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PARISH COUNCILPages last updated Friday, 05 March 2010 On 2nd March 2009, Much Birch parish had a total of 766 electors and is currently represented by 6 councillors. How Parish Councils workParish councils are statutory bodies set up under the Local Government Act 1972. Members are elected for a term of four years and a clerk is employed to organise meetings, carry out the council’s decisions and give advice on any legal issues or new legislation. (The Clerk is the only paid person to serve a council but does not vote or make decisions for the council.) Parish councils are the form of local government closest to the people. They are required to be representative of their community and often take a lead in raising issues affecting the interests of its area with the county council or central government. Councils are funded principally by an annual precept. Income and expenditure for the next financial year are calculated in the form of estimates. The net amount (the precept) is added to council tax, collected by the county, borough or district council (principal authorities) and paid to parishes in two six-monthly instalments. Parish councils can apply for other funding such as grant and funding awards, but they do not receive funds direct from central government, as principal authorities do. What a councillor does
Councillors represent the residents and electors of the parish. They meet in public once a month and decisions are made public in minutes which can be found on the parish notice board and on this website. Local Councillors are individually available to anyone in the parish for consultation on any matter of local concern. It is their duty to strive to represent not themselves, but the public interest. A Code of Conduct applies to all councillors. When they take office they declare any interests they may have in local businesses or property. A Register of Interests is kept on file at Brockington and it is available for public inspection. Meetings
The public are welcome to attend the monthly meeting, which is generally held on the first Thursday of the month (not January or August) at 7.30 pm in the Community Hall. The council cannot lawfully make decisions on anything that is not on the agenda. Members of the public may speak by invitation only at this meeting. Any member of the public wishing to speak should notify the Clerk in advance of the meeting. The ClerkThe Clerk is the Responsible Officer of the Council in law and has a number of specific duties and responsibilities. The job includes executing the resolutions of the Council and advising on points of Law and procedure. The Clerk is also responsible for managing the financial transactions of the council and keeping appropriate records of such. If you wish to draw the whole parish council's attention to any matter please write to the clerk. This letter will be read in full at the next meeting. Village LengthsmanThe Council operates a Lengthsman Scheme. The Lengthsman carries out various tasks in the Parish including basic maintenance, general repairs, improvements and maintenance to the Public Rights of Way Network and similar issues. If any parishioner can suggest tasks that the Lengthsman can carry out, please make contact with the Parish Council Chairman, John Jones. Footpaths OfficerGlen Sims is the Footpaths Officer for the parish and, along with other members of the parish, has begun to survey the footpaths. Through woods and fields, up hill and down dale seeking out the rarely used along with the well trodden. We wish to encourage all walkers, whether parishioners or visitors, to report any problems they encounter when walking the footpaths of this parish to Cllr. Glen Sims on his home telephone number - 01981 540052 - in the evenings (a grid reference would be very helpful or just the location). Glen will then contact the Area Rights of Way Warden at Hereford Council so that they can be investigated. Click HERE for the 2009 Annual Report The Precept
The Council raises the funds to carry out their duties by means of a local tax called the Precept. This is a relatively small sum which is collected by Herefordshire Council at the same time as your Council Taxes. The parish council strives to keep the Precept as low as possible in line with the needs of the community.
If you have any queries on Parish Council matters, please telephone your the parish Clerk:
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