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 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 438hampshirealc@hants.gov.uk

121a Winchester Road, Chandler’s FordSO53 2DR