Is anyone a parish councillor?

downshifter

Dear all, I've just seen an ad in the local paper for a vacancy for a parish councillor and wondered if someone could tell me what's involved. They don't have a website, newsletter or anything. I live in the area and have always been frustrated by lack of info about local issues so thought it would be a chance to do something about it. However the ad says that the parish council 'can appoint any qualified persons to fill the vacancy unless a request by 10 persons is made for an election.' It doesn't say how to apply or what the role involves, or how they go about finding a 'qualified person'. I've found out that the 6 councillors were returned unopposed in the last election (it's a very small, sparsely populated, rural area.) but that's pretty much all. I've looked at training to see if I can find out what you need to know but it seems as though most of the 'real' work is done by a clerk. So what should a councillor do? Do you have to go to the church? I've seen some meetings at some councils start with prayers and I'm not at all religious.

Do you get paid or expenses to do this? Although semi-retired I already do 2 voluntary jobs and can't afford to take another, anything else I take on has at least to give me repayment for petrol etc.

Anyone help please? I've spent the afternoon googling and have at last found the phone number of the clerk (not published on any council site though) but there's no email or anything, - so much for consultation/involvement etc!

Many thanks

DS

Elsewhere

I was a Parish Councillor for several years. The parish was rural, but larger population than yours, I assume, because there are 9 councillors.

It is not paid work, though you can claim out-of-pocket expenses. It is nothing to do with the church, it's the lowest tier of local government. There are various courses to help train you which the council will pay for you to attend.

Typically, the parish council is the first port-of-call for local problems. You tend to get collared in the street by irate residents! The parish council reports street lights that don't work, litter that isn't collected, sometimes neighbour disputes, footpaths that haven't been kept trimmed... that sort of thing. Occasionally the councillors get hands-on with such problems - I've painted the door on the parish council cemetary's tool-shed, for instance, and set up the council's website and other councillors have weeded pavements, refurbished a bench in the village etc. The precept (ie council tax) that is the council's income is only about £12,000 for the year, about a third of which is paid as the clerk's salary, so councillors tend to pitch in and do jobs for free when the district council says they won't pay or that there's a 2 year wait (if you're lucky) to get funds!

You have to read a lot of reports (or skim through most!) about planning permissions that have been applied for, surveys on bus timetables, schools - road safety - policing etc.

Our council used to meet once a month (but some councils meet less often) in the evening for a meeting that typically lasted 2 hours. There are usually 2 or 3 plans to discuss - the other items depend on what your council is involved in. Ours runs a cemetary (not all do), public toilets, allotments, play area... and lots of the land round here belongs to the National Trust so sometimes there's a representative from the trust at the meeting to liaise over local issues. Some councils have other income - one of our neighbour parishes is a popular tourist spot and the council makes so much from their car park they don't usually need to impose any council tax to run the parish!

Usually the only person who has to devote a lot of time to the job is the chairman. I found it interesting and rewarding to be a councillor and would recommend it to anyone interested in local affairs.

If you look at a few Parish Council websites and glance at the minutes of meetings you'll get a pretty good idea of what is involved.

downshifter

Many thanks for such a speedy reply. This parish is in a national park though it seems as though the money from the car park goes to that organisation, not the parish council. I had assumed that things like setting up the website would be the clerk's responsibility.

Very illuminating. I'm wondering really if I would be better looking for a parish clerk's vacancy, it seems more interesting. Thanks very much again, this is a really helpful response.

There are actually 2 vacancies, I wonder why they have arisen in such a small parish.

Other than reading through, and approving reports, surveys etc, do councillors at this level get involved with consultation events, campaigning on local issues (such as absence of broadband - GRRR!), affordable housing and so on?

DS

Errata

This is the Parish Councillor job spec from a parish in Norfolk http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/democracy/2551.asp

Two vacancies might be just a fluke.

Elsewhere

This parish is in a national park though it seems as though the money from the car park goes to that organisation, not the parish council. I had assumed that things like setting up the website would be the clerk's responsibility.

Car park - depends who owns the land, I assume. As for the website - our clerk at the time was in his 80's. Very much on the ball - but email was his limit with IT! I think the present clerk deals with the website.

Very illuminating. I'm wondering really if I would be better looking for a parish clerk's vacancy, it seems more interesting. Thanks very much again, this is a really helpful response.

Being a parish clerk can be quite a lot of work - though it is paid, of course (pay scale is linked to the population of the parish, I believe). Again, there are training courses.

There are actually 2 vacancies, I wonder why they have arisen in such a small parish.

People get ill - move away... And it can be hard to motivate people to take on being a councillor - unless there is something controversial going on, of course! So they could have had one of the vacancies for a while, and not bothered to fill it until they were down another member.

Other than reading through, and approving reports, surveys etc, do councillors at this level get involved with consultation events, campaigning on local issues (such as absence of broadband - GRRR!), affordable housing and so on?

Yes, very much so. Affordable housing is a big issue around here for instance, because of house price inflation by second home owners.

dzug1

downshifter wrote: »

Very illuminating. I'm wondering really if I would be better looking for a parish clerk's vacancy, it seems more interesting. Thanks very much again, this is a really helpful response.

There are actually 2 vacancies, I wonder why they have arisen in such a small parish.
DS

The parish clerk's position is a paid one and requires a degree of expert knowledge/professional skill. Acquirable, yes, but easier if you have it in the first place. I do know of a retired local government officer who made a second career out of being clerk to numerous parish councils.

As to 2 vacancies - most parish councils struggle to fill all their positions. It's nothing unusual.

hardpressed

Unless the clerk is an elected member of the council they have no voting rights and are not able to give their personal opinion when an item is being discussed. It is often the case that there are vacancies on the Parish Council that aren't filled as parishioners are not interested unless it's something that effect them. When you say you've seen councils have prayers before a meeting are you confusing the PC with the PCC, which is the Parochial Church Council and nothing to do with the Parish Council.

MUMMYTO2BOYS

And it's possible that a Husband and Wife were Parish Councillors and that either one decided to leave, so the other followed, or one passed away and the other retired, or one became unwell and the other dedicated their time to caring for them, or both became MPs and lived happily ever after.

downshifter

Many thanks to all, really helpful. I still haven't decided what to do about this, I already do quite a lot, paid and voluntary, and had determined that the next job I take on would have to be paid as I really can't afford to live on what I earn at the moment, on the other hand it's an opportunity to do something for the area which I love so much. On the down side, it would mean I couldn't apply for a job with that local authority. Hmmm, decisions, decisions!

Thanks again

DS

gardengirl_3

I'm a PC. You don't get paid, you'll get more brickbats than thanks, and you need to give quite a lot of time. Need to be able to stand up for what you believe in, but I get a good sense of belonging to the community and putting something back. Many PCs need new blood to bring about change but it can be incredibly frustrating trying to get action on even the simplest things. Still wantg to do it??!