Frequently Asked Questions

All parish council meetings are open to the public, however, certain agenda items may be closed to the public (including staffing matters) but a note will be placed on the agenda to advise. When this occurs we will still minute the item and details of the decision will be recorded in the usual manner for members of the public to read in the minutes.

It is now regarded as best practice for councils to have an agenda item where members of the public are permitted to put questions to the council. Please see our public participation policy for further details.

All meetings are advertised on the parish noticeboards and this website. Residents can bring to the attention of the parish council anything that concerns them, in writing or email via the clerk. If matters raised are not the responsibility of the parish council, the clerk will advise you which authority to contact.

Parish Council meetings are led by the Council's Chairman and advised by a Clerk who is there to see that business is conducted within the law.

No; there is no legal requirement to have a vice chairman, though is is best practice to have one. They will act as Chair if the Chairman is unavailable

A parish council must have a Chairman. He or she is elected annually at the Annual Meeting of Council in May (LGA 1972 sect 15(1). The council cannot function without a chairman. If no members of the council will take the role, then the meeting will have to be abandoned. A further meeting can be called to try to resolve the situation, but if this fails, then the district of borough council has reserve powers and can intervene.

A 'retiring' chair can preside at their own re-election, can nominate them self, vote for them self, and use their casting vote in their own favour.

Once elected Parish Councillors sit on the council for a maximum of 4 years at the end of which they can stand for re-election if they wish. If, during the 4 years, they find they can no longer meet the commitment, or they move away, they can stand down.

These should be kept indefinitely as archive materials. Once approved and signed as a correct record they are acceptable as evidence in a court of law.

A a Parish Councillor you become somebody who members of the community will look to for help, guidance and support, a community leader with the power to influence decisions for the benefit of the people they serve. Seeing your community change for the better, as a result of decisions you have helped to make, is something that can a sense of achievement and pride.

To qualify to be a parish councillor you must be:

• A registered local government elector within the parish.
• At least 18 on the day of being nominated as a candidate.
• A British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union.
• A resident in the parish, or within three miles of the parish, or working full time in the parish for at least 12 months prior to the nomination or election day.

A person is disqualified from holding office as a parish councillor if:

• They hold a paid office, or other place of profit in the council.
• They are the subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or interim order.
• They have been convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to more than 3 months imprisonment within the last five years.
• They incur illegal expenditure (when acting as a councillor) of over £2,000, or are found guilty of using corrupt or illegal practices.

Where the population of a parish is very small, there may be no Parish Council, but electors may still meet together as a Parish Meeting. Parish Meetings have a number of powers and rights of notification or consultation.

Also each Parish which does have a Parish Council must hold an Annual Parish Meeting each year, required by law to hold it between 1 March and 1 June. It is not a Parish Council meeting but a meeting of the local electorate to discuss and hear about local issues. At Rampton & Woodbeck we hold it in May, usually on the same night as the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council

Parish councils have powers to provide some facilities themselves, or they can contribute towards their provision by others. There are large variations in the services provided by parishes, but Rampton & Woodbeck Parish Council is involved in the provision of:

Village Hall, Pinder Park, Post Office, Land let for Farming, Street Cleaning/Litter Picking & Support and encouragement of community events.

Play equipment on Pinder Parks is regularly inspected and litter bins and street furniture are maintained.

The Parish Council also arranges the Christmas Tree installation and decoration; and the planting of the parish flower planters.

Where a vacancy occurs during the term of a parish council, it may be filled by either bi-election or co-option. Elections only occur if, following the advertisement of the vacancy for 14 days, 10 electors send a written request to the returning officer. The cost of a Bi Election is in the region of £5,000 and funded by the the people via the Precept if a bi-election occurs.

If no request is received, the parish council may fill the vacancies by co-option. Rampton & Woodbeck Parish Council has a Co-option Policy to follow in these circumstances.

Parish councils are a form of Local Government being the first tier of local and community consultation. They are democratically elected Local Authorities and exist in England, Wales and Scotland.

Parish and Town Councils, often known simply as "local councils" exist in many English Parishes. They vary from councils based in small rural villages to ones serving large urban areas with thousands of electors.

The "parish council" is a civil organisation and should not be confused with the term "parish church" or "parochial church councils" that administer parishes of the Church of England. Civil parish councils were formed in England under the Local Government Act 1894 which developed the civil structure from the previously ecclesiastical parishes.

A parish council makes decisions on behalf of the people in a defined and bounded locality deemed to be "the parish". As the parish council is the authority closest to the residents of that locality they usually operate as the first place people will go with concerns or ideas and for this reason are a vital part of any community.

NALC is the National Association of Local Councils is the only body in the country specialising full-time in the work of local councils. The Association`s advice and guidance to member councils is based on more than 50 years experience acting solely in the interests of its member councils. NALC takes an enthusiastic role in protecting and advancing the rights and interests of member councils in the Government, main political opposition parties, parliament, in the local and national press, and in liaison with other bodies such as the Standards Board, Local Government Association, Audit Commission and the Commission for Rural Communities.

NALC is committed to making this primary level of local government more effective, more democratic and better able to take a leadership role in local communities.

Membership of the National Association of Local Councils is through the County Association.

Rampton & Woodbeck Parish Council is a member of Nottinghamshire NALC

http://www.nottsalc.org.uk/

Nottinghamshire ALC

• Provides guidance to its members on conducting their business lawfully, with advice available on a wide range of issues covering statutory duties and powers, correct conduct of business within the ethical framework, employment law, empowerment and various other topics
• Runs training courses for clerks and councillors on a wide range of subjects to promote good practice and governance
• Provides information updates on legislative changes and other issues of relevance to members
• Administers the Local Council Award scheme
• Responds to consultations on behalf of member councils and represents the interests of its members by commenting on proposals for new legislation and other statutory documents

If a parish councillor fails to attend any meeting of the parish council (or its committees) or a meeting where he or she formally represents the council, for a period of 6 months, without submitting apologies for absence which are properly approved by the council, then he or she automatically ceases to be a parish councillor on the 6-month anniversary of their last attendance, and a casual vacancy must be declared. It is vitally important to note that simply recording apologies does not of itself automatically signify that they have been approved by the council. Long absences must received proper approval before the 6 months are up. Once the 6 months has passed there is nothing further which can be done - the councillor has ceased to be a councillor. This is not a matter for the parish council to decide upon, only to record the facts of the matter.

Therefore, if a councillor is likely to be absent for a long period of time - perhaps through ill health - then the reason for the absence should be formally approved (if the council so wishes).

The primary purpose of a parish council is to represent the concerns of local residents and provide some services to meet local needs. Parish councils have a wide range of powers which may include looking after community buildings, play parks, street furniture and land.

The most common areas that Parish Councils get involved in include planning issues, managing open spaces and village halls. It is fair to say that on their own Parish Councils have limited decision-making powers, but they do have the ability to negotiate with, and the power to influence, those organisations that do make final decisions, such as District and County Councils, health authorities etc. These authorities know that a Parish Council gives the best reflection of how a community feels about something and its views will be taken seriously.

A minimum of three or a third whichever is the greater.

The main role of Clerk is to ensure that the Council, as a whole, conducts its business properly and to provide independent, objective and professional advice and support.