Who we are & what we do
Baildon Town Council consists of 12 councillors who serve for a four year term. All Councillors are volunteers and receive no payment whatsoever. Cllr John Turner is the current Chair of the Council and Cllr Paul Sharkey is the current Vice Chair. The Council Office is located in Baildon Library, at 2 Northgate, Baildon, Shipley, BD17 6JX
Council Meetings - see the diary of meetings for more information.
For further information relating to the services offered by the Town Council please contact the Town Clerk who will be happy to give advice and assistance.
Town Council Elections
The next scheduled election of the Full Council, will take place in May 2027. In the event of a Councillor resigning from their post before that date, a member may be co- opted or elected.
Councillors
Our councillors are elected or co-opted, if you would like to become a councillor or find out more about what they do then please see election details above
- Councillors
A list of our councillors along with contact information and which committees they are on.
Map of the Ward Boundaries
Committees
There are currently seven committees which carry out the work of Baildon Town Council. The Chair and Vice Chair of the Council are ex-officio members of all Committees. All committees are authorised to have members of the community who advise and provide expertise, these are called co-opted non-voting members.
All meetings are open to the public, except in a number of limited cases where the press and public have to be excluded for reasons of confidentiality.
The following committee terms of reference, which will explain what the committee and its members do, can be found in the documents section.
- Community Committee
- Economy Committee
- Environment Committee
- Governance Committee
- Planning Committee
- Staffing Sub Committee
Committee Members
The current committee membership is as follows:
Community Committee - Cllr A Foster (Chair), Cllr K Griffin, Cllr D Reed (Vice Chair), Cllr M Town
Economy Committee - Cllr G Dixon (Vice Chair), Cllr K Griffin, Cllr R Knowles, Cllr D Shaw, Cllr B Wyatt-Millington (Chair)
Environment Committee - Cllr J Ashton, Cllr G Dixon, Cllr P Sharkey (Vice Chair), Cllr D Shaw (Chair)
Governance Committee - Chair of Council (John Turner), Vice Chair of Council (Paul Sharkey) and all Committee Chairs
Planning Committee - Cllr J Ashton, Cllr G Dixon (Chair), Cllr J Turner, Cllr D Shaw (Vice Chair)
Staffing Committee - Chair of Council (John Turner), Vice Chair of Council (Paul Sharkey) and 2 elected members of the Governance Committee
Members Code of Conduct
BTC Code of Conduct 2024 (Word Document, 158 Kb)
Members Code of Conduct - Approved July 2024
Baildon Town Council Standing Orders
BTC Standing Orders 2024 (Word Document, 107 Kb)
Standing Orders - Approved July 2024
Our Staff
Helen Thornton
Clerk
Hello! I'm Helen Thornton the new Clerk for Baildon Town Council (BTC). I've spent almost 30 years working in museums, galleries and heritage including in Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Saltaire and most recently as Director of Ripon Museums. I'm very excited to be joining BTC and the great team of councillors and staff to serve the community here. I live just over the hill in Guiseley with my husband and two teenagers. In my spare time I enjoy hill walking, cooking and pottering around my garden. Baildon has so much to offer and I look forward to meeting you and getting 'stuck in' across a range of issues.
- Mobile
- 07492 817037
- clerk@baildontowncouncil.gov.uk
James Laycock
Deputy Clerk
Hi! I'm James Laycock and I joined Baildon Town Council as the new Deputy Clerk in April 2022. After spending the best part of a decade in the legal sector, I decided it was time for a new challenge. The prospect of a role that allows me to work within the local community is something that excites me and I'm looking forward to playing my part. I live in Baildon with my fiancé and two year old son and, if I'm not spending time with them, you can probably find me at the gym or watching football!
- Mobile
- 07736 252420
- dep.clerk@baildontowncouncil.gov.uk
Rachel Gallagher
Volunteers Co-ordinator
I joined Baildon Town Council as Library Volunteer Coordinator in February 2017. My role is to recruit and train a team of volunteers who will support our experienced librarians to keep the library part of daily life in Baildon.
When I'm not at work, I live in Bingley with my husband and daughter and I enjoy camping, walking, sewing, drinking coffee (not all at the same time) and going on holiday to far flung parts of the world.
- Mobile
- 07938 063061
- vc@baildontowncouncil.gov.uk
Richard White
Bracken Hall Manager
I am the manager at Bracken Hall and have recently returned to Baildon after many years away, firstly studying in Wales, and then working on an environmental course at a university in South Africa.
I have known the Centre since its first incarnation, when it was run as a private business, and then through its Bradford Council days. I'm getting to know it all over again, and the many people involved in saving it, and operating it today.
- Mobile
- 07938 063062
- Brackenhallmanager@baildontowncouncil.gov.uk
Emma Heal
Admin Officer
I joined the town council in February 2022 as Admin Officer. My background's in project management and administration but I've taken time out while my kids were young.
When I'm not being the kids taxi driver I enjoy crafting (any type – I have lots of projects on the go), looking for interesting finds at local auctions and charity shops, and singing along to my favourite music (but never in public!).