Councillor Vacancy on Berkswich Parish Council!
Vacancy on Berkswich Parish Council!
Berkswich Parish Council needs a new team member; if you think you would like to take on the challenge please contact the Clerk at berkswichclerk@gmail.com
What is a councillor?
Parish Councillors are elected to represent parishes across the country – this vacancy is at Berkswich Parish Council which covers Milford and Walton on the Hill in Stafford. They are generally elected by the public every four years (elections in May 2023), but there is a Co-option space available on the Parish Council at the moment.
What do councillors do?
Councillors have three main components to their work.
1. Decision making – Through meetings and attending committees with other elected members, councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be implemented.
2. Monitoring – Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working.
3. Getting involved locally – As local representatives, councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local organisations. These responsibilities and duties often depend on what the councillor wants to achieve and how much time is available, and may include:
• Going to meetings of local organisations
• Going to meetings of bodies affecting the wider community
• Taking up issues on behalf of members of the public
How much time does it take up?
Often councillors say that their duties occupy them for about an hour a week. Obviously there are some councillors who spend more time than this – and some less, but in the main being a parish councillor is an enjoyable way of contributing to your community, and helping to make it a better place to live and work.
As a councillor representing your community you will help keep it a great place to live and work. You will be supported in your role and will be expected to undertake training. You should be comfortable working electronically. You should have a positive outlook and a can-do attitude and be willing to work as part of a team.
Qualifications to be a Councillor
A person is qualified to be elected and to be a councillor if they are a British, Irish, Commonwealth or EU citizen and on the relevant day (that is, the day of nomination or election) they are 18 or over*. In addition, the person must meet at least one of the following criteria:
• on the relevant day and thereafter they continue to be on the electoral register for the parish; or
• during the whole of the twelve months before that day they have owned or tenanted land or premises in the parish; or
• during the whole of the twelve months before that day their principal or only place of work has been in the parish; or
• during the whole of the twelve months before that day they have resided in the parish or within three miles of it.
Except for the qualification above*, these qualifications then continue for the full term of office, until the next ordinary elections. Certain people are disqualified from standing, and these include paid officers (including the Clerks) of the council, bankrupts and those subject to recent sentences of imprisonment.
If you are interested in applying please send relevant information including confirmation or your qualification (see above) to the Clerk using the email address above.
The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on Friday 30 September 2022