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Boxley Parish Council Leaflets (Also available in hard copy from the parish office) Boxley Parish Council Equal Opportunity Statement How can I ask a question at Parish & Committee meetings? Boxley Parish Council's Burial Ground A parish council is a small local authority. Its councillors are elected for four years. It is community based and the most accessible tier of local government. Boxley parish stretches from Walderslade in the North to Grove Green in the South, covering 5,464 acres and has 15 councillors. These members try to ensure that the views of the various communities are expressed and taken into account by the various authorities, agencies and organisations that make the legislation and take the decision on services and issues affecting the community. What does a parish council do? Parish councils have a number of formal powers these are used to maintain and improve the parish and the lives of the community. Boxley Parish Council is responsible for 4 bus shelters, Beechen Hall, open spaces, various seats and bins, War memorial, 4 village signs, a burial ground and 12 noticeboards. What else does it do? The parish council supports the Vinters Valley Park Nature Reserve, Walderslade Woods Group, local schools, and village halls. It also supports local organisations. The parish council responds to and comments on planning applications, structure plans, government discussion documents. It is also involved in crime prevention measures and any initiatives that will improve the quality of life of its residents. How much do parish councils cost? Parish councils are generally the most unbureaucratic and cheapest kind of local authority. They get no government grant so raise the majority of the income from a precept, a tax that the electors pay. Boxley Parish Council has 7,449 electors and each pays a little towards the running costs of the council. Further details are contained within the Boxley Parish Council Financial Information Leaflet.)What else is important? District and County Councils have become very large and remote. Boxley Parish Council keeps the residents informed by the monthly newsletter, its website and meetings. Its councillors live within the communities and they and the parish office is easily contacted. How can I find out more? Contact the parish office, look at the website or attend the meetings which are open to the public and have a timeslot for the public to address the members (ask for the How to ask a question at Council and Committee meetings leaflet) Boxley Parish Council Equal Opportunities Statement “The
parish council values diversity and believes that it strengthens our community.
The aim in producing this statement* is to ensure that the parish council
eliminates discrimination in its own areas of responsibility and promotes
anti-discriminatory practices in the wider community.
The parish council wishes to create an environment where all forms of
discriminatory or oppressive behaviour are unacceptable and every member of the
council’s workforce and the community is able to develop their full potential.
It is recognised that the way in which we treat one another is a crucial
element in ensuring that we create the right environment in which people can
grow, develop and maximise their contribution. The council therefore undertakes that: No service user, employee or job applicant will be
discriminated against or receive less favourable treatment on grounds of gender,
race, disability, marital or civil partnership status, carer commitments, sex or
sexual orientation, age, chronic medical condition, religious or political
beliefs, social class or trade union activity*. * Terms used are based on the
Equalities Act 2010 definitions. Ref. Policy/Equalos Providing a service? Boxley Parish Council is committed to providing a quality service to its residents. In trying to reach its residents throughout the parish it uses many venues for meetings and also other mediums in order that residents can access information and take an active role in the work of the parish council. Residents who have difficulty attending meetings or using any of the venues are welcome to contact the parish office or parish councillors to discuss what alternative ways there are to address the meetings or parish councillors and to have access to information. The parish council recognises that disability affects many people in many different ways and the parish council is always willing to consider and explore alternative methods of service delivery to ensure that all residents have access to their parish council. Planning and the parish council. How
is a parish council involved in planning?
Parish Councils are consulted by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) i.e. Maidstone Borough Council and receives copies of planning applications. The Parish Council’s Environment Committee undertakes the decisions on applications. It is entitled to submit remarks and views but the LPA can ignore these. There
are strict restrictions on the reasons that can be used to object to a planning
application so the Committee will also often list concerns it has to ensure that
the Planning Officer is aware of local issues. The
committee has up to ten members and whilst all members try to visit the
application sites sometimes this is not possible. If you are the applicant and are able to include some photographs with
your application this is always helpful. The
Environment Committee has 14 or 21 days to respond.
