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Vacancies and Election information

There is a vacancy within the Parish Council for a councillor to represent Eccleshall Ward.

Eccleshall Parish Council is now looking to co-opt to fill this vacancy.

Although you will be representing Eccleshall ward, you do not have to live in that ward to be eligible.

For further information and an application form, please contact the Clerk on 01785 282296 or eccleshallpc@gmail.com

 

Be a voice for your community

Want to stand up for where you live or work and make real changes?

If you are over 18, then you are probably eligible to be a parish councillor for the parish where you live or work.

A parish council is a local authority that makes decisions on behalf of the people in the parish and has an overall responsibility for the well-being of its local community.  It is the level government closest to the community, with the Borough and County Council authorities above it in the hierarchy. As it is the authority closest to the people, parish councils are invariably the first place people will go with concerns or ideas.  For this reason they are a vital part of any community. As an elected body the work of a parish council involves delivering services to meet local needs, striving to improve the quality of life in the parish and representing the local community.

Eccleshall Parish Council is not a political body and is made up of 15 councillors representing four wards – Eccleshall, Croxton, Horsley and Slindon.

The Council has five active Committees – Policy and Resources, Traffic Management, Enhancements,  Footpaths and Events. Members are encouraged to sit on at least one committee and to attend training sessions.

The Parish Council meets on the third Wednesday in every month, with the exception of August and December. The Planning Committee meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month. The other committees meet approximately every 2-3 months, also on the first Wednesday of the month. Dates are planned in advance and can be viewed on the calendar tab of this website. All meetings are open to the public

Applicants should note that Councillors are expected to attend regular meetings and any additional meetings as may be arranged, and to represent the electors of Eccleshall in raising and discussing those issues of interest and concern on which the Parish Council is empowered to act. It is important that members engage with projects and activities outside of the meetings so will need to bear the time commitment in mind.

Once elected, parish councillors sit on the council for a maximum of four years.  If they then want to stay in the post they can stand for re-election.

Why become a Parish Councillor?

If you’ve never been to a parish council meeting before, you may have certain expectations of what it may be like. If, however, you live in a community where something important crops up, you’ll know that when people in the community need support and guidance, the parish council is one of the authorities that is turned to.

By becoming a parish councillor you will be someone your community will look to for help, guidance and support,and be a community leader with the power to influence decisions for the benefit of the people you serve.

Seeing your community change for the better, as a result of decisions you have helped make, can give you a great sense of achievement and pride.

What decisions do Parish Councils make?

Parish councils make all kinds of decisions on issues that affect the local community.  Probably the most common topics that parish councils get involved with are planning matters (they are statutory consultees), helping local groups, managing open spaces and some play areas, maintaining footpaths and campaigning for and delivering better services and facilities.

It is true that parish councils have limited powers to make decisions.  But they do have the ability to negotiate with, and the power to influence, other organisations that do make the final decisions (such as the Borough or County Council, police etc).

In this respect parish councils are extremely powerful.  The organisations that make the final decisions know that a parish council gives the best reflection of how a community feels about something, and its views will be taken seriously.

What powers do parish councils have?

They have a wide range of powers which essentially related to local matters, such as looking after community buildings, open spaces, allotments, play areas, street lighting, bus shelters, car parks and much more.  The council also has the power to raise money through taxation, the precept.  The precept is a parish council’s share of the council tax.  The precept demand goes to the billing authority, Stafford Borough Council, which collects the tax on behalf of the parish council.

Want to find out more?

The best way to find out what it’s like to be a parish councillor is to talk to someone who’s doing it now.

Come along to a parish council meeting, or speak to one of our councillors and find out what they think of the job.

If you contact the Clerk at eccleshallpc@gmail.com, they can provide you with some further information to take a look at.

In order to become a Parish Councillor, you need to be 18 or over, and a British citizen, a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of a European Union country

In order to apply for a position within Eccleshall Parish, you also need to answer Yes to at least one of the following questions:

Are you on the electoral register for the parish of Eccleshall?
Have you lived either in the parish of Eccleshall, or within three miles of its boundary, for at least a year?
Have you been the owner or tenant of land in the parish of Eccleshall for at least a year?
Have you had your only or main place of work in parish of Eccleshall for at least a year?

You must be able to answer No to the questions below to be eligible to serve as a councillor:

Are you the subject of a bankruptcy restrictions order or interim order?
Have you within the last five years been convicted of an offence in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man which resulted in a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of three months or more without the option of a fine?
Are you disqualified by order of a court from being a member of a local authority?