A Brief Outline of the Role of the Parish Council
Parish Councils are the lowest level in the British Governmental Structure and closely represent the interests of local communities. The Parish Council should not be confused with the Parochial Church Council (PCC) which deals with all ecclesiastical functions.
Parish Councils are an essential part of the structure of local democracy and have a vital role in acting on behalf of the communities they represent.
Parish Councils can:
- give views, on behalf of the community, on planning applications and other proposals that affect the parish
- undertake projects and schemes that benefit local residents
- work in partnership with other bodies to achieve benefits for the parish
- alert relevant authorities to problems that arise or work that needs to be undertaken
- help the other tiers of local government keep in touch with their local communities
The basic arrangement of Parish Councils is governed mostly from the Local Government Act 1974 and stemming from this and a variety of amendments and other Acts and Regulations councils have various powers (rights to undertake functions) and duties (requirements to undertake functions).
Councillors are elected by electors of the parish – elections being held every fourth year – or co-opted in order to fill a vacancy, although in certain circumstances an election must be held to fill a casual vacancy. Norton sub Hamdon Parish Council meets on the second Monday of every month except August.
Councillors must comply with a Code of Conduct and are regulated by Standing Orders and Financial Regulations which they agree to from time to time.
Parish and Town Councils have the power to precept (tax) their residents to support their operations and to carry out local projects. In Norton the budget for the forthcoming year (April to March) is normally discussed and finalised at the December meeting when the precept for the following year is set. The precept is collected by the local authority as part of the Council Tax.
Members of the public may attend Parish Council meetings and the arrangement in Norton is that they are given an opportunity to talk on any matter on the agenda in Public Time. The public may not speak whilst the formal business of the council is being conducted, unless invited to do so by the Chairman. The minutes of each meeting are adopted (with or without amendment) at the next council meeting and then published on the website.