-

TOWN COUNCIL PROPERTIES

(1)  Town Hall: Market Place

This is used for formal civic occasions such as Mayor’s Sunday, the town dinner and formal town council meetings. It is also available for hire and can be used free of charge, at the discretion of the Mayor, for events which are of the benefit to the town. The Town Hall houses the town’s regalia, such as the mace and loving cup, and also many beautiful paintings. On boards around the main chamber are listed the Mayors of Wallingford from 1234 to the present day. The Town Hall is considered to be the visible manifestation of the Town Council.

The building is Grade I listed, which means we have to take great care to maintain it to a high standard. It costs much more to maintain than the income it generates.

The Town Hall is licensed for weddings and civil partnerships.

(2)   Regal Centre: Goldsmiths Lane Car Park

This is the largest hall in the area and unfortunately was closed in 2017 due to health and safety.

The car park is managed in conjunction with SODC/Beechcroft

(3)  9 St Martin’s Street – Old Town Council offices

The Committee room on the top floor is used for storage of files.

(4)  10 St Martin’s Street

Occupied by Grape Minds

(5)  1(b) St Martin’s Street

A one-room property which is currently in the process of being occupied by a new tenant.

(6)  Castle Gardens/Castle Lodge: Castle Street

The grounds and lodge were gifted to The Town Council of Wallingford by Sir John Francis Hedges in 1977. The Castle Gardens are to be available for members of the public to use as a place of quiet relaxation.

Castle Lodge is currently occupied and the tenant has a secure tenancy.

From June – September monthly band concerts are held in the Castle Gardens with refreshment for sale being provided by local organisations. There is a bridge link has been installed so that people can walk into the adjacent Castle Meadows which are owned by South Oxfordshire District Council.

(7)  Flint House: High Street

Flint House is a Grade II Listed Building and is occupied by Wallingford Museum who were granted a 25 year lease from 2008. .

(8)  The Boat House: High Street

The Boathouse which overlooks the River Thames. It is essentially a pub, but welcomes families.

(9)  Allotments

The Town Council have one allotment site and this is located between Fir Tree Avenue and Wallingford Sports Trust. Access to the site is via Fir Tree Avenue and can be accessed between numbers 60 and 62. Plots vary in size and are let as either a small plot (measuring approximately 5 poles) or a large plot (measuring approximately 10 poles). The current annual rent is £30.00 a small plot and £50.00 for a large one.

(Council are awaiting transfer of second allotment site).

(10)  Bull Croft

The Bull Croft is owned by the Bull Croft Trust.

The Town Council is the Trustee so all councillors are Trustees.

There are a number of properties included in the Trust and these are listed below:

Bull Croft Park

is an open space and has both young children’s and older children’s play equipment. There are also tennis courts, floodlit 5 aside courts, and a football pitch which is used by Crowmarsh Youth. The park is grassed and on the northern end still has some of the original Saxon banks and ditch which at one time surrounded the town. There is a disused toilet block within the park.

Gas Pillar

Originally located in the Town Centre.

The Pavilion

is used by Crowmarsh Youth Football Club generally on a weekly basis.

Bull Croft Lodge

a residential property which is currently occupied.

8(a) Castle Street

Town Council Offices

This is where The Town Clerk’s office is and where all the town council’s administration takes place.

8(b) Castle Street

is a substantial residential property.

8 (c) Castle Street

is occupied by a dental practice.

Castle Street Yard

This area is to the rear of 8(a) Castle Street. The parks staff have a large working area where they keep the tractor, mowers, etc. There are also a number of poly tunnels where they nurture the plants that you see around the town.

Castle Street Car Park

Designated as a place where people hold permits, can park their cars.

(11)  Kine Croft

The Kine Croft is a grassed open space and is the home of many events for example May Fair; Car Rally; Carnival, Michaelmas Fair and Bunk Fest.

(12)  Maintained Areas

We have 4 areas, 2 of which are planted out by our parks staff, the Rest Garden in St Martin’s Street opposite Waitrose, St Leonards Square roundabout, St Johns Green and New Road. The Town Council receives sponsorship from local businesses for the summer bedding.

(13)  Moorings

These are by The Boat House and we manage the moorings on the Swimming pool side for South Oxfordshire District Council.

(14)  Land at Northgate Estate

The town council acquired this piece of land in 2005 from the Atomic Energy Research Establishment and is responsible for the upkeep of the central section.

(15)  Hanging Baskets

The Parks Department grow the plants for these baskets. The bridge and market place baskets are sponsored by local businesses and some residents at a cost of £65

+ VAT for a season. The shops around the market place are provided free of charge.

(16) Churchyards

The Parks Department cuts the grass in the disused Churchyards, All Hallows in Castle Street, and St Mary Le-More Church at the rear of the Town Hall and St Leonard’s Church in St Leonard’s Lane.

(17)  War Memorial

The War Memorial was designed by Sir Guy Dawber and the bronze figure of peace and the panels were modelled and cast by George Alexander. The whole monument was built by Messrs William Honeybone, the well-known firm of stonemasons who premises were then in St Martins Street. It was erected on the site of the ancient bull ring and unveiled amid a considerable civic ceremony on Sunday 22nd May 1923.

With the aid of a grant the war memorial was refurbished in October/November 2018.

The Parks Department plant the surrounding flower beds twice a year and Remembrance Sunday takes place in this area.

(18) Wigod Centre

The Wigod Centre was built on the site of the Old Pentecostal Church and its address is 98a Wilding Road, OX10 8AJ. It is a construction of a single storey children’s centre; brick and block cavity construction, steel and timber framed, finished with a feature brick pattern, reconstituted slate roof and a mixture of UPVC and aluminium doors and windows coloured to match the brick patterning. This is the latest addition to the Town council’s portfolio and finished in June 2014. The cost of the build was

£300,000 with a one-off payment of £150,000 from the County Council.

Wigod Way Wallingford Family Centre is a registered charity and has 6 trustees. The Town Council currently makes a contribution of £20,000 per annum towards the running costs.