To meet such a strict deadline it meets twice a month. Meeting dates and
all leaflets are available from the website and the parish office at Beechen
Hall. Committee
members are all volunteers and whilst they have a wealth of life experience and
have often undertaken some training they are not qualified to give advice on
planning issues. Advice should be
sought from Maidstone Borough Council. Can
I address the Environment Committee?
Yes,
parish council meetings have an open session to allow the public to address
members, see “How to ask a question at Council and Committee meetings”
leaflet. Generally there are two
reasons why somebody would wish to address members 1)
in support of or 2) to object to a planning application.
Members will consider both arguments. Can
I see planning applications?
Planning
applications are public
and can be seen at the Planning Office, Maidstone House, How
else can the parish council help?
It
has copies of Local and structure plans and other It
receives copies of the agenda and reports for the Borough Council’s
Development and Control Committee. Office
staff can also talk you through the systems and procedures. Informal
summary of the MBC planning system. 1.
Planning Officer makes decision on the planning application
using planning law, guidelines and legislation.
If he/she decides to allow the application then in normal circumstances
they have the devolved power to do so. However
if a parish council has objected or if a Borough Councillor ‘calls in’ the
application then this devolved power (the right to approve or refuse an
application) is removed. If
the Planning Officer agrees with the objection of the Parish Council then the
application is refused (see 3) 2.
The
agenda will generally be available on the MBC website the Friday before the
meeting. The applicant/objectors
will also receive a letter notifying them that the application is on the agenda.
A single objector, the applicant, the Parish
Council and a Borough Councillor can ‘book in’ to speak to the committee.
MBC will make a decision about the application on the night (see 3). You
will only be allowed 3 minutes to address the members and this is strictly
adhered to by the Chairman. You are not allowed to speak again or make comments.
You can however lobby the members by writing them a letter/via e mail
prior to the meeting. Details of the
committee membership and their contact details are on the MBC website. 3. If MBC refuse a planning
application then the applicant has a right of appeal to the Planning
Inspectorate. This is an independent
organisation and the decision of the inspector is final and he/she can overturn
MBC’s decision.
Objectors have no right of appeal.
If the Planning Officer is minded to approve an application then an objector
should consider whether there are any reasonable conditions that might be put in
place by MBC that could resolve/mitigate some of their objections/concerns.
This must be done before the decision of the Planning Officer or
Maidstone Planning Committee. It is
advisable not to wait until the meeting to talk about these but to notify these
to the Planning Officer/Committee members as soon as possible.
Once a decision has been taken by the officer/committee it cannot be
added to/or amended. MBC web casts the planning meetings and if it is likely that an applicant/objector is going to attend the meeting/address members then they are advised to log onto the MBC website and watch the proceedings to familiarize themselves with the process. Further information on the planning laws can be found at
www.planningaid.rtpi.org.uk and at the MBC website Where does the money come from? The income of a parish council is derived from the parish precept, a tax paid by the householders of the parish and collected on its behalf by the District Council, and any grants received. Boxley Parish Council also receives income from the hire of Beechen hall and its burial ground but these are often balanced by the expenditure needed for these two community facilities.How is the precept set? The parish council decides annually what the precept should be. It does this by setting a budget that forecasts the expected expenditure, income and the reserves. Members then decide what precept needs to be set. Accountability. The parish council is held accountable and monitored in many ways. Internal audit. Councillors undertake two internal audits per year to check that the systems and finances are run correctly. They also check invoices and sign the cheques. Independent Internal Audit. Legislation requires that there is an independent internal check on the systems and finances of the parish council. Annual Audit. Legislation requires that the parish council be audited annually by the Audit Commission. Part of this audit is a period where electors have access to the accounts and can raise questions with the auditor. After the audit the response is notified to the council and also to the parish. Electors have free access, via the website and parish office to the annual return from the Audit Commission. Further details can be requested from the parish office. How do the electors know what is going on? Unless tenders or items that are confidential are