Independent Councillor Derek Kennedy conducted a poll on Facebook’s Hexham Matters page asking
Hexham Town Council’s office is at the Cemetery over 1 mile from the town centre. Do you think the Town Council should have an office in the town centre so you can drop-in to discuss or report matters?
The result of the poll is
515 – in favour of moving the office to the town centre
31 – wanting the office to remain at the cemetery
An interesting debate took place with many people stating they were unaware that the Town Council even had an office and certainly did not know there was one at the Cemetery.
At Monday 8th March Hexham Town Council meeting, a resident Will Allen raised the matter of the poll and asked if it was time to move the office.
My response is its high time the Town Council started to play a much more active role in Hexham life and the first positive move would be to have a presence in the town centre, this will allow people to come into the office to raise and discuss matters. We need a council that is engaged and close to its people, the Cemetery office is over a mile away and on the fringe of the town and unknown to many people. It certainly is not a place many will pass while doing their routine activities. Hexham is under pressure following the pandemic and the Town Council should be active and leading in the recovery as we move out of lockdown and businesses and social life starts to re-open.
Do you agree the Town Council should have an office in the town centre?
Is it time Town Council showed more leadership?
Is it time we had some new councillors with fresh ideas and more ambition for the town?
I would love to hear your thoughts.