The Parish Council are now able to co-opt to a vacancy and are looking for someone who is enthusiastic about representing their community, likes to be involved and to get things done.
Parish Councillors are summoned to a monthly meeting and are expected to attend. Read ‘The Good Councillors Guide’ to get a flavour of what is involved.
Most Parish Councillors, by agreement, will take on a role around specific area of interest or related to specific activities of the council. Recently changes have been made to the way the agenda is put together and a policy adopted which is aimed at reducing the length of meetings and this is going well. A sub-committee has been established for the Play Area development which also helps in managing meeting length.
Currently the Parish Council are working on a development project for the Play Area, getting towards the end of an upgrade plan for streetlighting that will reduce maintenance and electricity costs, are taking the lead in the appointment of a consultant to assist the Neighbourhood Plan group with the writing up of the plan, contracting for repairs to the closed churchyard wall and the removal of ivy overgrowth to tombstones, contracting to have the debris cleared that has formed under the hedge along The Causeway so reclaiming some pavement, starting to plan for the Annual Meeting of the Parish in September, consulting residents for ideas for the use of Community Infrastructure Levy grant funding, and planning for an annual maintenance programme for the village stream. Also on the agenda is the review of the Community Emergency Plan which is overdue.
If you are interested in helping with any of this the Parish Council would like to hear from you. Please contact the Clerk, in the first instance, with a short statement by 31st August 2020 setting out reasons for your interest.
You would be asked to read a briefing note on qualifications and disqualifications with regard to becoming a Parish Councillor, and to sign a declaration of eligibility prior to being co-opted onto the Council after which you would be required to sign ‘Declarations of Interests’ and ‘Acceptance of Office’ forms. All Parish Councillors are required to abide by the Suffolk Code of Conduct.
If you would like more information, please give the Parish Clerk a call or contact any Parish Councillor for an informal chat.
Find contact details, the Good Councillors Guide, elections briefing note (LTN8) and the Suffolk Code of Conduct, on the Parish Council webpage along with more information about the Parish Council. Short courses can be arranged for new councillors wishing to understand more about their role and that of the Parish Council.