Who We Are & What We Do

Witherley Parish Council consists of 11 elected or co-opted Councillors who serve for a four year term. All Councillors are in the role voluntarily.

Our councillors are elected or co-opted. If you would like to become a Councillor or find out more about what they do then please contact the Parish Office

Members' Register of Interests declaration forms are held centrally at Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. You can find Witherley Councillors declarations by following this link: https://moderngov.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/mgParishCouncilDetails.aspx?ls=12&SLS=5&bcr=1

A Parish Council meeting is not a public meeting. It is a Council meeting held in the public domain. Meetings may not take place in licensed premises unless no other suitable room is available free of charge or at reasonable cost and may not take place in a private dwelling.

An ordinary meeting of the Council is called by the Clerk to conduct its business in line with legislation and its Standing Orders. The Council is summonsed to attend 3 clear working days before the meeting.

Witherley Parish Council meets at 7.00 pm the second Thursday each month except August when there is no meeting.

It is good practise (but not mandatory) to have an allotted time during the meeting to allow members of the public to speak. Witherley Parish Council allows up to 10 minutes usually at the beginning of the meeting where members of the public can comment on agenda items (only) but they may not get an immediate answer to any questions raised.

Members of the public may only speak if invited to do so by the Chair, and speak only for a maximum of 5 minutes, or less if there are more attendees wishing to comment. This part of the evening is not actually part of the Council meeting and is not minuted.

If a member of the public has an urgent or burning issue to raise with the Council, they can write/phone/email the Clerk or discuss it with their local Councillor at any time. If a Councillor wishes to raise an issue on behalf of a resident with the Council for action e.g.: speeding traffic (which comes up regularly for all the villages) the Councillor will word a motion for the Clerk to include it on the next or future agenda.

It is the Clerk who decides what items make up an agenda for a meeting. There is often a lot of statutory items on the agenda before even getting to local issues, village updates and the project items.

The agenda is published 3 clear working days prior to the meeting on Council noticeboards and the website.

An item can be excluded from the public but a reason must be given, it is often a personal matter. These items when discussed are closed, and so the public are asked to leave the meeting.

Minutes only record the motions and decisions of the Council. Previous minutes kept by Witherley were narrative and lengthy, to save time and adhere with legislation the Clerk has reverted to the legislative requirements.

There is a Parish Meeting held April every year which is a meeting of residents. If the PC Chair attends the meeting they must chair it. Otherwise a Chair is agreed among the attendees. This is advertised annually on noticeboards and the Parish Council website inviting residents to attend.

Further reading: Local government Act 1972 schedule 12 covers most of it.

For further information relating to the services offered by the Parish Council please contact the Parish Clerk who will be happy to give advice and assistance.

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

The Personnel Committee is responsible for the management of staff who work for the Council, for recruitment, conducting appraisals, handling grievance and complaints, etc.

Cllr Alan Wood (Chair), Cllr Jo-Anne Ambrose and Cllr Marina Kovalova.