Bagnall Parish Council consists of seven Councillors, and a Clerk (the latter encompasses the roles of Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer). The Clerk is not a member of the council but an employee. Parish Councillors are not paid, giving their time freely and serve for a four-year term, unless co-opted or elected at a bye-election where they serve until the next election.
Councillors must apply the law and comply with the Code of Member Conduct. Councillors are also required to act in an ethical way and to declare an interest when necessary.
Councillors contribute to the work of the Council by suggesting ideas, influencing policy,
engaging in constructive debate and by responding to the needs and views of the
community. Councillors comment on proposals to ensure the best outcome and vote to
enable the Council to make decisions.
Individual Parish Councillors cannot make decisions on behalf of the Council, but they can
actively lead and engage with local projects, Parish Councillors have no powers outside
of the Council meeting and have a responsibility to bring local issues to the attention of the Council, participate in debate and help the Council to make decisions on behalf of the local community. All business must be transacted at meetings unless the council has asked someone to act on its behalf.
Councillors usually meet once a month on the second Tuesday of the month at 7pm (except for the months of August and December). Currently, they meet in the Stafford Arms Pub.
Key Responsibilities:
- As part of the Parish Council, Councillors may have responsibility for local
services such as public open spaces, play areas, and potentially much more. - Deciding how much to raise through the precept in order to deliver the Council’s
services. - Influencing and shaping the long term development policy for the Parish, and as
part of the planning process, commenting on planning applications in the Parish. - Improving the quality of life and the environment in the local area.
- Working to identify issues which are important to the lives of the residents represented.
- Working to bring about improvements through local projects, lobbying other service
providers and working in partnership with other Parishes, local authorities and
agencies. - A Councillor agrees to attend all meetings (reasonably possible) that he or she is
summoned to. - Councillors together as a team are responsible for the financial decisions made and
implemented.