Worksop Charter Trustees

The Worksop Charter Trustees comprise of all 18 Bassetlaw District Councillors who represent the wards in Worksop, once elected to Bassetlaw, they automatically become a Charter Trustee.

The Trustees came into existence in April 1974, when the old Worksop Borough Council was merged with the Worksop Urban District Council and the Retford Rural District Council  and East Retford Borough Council ( Retford has its own Charter Trustees ) to form the new Bassetlaw  District Council. Some areas opted at that time to create new "Town Councils", but the decision was taken not to do this, but to form a Charter Trustee Body.

There are currently only 17 Charter Trustee bodies left in England and Wales: Bath, Bexhill-on-Sea, Bournemouth, Chester, Cleethorpes, Durham, Ellesmere Port Grantham, Grimsby, High Wycombe, Mansfield, Margate, Poole, Scunthorpe, Retford, Taunton, and Worksop.

The other 28 Charter Trustees have agreed to become perished and turned into Town Councils in the following years: Aylesbury 2000, Banbury 2000, Beverley 1999, Bridgwater 2003, Chippenham 1984, Crewe 2013, Daventry 2003, Deal 1996, Dover 1996, Dunstable 1985, Folkestone 2004, Hereford 2000, Kidderminster 2016, Lichfield 1980, Lowestoft 2017, Lymington 1979, Macclesfield 2015, Malden 1987, Newark 1980, Newbury 1997, Penzance 1980, Queenborough-in-Sheppey 1976, Ramsgate 2009, Leamington Spa 2002, Salisbury 2009, Weston-Super-Mere 2000, Workington 1982, Yeovil 1984

It follows that, unlike Parish Councils, the Charter Trustees have no powers in respect of any general functions or services within the District but, of course, Members will carry out these duties in their principal role of District Councillor.

Whilst having no executive powers the Charter Trustee body is responsible for ensuring the continuance of the historical, ceremonial and social links of the Town. Members of the Charter Trustees are expected to support the Town and its Mayoralty.

The ceremony of Mayor Making is basically nothing more than an election of a Chairperson to chair meetings of the electing body for the forthcoming municipal year.

The role of the Trustees is purely ceremonial, they elect a Mayor and Deputy Mayor each May, and safeguard the traditions of the former Borough of Worksop. They maintain the civic regalia and the "Town Plate", which is a collection of gifts and artefacts that were donated to the Town during its days as a Borough.

The Trustees meet formally on four occasions each year, they receive reports from the Mayor and Clerk and they set an annual budget which covers the running cost of the Trustees. They make a formal precept for funds to the Bassetlaw District Council, in the same way that Parish and Town Councils do. The cost of the Trustees is paid for solely by the residents of Worksop, via a precept. In 2021/22 this is less than £3 at Band D.

The Mayor and Charter Trustees promote and encourage effective relationships between the Worksop Charter Trustees and local charities/community groups through the attendance of civic functions. Additionally, nominate charities local to Worksop to support during the year .

The Trustees derive their powers from S246 of the 1972 Act the Local Authority (England) Property etc) Order 1973, the Local Authorities (Wales) Property etc.) Order 1973 and The Charter Trustee Order 1974).

1) to promote the historical links and traditions of the former Borough of Worksop

2) to support activities that enhance the links

3) to support activities of the Mayor (or chair) in conjunction with those roles

3) to determine expenditure that supports these objectives. It will not be a role of the Trustees to be a grant making body. They may commission activities that promote

Contact Details

• Email: clerk@worksopchartertrustees.co.uk
• Website: Worksop Charter Trustees