Metheringham Parish Council
Metheringham, Sots Hole and Tanvats Parish Council 2009 - 2010
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Welcome to the Metheringham, Sots Hole and Tanvats Parish Council Web page.
Quality Parish Council
Metheringham Parish Council is delighted to report that we have been awarded Quality Parish Status. The Quality Parish and Town Council Scheme was launched in 2003 with the aim of providing a benchmark minimum standard for parish and town councils across the country.
The accreditation demonstrates the ability to deliver efficient services to local residents and speak with greater authority to principal councils when seeking delegated functions which can be better carried out locally. The Quality Parish scheme offers a number of benefits, primarily to the community that the Parish Council represents, as well as to the Council itself and principal local authorities in the area.
To achieve Quality status, the council must demonstrate they have reached the standard set, by passing the following ten sections;
- Electoral mandate,
- Qualifications of the Clerk,
- Meetings,
- Communications – Mandatory,
- Communications – Discretionary,
- Annual Reports,
- Accounts,
- Code of Conduct,
- Promoting Local Democracy and Citizenship,
- Training.
For further information on the Quality Status scheme visit:- www.nalc.gov.uk
History of Parish Councils
Parish Councils first came into existence in 1894, the council is a statutory body and is generally know as the first tier of local government as it is closest to the electorate. The council is a corporate body, members cannot act on their own and must abide by the majority decisions. The council can discharge some of their functions by delegating to a committee, a sub-committee, an officer of the authority (normally the clerk) or another local authority. The main purpose of the council is to give a ‘grass roots’ service to the community as a whole. The parish council operates under legislation from parliament for example the Local Government Act 1972 and the Parish Councils Act 1957. It is the council’s responsibility to act lawfully and abide by the policies and procedures set for the council. The council is also responsible for any activities and decisions made by members and employees. Employees such as the clerk may carry out duties, but must not take over the responsibility of the council. The parish council receives funding annually from the precept which is paid from the electorate, through the district council.
Parish Council Services
Metheringham Parish Council consists of eleven Councillors, ten from the village ward and one from the fen ward. The duties of a Parish Councillor are varied, as the Council is responsible for many aspects of the village i.e. Play areas, public toilets, dog bins, litter bins, village seats, allotments, dog warden, street cleaning, street lighting, sports fields, youth/meeting shelter, public and parish noticeboards, war memorial, some open spaces around the village, the Annual Village Meeting (open to all parishioners), the Annual Fayre and Feast celebrations which are held in October and the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
Parish Council meetings normally take place in the Village Hall on the last Tuesday of every month, Planning Committee meetings on the second Wednesday of the month and the various working groups meet as and when required. Check the Metheringham Area Events Diary for the dates of the next meeting.
Latest Metheringham Parish Council News
- Metheringham Parish Council News Spring 2010
- Metheringham Village Hall Caretaker Vacancy
- Metheringham Parish Council Minutes - 26 Jan 2010
Metheringham Parish Council Meeting and Surgery Dates
Metheringham Parish Council Documents
- Councillors Apology for Absence Form to be completed by all members if they cannot attend council meetings. (as a word doc)
- Metheringham Parish Council Annual Report for 2008/2009 (as a word doc)
- Grant Application Form - S137 (as a word doc)