YOUR COUNCIL
Hinton Blewett Parish Council is the third tier of government after parliament and the unitary council, Bath & North East Somerset Council. Its legal powers are granted and regulated by various government acts.
The Parish Council supplements the provision of local government services by Bath & North East Somerset Council, while promoting and representing the village with other national and statutory bodies.
For example the Parish Council acts as a consultee and lobbying force with the unitary council (Bath & North East Somerset) putting forward the wishes and needs of the local community. Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) whose main responsibilities include education, social services, highways, fire and rescue, strategic planning and libraries, consults with the Parish Council on such subjects as the Local Structure Plan and the Local Transport Plan and also consults on such matters as development control (planning applications), environmental health, refuse collection and from time to time on economic development, tourism and major recreational facilities.
How does your Parish Council operate? The Parish Council has 7 Parish Councillors elected for a term of four years, all of whom act on an unpaid, voluntary basis, plus a part-time Clerk, to whom all correspondence should be addressed. The civic year runs from May to April with the election of the Chairman of Council and Vice Chairman taking place at the statutory Annual meeting in May.
The Council meets bi-monthly and the meetings are held in Hinton Blewett Village Hall. The agenda, which is issued a minimum of three clear days before a meeting is published on the notice board on Upper Road, opposite the Barbury outside the Ring O’Bells public house as well as on this website. The minutes of meetings are posted on this website within one week of the meeting.
How is the Parish Council funded? The Council Tax paid by Hinton Blewett residents, includes the spending requirements of B&NES Council, Avon and Somerset Police Authority and this Parish Council.
Many people do not realise that the Parish Council does not receive any revenue support from central government, unlike county, unitary and district councils; neither does it receive any funding from local businesses and retailers via their payment of the non-domestic rate.
Every year the Parish Council calculates the money it needs to raise to provide its services and any capital projects, which may be planned for the year ahead. This sum, called the Precept, is the amount we levy on the unitary council and which they collect as a proportion of the total council tax paid by Hinton Blewett households.
When and where does the Council meet? The dates of meetings of the Parish Council, held bi-monthly, are published on this website. The meetings start at 7.00 pm in the Village Hall. The press and public are welcome to attend all Council meetings and the public may put questions or make statements on any matter in the public session before the commencement of each meeting. This is normally restricted to 30 minutes in total, with a maximum of three minutes per speaker. Anyone who wishes to speak should give the Clerk written notice by 12 noon on the Friday preceding the meeting.
The Annual Parish Meeting at which members of the public are welcome to ask any questions of the Council is held in April in the Village Hall. At this meeting the Chairman of Council will give a report of the work of the Council in the past year, and outline proposals for the coming year.
The May meeting of the Full Council is the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council at which the Chairman and Chairman of Committees are elected.
How do the Council meetings operate? The Parish Council of 7 councillors meets to consider the items detailed on the agenda. The Parish Council has no authority to make a decision on any item that has not been properly and publicly advertised by being displayed via the agenda.
Working with the community Residents of the parish of Hinton Blewett are invited to join the Parish mailing list to receive email updates on the activities of the Parish Council including agendas and minutes and also to receive details of community events. Residents who wish to join the list should contact the Clerk via the Get In Touch webform (right) giving their name and address.
- Posted: 7th March 2015