being discussed members of the public are welcome at all the council and committee meetings. Even when it is planned to discuss confidential items this is shown on the agenda and a reason why the public will be excluded is given. Boxley Parish Council endeavours to be accountable and open in its financial matters and its budget and accounts are placed on the parish council website. Can I request that money is spent in the parish? Yes. Contact the parish office or your local councillor to request that a project is considered. You can even make the request in person by attending a council or committee meeting. Can the parish council support local groups? Yes and in some cases it already does. Details of the grant scheme can be obtained from the website or parish office. Who can be a Parish Councillor? Roughly speaking if you are over 21 years of age (18 as from 2/5/07), an elector of the parish or live within 3 miles of the parish boundary then you can stand to become a parish councillor. There are certain other additional qualifications that allow the public to stand e.g. ownership of land in the parish and there are some that disqualify a person from serving e.g. bankruptcy. Where can I get more information on qualification or disqualification? From the parish office 01634 861237. How long do I serve for? Elections are held every 4 years but you can of course resign at any point. Do I have to belong to a political party? No it is not a requirement. Boxley Parish Council is, at present, non political. I want more information before I consider this? Information can be gained in a number of ways.
What type of people serve on a parish council? Parish councils exist throughout the country and their councillors are as diverse as the communities that they represent. Some councillors initially stand for election because they are concerned about a local issue, they have got angry at poor service or because they just wish to put something back into the community. Most continue to stand because they realise that they can actually make a difference to their community. Parish councillors come from all walks of life and their individual experiences, skills and views make the parish council vibrant and diverse. How do I get elected? There are two ways Elections every 4 years. Elections were last held on 10th June 2004. To stand for any election you would have to complete a nomination paper and return this to Maidstone Borough Council. The parish office can again give you more information on this. Co-option of a parish councillor. If a vacancy occurs between elections then you can apply to join the council. Notification of a casual vacancy is via advertisement on the parish noticeboards and web site or by telling the parish office of your interest. What would be required of me? Over half of the Boxley Parish Councillors work and councillors individually decide what they can commit to. Some councillors do more than others because of personal interest and free time. You are asked to regularly attend the monthly parish council meetings (generally the first Monday of a month, second Monday if it is a Bank Holiday). An interest in the community and a willingness to read documents (agenda/reports) and to consider the community’s needs and represent these at the meetings is also expected. If you are an elected member an annual allowance of £414 can also be claimed to meet personal expenses. Boxley Parish Council prides itself on being pro-active and has been described as ‘vibrant’. It welcomes new ideas and interested people to serve the many diverse communities in the parish. Meetings Can I attend a meeting?Yes. Go to the Meeting dates page for dates, times and venues How to ask a question at Council and Committee meetings.
Boxley Parish Council welcomes questions from and the public attending its Council and committee meetings How can I address the parish council?
The meeting will be adjourned to allow you to speak. Once reconvened you will not be allowed to join in the general discussions of the meeting. How long do I have? Three minutes are allowed per person. Will I get an answer at the meeting? Not necessarily as the issue may need investigation or referral to a parish council committee or outside agency. It would help if advance notice of your question or query could be supplied. Make sure you remember to leave your details with the clerk as the parish council will get back to you Other things you should know. Your query may not necessarily be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting. A separate note will be kept of your question/query and the action that needs to be taken. The minutes will not include your personal details. If you are disabled, the issue is very personal, have a speech or hearing impediment or just find it difficult to talk to a public gathering please discuss this with the Clerk who will make alternative arrangements for your issue to be notified to members. The press and other members of the public may be present. You should not slander or make offensive comments about anyone. Details of meeting dates and locations can be obtained from the parish office or on the website. Tips for helping you present your views.
