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PARISH COUNCILLOR VACANCIES AT THURLESTONE PARISH COUNCIL
There is currently one councillor vacancy.
If there are vacancies caused by a councillor resignation, the Council is required to co-opt people to these vacancies. Co-option takes place at a full council meeting and candidates are expected to provide some information about themselves for councillors and confirm they are eligible to be a councillor. If you are interested in being co-opted to the Council please have a look at the information below which outlines the role and the expectations. You can email Helen Leather, the Parish Clerk, at [email protected] who will be able to answer any questions you might have about the process.
What is involved in being a councillor?
You don’t need any special qualifications or experience – there is training available, and a Clerk supports the Council. What you do need is energy and the ability to work as part of a team to make the parish a better place for everyone. Being a councillor is all about giving back to your community.
What skills do you need to be a parish councillor?
Good communication skills, problem solving, analytical thinking, tolerance and being a team player are all advantageous attributes. Local Councils are governed by legislation so there are processes to follow, but training courses to help you are available and many are online.
The Clerk will provide an induction pack which will contain links to documents and policies you need when you have been co-opted. Essential reading is the Code of Conduct – the declaration of willingness to serve which must be signed before a councillor can take up office requires you to sign to say you will abide by the Code of Conduct. The Council’s Standing Orders govern meetings and the Finance Regulations govern how money is spent and accounted for and are also vital for councillors to understand. A paper copy of documents can be provided to candidates should you need them. Council policies can be found on this website on the policies page. Here is a link to the page https://www.thurlestoneparish.co.uk/policies--governance.html
How much time does being a councillor take?
As with anything, what you get out of being a Parish Councillor will depend on what you are able to put in. As a minimum you must attend the monthly council meetings (held on the first Monday of each month (unless a Bank Holiday then it will be 2nd Monday of the month from 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm in Thurlestone Parish Hall) and prepare for them by reading the papers sent to you. The Council can only make decisions if an item is on the agenda of a Council meeting. Being an effective councillor requires both commitment and hard work, but the rewards are that you can make a real difference to your community.
What is the Council?
Parish Councils are a separate legal, corporate entity first created by the Local Government Act of 1894. Councillors have to balance the needs and interests of residents and the council.
The Council represents residents and has the power to do many things to make the parish better for residents.
What does Thurlestone Parish Council do?
Each year the Parish Council raises a precept on council taxpayers to cover many of its expenses. The precept for the financial year 2024/25 is £36,000. Parish Council activities cover just the parish and include:
Councillors must complete, and keep updated, a registration of interests form for themselves and their partner/spouse. An interest includes any land or property in the parish (including where they live); any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain; any organisations they are a member of which: exercise functions of a public nature; any body directed to charitable purposes; or one of whose principal purposes includes the influence of public opinion or policy (including any political party or trade union). These registrations must be sent to the Monitoring Officer at South Hams District Council and to the Parish Clerk. A summary of declared interests must be available on the Parish Council website for members of the public to see. You can find this document on this website on this page
https://shwd-registerofinterest.oncreate.app/w/webpage/155GBDKJ1
Councillors must also behave in an ethical manner according to the Members Code of Conduct and other policies. At the start of a council meeting councillors must declare any interests they have which relate to the agenda and leave the room when likely to be prejudiced.
The Code of Conduct can be found here:
https://www.thurlestoneparish.co.uk/uploads/4/8/9/6/48967079/councillor_code_of_conduct.pdf
The Council employs a Clerk who manages the council’s administration and finance and provides advice.
Who can become a councillor?
Almost anyone who is a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any member state of the European Union, 18 years of age or older, on the electoral roll or living in the parish or within 3 miles of its boundary or working in the parish, can become a councillor.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Here are the criteria. You can be a Councillor for several Councils at the same time: County, District and Parish/Town Council. You can be a Councillor if you have a full-time job; by law your employer must allow you to take a reasonable amount of time off during working hours to perform your duties as a Councillor. You do not need to belong to a political party to stand for election and can stand as a candidate to become a Parish/Town Councillor if:
The Clerk is available to advise and answer any questions you might have.
Contact Helen Leather, Parish Clerk by email at [email protected]
There is currently one councillor vacancy.
If there are vacancies caused by a councillor resignation, the Council is required to co-opt people to these vacancies. Co-option takes place at a full council meeting and candidates are expected to provide some information about themselves for councillors and confirm they are eligible to be a councillor. If you are interested in being co-opted to the Council please have a look at the information below which outlines the role and the expectations. You can email Helen Leather, the Parish Clerk, at [email protected] who will be able to answer any questions you might have about the process.
What is involved in being a councillor?
