Are you ready for Local Elections?

Published: 22 January 2019

There are many ways to be involved in the working of your local Town Council. Let's put to bed some of the myths currently out there:

• All local councils are not the same - they each have work to do and can pass you to the appropriate person / council if you have an enquiry.  This is NOT the same as passing the buck!
• You do not have to belong to a political party to be a councillor.
• You do not have to be retired to be a councillor but you MUST be over 18!
• Yes, the town council does get to see and comment on planning applications, but it is not the deciding body on these applications.
• All councils get funding to assist in their operation from the local council tax.  In the case of the Town Council, this money is called the PRECEPT.  Details on how the precept is spent can be found on the finance pages of this website.
• You don't always have to be a councillor to get involved.  Each year the town council runs a number of events and projects which benefit from volunteer and community input.  This may be help marshalling the parade at the Charter Fair, it may be help putting up stalls at the Charter Fair, it may be help going to meetings to talk about projects, it may be coming along as a member of public to meetings to have your say, or it may be being elected as a councillor.  

Your involvement is entirely in your control.  You can give as much or little time as you wish however if you are elected to be a Councillor, there are requirements re the number of meetings and committees to be attended.

As we get closer to the elections on 2nd May 2019, we will post updates on how to get more involved and how, if you wish, you can put yourself up for election.

Remember that a Town Council is run for the community, by the community.