What is a Town or Parish
Council?
It is a statutory local authority set up under the Local
Government Act 1972. It operates in the area of a defined
civil parish or group of parishes. In England there are
three types of local authority - the County Council, the
District or Borough Councils and the Town or Parish
Councils. A Town Council has exactly the same powers as
Parish Council - it is simply that the council has decided
to take on the title 'town' as more appropriate.
(In the following paragraphs references to a parish council
apply to a town council as well).
Back to top
Who is on the
council?
The council is made up of councillors elected by the
electors of the parish. Every year the council elects one
of them to be the Chairman of the council (called the Mayor
of a Town Council).
Details of councillors are provided in
this link
The council has a paid officer who organises meetings and
helps to carry out the council's decisions - this
officer is usually called the Clerk. The Clerk does not
vote or make decisions; that is the role of the
councillors.
Contact details for the Clerk to the
Council are available here.
Back to top
What powers do Parish Councils
have?
click here for a detailed breakdown
They have a wide range of powers which essentially relate
to local matters, such as looking after community
buildings, open space, allotments, play areas, street
lighting, bus shelters, car parks and much more. They also
have the power to raise money through the council
tax.
Back to top
To whom are they
accountable?
The electors of the parish. Elections to parish councils
are held every four years. The council's accounts are
subject to scrutiny by the District Auditor and the
Standards Board for England
can investigate alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct by
individual councillors.
Back to top
Can I attend meetings of the
council?
Yes, all meetings of the council and its committees must be
open to the general public and the press, except in very
exceptional circumstances. The time and place of meetings
must be advertised beforehand. Details of meetings are
published on this web site and on the parish notice boards.
The Clerk will be able to give you details of forthcoming
meetings.
Back to top
Can I speak at the
meeting?
You cannot speak while the normal business of the meeting
is being conducted. However, it is good practice (which
nearly all councils follow) to allow some time at the
meeting when members of the public may address the council
on an issue that concerns them. The Clerk will provide you
with details about how this works in your council.
Back to top
Can I see the minutes of council
meetings and other papers?
Minutes and agendas are available for public
inspection here and are held by the council's
Clerk. Copies are also available in the library as well as
being posted on the Parish Notice Boards. Other papers, as
listed in the council's Publication Scheme, are also
available for inspection, usually by appointment with the
Clerk.
Back to top
How do I find out who the
councillors are?
A full list of
Bewerley Parish Councillors and their
responsiblilites can be found here. Details are also
available from the Clerk and in the local library. There is
often a list on the parish notice board.
Back to top
How do people get elected to the
council?
Elections are held every four years and will usually
coincide with a District Council election. The
date of the next scheduled
election is listed at the start of this page. The Clerk
will also tell you when the next election will be held in
your parish. A Public Notice of a forthcoming election will
be placed on notice boards.
Sometimes the number of people who put their names forward
for election equals or is less than the number of seats on
the council. In these circumstances there is not a poll on
Election Day and the people nominated are deemed elected.
If the number deemed elected is less than the number of
seats on the council, then the council is required to
co-opt people onto the council to fill the vacancies.
If a seat on the council becomes vacant between normal
elections then a special procedure has to be followed which
can lead to an election or, more usually, the co-option of
a new councillor. It is good practice for a council to
advertise widely in the parish if it is seeking to make a
co-option.
Back to top
Do councillors have to declare
any financial or other personal interests they have in a
matter under discussion by the council?
Yes. All councillors have to abide by a Code of Conduct
which sets out which interests have to be declared. They
also have to enter relevant financial and other interests
in a special Register that is open to inspection by members
of the public. Bewerley Parish Councillors abide by the
Model Code of
Conduct (PDF) which can be viewed here. The
council's Clerk also has a copy of the Code of Conduct
and the Register or it can be inspected at the District
Council's offices.
Back to top
What do I do if I have a
complaint against the council?
First of all speak informally to the clerk or chairman to
see if there is an easy way of resolving the matter.
Failing that, write formally to the council (send the
letter to the Clerk). Ask for a copy of the council's
complaints procedure. The council will consider your
complaint at its next meeting.
Hopefully, this will lead to a resolution. If it does not,
then the next steps will depend on the nature of the
complaint. If you believe there has been a breach of the
Code of Conduct you need to write to the
Standards Board for England. If you
believe there has been some other kind of financial or
other impropriety you should initially discuss it with the
District Council's
Monitoring Officer who will advise. Please note that
the Local Government Ombudsman (who investigates
maladministration) does not have any jurisdiction with
respect to town and parish councils.
Back to top
What powers do Parish Councils
have with respect to planning applications?
Parish Councils are consulted by the relevant Planning
Authority (which could be either the District/Borough
Council, the National Park Authority or the County Council)
on all planning applications. Any views expressed by the
Parish Council will be taken into account by the Planning
Authority before a decision is made, providing the points
made are relevant to the determination of a planning
application. The final decision is made by the Planning
Authority, not the Parish Council. Further information
about the role of the Parish Council in relation to
planning matters, as well as
details
of current planning applications within the Parish can
be viewed using this link.
Back to top
Where do I find the "Code of
Conduct" for Parish Councillors?
The
Model
Code of Conduct (PDF) or
The
Model Code of Conduct
(HTML)
which all Bewerley Parish Councillors follow can be viewed
by clicking the links above.
The council's Clerk also has a copy of the Code of
Conduct.
Back to top