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Harpley Parish Council

The Parish Council is the first tier of local government, there to serve the village. A councillor must be over 18 and a qualifying citizen and be eligible to vote or be resident in the parish.

All councillors are volunteers and the fact that they come from different backgrounds adds strength to the team. The chairman is the team leader and the clerk gives administrative support. Vacancies can be filled by candidates standing for election or by co-option if there are insufficient candidates for vacant seats at an election.

The election occurs every four years but casual vacancies may occur as councillors resign and these posts will be advertised. By putting forward suitable candidates, and voting, you can be confident that the council is your community’s choice and that the council will represent your interests. You can nominate any suitable candidate that meets the requirements.

The councillors act together to serve the village. They have certain legal powers e.g. to raise money through the precept, but few actual duties, that is things that they must do, but they should always represent the community interest.

After election or co-option, each councillor must sign a declaration of acceptance and abide by the Code of Conduct. They must also declare their pecuniary (financial) interests in the parish, details of which are kept on a Register at King's Lynn & West Norfolk District Council and follow the council’s Standing Orders that govern the way that the council operates.

Transparency and proper attention to the law are essential requirements as the parish council is dealing with your money.

Harpley Parish Councillors

Adam Case (Chairman) 01485 520079
Neil Steed (Vice Chairman)  01485 520339
Jean Pocklington 01485 520368

Philip Peak 07552 526208         

Catherine Alexandra-Kaye via Clerk

The Role of a Councillor

 

A councillor is a member of the council and is normally elected for a term of four years.  People of any political or religious persuasion are eligible to become a councillor, although their personal views should not extend into their parish council work. A councillor is an unpaid voluntary role.

They are elected to represent the interests of the local community as a whole and promote a harmonious local environment. The number of elected councillors depends on the size of the area. In Harpley we are able to have 8 councillors.

 

Local councils are the first tier of governance and are the first point of contact for anyone concerned with a community issue. They are democratically elected local authorities and exist in England, Wales and Scotland. The term ‘local council’ is synonymous with ‘parish council’, ‘town council’ and ‘community council’.

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