Upton with Fishley Parish Council

 

 

Vacancy for a parish councillor

Lee Smith has resigned as a parish councillor. The councillors thank Lee for her input during her time on the parish council.

There is therefore one vacancy for a parish councillor. There is a technical process during which the district council advertises the vacancy in case there is a demand for an election for this one space. If no election is requested, then the Council will look to co-opt a person at a future meeting.

Being a parish councillor

The position of parish councillor is a voluntary position, and unpaid.  To be eligible to be a parish councillor you must be at least 18 years old, be a British or Commonwealth citizen, and either (a) be a local government elector or (b) live within 3 miles of the parish, or work in or rent/own land in the parish of Upton with Fishley.

There are 7 parish councillors for Upton with Fishley Parish Council. Every parish councillor stands down at each parish council election, normally linked to district council elections, and usually every 4 years.

Generally, candidates are invited to attend the parish council meeting and, at the end, to say just a few words about why they would like to be a parish councillor, what they care about particularly in the area, and what their interests are. The councillors then discuss the candidates and vote on which person to choose. The councillors look for someone to complement the existing skills base within the council, or someone who has an interest in or enthusiasm for a forthcoming project.

The parish council employs a parish clerk. The council looks after the play area, the playing field, the cemetery, some grasscutting, the allotments, the boat dyke and some bins and benches.

The council is consulted on planning applications in the area, and on some larger projects in the county.

Meetings are usually on the first Thursday of each month, with no meeting in August. Meetings are held at 7.30pm, in the village hall.

New councillors are encouraged to undertake some introductory training courses, which are paid for by the council.

For more information, please contact the clerk, Pauline James, on 01493 751070 or UptonPCclerk@gmail.com