On 4th May 2023 there will be an election for Great Notley Parish Council and there will be spaces to fill so why not get involved and contribute to your community! The Parish Council is the first tier of democracy and deals with the issues directly concerning your parish.
What issues does the Parish Council deal with?
The Parish Council deals with the following matters –
- Employs a litter teams which provides around 70 hours a week of litter picking and maintenance in the parish including the emptying of litter bins
- Seeks to make the Parish and clean and tidy place to live by organising additional cleansing
- Liaises with other authorities regarding green initiatives and tree maintenance in the Parish
- Makes representations on planning matters and consultations effecting the parish
- Maintains and seeks to improve the Levens Way Play area and the RAFT play area so as to provide facilities for the young people in our Parish
- Promotes Health and Wellbeing initiatives including liaising with the local GP surgery
- Maintains White Court memorial and flagpoles
- Maintains some streetlights in the parish
- Supports local voluntary organisations through its Grant scheme and works with such groups in relation to community events.
- Publishes the Great Notley Times magazine and maintains a website and Facebook page to communicate important information to residents
- Maintains the storage unit
- Attempting to obtain land to set up an allotment site for Parishioners
- Organises Parish events such as the service of Remembrance
- Liaises with other organisations such as the police regarding parish matters
- Plans for the future of the parish
I’m not sure I have the time!
The Parish Council meets once a month except during August. The meetings are held on a Monday and last about 2 hours. Sometimes it would be useful to be involved in specific projects or activities which may take up more time. The day to day administration is dealt with by the Clerk. Most of the existing Councillors have full time jobs so the commitment of time is not excessive!
What sort of existing knowledge do I need?
The existing Councillors come from all walks of life and you don’t need to be specially qualified. An interest in your community and a commitment to do the best for the residents of the Parish are the most important things together with your life experience and common sense views!
Would I be subject to any rules and regulations?
Councillors sign up to observe the Code of Conduct and complete a register of interests form to deal with issues of possible conflicts of interests. In addition, decisions may only be made by the Parish Council as a whole and not by individuals so you will need to be happy to be part of a team. There are also a variety of policies and procedures governing other aspects of the business of the Parish Council such as the good governance of finances. Guidance will be provided by the Clerk to new Councillors and also new Councillors are expected to undergo some training which will be paid for by the Parish Council to make sure they have a solid understanding of the running of the Parish Council.
Are there any specific qualifying requirements?
Yes! You need to be aged 18 or above, be resident or work either in the Parish or reside within 3 miles of the Parish, you should not have gone to prison in the last 5 years and you should not be bankrupt.
I would like to know a bit more
You could always come along to a Parish Council meeting or feel free to have a chat with the Clerk and if you like she can arrange for you to have an informal chat with an existing Councillor. Contact the Clerk on 01376 331251 or email greatnotleyclerk@gmail.com
How do I stand for election?
You will need to complete a nomination form and early in April 2023 the relevant forms will be available to download and complete on the Braintree District Council website https://www.braintree.gov.uk/elections or ring 01376 552525 and ask for the electoral department.