What is the Parish Council

Rudston Parish Council is a very small local authority. Each year the councillors choose a chairman from amongst their number. There is also a vice-chairman and a clerk, who is the Proper Officer and the Responsible Finance Officer of the council. The Parish Council has a few sub-committees, e.g. Playground Committee; represents the parish on a number of village and external committees, e.g. Village Hall Committee, Playing Field Committee, Police Liaison Committee.

Parish Councils have a number of formal powers. Many provide allotments, look after playing fields, play areas and village greens, They maintain and guard things such as rights of way, bus shelters, public seats, small scale street lighting, and often provide village halls and meeting places. The Parish council can do these things by actually providing them itself, or by helping someone else (such as a charity or volunteers) financially to do so. Parish councils have the power to improve the quality of community life by spending sums of money on things which, in their opinion, are in the interests of the parish or it’s inhabitants.

Parish Councillors are elected for four years at a time. The last election in this parish was in 2010. Vacancies occurring between elections are filled by bye-election (if requested) or co-option.

Parish Councils are also the focal point for local consultation on matters such as planning applications and County Council strategic planning. The parish councillors know the village and can represent its views to other authorities such as County Councils. They are entitled to be consulted on planning applications and are often consulted on things like schools and roads. They put the parish’s case at public enquiries.

How much does it cost?

Parish councils are the most unbureaucratic and cheapest kind of local authority in existence. Our funds are a tiny part of the council tax. We get no general government grant, and so have every incentive to be economical. The accounts are strictly audited every year by an internal auditor and the Audit Commission. The financial breakdown used to calculate the precept can be found by clicking the financeial Summary tab to the left.

Who controls the Parish Council?

The people registered on the Electoral Roll for the parish of Rudston. They elect its members every four years and they are entitled to go to the annual parish meeting (usually held early in May) and say what they think. Members of the public are also welcome to sit in on the monthly council meetings. Rudston Parish Council has a standard agenda item at its meetings to allow representations to be made to the Parish Council. Anyone wishing to do so, should contact the Parish Clerk at least a week before the meeting to arrange to speak.