Steve Lugg

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Steve Lugg

• H.A.L.C.

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New and Potential Councillors Presentation
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Whats 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

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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!

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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

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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

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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!

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Powers and Duties

• Duties
• Powers
• S. 137 Local Government Act 1972
• Power of Well-being

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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

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Where does the money come from?

• Precept
• Expenditure not capped
• Respond to community, not other councils
• Robust budget-setting process
• Grant funding
• Borrowing

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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

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What does a Cllr do?

• Decision making
• Risk management and monitoring
• Local involvement
• Representation and engagement
• Lead Projects and Services

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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

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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
• Dont feel intimidated, enjoy it!

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Web resources

• www.hampshire-alc.gov.uk
• www.nalc.gov.uk
• www.dopolitics.org.uk
• www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

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Contact details

• Hampshire ALC
• 02380 263 438
• hampshirealc_at_hants.gov.uk
• 121a Winchester Road, Chandlers Ford
• SO53 2DR