Could you be a Parish Councillor?
Little Waltham Parish Council currently has two vacancies and is looking to co-opt new Councillors. The Parish Council is the first tier of democracy and deals with the issues directly concerning your parish so why not get involved and contribute to your community?
What issues does the Parish Council deal with? The Parish Council deals with the following matters –
• Maintains the play area and tennis courts on the playing fields and the car park • Maintains recreational facilities to consider the provision of new play equipment in those areas • Keeping the Parish clean and tidy by arranging regular litter picking and the emptying of bins in the Parish • Provides bins and dog bins in the Parish • Arranges for grass cutting of certain public areas in the Parish in order to maintain a tidy standard. • Maintains certain bus stops • In order to maintain a pleasant environment, the Parish Council arranges gardening and the provision and maintenance of flower tubs • It responsible for the War Memorial on The Street • Is responsible for the allotments • Makes representations in relation to planning applications and consultations • Works with other agencies and organisations for the benefit of the Parish • The provision of grants to local voluntary organisations • Plans for the future of this Parish I’m not sure I have the time! The Parish Council meets of an evening on the first Tuesday of each month except August. The meetings last about 2 hours. Sometimes it would be useful to be involved in specific projects or activities which may take up more time. The day to day administration is dealt with by the Clerk. Most of the existing Councillors have full time jobs so the commitment of time is not excessive!
What sort of knowledge do I need? The existing Councillors come from all walks of life and you don’t need to be specially qualified. An interest in your community and a commitment to do the best for the residents of the Parish are the most important things together with your life experience and common sense views! Training is available and the clerk is available to advise or obtain advice on more technical matters.
Are there any specific qualifying requirements? Yes! You need to be aged 18 or above, be resident or work either in the Parish or reside within 3 miles of the Parish, you should not have gone to prison in the last 5 years and you should not be bankrupt!
I would like to know a bit more If you would like to know more about this voluntary position please feel free to have a chat with the Clerk and if you like she can arrange for you to have an informal chat with an existing Councillor.
Contact the Clerk by phone on 01376 331251 or email littlewaltham@gmail.com
You can obtain an application form either from the Clerk or by downloading it from the Parish Council website www.littlewaltham.org.uk