WATLINGTON PARISH COUNCIL HAS 4 VACANCIES FOR PARISH COUNCILLOR
If you are interested in community matters and wish to take on this active role, please apply in writing by email or post, or contact the Parish Clerk for further information.
A vote will take place to co-opt the new Councillor at the Parish Council meeting. You may be invited to say a few words in support of your application at the meeting.
The Parish Council has 11 Councillors, who are elected for a four year period or until the next ordinary election. The Council, which meets approximately 9-10 times a year in the Village Hall on Tuesdays at 7.00pm, is advised by the Parish Clerk, who carries out the administration of the Council.
The Council has a number of responsibilities, some of them advisory within the local government structure and some direct. These include (not exhaustive):
Play Areas, Footpaths and Open Spaces The Council owns a number of open spaces, including the Multi Use Games Area, Recreation Field and other play areas, and is responsible for their management and upkeep. It can also maintain public footpaths.
Allotments The Council provides and manages two small allotment sites.
Lighting The Council is responsible for 79 of the street lights in the village.
War Memorial The Council is responsible for the maintenance of the Listed War Memorial which stands in the Church grounds.
Litter The Council uses a contractor for litter picking.
Dog Litter The Council provides all dog waste bins in the village (the BCKL&WN is responsible for emtyping them).
Charities The Council has responsibility for the Edward Shouldham Charity, which has a small annual income from land rental and investments. Payments are available to the needy from the fund.
Grants and Donations The Council has powers under Section 137, Local Government Act, to give grants and donations.
Planning All planning applications are assessed by the Council and their views are taken into account when the Borough Council, as the responsible planning authority, makes its decision.
Highways The Council can put funds towards new schemes and make representations to the County Council for improvements to the highways.
Consultation The Council, as the local representative body, is also asked for the views on a wide range of issues that are decided by other government bodies.
Make a Change… Become a Local Councillor
Watlington Parish Council is calling on residents, passionate about their community, to consider this role.
What do Councillors do?
Councillors are the champions of their community and give residents a voice on the decisions the council makes. Becoming a Councillor will allow you to make a real difference in your community by engaging with residents, local groups and businesses to find out their needs; making decisions on which services and projects the council should take forward; and getting involved locally to ensure the services are meeting your community’s needs.
How long does it take?
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Local Councillor Census Survey found that Councillors put aside, on average, three hours a week for Council work. This often includes attending meetings, engaging with residents and speaking on behalf of the Council to other bodies.
Can I stand?
There are only a few rules to stand for election:
A person is qualified to be elected and to be a Councillor if they are a British, Commonwealth, Irish or European Union citizen and on the relevant day (that is, the day of nomination or election) they are 18 or over. In addition, the person must meet at least one of the following criteria:
(1) be registered as a Local Government elector for the parish in question, or
(2) during the whole of the 12 months preceding that day or those days, have occupied land or other premises as owner or tenant, in the parish/community, or
(3) worked in the parish/community as the principal or only place of work during those 12 months, or
(4) during the whole of the twelve months before that day have resided in the parish or within 4.8 kilometres of it.
Certain people are disqualified from standing, and these include paid officers (including the Clerks) of the Council, bankrupts and those subject to recent sentences of imprisonment.
How can I get involved?
Contact Sara Porter, Parish Clerk, to clerk@watlington-norfolk-pc.gov.uk or any Member of the Council to find out more.