Councillor Vacancy - The Parish Council and Parish Councillor Role

The role of the Parish Council is to represent the interests of the whole community.

It is a part of local government supporting the democratic process. Local Councils provide a focus for the community to identify concerns and projects, and endeavour to solve them locally themselves. The Parish Council is a corporate body, and a legal entity, separate from that of its Members, and is accountable to the local community.

Its decisions are the responsibility of the whole body and are made collectively and by majority. The Parish Council has been granted powers by Parliament including the authority to raise money through taxation - the precept - and a range of powers to spend public money. A Parish Council is an elected body in the first tier of local government. Elections take place every 4 years. Other tiers, known as principal councils or authorities, have many legal duties to deliver services such as education, housing, town and country planning, transport, environmental health and social services.

Parish Councils have the legal power to take action, but they have very few duties and greater freedom to choose what action to take. They can play a vital part in representing the interests of the communities they serve and improving the quality of life and the local environment.

The Parish Council is an employer. The Parish Clerk works for and with the Council to action its decisions. The Parish Council typically has sole or joint responsibility for the following issues:

• Drainage – of ditches and ponds
• Footpaths
• Highways – lighting, parking places, right to enter into discussions about new roads and road widening, consent of parish council required for diversion or discontinuation of highway, traffic signs and other notices, tree planting and verge maintenance
• Litter - provision of litterbins and support for any anti-litter campaigns
• Planning – parish councils may be notified of any planning applications for the area
• Recreation – provision of recreation grounds, public walkways, open spaces, village greens, and playing fields
• Rights of Way – footpath and bridleway maintenance
• Signs – danger signs, place names and bus stops signs
• War Memorials

The Role of Parish Councillors

The main role of a Parish Councillor is to represent the views of all residents within the Parish and to listen to, and understand, the views and needs of different groups in the community (such as young and older people). As a Councillor, there is a responsibility to be well-informed, especially about diverse local views. Councillors cannot assume that they represent the interests of electors without consulting them. Parish Councillors are elected representatives, not volunteers or employees, and serve for a 4-year term, unless co-opted or elected in a bye-election when they serve until the next election. They must apply the law and comply with the Code of Member Conduct.

Councillors contribute to the work of the Council by suggesting ideas, influencing policy, engaging in constructive debate and by responding to the needs and views of the community. Councillors comment on proposals to ensure the best outcome and vote to enable the Council to make decisions. Individual Parish Councillors cannot make decisions on behalf of the Council, but they can actively lead and engage with local projects. Parish Councillors have no powers outside of the Council meeting.

Diversity is encouraged. Councillors from different backgrounds better represent the whole community and possess different enthusiasms, skills, attitudes and interests. Some Councillors work with ideas while others are very practical; some like accounts while others prefer reports. The Parish Council needs a wide range of skills to work as a team. Occasionally there will be a conflict of interest requiring sensitive judgement, and the need to take difficult decisions in an open, honest and reasoned way. Councillors are also required to act in an ethical way and to declare an interest when necessary.