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Parish Council Elections 2nd May 2019 – Get involved!

MAKE A CHANGE, BECOME A LOCAL COUNCILLOR

Pitcombe Parish Council is calling on residents, passionate about their community, to stand in the local elections in 2019.

What do councillors do?

Councillors are the champions of their community and give residents a voice on the decisions the council makes. Becoming a councillor will allow you to make a real difference in your community by engaging with residents, local groups and businesses to find out their needs; making decisions on which services and projects the council should take forward; and getting involved locally to ensure the services are meeting your community’s needs.

How long does it take?

Pitcombe Parish Council is very small so councillors spend approximately four hours per month on Parish Council activities.  This often includes attending meetings, engaging with residents and speaking on behalf of the council to other bodies.

Can I stand?

There are only a few rules to stand for election. You must be:

  • A British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth, or the European Union
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Live in an area that is served by a local council

For more detailed information about eligibility to stand for election, click HERE.

About Pitcombe Parish Council

We are a very small Parish with just seven member but we get involved in as many aspects of the community as we can. We do not own any land but we do own two benches, five grit bins, two defibrillators and the telephone box in Pitcombe. Our qualified Parish Clerk works five hours a week. In the main, we are involved in commenting on planning applications and liaising with the county and district councils regarding roads, drainage and other outdoor issues. For a better idea of the matters we discuss, have a look at some of our minutes here: http://pitcombepc.org.uk/council-meetings/

How can I get involved?

Some of our present Parish Councillors will not be standing at the elections on 2nd May, so there will be opportunities for you to get involved. Nomination papers will be available from around 18th March and they must be submitted to South Somerset District Council by 3rd April.

To find out more, contact the Parish Clerk on 07742 930521 or via our website at http://pitcombepc.org.uk/contact-us/  or visit www.nalc.gov.uk/elections

 

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Road widening on A359

Emily Estates has asked for the following information to be shared with local Parish Councils regarding road works on the A359:

Road widening works on the A359 will commence during the week of 5th December and will continue until March 2019.  The works will start at the Hadspen exit on the A359 moving down to the Cary Edge Lane entrance.  These works will require temporary traffic lights which will not be in use whenever work does not require them and will also be taken down during the Christmas period.  There will be no requirements for a total road closure.

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Residents are being asked whether they are prepared to pay an additional £1 a month towards policing from April, 2019.

Last year the Government unexpectedly gave all Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) across the country the flexibility to raise the policing part of the council tax by £1 a month for the average band D household.

Sue Mountstevens is hoping that PCCs will be given that flexibility again this year, she said: “With last year’s £1 rise we were able to start an ambitious programme of recruitment and commit to employing up to 300 police officers. We were also able to protect neighbourhood policing, the police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) in your local area, all thanks to your support for the rise.

“The Chief Constable and I have agreed that next year’s focus will concentrate on serious violence. The threat from serious and organised crime has changed rapidly, increasing in both volume and complexity and preying on the most vulnerable in society.

“If we are able to increase the policing part of the council tax by £1 a month next year and the Government grant for policing stays the same and there are no additional surprises we are committed to a new focus on burglary and drugs. We must continue to dismantle the recruitment of vulnerable young people into ‘county lines’ drugs gangs. It’s clear that this leads to an increase in knife-crime and serious violence, including stabbings and gang-related disorder and it must be tackled and given the right resources.

“I absolutely recognise that any increase in household bills will be felt by residents and it’s not easy to keep asking local people to contribute to the issues that we are facing in policing and as a society. It’s really important that residents tell me what they would be prepared to pay. These are difficult decisions and I need to be sure that I have heard from as many local people as possible.”

Sue Mountstevens is asking for people’s views in an online survey which closes at midnight on January 14, 2019.

For further information or to request a copy of the survey please call 01278 646188.

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Road Closure Notice

Lusty (A359) will be closed from from 10m north and 10m south of Lusty Railway Bridge for a total distance of 30 metres to enable Dyer and Butler to carry out structural repairs to Lusty Railway Bridge in this road.
The Order becomes effective on 29 November 2018 and will remain in force for eighteen months. These phased works are expected to last for 6 nights (20.00 -05.00hrs) with an additional date of 09 January 2019 for 6 nights (20.00 –
05.00hrs).

RCNSS10382 – Notice 1