Current Focus:

Spring Dusk Over Poplars Sports Ground

What We Do

Serving the Burton Joyce Community

Burton Joyce Parish Council

What is a Parish Council?

A Parish Council is a small local authority which is community based and the most accessible tier of local government.

 

How many councillors are on the parish council?
Burton Joyce has 11 members who try to ensure that the views of the community are taken into account by the various authorities, agencies and organisations that make legislation and take decisions on services and issues effecting the community. Councillors are elected every 4 years but can be co-opted should a vacancy arise.

 

What does a parish council do?
Parish councils have a number of formal powers and using these Burton Joyce is responsible for the allotments, cemetery, church yard, the Grove, the Millennium Sun Dial, the Poplars Sports Ground, the Princess Diana Memorial, Roberts Recreation Ground, seasonal decorations and the War memorial.

 

What else does it do?
The parish council responds to and comments on planning applications, structure plans, government discussion documents. It comments on every planning application in the parish; Gedling Borough Council then makes the final decision, taking into account the Parish Council's views.

 

What doesn't a Parish Council Do?

We are not to be confused with Gedling Borough Council or Nottinghamshire County Council who deal with lighting, waste collection, highways, footpaths and general infrastructure. We tend to deal only with items that work best at the local level. However, if you are unsure ring the Parish Council for advice as to where to direct your enquiry.

 

How much do parish councils cost?
Parish councils are generally the most un-bureaucratic and cheapest kind of local authority. They get no general government grant so raise the majority of the income from a precept, a tax that the electors pay. Burton Joyce Parish Council has 3500 electors and each pays a little towards the cost. Councillors are unpaid and very rarely have expenses as they are local to their work so cannot be grouped into any current expenses rows.

Parish Councils are also non political and so no time or resources are wasted on Party political discussions or disagreements. Parish Councils handle around £400m per year of funds.

 

Surely it costs us more than areas without Parish Councils?

A well run Parish Council is the most cost efficient way to run a service (Parish Councillors are unpaid) the loss of revenue would be added to a larger area and an addition cost burden of administration from County or Borough Council would occur reducing money spent on front line services In this case there would be a lessening of service in terms of speed of response and frequency of service

How parish councils work

Parish councils are statutory bodies. Members are elected for a term of four years and councils are funded principally by an annual precept. Income and expenditure for the next financial year are calculated in the form of estimates. The net amount (the precept) is added to council tax, collected by the county, borough or district council (principal authorities) and paid to parishes in two six-monthly instalments. Parish and town councils can apply for other funding such as grant and funding awards, but they do not receive funds direct from central government, as principal authorities do

 

What else is important?
District and County Councils have become very large and remote. Burton Joyce Parish Council keeps its residents informed by a quarterly newsletter (due to start Summer 2009), its website and meetings. It's councillors live within the community and they and the parish office are easily contacted. 

 

Finally
It is also involved in crime prevention measures and any initiatives that will improve the quality of life of its residents. The council liaises with Nottinghamshire County Council Highways Agency regarding traffic problems. It also supports local organisations.

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