issue 1

PARISH COUNCIL IMPLODES?
13th Nov 2017
Many people in the community will not be aware (or even care) that their Parish Council has essentially “imploded” to the
point that it is no longer functioning on behalf of the community.
How could this come about is the question that needs to be asked.
It came about by the mass resignation of Parish Councillors in protest that the Council was not being allowed to run as it
should.
Since the “resignation “ of the long serving Parish Clerk Mary Barnett (watch this space) the then Chair Geoff Fielding has
attempted to carry out the Clerk’s and his own duties pending the appointment of a new Clerk.
Unfortunately some members within the council have made the work of the council much less unified than it would ideally
be in working for the community as a whole.
Some might say that is democracy whilst others might say ,self interest. That is for the community to decide at the ballot
box.
So, what is the position at the moment?
The Parish Council essentially cannot function because they do not have enough councillors who have not resigned to meet
the defined quorate numbers.
What does this mean?
It means that the remaining four councillors cannot hold meetings or make any decisions on behalf of the council.
• They cannot hold PC meetings
• They cannot comment on Planning applications
• The cannot make payments
• They cannot change anything
• They cannot employ a Clerk or appoint a chair
What is the solution?
We are told that Herefordshire Council has the power to appoint a member(s) of the council so that they become quorate
and can again function.
Under the Local Government act 1972
91 Temporary appointment of members of parish and community councils.
(1)Where there are so many vacancies in the office of parish or community councillor that the parish or community
council are unable to act, the district council [F1or Welsh principal council] may by order appoint persons to fill all
or any of the vacancies until other councillors are elected and take up office.
No time frame has yet been given so it could be some time before the PC is again working fully for the community.
We will keep you informed as and when
.Cradley Parish Council Update as at 16 th November 2017
In view of recent events regarding the Parish Council, here are the facts as currently known:
16th Nov 2017
1. The Parish Clerk resigned on 23 rd August 2017.
2. Since 1 st October 2017 eight parish councillors have resigned, including the Chair and Vice-Chair.
3. These resignations resulted in the Council being inquorate and therefore unable to meet and make any decisions. The current establishment
of the Council is fifteen, and, to be quorate, a third of the establishment must attend a meeting. There are only four remaining councillors.
4. With no clerk and an inquorate Council, the Lengthsman, Jeremy Phillips, has not been able to have any direction to do any work since the end
of October (as per his contract with the Council and connected insurance factors), so his activities for the Parish are necessarily suspended for
the time being.
5. The fact that the Council is inquorate has also resulted in a delay in the recruitment process for a new parish clerk. This can recommence
after the next quorate meeting.
6. The Council’s public liability insurance is in place and the insurance company is fully briefed on the current situation.
7. In the current circumstances, Herefordshire Council has the power to make an order to appoint county councillors to the Parish Council to
make it quorate – this process takes some time to put in place, but we can confirm that there are now county councillors allocated.
Therefore, the next Parish Council meetings can be quorate by this means, and the arrangement will continue until new parish councillors can
be elected to some or all of the vacancies…………………..
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