Breage Parish Council is looking to co-opt a Member to the Parish Council
The
person co-opted must receive a majority of votes of those councillors present
and voting at the meeting at which the co-option takes place. Parish
Councillors are volunteers who give up their time to try and make the
Parish a better place to live and work. They have a range of powers and duties
over local facilities and make decisions, which affect Parishioner’s everyday
lives. A Parish Council is a separate legal, corporate entity. First created by
the Local Government Act of 1894 in most rural areas, the current consolidated
legislation is that of 1972. Councillors are not paid and have to abide by a
local government code of conduct and declare a personal or prejudicial interest
if they have an interest in any matter under discussion at a parish council
meeting. To appreciate what is involved in being a Parish Councillor you need to know what a Parish Council is, and
what it can and cannot do. The Parish Council is nothing to do with the Church
or the Diocese; nor is it a voluntary and community sector body. Your Parish
Council is the local authority closest to the electorate.
The
Parish Council may provide services for the local people. These range from
recreation grounds and play areas, to cemeteries and allotments. There is a
list of the activities that a Parish Council has the power to provide. Like any
statutory body it can only do the things for which the law or any governing
document gives a power.
The
Parish Council has one particular asset that is extremely valuable – it has the
ability to set a Precept, (sum of money), which is collected from all residents
through the Council Tax system. With the right to levy a form of taxation come
some duties. In particular there is a duty to behave in an ethical manner
according to a Code of Conduct (declaring interests and leaving the room when
likely to be prejudiced) and a duty to have the annual accounts subjected to
audit under the aegis of the Audit Commission.
Training
is available and support will be found from colleagues and the Clerk to the
Council.
All
elected Councillors retire after a four year term, but casual vacancies may
well arise in the intervening period. The next full elections will be in May
2021.
To become
a Parish Councillor you will need to be 18 years old or over on the day of your
nomination and a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen
of any other member state of the European Union and meet at least one of the
following four qualifications:
- be registered as a local government elector for the parish;
- have during the whole of the preceding twelve months occupied as owner or tenant, any land or premises in the parish;
- your principal or only place of work during the preceding twelve months has been in the parish;
- have during the whole of the preceding twelve months resided in the parish or within 4.8 km thereof.
Certain
people are disqualified from becoming Councillors. You cannot be a candidate if
you:
- work for the Parish or hold paid office under the council which has the vacancy; or
- are the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order; or
- have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of three months or more (including a suspended sentence) without the option of a fine, in the past five years; or
- have been disqualified under any enactment relating to corrupt or illegal practices.
The Council meets on the first Tuesday of each
month, apart from January and September when it is the second Tuesday,
and also on the Thursday before each Ordinary
Parish Council Meeting to discuss and vote on planning and land use matters.
Should you be interested in this vacancy you must be sure that you are eligible to stand and then formally make application in writing to the Clerk giving some personal details: former work; committees; family; interests; how long you have been in the Parish; why you wish to be a Councillor, etc. You are welcome to do this by e-mail. This should be done by Friday 14 June 2019. You will then be asked to attend the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday 2 July 2019 at 7.00 p.m. when a vote will be taken. Before you make your decision to apply and if you have never attended a Parish Council Meeting before you may wish to attend the Ordinary meeting on 4 June, 2019 and the Planning meetings on 30 May and 27 June 2019 to obtain some idea of agendas and procedures.
Mrs Carol
Macleod
Clerk to
Breage Parish Council
01326 574781/07767165077 or breageparishcouncil@btconnect.com
