Eggington Parish Council is here to represent ALL the residents of Eggington Village and Eggington Clipstone.
Q. What does Eggington Parish Council do?
A. The Parish Council deals with issues of direct concern to Eggington Parishioners, be they based in the village or on the Clipstone estate. Where required they will assist in taking the view and representation of a number of residents.
They are responsible for some local services which include roadside seating, dog waste bins, litter bins and grass maintenance. In addition, the Parish Council works in partnership with Central Bedfordshire Council (on matters that are their responsibility and which affect the parish – such as Environmental Health and Planning issues) as well as working and liaising with Central Bedfordshire Council regarding matters affecting the village – such as public rights of way, footpaths and maintenance of the highways.
Eggington Parish Council also considers and responds to local Planning Applications concerning residential properties and any business premises within the settlement area of Eggington, as well as any other planning matters which might affect the lives and well-being of the parishioners.
Q. Who pays for Eggington Parish Council?
A. The cost of the services provided by the Parish Council are met through a nominal charge known as the ‘Parish Precept’. The Council’s budget is reviewed annually (usually in October) and following agreement, the monies are collected through the Council Tax system. Please check your bill for a breakdown of the main council tax, collected by the council and the smaller precent amount which we use to support residents.
All Parish Councillors for Eggington carry out their normal duties on a free volunteer basis and at no cost to local residents.
We also have annual funding available to us via the solar farm which we also take into consideration for requests for monetary assistance that benefit the community.
Q. Who is on Eggington Parish Council?
A. Parish Councillors are all residents of the Parish of Eggington, and like all other local authority representatives (i.e. Central Beds Council), Parish Councillors are elected every four years. Should there be the same number of nominations as there are places on the Council, no formal elections are held, and it becomes an ‘Uncontested Election’, with a corresponding saving in costs to the Parish. If there are fewer nominations than places, then the elected Parish Councillors may ‘co-opt’ people to fill the vacant ‘seats’ until the next election takes place.
As well as the Councillors, the Parish Council also employs (on a part-time basis) a Clerk who may also be the Responsible Financial Officer. This person is currently the only formal employee, and is usually the first point of contact for members of the public or companies that may wish to contact the Council. The Clerk deals with all the administrative business of the Council. The RFO maintains the financial records of the Council and is responsible for settling all financial accounts.
Q. How often does the Parish Council meet, and where?
A. At present, Eggington Parish Council meets the first Tuesday of every month. Notification of forthcoming meetings are posted on the village notice boards in Eggington – and on the website – at least 5 working days prior to the meeting taking place. Meetings – to which members of the public are very welcome – are normally held in the Village Hall.
Q. How can I find out what goes on at the Parish Council meetings?
A. Members of the public are entitled to attend Council meetings and to raise matters of interest to them in the agenda item ‘Public Representations’. If you have a particular concern that you would like resolved or wish to be placed on the Agenda of a forthcoming meeting for discussion by the Parish Council as a whole, you should contact the Clerk by e-mail (clerk@eggington-pc.gov.uk).
If you are unable to attend a meeting, please be aware that the Minutes of a meeting only become a public document once they have been agreed by the Councillors and formally signed by the Chairman (which happens during the following meeting). You may request a printed copy by contacting the Clerk directly (and paying a small fee) or they may be viewed on this website.
What is a Parish Council?
Parish or Town Councils are an important tier of Government within the UK; a Parish/Town Council is the smallest and most localised tier of local government in the UK and is a properly constituted local authority.
The powers and duties, and the manner in which a Parish Council operates are laid out in local government statute and regulations; Parish Councils operate at a level below national government and also below district and borough councils. Parish & Town Councils are elected and can help on a number of local issues, like planning applications or running local sports grounds and community halls.
The Parish Council has legal responsibilities as an employer, and sometimes as an owner of public land and buildings.
Parish Councils are Statutory Bodies, having powers under a number of different Acts (the Local Government Act 1972, the Public Health Act 1936, etc.). Only a few Councils need to use all their available powers. It is up to each Council to choose what is appropriate for the community they serve.
The Council raises funds by the annual Precept is set in January of each year. The amount required is guided by the setting of the annual budget in the November preceding.
The Parish Council precept is added to the Council Tax bill and collected by Central Bedfordshire Council (on behalf of the Parish Council).
The Council also raises funds through grants from other organisations.
We will endeavour to keep the information provided on our own site accurate and up to date.
If you spot any errors or omissions please contact us by email so that we can investigate and correct.
Parish Council Roles & Responsibilities
The above document gives you a broad overview of the roles and responsibilities a parish councillor may hold.