Parish Councillor Surgeries 2023
Come along and get to know your Parish Councillors.
Each month a different Parish Councillor will be welcoming members of the public to come along to discuss Parish matters, ask questions or raise concerns face to face.
South Petherton library
11am – 12noon
on the following dates:
Wednesday 25th January
Saturday 25th February
Saturday 25th March
Saturday 29th April
Saturday 27th May
Saturday 24th June
Saturday 29th July
Avon and Somerset Police have 2 events happening in South Petherton in January. Please go along and meet them.
Monday 16th Jan in Café Licious – 3-4pm
Blue Monday – The third Monday in January is sometimes referred to as ‘the most difficult day of the year.’ Your local Neighbourhood Policing Team will be available for a chat to discuss any concerns you may have at this time.
Saturday 21st Jan in library – 11am-12noon
Your local Neighbourhood Policing Team will be at South Petherton Library providing seasonal crime prevention advice.
Grounds Maintenance Tender Document for South Petherton Parish
Specification for Contract to commence 1st February 2023
Tenders to be submitted by midday, Friday 23rd December 2022, to:
Parish Clerk, Unit One, Frogmary Green Farm, West Street, South Petherton
TA13 5DJ or by email to:
clerk@southpethertonparishcouncil.gov.uk
Contract:
The contract period will run for a period of 3 years, starting from 1st February 2023, ending on 31st January 2026.
An open tender process will be carried out at the end of 2025 for a further 3 year contract.
Full details HERE Grass Tender – Nov 2022
Following recent concerns raised – South West Coaches have confirmed the following:
– the 81 bus route is losing them too much money
– they announced cuts to the route but have decided such cuts will make the root unviable for passengers
– they have cancelled the service to prompt Somerset Council to re-tender the route
– he urges people to lobby Somerset County Council to make sure it is re-tendered and taken up by a local bus company
– they agreed to publish a post on their Facebook page which we can direct people to show support for the service.
Somerset Bus Partnership has identified South Petherton Parish as being a high priority to have a Bus Champion and the Parish Council have invited to been to put a name forward to be a representative.
There is a meeting on Tuesday 1st November which we hope will be attended by a council member on behalf of the Parish.
Alternatively, if you would like to get involved, or know someone who would, in this role, then please do contact the Parish office.
Thanks to Councillor Liz Baker for speaking to South West Coaches on the Parish Council’s behalf.
Please see separate page on this website for updated information
SOUTH PETHERTON COMMUNITY PLAN
South Petherton Parish Council has asked a small Steering Group to prepare a Community Consultation Survey to update our knowledge of local needs.
It is hoped to undertake the survey in late November/Early December, and is being supported by Somerset Rural Community Council.
You are invited to attend these Steering Group meetings to listen and take part as appropriate
Coke Methodist Church Hall
Monday 31st October, 6.30pm
Monday 14th November, 6.30pm
After the survey a Public Event will take place in the New Year to consider how best to take forward the findings. With a good response rate the information gained should be helpful to the Parish Council and other groups in bidding for resources from local and national sources.
For more information contact:
Paul Smith, Interim Lead of Steering Group paulsmith.pjs@gmail.com. 01460 241526
The council has vacancies for 2 parish councillors in South Petherton and intends to fill these vacancies by co-option.
Expressions of interest are invited from anyone that would like to be considered for co-option to the council. Eligibility requirements are:
If you would like more information please contact Kate or Rose at the parish office. 01460 241002 clerk@southpethertonparishcouncil.gov.uk
Here is more information about what the role entails:
To appreciate what is involved in being a parish councillor, people need to know what a parish council is and what it can and cannot do. It is important to get the image of the Vicar of Dibley out of your mind!
“Your Parish Council is the local authority closest to the Electorate.”
Each councillor has their own reasons for running but the role offers the chance to make a huge difference to the quality of life for people in your local area.
Being an effective councillor requires both commitment and hard work. Councillors have to balance the needs and interests of residents and the council. As a minimum, the parish council meets once a month and our most effective Councillors prepare by reading the paperwork provided ahead of the meeting. Councillors who also engage with the local community between meetings help progress projects and issues quickly and effectively.
Training is available and support will be found from colleagues, the Clerks to the council as well as from external training providers.
Councillors have a duty to behave in an ethical manner according to a Code of Conduct (declaring interests and leaving the room when likely to be prejudiced) and a duty to have the annual accounts subjected to audit.
All councillors retire after a four-year term but can stand again as many times as they wish; casual vacancies may well arise in the intervening period. Being co-opted is a useful way of seeing if you like being a local councillor before the next full elections.
More about the Parish Council?
A parish council is a separate legal, corporate entity. First created by the Local Government Act of 1894 in most rural areas, the current consolidated legislation is that of 1972. The parish council is nothing to do with the Church or the Diocese; nor is it a voluntary and community sector body.
A parish council also provides services for the local people. South Petherton’s services range from recreation grounds and play areas, to cemeteries, allotments, a library and more. There is a list of the activities that a parish council has the power to provide. Like any statutory body it can only do the things for which the law or any governing document gives a power.
The parish council has one particular asset that is extremely valuable — it has the ability to set a Precept (sum of money), which is collected from all residents through the Council Tax system. Councillors are responsible for ensuring this precept is spent wisely and on what the residents require.
So, if you want to do more for your community, if you want to spend your time productively and if you can think, listen and act locally – become a parish councillor!
Please find attached the links for the relevant External Audit reports from PKF Littlejohn LLP
PKF – Notice of audit – 30th Sept 2022
SPPC PKF External Audit report 30th Sept 2022
Annual Governance statement 2021-2022
A book of condolence is now available to sign at St Peter & St Paul’s Chuurch, South Petherton.
It is sited in an area which the church has created , where you are able to light a candle, or sit in quiet reflection.
The church will be open from 9am to dusk for anyone who wishes to sign the book.
The pages will be sent to be part of the official Book of Condolence for Somerset once the mourning period ends.
Her Majesty The Queen , Elizabeth II
21st April 1926 – 8th September 2022
Formal Statement from Buckingham Palace:
The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
The King & Queen consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and return to London tomorrow.
8th September 2022.
South Petherton Parish Council offers its sincere condolences to the Royal Family on the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Her service, duty & devotion to the people of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth was unparalleled. We have lived in a truly golden Elizabethan age, the likes of which we will never see again.
The Parish Council join with people around the world in mourning her loss.
A book of condolence will shortly be available for parishioners to sign at St Peter & St Paul’s Church, South Petherton.
These books of condolence are loose pages and will form part of the Official Book of Condolence for Somerset.
