Bishopstone Parish Council

Structure of the Council

Bishopstone Parish Council is made up of seven councillors elected from the village community and a Parish

Clerk.

Elections coincide with those of Salisbury District Council and are held every four years.

If there are not enough candidates to fill the seven seats or when the electorate does not call for an election

after a seat has fallen vacant then the Council co-opts a member from a list of volunteers.

Members elect a Chairman who by convention, serves for two years when he or she is succeeded by the

Vice-Chairman.

At the May meeting each year the Parish Clerk takes the Chair at the beginning of the meeting whilst elections

take place within the Council for the job of Chairman and Vice Chair for the coming period. Other members

take on specific responsibilities for different areas of council work.

Parish Council meetings are held on the first Thursday of every other month in Bishopstone Village Hall starting

at 7.30pm..

The Parish Meeting is held on the first Thursday in March each year.

This is the formal village meeting when the Parish Council and representatives of organisations and charities in

the village make their parish report. Parishioners are encouraged to attend and to comment.

Members of the public and press are very welcome to attend meetings and listen to discussions. A time is

given over for parishioners to ask questions of Council members although they are not able to participate in

discussions or decision making. Exceptionally the Chairman may ask that a meeting or part of a meeting takes

place in private although in practice this is rare.

Councillors are unpaid. Their behaviour is controlled by a Declaration of Interests that must be signed and by a

Code of Conduct.

The Parish Clerk

The Parish Clerk is a paid employee of the Council.

He/she draws up the agenda for meetings, keeps the

minutes and handles correspondence under the direction of the Chairman. 

Additionally it is the Clerk who must be up-to-date on codes and legislation affecting the behaviour of the

Council and Councillors. In this capacity the Clerk is expected to advise the Council on procedure.

In emergency, a Councillor may take on the role of Clerk but cannot be paid for it.

The Responsible Finance Officer

Parish Council accounts are managed by The Responsible Finance Officer who, in a small parish, is a

Councillor taking on the financial role. He/she manages the Council's bank accounts, produces the

reconciliation of income and expenditure and reports to the Council on financial affairs. 

Of considerable importance for the Responsible Finance Officer is the development of the annual budget and

the calculation of the "precept" required to balance the budget.

More information ......

There are many web sites expanding upon the structure, role and duties of Parish Councils and Councillors. Typically search the following :

http://www.chester.gov.uk/main.asp?page=2122 to download or view "The Parish Council Toolkit"

http://www.nalc.gov.uk/Publications/Publications.aspx  to download or view "The Good Councillor's Guide"