Who we are
Silsoe Parish Council
Silsoe Parish Council is an elected tier of local government. It’s members are all elected and remain in office for a period of 4 years. A Chairman and Vice Chairman are both elected annually. All members carry out their duties voluntarily and play a vital role in representing the interests of the communities they serve in Silsoe.
Silsoe Parish Council usually meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 7.30pm at Silsoe Village Hall though during the pandemic these meetings have switched to being online via Zoom. Meetings can be accessed by e-mailing the Clerk for the relevant access code.
Meetings are open to members of the public and press and 15 minutes is allocated near the beginning of meetings to allow members of the public to make brief comment on items which are not on the agenda. Comment on agenda items may be made, at the discretion of the Chair, at the appropriate time.
Agendas for all meetings are published on parish noticeboards prior to the meeting. Agendas and minutes are also available to view on this website. The Clerk to the Council, to whom all correspondence should be addressed is: Mrs Tammy Medley, 24 Nuneham Grove, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK4 4DH
What is a Parish Council?
Parish or Town Councils are an important tier of Government within the UK; a Parish/Town Council is the smallest and most localised tier of local government in the UK and is a properly constituted local authority.
The powers and duties, and the manner in which a Parish Council operates are laid out in local government statute and regulations; Parish Councils operate at a level below national government and also below district and borough councils. Parish & Town Councils are elected and can help on a number of local issues, like planning applications or running local sports grounds and community halls.
The Parish Council has legal responsibilities as an employer, and sometimes as an owner of public land and buildings.
Parish Councils are Statutory Bodies, having powers under a number of different Acts (the Local Government Act 1972, the Public Health Act 1936, etc.). Only a few Councils need to use all their available powers. It is up to each Council to choose what is appropriate for the community they serve.
The Council raises funds by the annual Precept is set in January of each year. The amount required is guided by the setting of the annual budget in the November preceding.
The Parish Council precept is added to the Council Tax bill and collected by Central Bedfordshire Council (on behalf of the Parish Council).
The Council also raises funds through grants from other organisations.
What we do
The Parish Council has a duty to provide facilities –
Allotments – Duty to consider providing allotment gardens if demand unsatisfied.
They also have the power to provide facilities such as:
They also have the power to provide facilities such as:
• Buildings for community use, such as village halls, town halls or community centres
• Recreational facilities such as parks, playgrounds, playing fields and swimming baths
• Cemeteries and crematoria
• Litter bins
• Public seats
• Public toilets
• Public clocks
• Cycle and motorcycle parking
• Maintenance of rights of way
• Guardianship of common land (such as village greens)
• Maintenance of war memorials
They may also provide the following, subject to the consent of the county council or unitary authority of the area in which they lie:
• Bus shelters
• Lighting of roads and public places
• Off-street car parks
• Certain traffic signs and other public notices
• Provision, maintenance and protection of roadside verges
• Establishment or acquisition of markets, and provision of market places and market buildings
Consultative Powers
Parish councils have the right to be consulted by the district, county council or unitary authority on:
• All planning applications in their areas
• Intention to provide a burial ground in the parish
• Proposals to carry out sewerage works
• Footpath and bridleway (more generally, ‘rights of way’) surveys
• Intention to make byelaws in relation to hackney carriages, music and dancing, promenades, sea shore and street
naming
• The appointment of governors of primary schools
Miscellaneous Powers
Parish councils may also exercise the following powers:
• Sponsoring public events
• Support of the arts and provision of entertainment
• Encouragement of tourism
• Providing grants to local voluntary organisations
• Funding crime prevention measures
• Funding community transport schemes
• Contribution of money towards traffic calming schemes
• Cleaning and drainage of ponds, watercourses and ditches
• Power to obtain water from any well, spring or stream
• Creation of a neighbourhood plan
• Power to acquire or dispose of land
• Withholding of consent to stop up unclassified highways and footpaths
• Appointing trustees of local charities
• Power to make byelaws in regard to pleasure grounds, cycle parks, baths and washhouses, open spaces and burial grounds, and mortuaries and post-mortem rooms.
How can we help?
Please get in touch if you see anything on the list you would like to discuss further.