The Parish
There are two sorts of parishes, whose boundaries do not always coincide. These are:
a) Ecclesiastical parishes centred on an Anglican church with a parochial church council, and
b) the Civil Parishes, which are part of local administration.
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, and where the electorate exceeds 200, have a Parish or Town
council.
The Parish Council
The Parish Council is a small local authority. Its councillors are elected for four years at a time. The last election in this parish was in 2015. Vacancies occurring between elections are filled by bye-election (if requested) or
co-option. The council is the corporation of its village or town.
Each year the councillors choose a chairman from amongst their number. There is also a vice-chairman and a clerk, who is the Proper Officer and the Responsible Finance Officer of the council.
Parish Councils have a number of formal powers. Many provide allotments, look after playing fields, play areas and village greens. They maintain and guard things such as rights of way, bus shelters, public seats, small scale street lighting, and often provide village halls and meeting places. The Parish council can do these
things by actually providing them itself, or by helping someone else (such as a charity or volunteers) financially to do so. Parish councils have the power to improve the quality of community life by spending sums of money on things which, in their opinion, are in the interests of the parish or its inhabitants.
Astley is partly owned by Arbury Estate and partly in private ownership. It is a village of two halves, with the Church and the Castle in one part and an area of private dwellings on Breach Oak Lane bordering with Fillongley and Corley Parishes. Astley Parish Council owns no land and therefore has restricted powers however it works closely with Arbury Estate to ensure, where possible, that residents needs are met.
Councils are also the focal point for local consultation on matters such as planning applications and Borough Council strategic planning. The parish councillors know the village and can represent its views to other authorities such as District and County Councils. They are entitled to be consulted on planning applications
and are often consulted on things like schools and roads. They put the parish’s case at public enquiries.
There are two sorts of parishes, whose boundaries do not always coincide. These are:
a) Ecclesiastical parishes centred on an Anglican church with a parochial church council, and
b) the Civil Parishes, which are part of local administration.
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, and where the electorate exceeds 200, have a Parish or Town
council.
The Parish Council
The Parish Council is a small local authority. Its councillors are elected for four years at a time. The last election in this parish was in 2015. Vacancies occurring between elections are filled by bye-election (if requested) or
co-option. The council is the corporation of its village or town.
Each year the councillors choose a chairman from amongst their number. There is also a vice-chairman and a clerk, who is the Proper Officer and the Responsible Finance Officer of the council.
Parish Councils have a number of formal powers. Many provide allotments, look after playing fields, play areas and village greens. They maintain and guard things such as rights of way, bus shelters, public seats, small scale street lighting, and often provide village halls and meeting places. The Parish council can do these
things by actually providing them itself, or by helping someone else (such as a charity or volunteers) financially to do so. Parish councils have the power to improve the quality of community life by spending sums of money on things which, in their opinion, are in the interests of the parish or its inhabitants.
Astley is partly owned by Arbury Estate and partly in private ownership. It is a village of two halves, with the Church and the Castle in one part and an area of private dwellings on Breach Oak Lane bordering with Fillongley and Corley Parishes. Astley Parish Council owns no land and therefore has restricted powers however it works closely with Arbury Estate to ensure, where possible, that residents needs are met.
Councils are also the focal point for local consultation on matters such as planning applications and Borough Council strategic planning. The parish councillors know the village and can represent its views to other authorities such as District and County Councils. They are entitled to be consulted on planning applications
and are often consulted on things like schools and roads. They put the parish’s case at public enquiries.