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Steve Lugg. H.A.L.C. New and Potential Councillors Presentation. What’s the Hampshire ALC?. Hampshire Association of Local Councils Serves the 255 (262 from 1 st Apr 2010) councils & meetings across Hampshire
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Steve Lugg H.A.L.C.
What’s the Hampshire ALC? • Hampshire Association of Local Councils • Serves the 255 (262 from 1st Apr 2010) councils & meetings across Hampshire • Information, query support, legal opinion, project funding signposting, training and development, representation, networking • 3 FTE staff, CE only full-time staff member
What is a parish council? • Nearly 9,000 across the country • Can be styled parish, village, community or town council • First tier of local government • Part of a national pyramid network • Diversity is the key, no two councils are identical! • Expenditure not capped!
How do you become a town council? • By resolution • Chairman becomes Mayor • Civic and ceremonial • All town councils are parish councils • Tend to be more politicised • Tend to be more formal in meetings
What do local councils do? • Representing the local community • Delivering services and facilities to meet local need • Striving to maintain and improving quality of life • Two-way conduit of information
So they could be doing...... • Allotments • Footpaths • Burial grounds • Bus shelters • Commons • Leisure facilities • Crime reduction • Community transport • Tourism • Litter bins • Youth Projects • Open Spaces • Toilets • Planning • Lighting • Traffic Calming • Seating and much more!
Powers and Duties • Duties • Powers • S. 137 Local Government Act 1972 • Power of Well-being
Making Decisions • Council can only make decisions as a corporate body, in a properly set meeting • Bounded by Local Government Act 1972 and successive Acts • Clerk is impartial officer, Chief Exec • Code of Conduct • Agendas and Minutes
Where does the money come from? • Precept • Expenditure not capped • Respond to community, not other councils • Robust budget-setting process • Grant funding • Borrowing
Eligibility to become a councillor • British citizen, or commonwealth subject or citizen of EU • 18 years or older on the day you are nominated • Resident or work in the area • Cannot stand if subject of bankruptcy or interim order, or criminal conviction or if you work for the council you want to be a Cllr for
What does a Cllr do? • Decision making • Risk management and monitoring • Local involvement • Representation and engagement • Lead Projects and Services
How much time? • NALC believes an average is around three hours a week? Diversity again. The more committees..... • Concentrate on making a difference • A better place to live and work • Remember you are representing your electorate not yourself
Keys to success • Listen to your Clerk • Adopt a learning attitude • Training and development vital to grow • Understand your priorities • Work within the Code of Conduct • Get involved with the networks • Don’t feel intimidated, enjoy it!
Web resources • www.hampshire-alc.gov.uk • www.nalc.gov.uk • www.dopolitics.org.uk • www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
Contact details Hampshire ALC 02380 263 438 hampshirealc@hants.gov.uk 121a Winchester Road, Chandler’s Ford SO53 2DR