You don’t need any special qualifications or experience – there is training available, and a Clerk supports the Council. What you do need is energy and the ability to work as part of a team to make the parish a better place for everyone. Being a councillor is all about giving back to your community.
What skills do you need to be a parish councillor?
Good communication skills, problem solving, analytical thinking, tolerance and being a team player are all advantageous attributes. Local Councils are governed by legislation so there are processes to follow, but training courses to help you are available and many are online.
The Clerk will provide an induction pack which will contain links to documents and policies you need when you have been co-opted. Essential reading is the Code of Conduct – the declaration of willingness to serve which must be signed before a councillor can take up office requires you to sign to say you will abide by the Code of Conduct. The Council’s Standing Orders govern meetings and the Finance Regulations govern how money is spent and accounted for and are also vital for councillors to understand. A paper copy of documents can be provided to candidates should you need them. Council policies can be found on this website on the policies page. Here is a link to the page https://www.thurlestoneparish.co.uk/policies--governance.html
How much time does being a councillor take?
As with anything, what you get out of being a Parish Councillor will depend on what you are able to put in. As a minimum you must attend the monthly council meetings (held on the first Monday of each month (unless a Bank Holiday then it will be 2nd Monday of the month from 7.30 pm – 9.30 pm in Thurlestone Parish Hall) and prepare for them by reading the papers sent to you. The Council can only make decisions if an item is on the agenda of a Council meeting. Being an effective councillor requires both commitment and hard work, but the rewards are that you can make a real difference to your community.
What is the Council?
Parish Councils are a separate legal, corporate entity first created by the Local Government Act of 1894. Councillors have to balance the needs and interests of residents and the council.
The Council represents residents and has the power to do many things to make the parish better for residents.
What does Thurlestone Parish Council do?
Each year the Parish Council raises a precept on council taxpayers to cover many of its expenses. The precept for the financial year 2024/25 is £36,000. Parish Council activities cover just the parish and include:
- Looking after parish property such as the public toilets, benches, war memorials and notice boards.
- Clearing the footpaths and parish grounds.
- Liaising with Devon County Council regarding traffic problems. The Parish Council is working with Devon County Council to install Speed indicator Signs.
- Commenting on planning applications within the parish. South Hams District Council makes the final decision on planning applications but will take into account the views of the Parish Council.
- Working on the Neighbourhood Plan which will be a material consideration in planning applications when it is adopted.
- Supporting local community projects with grants
- Councillors are expected to represent their communities but not campaign for their own causes.
Councillors must complete, and keep updated, a registration of interests form for themselves and their partner/spouse. An interest includes any land or property in the parish (including where they live); any employment, office, trade, profession or vocation carried on for profit or gain; any organisations they are a member of which: exercise functions of a public nature; any body directed to charitable purposes; or one of whose principal purposes includes the influence of public opinion or policy (including any political party or trade union). These registrations must be sent to the Monitoring Officer at South Hams District Council and to the Parish Clerk. A summary of declared interests must be available on the Parish Council website for members of the public to see. You can find this document on this website on this page
https://shwd-registerofinterest.oncreate.app/w/webpage/155GBDKJ1
Councillors must also behave in an ethical manner according to the Members Code of Conduct and other policies. At the start of a council meeting councillors must declare any interests they have which relate to the agenda and leave the room when likely to be prejudiced.
The Code of Conduct can be found here:
https://www.thurlestoneparish.co.uk/uploads/4/8/9/6/48967079/councillor_code_of_conduct.pdf
The Council employs a Clerk who manages the council’s administration and finance and provides advice.
Who can become a councillor?
Almost anyone who is a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of any member state of the European Union, 18 years of age or older, on the electoral roll or living in the parish or within 3 miles of its boundary or working in the parish, can become a councillor.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Here are the criteria. You can be a Councillor for several Councils at the same time: County, District and Parish/Town Council. You can be a Councillor if you have a full-time job; by law your employer must allow you to take a reasonable amount of time off during working hours to perform your duties as a Councillor. You do not need to belong to a political party to stand for election and can stand as a candidate to become a Parish/Town Councillor if:
- You are 18 or over on the day you submit your nomination paper and are a British, Commonwealth or European Union Citizen* and at least one of the following:
- a registered local government elector in the electoral area you are wanting to stand as a candidate
- have resided in the area for the whole 12 months preceding the day of nominations, or
- work in the electoral area in which you want to stand and have for at least the past 12 months
- own property in the electoral area you are wanting to stand and have for at least the past 12 months
- for all of the previous 12 months you have lived in the Parish/Town or within 3 miles of the boundary
- This is expected to change for European Citizens in 2025
The Clerk is available to advise and answer any questions you might have.
Contact Helen Leather, Parish Clerk by email at [email protected]