Borough Councillors. Mr. Derek Butler. 11 Celestine Close, Walderslade, Chatham, Kent ME5 9NG 01634 684854 Mr. Malcolm Greer, Hazelwood, Boxley Rd, Walderslade, Chatham, Kent ME5 9JD. 01634 862876 Mrs. Wendy Hinder 8 The Spinney, Walderslade Chatham, Kent ME5 9JP 01634 861579 County Councillor. Mr. Paul Carter. C/o Debbie Houghton, Room 254 Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ. 01622 694996 Community Support Officer Contact via the parish office 01634 861237 or Community Safety Unit 01622 608136 Useful telephone numbers. Maidstone Borough Council Switchboard – 01622 602000 Outside normal hours - 01622 602243. Abandoned vehicles, bulky items, freighter service, domestic refuse collection, flytipping, street sweeping, vehicle surrender scheme, 01622 602162. Complaints Noise, smell, bonfires, food complaints, health and safety 01622 602202 Council Tax 01622 602300 Electoral registration/elections 01622 602007 MBC Customer Care and complaints 01622 602509 Maidstone Planning Depart. Duty officer 01622 602736 Pest control 01622 602114 Potholes, broken street lights* and other highway problems – 08458 247800 * please take a note of the column number. Untaxed Cars (DVLA) 08000 325202 Boxley Parish Council Burial Ground. This burial ground is owned and maintained by Boxley Parish Council and is for the use of parishioners for their burial. It is available for the interment of the residents of the ecclesiastical and civil parishes of Boxley; regular worshippers at Boxley Church (including the Weavering Ecumenical Group); still births arising from the above mentioned groups and such other persons as the Clerk of the Parish Council may deem fit after consultation with the incumbent of Boxley Church.A copy of the rules and regulations of this burial ground are displayed at the burial ground and are also available from the parish office The burial ground has a consecrated area and a non-consecrated area. Inquiries for burial in the burial ground should be made as follows; Consecrated area. Rev. Ron Gamble, The Vicarage, Boxley, Maidstone, ME14 3DX. Telephone 01622 758606. Non consecrated area. Mrs. Pauline Bowdery, Boxley Parish Council, Beechen Hall, Wildfell Close, Walderslade, Chatham, Kent ME5 9RU. Tel & Fax 01634 861237. Boxley Parish Council Code of Practice in Handling Complaints against the Parish Council. Boxley Parish Council is committed to providing a quality
service to residents of the Parish and to anyone who deals with the Parish
Council. The Parish Council is determined to conduct its business in a fair and
equitable manner. To meet this standard the following complaints procedure has
been adopted. Misconduct by Parish Councillors. All councillors have to conform to the Code of Conduct, which
covers misconduct as detailed in the Adopted Model Code of Conduct (copy
available from the parish office or Maidstone Borough Council website). Any
member of the public, parish councillor or council personnel can make a
complaint using The Maidstone Borough Council complaints procedure details of
which can be found on the Maidstone Borough Council website ( www.maidstone.gov.uk/complaints
) or obtained from Maidstone Borough Council. The Parish Council has a separate policy (Code of Conduct
Complaints) detailing the process it would take if it was informed of a
complaint to the Monitoring Officer at Maidstone Borough Council. Behaviour of Councillors. At its meeting on “A parish councillor
should act respectfully, accept the rules and regulations of debate, never act
offensively or conduct themselves in a way that could be considered offensive or
unacceptable by a ‘right thinking person’. A parish councillor
should respect the rights of fellow councillors and other people to have their
own opinion and be willing to consider all arguments before making a decision. If a parish councillor
holds an office of the council they must never abuse the position they hold.
They are responsible for ensuring that decisions are reached after balanced
argument and that no parish councillor is denied their basic right to express an
opinion.” Misconduct by Council personnel. Any complaints should be made in writing to the Chairman of
the Parish Council, the address is available from the parish office or if a
letter is received at the parish office it will be passed onto the Chairman.
