What is a Parish Council?
Parish or Town Councils are an important tier of Government within the UK; a Parish/Town Council is the smallest and most localised tier of local government in the UK and is a properly constituted local authority.
The powers and duties, and the manner in which a Parish Council operates are laid out in local government statute and regulations; Parish Councils operate at a level below national government and also below district and borough councils. Parish & Town Councils are elected and can help on a number of local issues, like planning applications or running local sports grounds and community halls.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
- Parish Councillors are elected by registered electors of the parish and have responsibility to ensure they are aware what is expected of them by the residents of the parish.
- Parish Councillors will act according to the standards required by Section 28 of Localism Act 2011 as revised by the 14th Report of the Committee of Standards in Public Life 2013.
- Councillors will not act in any way which erodes public confidence in the Parish Council, nor hinder its work. It follows that they must ensure any member of the public does not engage in likewise activity and must take all appropriate steps to prevent this.
- Councillors will not act in any way which can be perceived to influence their public duties and responsibilities as defined by SBC Code of Conduct 2013, reviewed 2014. It follows that any member of the public acting in this way will be asked to desist.
- Councillors must ensure that information that has not been made public is regarded as and remains confidential. It follows that any member of the public misusing confidential information will be asked to desist. The provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and/or Freedom of Information Act 2000 will be observed scrupulously and members of the public will be expected to do so.
- Councillors will ensure their leadership and management styles are based on open, honest and thorough communication. It follows that they must be able to expect this from residents of the parish.
- Mutual respect between Councillors, Councillors and employees, and Councillors and residents is essential to sound local government. It follows that they must be able to expect this from residents, and if not take appropriate steps to rectify it, including referral to relevant authorities.
- Councillors will seek to promote high ethical standards in their relationships with residents. It follows that they must be able to expect these in return.
RESOLUTION OF COMPLAINTS
- Receipt of a complaint about the conduct of any Councillor or about decisions of the Parish Council will be referred immediately to the Clerk.
- The Clerk will seek to obtain further information from the complainant to clarify the nature of the complaint and evidence to justify it, and will present this to the next meeting of the Parish Council or to one specially convened.
- The Parish Council will decide whether further investigation is required or on appropriate action.
- If no evidence is presented to justify the complaint it will be referred to the appropriate authority as harassment.
- If the complaint is regarded as mischievous or vexatious (as defined by the Information Commissioner’s Office) it will be referred to the appropriate authority.
- The Parish Council will not countenance any abuse of, discrimination of or threats to individual Councillors or to the Parish Council as a whole. Appropriate steps will be taken to ensure this.
- The Parish Council will provide a work environment for the Clerk that is free from harassment, discrimination or bullying, and will not tolerate abuse of or threats to the Clerk.
- Use of offensive or foul language in correspondence or orally by members of the public is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. It will be reported immediately to the appropriate authority.
COMMUNICATIONS
- Hannington Parish Council prefer the use of electronic (email) correspondence in regards to the environment and the protection of it.
- The Clerk & Councillors may, from time to time, choose to operate a filtering system in order to monitor offensive or clearly inappropriate material and may quarantine any messages in that category.
- Hannington Parish Council cannot be held responsible for damages, losses, expenses, demands and/or claims that may be suffered by a user of this facility.
- Messages sent to groups of people must be relevant to all concerned.
- Messages sent by this method are not necessarily seen by the recipient within the current week. If the message is urgent, an alternative method of contact should be used
- Users are informed that email messages have the same status in law as written correspondence (letters and faxes) and are subject to the same legal implications, e.g. may be required to be disclosed in Court.
- Users are required to apply the same high standards to emails as those applied to written correspondence.
- Users accept that there is no guarantee of delivery of emails unless acceptance of delivery is requested of the recipient.
The Parish Council has legal responsibilities as an employer, and sometimes as an owner of public land and buildings.
Parish Councils are Statutory Bodies, having powers under a number of different Acts (the Local Government Act 1972, the Public Health Act 1936, etc.). Only a few Councils need to use all their available powers. It is up to each Council to choose what is appropriate for the community they serve.
The Council raises funds by the annual Precept is set in January of each year. The amount required is guided by the setting of the annual budget in the November preceding.
The Parish Council precept is added to the Council Tax bill and collected by Swindon Borough Council (on behalf of the Parish Council).
The Council also raises funds through grants from other organisations.