What We Do

The Parish Council provides a number of direct services to the community, and acts as custodian to a number of assets held in the 'public name'. It has one part-time employee, The Clerk to the Council.

Our principle assets are the Recreation Ground on Middleton and Barry's Field Sports Ground in Weston Lane. The recreation Ground has an extensive provision of play equipment, Skateboard ramp and hosts public events such as the annual Fete. Barry's Fields has a pavilion which has extensive facilities including, on the ground floor, the main function room and changing rooms. On the first floor the full length room hosts childrens' activities and all its array of furniture and games facilities. The Council takes responsibility for maintenance, repairs and insurance for these facilities, including the seasonal cutting of the grass by a contractor. For further details of our activities go to the Councillors page which describes the Councillor portfolio responsibilities.

Although Wiltshire Council is the Planning Authority, the Parish Council is consulted on each planning application made in the parish. Counciors consider planning applications at their meetings, and inform Wiltshire Council of their views.

The Parish Council provides a number of waste bins around the Parish which can also be used to deposit dog-waste. A contractor is retained to empty these bins.

Meetings consider various issues for the community such as speeding and volume of traffic, use of roads by large vehicles, inappropriate use of rights of way, facilities for young people, or items of maintenance in the 'public realm' that are appropriate for reporting to other authorities.

A budget is managed by the Council, supported by its Clerk, with funds provided through the Council Tax system. Each year the Council decides how much it will need to continue providing services, and to consider whether it should use its powers to expand its range of activities and support for the community. See our Governance page for more details.

You can find out how local decisions are made on local issues by the Parish Council. You can also link to the bigger picture at the Southern Community Area Board and Wiltshire Council itself

The Parish Council want this site to support a healthy and vibrant community, making networks work and putting you in touch with as many clubs, organisations and activities as we can - if something is missing please let us know, and we will be delighted to include the details. Visit our Contact Us page.

What is the Civil Parish?

A civil parish is an independent local democratic unit for villages, smaller towns, and suburbs of urban areas. Each parish has a Parish (or Town) Meeting consisting of all its local government electors and most (where the electorate exceeds 200) have a Parish or Town Council. Over 13 million people live in such parishes.

What is the Parish (or Town) Council?

The council is a small local authority. Its councillors are elected for four years at a time in the same way as for other councils. By-elections may be held to fill vacancies occurring between elections. The council is the corporation of its village or town. Each year the councillors choose a chairperson from amongst their number.

What Powers have Parish Councils to do things for their areas?

Parish councils have a number of formal powers. Many provide allotments, and look after playing fields, village greens and other types of leisure activities such as swimming pools. They have a hand in maintaining or guarding rights of way, bus shelters, public seats and smaller scale street lighting. Councils are often concerned with the provision of halls and meeting places.

How do they do it?

The parish council can do these things by actually providing them itself or by financially helping someone else, such as a volunteer or a charity, to do them.

What else do they do?

A variety of things. Some help social care schemes, or a local bus service. They make village surveys that inform planning authorities. Many provide car or cycle parks. Others provide public conveniences, litter bins and seats, and can prosecute noise-makers or litter bugs. Many appoint charitable trustees and school managers. Often Parish Councils implement and co-ordinate crime prevention measures, as well as traffic calming initiatives. They have the power to improve the quality of community life by spending sums of money on things that, in their opinion, are in the interests of the parish or its parishioners, and many kinds of activities are aided in this way.

How much do they cost?

Parish Councils are the most un-bureaucratic and the cheapest kind of local authority in existence. Their funds are a tiny part of the council tax and they get no general government grant - so they have every incentive to keep expenditures low and be economical. councillors compensate for the limited funding by undertaking voluntary work within the community to reduce costs.

What else is important?

Parish Councils have lately become more important because a unitary authority can seem more remote and are constantly looking for opportunities to delegate responsibilities for functions and services to parish councils, often with little or no funding provision.

The parish councillors know the villages and can (and increasingly often do) represent their views to other authorities like the Unitary Council, Health Authorities, Police and Fire Authorities. They are entitled to be consulted on planning applications, which include work to listed buildings and in conservation areas, and are often consulted on such things as schools and roads. They put the parish's case at public inquiries. Recent moves from Government to greater 'localism' are set to increase the role of Parish Councils even further.

Who controls the Parish Council?

Parish Councils have lately become more important because a unitary authority can seem more remote and are constantly looking for opportunities to delegate responsibilities for functions and services to parish councils, often with little or no funding provision.

You elect its members every four years and you are entitled to go to the annual parish meeting (in May) and to say what you think. You can also go to every meeting of the Parish Council and meet the Council members and listen to their business. At the beginning of the meetings there is a "public Question time" when parishioners can ask questions directly of the Council, make presentations or seek information.

The council must maintain comprehensive budget accounts which are strictly audited every year by an independent specialist.

How does one find out more?

You can contact the Winterslow Parish Council Clerk here, or visit the Wiltshire Association of Local Councils or the National Association of Local Councils or Wiltshire Council.