Parish Councillor Vacancy

Sturmer Parish Council currently has a vacancy for a Parish Councillor, which may be filled by co-option.

If this is something that you may be interested in, then please feel free to contact our Clerk at clerk@sturmer-pc.gov.uk or any of the Parish Councillors. Their contact details can be found here: https://sturmer-pc.gov.uk/people

The Council is an elected body of 6 residents who qualify to act as Parish Councillors. Their role is to ensure that the Parish is using the precept received from the Council Tax effectively and efficiently and to represent the interests of the Community they serve. We do this in various ways.

Although the Parish Council has limited powers to make decisions, we strive to be a voice to influence decisions on other organisations such as the police, District Council, County Council and health authority in representing the feelings and needs of residents.

The Parish Council is also a statutory consultee on planning application within the Parish. We may also comment on planning applications in surrounding areas if we feel they will impact on Sturmer residents.

How much time will I need to give?

As a minimum, you will be expected to attend meetings throughout the year. We tend to meet each month for 2 hours. In addition, Parish Councillors generally have another area of responsibility, such as basic maintenance tasks, clearing footpaths, litter picking and tidying, spotting Highways issues etc. This can be for as little as an hour a month through to as much time as you’re able to give!

You will also need a little time to prepare for meetings by reviewing any reports or planning applications for consideration.

To be eligible to be a Parish Councillor, you must:

• be a UK or commonwealth citizen, or;
• be a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, or;
• be a citizen of another Member state of the European Union;
• be at least 18 years old.

To be eligible to be a Parish Councillor in Sturmer, you must:

• be an elector of the parish, or;
• for the whole of the previous 12 months have occupied (as owner or tenant) land or other premises in the parish, or;
• during the previous 12 months have worked in the parish (as your principal or only place of work), or;
• for the whole of the previous 12 months lived in the parish or within three miles of the parish boundary.

Do I need any particular qualifications or experience?

In short, no! We are looking for people with all sorts of skills and life experiences to bring to the role. The Clerk and other Councillors will support you as you settle into the role. There are also various induction and training courses for Parish Councillors, and briefings to help keep you up to speed on what’s happening.

So, if you are interested in discussing the opportunity further, please do get in touch with us. We’d love to hear from you!