s idyllic countryside setting allows for walks through its green spaces
and river which runs throughout the town. There are a variety of attractions which are
suitable for all of the family, and plenty of events for arts and history lovers.

For more information and to view the town guide please click here

Physical copies of the map and guide are avalible at the Tourist Information Centre for free.

NOTICE OF CONCLUSION OF AUDIT

ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021

Sections 20(2) and 25 of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014
Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)

1. The audit of accounts for Bishop's Stortford Town Council for the year ended 31 March 2021 has been completed and the accounts have been published.

2. The Annual Governance & Accountability Return is available for inspection by any local government elector of the area of Bishop's Stortford Town Council on application to:

        Mark Westwood, Responsible Financial Officer
        Bishop's Stortford Town Council
        The Old Monastery, Windhill, Bishop’s Stortford, CM23 2ND
        01279 712140, mark.westwood@bishopsstortfordtc.gov.uk

       Between the hours of 10:00 and 15:00 Monday to Friday

3. Copies will be provided to any person on payment of £0.15 for each copy of the Annual Governance & Accountability Return.

Announcement made by: Mark Westwood, Responsible Financial Officer

Date of announcement: 22nd September 2021

View the Notice of Conclusion of Audit and the Audited Annual Governance & Accountability Return 2020/21.

Bishop’s Stortford Town Council is seeking sites suitable for burials to ensure that it can fully evaluate all options for the continued provision of a burial service to the residents for the future, and is inviting landowners who own and are prepared to sell suitable plots of land to come forward.

To be considered the land must

• be at least 250 metres from any well, borehole or spring supplying water for human consumption or used in food production e.g. at farm dairies;
• be at least 30 metres from any spring or watercourse not used for human consumption or not used in food production;
• be at least 10 metres from any field drain, including dry ditches;
• not be subject to flooding
• within the civil parishes of Bishop’s Stortford, Thorley or Little Hadham
• within 20 minutes walking distance of Bishop’s Stortford Town Centre or accessible by bus (bus stop within 250m of the site entrance) from Bishop’s Stortford Town Centre no less than 6 days a week with a service interval of no less than once per hour during the daytime
• a minimum of 1.2 hectares in area
• be directly accessible from the public highway
• be available for purchase of the freehold

Should one or more suitable sites be identified the Town Council may consider purchasing the site or a part thereof for fair value.  The Town Council would regard any land used for burials as ‘amenity land’ and would be looking to negotiate a price commensurate with this use.  For the avoidance of doubt it would not be expecting to pay a price similar to that which might be expected for land suitable for housing development.

Anyone who wishes to put forward a site in response to this call is requested to do so no later than 24th September 2021 accompanied with the following information:

• Name and contact details of freehold owner
• Site plan, area and location
• Agent contact details (if appropriate)
• Price guide

Information should be sent by email to the Chief Executive Officer – james.parker@bishopsstortfordtc.gov.uk

Should any landowner or agent wish to discuss this matter they are invited to call the Chief Executive Officer directly on 01279 712147.

This call does not indicate any commitment on the part of the Town Council to purchase land for the purpose identified; the acquisition of additional land is just one of the options that the Town Council is considering to ensure that it can continue to offer burials to its residents.