Are you willing to represent the community?
Are you someone who cares about the community and can put forward other residents’ views, wishes and hopes? If so, you should join our parish council.
A councillor holds public office and is democratically accountable to their constituents. Their main role is to partake in the collective decision making of the council. An individual councillor cannot make decisions on behalf of the council - they can only make decisions as part of the collective decision-making body of the council.
Councillors hold the role to represent the views of the community to the council and should also represent the council to the community. Councillors can suggest ideas, comment, debate and vote to enable the council to make decisions.
Joining a council outside of an election is called 'co-option' and this involves the council voting for you to fill a vacant seat at one of their monthly meetings.
A person is qualified to join the council if they are a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or an EU citizen, 18 years old and, on the day of co-option will:
a) be a local government elector for the area of the authority; or
b) during the whole of the 12 months preceding that day, occupy as owner or tenant any land or premises in that area; or
c) evidence that their principal or only place of work during those 12 months has been in that area; or
d) during the whole of those 12 months, reside in that area; or
e) during the whole of those 12 months, reside either in the parish or community or within three miles of it.
A person is disqualified from becoming a councillor if they:
a) hold any paid office or employment (other than the office of chairman, vice chairman or deputy chairman) to which they have been appointed by the council or any committee or sub-committee of the council, or by a paid officer of the council, or by any joint committee on which the council is represented; or
b) is the subject of a bankruptcy or debt relief restrictions (contact the Clerk for further detail)
c) has, within five years before the day of election or since their election, been convicted of any offence and sentenced to a term of imprisonment of at least three months (whether suspended or not) without the option of a fine; or
d) has been found guilty of corrupt or illegal practices or was responsible for incurring unlawful expenditure and the court orders his disqualification.
If a person is eligible and co-opted to the council, they will be expected to attend one meeting per month (approximately 90 minutes to two hours long) to make decisions on a range of initiatives and financial matters affecting the council. Meetings take place on the second Thursday evening of every month (except August) and the venue is currently Nettlesworth Community Centre.
Our co-option policy can be found at: www.kimblesworthandplawsworthparishcouncil.co.uk/policies Kimblesworth and Plawsworth Parish Council welcomes enthusiastic and committed individuals. If you would like to become a councillor, please contact us at: clerk@kimblesworthandplawsworthparishcouncil.co.uk