The matter will come under the adopted Disciplinary Procedure of the
Parish Council Grounds for complaints against the Parish Council. A
complaint should not be made just because you do not agree with a decision of
the Parish Council. You will need to
show that the Parish Council did not follow correct procedure or policy and this
has resulted in unfair treatment. The
Parish Council has numerous policies and procedures and its minutes and most
records are open for public scrutiny. This
policy is in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Publication
Scheme, a copy of which is available from the parish office and can be viewed on
the Parish Council’s website boxleyparishcouncil.co.uk The
Local Government Ombudsman is unable to deal with complaints about Parish
Councils as its legal remit only covers County, District and Borough Councils. Complaints against the Parish Council’s Procedures and/or Policies. It is in the particular interest of a Parish Council to
settle a complaint because, even if it is unjustified, it will in the absence of
a settlement be raised again. This
is bad for the council since it wastes time and affects its reputation. 1.
If a complaint
about procedures or administration is notified orally to a councillor or clerk
and they cannot satisfy the complainant forthwith the complainant shall be asked
to put the complaint in writing to the clerk. 2.
If the
complainant prefers not to put the complaint to the clerk he/she shall be
advised to put it to the chairman. 3.
(a) On receipt of
a written complaint the clerk or chairman, as the case may be, shall try to
settle the complaint directly with the complainant but shall not do so in
respect of a complaint about the behaviour of the clerk or of a councillor
without first notifying that person and giving them an opportunity for comment
on the manner in which it is intended to attempt to settle the complaint.
The Parish Council shall not get involved with complainants about the
misconduct of a councillor but will instead refer the complainant to the Local
Monitoring Officer of The Standards Board for (b)
Where the chairman receives a written complaint about his or her own actions
then he or she shall forthwith refer the complaint to the council. (c)
Where the clerk receives a written complaint about his or her own actions then
he or she shall forthwith refer the complaint to the chairman. 4.
The chairman or
the clerk shall report to the next meeting of the Parish Council any written
complaint disposed of by direct action with the complainant. 5.
The chairman or
clerk shall bring any written complaint that has not been settled to the next
meeting of the Parish Council. The
clerk shall notify the complainant of the date on which the complaint will be
considered, and the complainant shall be offered an opportunity to explain the
complaint orally. If
the complainant is submitting documentation or evidence to which they will be
referring to at the meeting then they should, 7 clear working days prior to the
meeting, provide copies to the council. Similarly
the Parish Council should supply the complainant with copies of any Parish
Council documents, which are requested and available under the Freedom of
Information Act - Publication Scheme. 6.
The Parish
Council shall consider whether the circumstances attending any complaint
warrants the matter being discussed in the absence of the press and public but
any decision on a complaint shall be announced at the Parish Council meeting in
public. In the interest of openness
and accountability there must be clear relevant reasons or a request from the
complainant for the matter to be held without the presence of the press or
public. 7.
At the meeting
the Chairman should (a)
Introduce
everyone (b)
Explain the
procedure (c)
Ask the
complainant to outline the grounds of the complaint. (d)
Allow members to
ask questions. (e)
Allow the Clerk
or other Proper Officer to explain the council’s position. (f)
Allow members to
question the Clerk or Proper Officer. (g)
Members to decide
whether or not the grounds for the complaint have been made. 8.
Within 7 working
days of the meeting the decision and the nature of any action to be taken shall
be communicated in writing to the complainant. 9.
