Co-option


Thank you for your interest in being co-opted onto Cawthorne Parish Council.

What does a council and councillors do?

Councillors play a vital part in representing the interests of their local community and improving the quality of life and the local environment. They bring local issues to the attention of the council and help it make decisions on behalf of the local community. They can influence other decision makers and may deliver services to meet the local needs.

Parliament has granted powers to parish councils to raise money through the precept and to spend public money, although it can only spend it where it has legal powers to do so.

 

Responsibility and obligations of a councillor

You must;

·         Attend council meetings, usually held on the first Thursday of the month in the Moxon Room, Cawthorne village hall at 7.30pm.

·         Agree to abide by the Council’s code of conduct (act with integrity etc.)

·         Declare pecuniary and other interests (pecuniary interests include property owned, employment; other interests includes membership of a trade union, involvement in an organisation in the village) which will be displayed on Barnsley Council’s and Cawthorne Parish Council’s websites. A councillor cannot take part in the discussion and vote on any item on which he has had to declare an interest in.

·         Represent the whole electorate

 

Eligibility to be a councillor

You must; 

·         be 18 years old or over; and

·         be on the electoral roll for the parish ; or

·         have resided in the parish for the past twelve months or rented/tenanted land in the parish; or

·         have your principal place of work in the parish; or

·         have lived within three miles of the parish

 

Disqualification from being a councillor

You cannot be a councillor if

·         You are the subject of a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order or Interim Order, or a Debt Relief Restrictions Order or an Interim Debt Relief Restrictions order under Schedule 4ZB of the Insolvency Act 1986.

·         You have within five years prior to the day of your prospective appointment to the council been convicted in the United kingdom, the Channel Isles or the Isle of Man, of any offence and have had passed on you a sentence of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) for a period of not less than three months without the option of a fine.

·         You are disqualified from being elected or from being a member of Cawthorne Parish Council under Part III of the Representation of the People Act 1983 or under the Audit Commission Act 1998

 

Training

Help and guidance will be given by the other councillors and the clerk. There are training session run by the Yorkshire Local Councils Association who also have a lot of information available on their website.

 

Application

Please apply in writing stating

  • Your name, address and eligibility criteria.
  • Your reasons why you wish to be co-opted.
  • What skills, experience, and commitment you would bring to the Council.
  • An acknowledgment that you have the time to fully participate in Council matters.
  • An acknowledgement that you would be prepared to be subject to the Code of Conduct and are prepared to declare interests.
  • A brief detail of personal interests.

 

Post or email your application to the Clerk to be received by

Friday 17th May 2024

Interviews will be conducted on Tuesday 21st May from 7pm onward and the decision will be taken at the Parish Council meeting 6th June

Maxine Bashforth, Clerk, Cawthorne Parish Council.

cawthorneparishclerk@msn.com

349 Barnsley Road, Hoylandswaine, Sheffield S36 7HD.