Localism and local councils
Parish and Town Councils play a pivotal role as the grass-roots level of local government and can contribute to strong democratic government by shaping the decisions that affect their communities in the follow ways:
• They can provide local services and revitalising local communities;
• They can represent the views of their area and influence the development of our policies and services;
• They can provide valuable feedback on how our services are working in their area and how changes in policy are likely to affect the local community.
What about practical support for Parishes?
On request we will, wherever resources permit, discuss with Parish or town Councils, how best to access appropriate support services such as;
- Legal matters
- Committee and procedural arrangements
- Forestry and arboricultural services
- Property management, acquisition and disposal
- Building cleaning
- Catering services
- Grounds maintenance
- Servicing equipment
- Printing and purchasing
- Human resources
- Information technology and telecommunications, including systems development and PC support
- Financial matters of a technical nature (e.g. capital expenditure controls)
- Sources of funding for not for profit organisations
- Procurement
- To display information in council offices and on their website
- To provide information and advice on fire safety matters
- To provide information and advice on health and safety matters
- Anything else we are able to share!
Local Councils can also access some of our approved maintenance contractors and agreed schedules of rates and may commission our professional consultants at agreed rates.
Quality Local Councils
It is anticipated that the number of Quality Parish Councils will increase. Quality Councils may wish to take on the provision of additional services and the District Council will work with them to enable them to do so wherever this is appropriate and promotes community well being. We are also keen to work with Quality Councils to explore the delegation of services. This will take into account the need to:
- Demonstrate Best Value (this will need to include costs, including potential double charging of residents, economies of scale, implications for the principal councils’ workforce and the use of buildings and equipment etc)
- Be within the capacity of Local Councils
- Provide a coherent pattern of services that is understandable to the public !
- Have arrangements that are transparent and accountable
- Meet equality and diversity policies
Where services are delegated in this manner, there will be an agreement with details of the type length etc of service provision.
What services can be delegated to Local Councils?
- Control of markets
- Issue of transport voucher schemes (e.g. taxi vouchers)
- Litter collection and litter control measures
- Maintenance of highway verges, footways and footpaths
- Noise and nuisance abatement
- Operational Aspects of Parking provision
- Public conveniences
- Recycling provisions
- Street cleaning
- Street naming
- Tree Preservation Orders
- Some aspects of development control
- Some aspects of the management of museums
- Some aspects of leisure and tourism provision (e.g. bowling greens, playing fields)
This list is not exhaustive – please contact us to discuss your ideas.
Possible concurrent services
- Allotments
- Paddling Pools
- Bus Shelters
- Car Parking (off street)
- CCTV (installation and maintenance)
- Cemeteries and burial grounds
- Christmas lights and trees
- Closed cemeteries and burial grounds
- Commons and common pastures
- Community centres
- Entertainment and the arts
- Grass cutting
- Information services (tourism)
- Leisure facilities
- Litter and dog waste bins
- Museums
- Open spaces
- Parks
- Playgrounds
- Play schemes
- Playing fields
- Public clocks
- Public conveniences
- Public seats adjoining highways
- Recreation grounds
- Sports pitches
- Street cleansing
- Taxi fare concessions
- Tourism promotion
- Village greens
- Village halls
- War memorials