What is a Parish Council?
Firstly – we are nothing to do with the Church! The word ‘parish’ simply means a small area and the Parish Council is a group of local people – Parish Councillors – who are elected by the residents to represent Fishbourne.
Parish Councils are the lowest tier of local government and have legal powers and responsibilities bestowed on them mainly by the Local Government Act 1972.
What does the Parish Council do?
Fishbourne Parish Council is there to serve its community by representing the views of residents, becoming the ‘voice’ of the people. It also acts in the best interests of Fishbourne residents, by consulting them and carrying out projects to improve life in the village.
How can I find out what the Parish Council is doing?
Come to our meetings! The Council holds a meeting every month in the Fishbourne Centre. Agendas with details of what will be discussed are published on the website and on the three notice boards (outside the Woolpack, at Deeside Avenue and outside the Fishbourne Centre). All meetings are held in public and a time is set aside for you to talk about an item on the agenda.
Read the Village Voice magazine every quarter to find out what the Parish Council has done or is planning to do.
‘Like’ the Council’s Facebook page or follow us on Twitter for Council updates.
Who are the Parish Councillors?
The Parish Council has nine members who are elected by village residents every four years. They are ordinary people who share an interest in the community and want to ‘do their bit’ to make Fishbourne a better place to live. They do not get paid for being a Councillor but do have a duty to attend meetings and to uphold high standards of behaviour in the role.
How do I get involved?
You can get involved by coming along to any of the meetings and see what we do.
If you are interested in becoming a Parish Councillor before the next election year, then keep an eye out in case a vacancy arises on the Council. Usually vacancies are filled by co-option (although it can be by election) and application forms are available from the Clerk – . For the specific criteria for eligibility to become a Parish Councillor, please see the Becoming a Parish Councillor page.