Post on 11-Jan-2016
Steve Lugg
H.A.L.C.
New and Potential Councillors Presentation
What’s the Hampshire ALC?
• Hampshire Association of Local Councils• Serves the 255 (262 from 1st Apr 2010)
councils & meetings across Hampshire• Information, query support, legal opinion,
project funding signposting, training and development, representation, networking
• 3 FTE staff, CE only full-time staff member
What is a parish council?
• Nearly 9,000 across the country• Can be styled parish, village, community or
town council• First tier of local government• Part of a national pyramid network• Diversity is the key, no two councils are
identical!• Expenditure not capped!
How do you become a town council?
• By resolution• Chairman becomes Mayor• Civic and ceremonial• All town councils are parish councils• Tend to be more politicised• Tend to be more formal in meetings
What do local councils do?
• Representing the local community• Delivering services and facilities to meet local
need• Striving to maintain and improving quality of
life• Two-way conduit of information
So they could be doing......
• Allotments• Footpaths • Burial grounds• Bus shelters• Commons• Leisure facilities• Crime reduction• Community transport• Tourism
• Litter bins• Youth Projects• Open Spaces• Toilets• Planning• Lighting• Traffic Calming• Seating and much
more!
Powers and Duties
• Duties
• Powers
• S. 137 Local Government Act 1972
• Power of Well-being
Making Decisions
• Council can only make decisions as a corporate body, in a properly set meeting
• Bounded by Local Government Act 1972 and successive Acts
• Clerk is impartial officer, Chief Exec• Code of Conduct• Agendas and Minutes
Where does the money come from?
• Precept• Expenditure not capped• Respond to community, not other councils• Robust budget-setting process• Grant funding• Borrowing
Eligibility to become a councillor
• British citizen, or commonwealth subject or citizen of EU
• 18 years or older on the day you are nominated
• Resident or work in the area• Cannot stand if subject of bankruptcy or
interim order, or criminal conviction or if you work for the council you want to be a Cllr for
What does a Cllr do?
• Decision making• Risk management and monitoring• Local involvement• Representation and engagement• Lead Projects and Services
How much time?
• NALC believes an average is around three hours a week? Diversity again. The more committees.....
• Concentrate on making a difference• A better place to live and work• Remember you are representing your
electorate not yourself
Keys to success
• Listen to your Clerk• Adopt a learning attitude• Training and development vital to grow• Understand your priorities• Work within the Code of Conduct• Get involved with the networks• Don’t feel intimidated, enjoy it!
Web resources
• www.hampshire-alc.gov.uk
• www.nalc.gov.uk
• www.dopolitics.org.uk
• www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
Contact details
Hampshire ALC
02380 263 438hampshirealc@hants.gov.uk
121a Winchester Road, Chandler’s FordSO53 2DR