Current News Items
CONGRATULATIONS to Diane Linsley, Assistant Clerk to Melton Parish Council, on passing the Certificate in Local Council Administration - the recognized qualification for Parish Clerks assured by the University of Gloucestershire.
CONGRATULATIONS ALSO to Charles Taylor the newly co-opted member of Melton Parish Council and Jeremy Bale the newly co-opted member of Melton Parish Council Planning and Transport Committee.
Parish Councils
Parish
Councils are the most local of all the various local government bodies.
The members of the Council are elected by the voters whose names appear
on the electoral roll, just as district and county councillors are chosen.
Each sort of local authority has a range of responsibilities, the things that it must do, and powers, the things that it may do. It is often difficult to see which authority is responsible for which activity. Reference can be made to the websites for the Suffolk Coastal District Council and the Suffolk County Council for details of their functions and authority.
Parish Councils have few actual duties but they have a wide range of powers. Melton Parish Council exercises those powers that they believe are for the benefit of the village. The main ones are:
- Liaising with local authorities on behalf of the parish
- Responding to planning applications
- Managing the playing fields, the pond and Burkes Wood
- Maintaining the bus shelters
- Organising the annual parish meeting
- Offering grants and donations to local societies and charities
- Overseeing the website
The Council is told about all applications for planning permission and makes comments and recommendations that are considered by the District Council, which is the planning authority.