Yeovil Without Parish Council needs new council members; if you think you would like to have more of a deciding role in your community & are over 18 years of age contact the Clerk on 01935 479975 or email clerk@yeovilwithoutparishcouncil.gov.uk

What is a councillor?

Councillors are elected to represent an individual geographical unit on the council, known as a ward or parish. In Yeovil Without, you would represent one of the four wards – Lyde, Combe, Summerlands or Brimsmore and the Parish is Yeovil Without. Councillors are generally elected by the public every four years, but there is Co-option spaces available on the Parish Council at the moment as Councillors Amy Grieves & Roger Brown have given their resignations. When a vacancy occurs a public advertisement is displayed to the public. If within fourteen days of the public advertisement a poll is requested, by not less than ten local government electors for the parish or community, a by-election must be held in order to fill the vacancy. Otherwise, the vacancy is to be filled by the local council itself by co-option of a suitable person qualified to serve as a councillor as soon as practicable after the expiry of fourteen days of the date of the public advertisement. This is what has occurred at Yeovil Without Parish Council.

What do councillors do?

Councillors have three main components to their work.

1. Decision making – Through meetings and attending committees with other elected members, councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered, and what policies should be implemented.
2. Monitoring – Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working.
3. Getting involved locally – As local representatives, councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local organisations. These responsibilities and duties often depend on what the councillor wants to achieve and how much time is available, and may include:

• Going to meetings of local organisations
• Going to meetings of bodies affecting the wider community
• Taking up issues on behalf of members of the public

How much time does it take up?

Quite often councillors say that their duties occupy them for about an hour a week. Obviously, there are some councillors who spend more time than this – and some less, but in the main, being a parish councillor is an enjoyable way of contributing to your community, and helping to make it a better place to live and work.

As a councillor representing your community, you will help keep it a great place to live and work. You will be supported in your role and will be expected to undertake training. You should be comfortable working electronically. You should have a positive outlook and a can-do attitude and be willing to work as part of a team. If after reading this notice you are interested in applying please contact the clerk to the council using the above details.

Eligibility

To stand for election to become a parish councillor you must be:

• At least 18 years old on the day of your nomination, and
• A British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of any other member state of the European Union

You must also meet at least one of the following four qualifications:

• You are, and will continue to be, registered as a local government elector for the parish in which you wish to stand from the day of your nomination onwards
• You have occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish area during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.
• Your main or only place of work during the 12 months prior to the day of your nomination and the day of election has been in the parish area
• You have lived in the parish area or within three miles of it during the whole of the 12 months before the day of your nomination and the day of election.

The closing date for applications is 04/01/2021.

Please note following Government guidance the next parish council meeting will be held virtually, please see latest news below.

Welcome to the Yeovil Without Parish website, your convenient point of reference for all that’s going on at the Parish Council.

Access to dates of council meetings, councillor details, minutes, agendas, finance (how we spend your money) can all be found on this website and other information relating to parish council.

Our vision is to ensure that everything we hold to be of value within the parish thrives. We are committed to do all we can within our statutory powers to support residents, organisations, businesses and the environment.