Parish Council
What are Parish Councils?
Parish councils work towards improving community well-being and providing better services at a local level. They are the tier of local government closest to the people.
What are they responsible for?
The Parish Council has responsibility for the well-being of the local neighbourhood and work falls into three main categories:
• representing the local community
• delivering services to meet local needs
• striving to improve quality of life in the parish
Role of the Parish Councillor
A Councillor is a member of the Council and is normally elected for a term of four years to represent the interests of the local community.
Hartshill Parish Council has 7 members, all of whom have been elected for a 4-year term, 2015 to 2019, unless they become disqualified or choose to resign during this period.
All Councillors are required to complete a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and to provide a written undertaking that they accept the Council's Code of Conduct.
Individual Councillors work together to help the Council make decisions on behalf of the local community. Councillors contribute to the work of the Council by suggesting ideas, engaging in constructive debate and by responding to the needs and views of the community. Councillors comment on proposals to ensure the best outcome, and vote to enable the Council to take collective decisions that form the policy of the Council. Councillors are required to behave in an ethical way and to declare an personal interest when necessary.
Chairman
The Chairman is elected by the members of the Council at the Annual General Meeting held on the first Tuesday in May each year. He or she serves for twelve months, and is responsible for ensuring that effective and lawful decisions are made at Council meetings. The Chairman summarises debate at meetings and facilitates the making of clear resolutions. His/her first vote is a vote as a member of the Council, and if there is a tied vote, the Chairman can have a second, casting vote
Elected or Co-Opted Councillors of Hartshill are not paid employees as there is an unacceptable conflict of interest. Hartshill Parish Councillors do not receive a salary.
Vision Statement for Hartshill
The economic, social, and environmental well-being of those who live and work in Hartshill is a major factor in all decision-making.
Mission Statement
Hartshill Parish Council is committed to a better quality of life for all the people of Hartshill and plan to achieve this in association with community groups, the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Hartshill Parish Council will therefore strive to:
Be open and accessible in all its decision-making
Be accountable in all its Council activities
Be responsive to the needs of the community
Promote equal opportunities
Be a proactive body in providing and sustaining local facilities
Areas of responsibility include:
Cemetery
Being a Burial Authority and managing the cemetery to cater for the burial of those residing in the Parish and maintaining a high standard of grounds maintenance
Snow Hill Recreation Ground
Is owned by the Parish Council who helped source funding to accomplish the building of a modern Pavilion that has a small kitchen, meeting room, showers and changing rooms for use by local sports clubs. Funding also enabled the provision of new football pitches.
Youth Projects
The Council contributes financially towards youth sessions at which young people can cook and eat healthy food, listen to music, take part in arts and crafts, games and talk to youth workers about any issues or concerns they may have.
Community Centre
The Parish Council helped to raise funds and manages the building that provides a modern user friendly venue for local groups to meet. The centre is available to hire for functions such as family parties.
BOB HUB
The Hartshill Hub is located in the Community Centre, facilities include free computer and internet use and is run by a strong team of volunteers.
Pantomime
Entertainment for the younger age group in the Parish, event ticket prices are subsidised by the Parish Council
Community Café
The Council supports the Tuesday Café which is a great place to meet, the drinks and food menu is of a high standard and is managed by a strong team of volunteers
Community Library
Following the decision by Warwickshire County Council to withdraw financial support for libraries, the Parish Council stepped in to ensure that Hartshill did not lose its library and thanks to the hard work of a team of volunteers it remains open. New Volunteers are always welcome.
Remembrance Day Parade
With Warwickshire Constabulary being unable to commit officers time at Parades, the Council took responsibility to ensure that the Parade could still take place and applies for road closures, organises the event plan and marshals.
Councillors represent, consult and lobby;
Officers of Borough & County Councils
Neighbouring Parishes
Borough and County Councillors
Severn Trent Water
Marcus Jones MP
Hartshill Hayes User Group
Sarval Liaison Committee Meetings
Emergency Stopping Place for traveller’s liaison group
North Warwickshire Area of Local Councils
Annual Meeting of Parish, Town and Borough Councils
School Governing Bodies
Hartshill & Nuneaton Joint Recreation Ground Committee
Planning
The Parish Council is consulted regularly by North Warwickshire Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council about planning matters and applications affecting the Parish and is permitted to submit observations on applications.
If you feel strongly about any planning application, please make your views known to the relevant Borough or County Case Officer dealing with the application and send a copy of your views to the Parish Council. It is important to remember that the final decision on planning applications will be that of the appropriate Case Officer or Committee of the Borough or County Council.
Neighbourhood Plan
A Steering Group made up of residents and Parish Councillors formed in July 2014. Kirkwells Planning Consultancy were appointed by the Parish Council to offer professional advice on drawing up a strong and effective plan for Hartshill. Regular group meetings, consultations and leaflet drops were made to residents. Very rewardingly, the Hartshill Neighbourhood Plan was adopted by North Warwickshire Borough Council in March 2017. The adoption means that North Warwickshire Borough Council must consider the aims, keys issues and objectives of the plan when they are determining planning applications.
Where do we get the money from?
Each year a sum of money called a ‘Precept’ is collected through council tax. This money is invested back into the local neighbourhood to improve facilities and services
Regular Parish Council Meetings
Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of the month, except August. Everyone is welcome to attend these meetings and to facilitate this the Council has allocated a period of 15 minutes for members of the public to express their views on relevant matters.
If you have any Parish matters that you wish to bring to the attention of the Council, you should register the topic you wish to discuss with the Clerk to the Council.
There is a ‘contact us’ form on our website or you can write to Hartshill Parish Council, PO Box 5036, Nuneaton, CV11 9FN.
Where and what time are meetings held?
Join us at the Friends Meeting House, Castle Road, meetings start at 6.30 p.m.
Annual Parishioners Meeting
This meeting, held on the second Tuesday of May, provides the opportunity for residents to receive an update on Parish Council activities throughout the year. Members of the public are cordially invited to attend.
Parish Notice Boards
You will find our notice boards at the frontage of Chancery Court, Chancery Lane Chapel End, the post office Church Road, the frontage of Hartshill Holy Trinity Church and on The Green. There is also a newly erected notice board at Snowhill Recreation Ground.