Framingham Earl Parish Council
Becoming a Councillor
Becoming a Parish Councillor is a rewarding and valued form of public service. All Councillors contribute to the work of the Parish Council by:
· Having a say about the things they care about
· Putting forward ideas for better services
· Responding to the needs and views of parishioners
· Seeking the best outcome to local issues
· Getting involved in decision making
· Helping to make Framingham Earl a better place to live!
The Parish Council meets five times per financial year as standard practice, normally on a Tuesday at 7.30pm at the Methodist Church, Pigot Lane, NR14 7PX, with the exception of the Annual Parish Meeting that commences at the earlier time of 7.00pm. Councillors are expected to attend meetings on a regular basis.
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The Role of a Councillor
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A Councillor is a member of the Council and is normally elected for a term of four years. People of any political or religious persuasion are eligible to become a Councillor, although their personal views should not extend into their Parish Council work. A Councillor is an unpaid voluntary role.
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They are elected to represent the interests of the local community as a whole and promote a harmonious local environment. The number of elected Councillors depends on the size of the area. In Framingham Earl we are able to have 7 Councillors.
Local Councils are the first tier of governance and are the first point of contact for anyone concerned with a community issue. They are democratically elected local authorities and exist in England, Wales and Scotland. The term ‘local council’ is synonymous with ‘Parish Council’, ‘Town Council’ and ‘Community Council’.
The Role of the Parish Clerk
The Parish Clerk is the ‘Proper Officer’ of the Council who is responsible for the smooth running of the Council’s business. He/she is the first point of contact for the Council and all correspondence comes to the Parish Clerk.
Responsibility for implementing the decisions of the Council rests with the Parish Clerk along with giving professional guidance where necessary whilst remaining neutral and discrete. The Parish Clerk is also responsible for financial management.
The Parish Clerk prepares, circulates and displays agendas in public places. She/he signs notices and summonses with a list of business to be transacted but does not have the power to fix the meetings of the Council. The Parish Clerk is required to attend meetings, take minutes, keep Council minutes in a book and hold other documents.
A member of the Council may be appointed as Parish Clerk without remuneration but nowadays it is more usual to appoint someone who is not a councillor to be paid for the work they undertake.