THE important role first responders play in the community will be supported by a town council.

Alston Moor Parish Council met via Zoom to agree its budget for 2021/22, and made priority in its parish precept to provide life saving equipment for the town's Community First Responders which work closely with the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).

Coun. Elaine Grew has been at the forefront of the ongoing discussions with NWAS regarding the local NHS services on Alston Moor, including the first responders. She spoke about how crucial it was that they had the appropriate equipment when called out to emergencies.

She stated it was pointless training new responders if they did not have the means to treat emergency cases when first on the scene and when every minute was critical. She was pleased to tell the meeting that NWAS had agreed to give Alston Moor two CFR packs instead of one.

However she appealed to the rest of the councillors to agree to budget for three more packs and and one enhanced CFR pack, at a total cost of £8,600. There are now six responders on the Moor having recently undergone training (another one yet to complete). Coun. Grew stressed that a pack should be available to each member of the team.

After some discussion, the vote was unanimous that these packs were so important that the money must be allocated to them. Coun. Grew, herself a retired NHS nurse, thanked the other members for supporting this proposal.

Another item high on the budget agenda was the need to fell some diseased trees in Firs Wood, Henderson's Wood and on Tyne Willows playing field. A large proportion of these were ash trees which are suffering from ash dieback, a disease caused by a fungus believed to originate in Asia. The Woodland Trust estimate that a staggering 80 per cent of ash trees in the UK will be killed and the effect on the landscape and species that rely on ash will be devastating.

Parish Clerk Chris Johnson updated the parish council on the tree works currently being undertaken by a local contractor. Some trees needed to be felled as soon as possible as they could pose a danger to the public using the Pennine Way and permissive paths, and being close the river potentially cause damage to bridges downstream.

Council chairman Coun. Andy Holt emphasised the importance of investing in this work as it was the council's responsibility to ensure the safety of residents and visitors to Alston Moor. He also warned that if the money was not spent now, the tree works would become a much greater burden on the budget in the future.

Other votes passed included;

l £500 budget for renovation works to the Grade II Listed Nenthead Fountain. Other funding sources are to be sourced;

l To maintain the grants given to Alston Town Hall and local groups, including Alston Moor Historical Society, Garrigill and Nenthead Village Halls and toilets and Alston Fitness Club.

l To Budget for past agreed devolvement of services - footway lights;

l To Budget for guture devolvement of services, pending council resolution - Alston Public Toilets;

l An Increased grant award to Nenthead Community Works which operates the Nenthead snow plough;

l Contributions to Alston Recreation Ground (bowling club and bike track feasibility).

The parish Council agreed to raise their proportion of the full annual tax bill to £66,182 which equates to less than £100 per year out of the total council tax bill for most households. Savings were made where possible, however essential costs such as the CFR packs and tree works must be paid for and it was felt by the councillors that the majority of council tax payers on Alston Moor would support this decision. The precept budget now goes to Eden District Council to be approved.

Coun. Holt said, “Raising taxes is not something a council does lightly, especially in these difficult times. I hope the community of Alston Moor can see the difficult choices we have to make and can support them. Community First Responders and their equipment will save lives. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Community First Responders. You are true local heroes.”