The number of councillors serving on a council is determined by Shropshire Council. Elections are held every 4 years and normally take place on the first Thursday of May.

 

The role of councillor

Councillors represent their local area and everyone who lives there.  To become a councillor a person must be over 21 years of age and fulfil a number of requirements.  Having taken office, a councillor signs a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and abides by the council’s adopted Code of Conduct.

WLPC Code of Conduct February 2022

They must complete and keep up dated a Register of Interests and declare any interests in matters brought before the Council prior to debate.  Parish councillors’ Registers of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests can be found through the link below:

Register of Interests

Disclosable Pecuniary Interests Dispensation Procedure 2023

 

Councillors also have to keep a register of any gifts or hospitality accepted.

Councillor Register of Gifts and Hospitality

Councillors have a responsibility to attend meetings and should advise the Clerk of the reason if unable to for approval by the council. At meetings Councillors should suggest ideas, engage in constructive debate and then vote on business.

Councillors may be appointed to a position of office but they cannot be paid. They may represent the Council in legal proceedings, if appointed, carry out regulatory duties and represent the Council on outside organisations.

 

The current Councillors are

for Welshampton Ward

Karen Bland (Chair)

Michael Dinsdale

Andrew Haydon

Kathryn Holland

Sheila Stringer

Guy Wellsbury

and for Lyneal Ward

Lawrence Houghton MBE (Vice Chair)

Chris Symes

Martin Withington

Councillors can be contacted through the Clerk.

 

Every Parish Council has a Clerk, often referred to as the Parish Clerk.  The common understanding is that the Clerk organises meetings, takes minutes and send letters.  Over the years as the role and responsibilities of Parish Councils have changed, so has the role and responsibilities of the Clerk.

The Clerk’s overall responsibility is to carry out the policy decisions of the Council.  He is akin to the chief executive of a company, in that he is the person that has overall responsibility for the administration and procedural aspects of the Council. The Clerk is responsible for seeing the business of the Council runs smoothly and efficiently and is conducted in accordance with the law.  Normally, too, he is responsible for ensuring the Council’s financial transactions are properly authorised and recorded.  Most Clerks, as sole Council employees, also have to perform the clerical tasks without which the Council’s business cannot properly be carried out.

So today, the skills of a Clerk have to be wide and professional – not an easy task!

 

Welshampton and Lyneal Parish Council’s Clerk

Carole Warner is the Parish Council’s Clerk. She can be contacted at clerk@welshamptonandlyneal-pc.gov.uk

 

Personnel Committee

The Parish Council has one Committee, the Personnel Committee.  Its Terms of Reference can be viewed through this link.