The Council
About the Council
The Parish Council is the third tier of local government
and is not to be confused with a Parochial Church Council which only
has responsibility for the Church, congregation and its property.
Parish Councils were first formed in 1894 and this Parish Council
celebrated its centenary in 1994.
The Parish Council area was recently split into two wards, Handcross & Pease Pottage Ward and the Slaugham & Warninglid Ward. There are thirteen councillors and the Parish is represented by two district councillors and two county councillors.
The Local Government Act of 1894 created civil parish councils effectively excluding the church from local government. Local government was further reformed in 1974 following the Local Government Act of 1972 with the result that parish councils had more freedom to operate without consents from central government.
A parish council is a body corporate (section 14 (3) of the Local Government Act 1972),which means that it is an ' it ' in law and that the decisions it takes are the responsibility of the council as a whole. The council represents and serves the whole community.
The council is responsible for the services it provides. It establishes policies for action and decides how money will be raised and spent on behalf of the community. It is responsible for spending public money lawfully and achieving the best value for money. Except in certain circumstances (Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960) council meetings are open to the public.
The council as a body decides whether to work in partnership with other organisations and it often serves (through representatives) on other bodies. An individual councillor (including the Chairman) cannot make a decision on behalf of the council so when working in partnership, councillors must always remember that they represent the council as a corporate body.
The Parish Council area was recently split into two wards, Handcross & Pease Pottage Ward and the Slaugham & Warninglid Ward. There are thirteen councillors and the Parish is represented by two district councillors and two county councillors.
The Local Government Act of 1894 created civil parish councils effectively excluding the church from local government. Local government was further reformed in 1974 following the Local Government Act of 1972 with the result that parish councils had more freedom to operate without consents from central government.
A parish council is a body corporate (section 14 (3) of the Local Government Act 1972),which means that it is an ' it ' in law and that the decisions it takes are the responsibility of the council as a whole. The council represents and serves the whole community.
The council is responsible for the services it provides. It establishes policies for action and decides how money will be raised and spent on behalf of the community. It is responsible for spending public money lawfully and achieving the best value for money. Except in certain circumstances (Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960) council meetings are open to the public.
The council as a body decides whether to work in partnership with other organisations and it often serves (through representatives) on other bodies. An individual councillor (including the Chairman) cannot make a decision on behalf of the council so when working in partnership, councillors must always remember that they represent the council as a corporate body.