The Parish
Council shall defer dealing with any written complaint only if it is of the
opinion that issues of law or practice arise on which advice is necessary. The
complaint shall be dealt with at the next meeting after the advice has been
received. Ref Policy/complaints policy 2009 Agreed Minute 1978/10.2 In view of the number of inquiries received by the parish office the Council has produced an information sheet of frequently asked questions and to highlight other sources of information. Covered in this document are Tree Preservation Orders; trees on public land; issues surrounding Walderslade Woods. What is a Tree Preservation Order (TPO)? It is an order made by a local planning office (Maidstone Borough Council) which generally makes it an offence to cut down, top, lop, uproot, wilfully damage or destroy a tree without the planning authority’s permission. The Planning Permission form to submit a request for authorisation for work can be downloaded free from the MBC website (details below). There is no cost to apply. If you deliberately destroy or damage a tree covered by a TPO you could be fined up to £20,000 as it is deemed a criminal offence. How can I check if the tree/s on my property are subject to TPOs? This may be contained in the deeds of your house and should be in the legal search undertaken prior to purchasing your property but the up to date list is kept at Maidstone Borough Council (see Contact List below). My tree has a TPO so who looks after it? The owner of the property remains responsible for the trees, their condition and any damage they may cause. The Government produces a very good guide (available to download from www.communities.gov.uk Protected trees: a guide to tree preservation procedures. A copy is available to read at the parish office. Maidstone Borough Council also has relevant information on its website regarding what a TPO is, how to apply for a TPO etc. Are all trees covered by TPOs? No. I live in a conservation area are there any other rules? If you live in a conservation area then the trees have a level of protection even if they are not subject to individual TPOs. Permission must be sought prior to any work or removal of the tree and the Planning Permission form to submit a request for authorisation can be downloaded free from the MBC website (details below). There is no cost to apply and basically you must give 6 weeks notice of the work you plan to do. I have a lot of trees, not TPOed, that I want to cut down can I just go ahead? Not necessarily, as depending on the amount, you may need a felling licence. More information on this can be found at www.forestry.gov.uk Tree Felling – getting permission.. Trees on highway verges or public land. These are public property and even if they are causing you a nuisance (loss of light to your garden/house) you cannot chop them down or cut off branches. Trees in parks or open spaces generally belong to Maidstone Borough Council and trees by roads belong to Kent Highway Services. Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council have a number of similar policies which can be summed up as follows. MBC website contains more details as does the "A New Tree Policy for Kent Highway Services".
Trees in private gardens causing a nuisance. This is a private matter between you and your neighbour. What is coppicing? Woods in Kent were traditionally planted as chestnut coppice, which with regular management can be cut down with the wood sold. Coppicing is traditionally done on rotation, with small areas cut in sequence to provide a mosaic of different aged coppice. The whole of each area is cut right down and this creates a clearing. This lets light back into the woodland floor and allows ground flora and the coppiced stools to re-grow. Managed correctly coppicing can increase biodiversity in the woodland because of the varied amounts of light reaching the woodland floor and the range of different aged trees and stools in the woodland. The coppice re-growth from chestnut is rapid and provides good habitat conditions for a range of bird, mammal and insect species. Some trees species thrive on coppicing but other trees do not. Thus situations can occur when one person gets permission to coppice a chestnut but a neighbour’s request to fell a Beech tree is refused as Beech would die from such work whilst a chestnut will send out regrowth. Walderslade Woods – a summary of the position. A blanket Tree Preservation Order covers the Walderslade Woods (roughly Impton Lane to Beechen Bank Road). The reason for the protection is that it is an Ancient Woodland and areas of these are becoming increasingly rare. The houses at Walderslade Woods were built as a ‘woodland development’ and thus most houses are surrounded by large trees which whilst welcomed by many residents can cause some problems. The parish council has received many complaints about the following; loss of light in gardens/properties; leaf fall; concern about large trees swaying in winds (nature designs them to do this); branches and twigs falling into gardens (some small scale branch fall is natural); loss of signal to TV. Unless there is a health and safety issue KCC (which owns Walderslade Wood) is under no requirement to manage its trees and these problems are part of the lifestyle of choosing to live within a wooded area. Contact List Maidstone Borough Council, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone ME15 6JQ Website www/digitalmaidstone.co.uk Borough Landscape Officer 01622 – 602718. E-mail Landscape@maidstone.gov.uk Complaints/requests about MBC trees 01622 602162 Kent Highways Services 08458 247800 www.kent.gov.uk Forestry Commission www.forestry.gov.uk Ref. BPC leaflets/Tree information
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