Co-option Vacancy on the Parish Council!

Todenham Parish Council needs two new team members; if you think you would like to be involved in representing your community, and are over 18 years of age, please email the Clerk clerk@todenhamparishcouncil.co.uk

Being a Councillor

What is a councillor?

Councillors are elected to represent an individual geographical unit on the council, known as a ward or – parish – in Todenham it is the entire parish. They are generally elected by the public every four years, but there are two Co-option spaces available on the Parish Council at the moment as Councillors Stephen Pannell & Bruce Eastabrook have moved away from the village and therefore given their resignation to the Parish Council.

What do councillors do?

Councillors have three main components to their work.

Decision making – Through meetings and attending committees with other elected members, councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be

Monitoring – Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are

Getting involved locally – As local representatives, councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local These responsibilities and duties often depend on what the councillor wants to achieve and how much time is available, and may include:

Going to meetings of local organisations
Going to meetings of bodies affecting the wider community
Taking up issues on behalf of members of the public
Attending quarterly meetings and occasional extraordinary meetings held through the year

How much time does it take up?

Quite often councillors say that their duties occupy them for about an hour a week. Obviously, there are some councillors who spend more time than this – and some less, but in the main, being a, parish councillor is an enjoyable way of contributing to your community, and helping to make it a better place to live and work.

As a councillor representing your community you will help keep it a great place to live and work. You will be supported in your role and will be expected to undertake training. You should have a positive outlook and a can-do attitude and be willing to work as part of a team.

If after reading this notice you are interested in applying, please contact the clerk to the council using the above details.

Closing date for applications is 10th November 2024