Surlingham Parish Council

Parish and Town Councils are the most local level of government in the England. They are independent elected bodies and have responsibility for:

• Representing all residents in the parish.
• Running local services that may include: allotments, cemeteries, community buildings, recreation and play areas, seating, bus shelters, litter bins and local transport schemes.
• Commenting on planning applications and long-term development issues.
• Collecting money for their budget through the 'precept' as part of council tax. Each parish council has the power to set it's own budget according to their plans for the year and therefore can decide what the precept level should be to provide the required funding.

Parish Councils also have wide-ranging powers to become involved in further activities that contribute towards the improvement of the environment and quality of life in the parish. Over the past two years Surlingham Parish Council has supported the establishment of two important youth projects within the village. Both the Out of School Club, run by the village school, and the Youth Club have become integral aspects of the community. More recently the Council has organized an open talk by the RSPB to help raise awareness of the bird and wildlife reserves within the parish and the importance of conserving them for the future. At present the Parish Council are in discussions with the Strategic Housing Department at South Norfolk Council to undertake a review of the housing needs within the village. It is hoped that a survey will be carried out to assess the current housing needs of our parishioners.

Parish Council Elections 2007

The 2007 Parish Council elections are on 3rd May 2007, at the same time as the district council elections. Any interested resident can decide to stand as a parish councillor, you do not need to have experience of local government and do not need to have or state a political allegiance. You do need to be nominated by two other parish residents and submit a nomination form to your district council by noon, 4th April 2007.

How can I find out more?

• Have a look at the National Association of Local Councils website www.nalc.gov.uk
• Contact the Norfolk County Association of Parish and Town Councils on 01603 664869 or e-mail enquiries@ncaptc.gov.uk
• Contact your parish clerk, Diane Corbin

Surlingham Parish Council meets on the third Tuesday of every month at the Parish Hall. All parishioners are very welcome to attend - meetings start at 7.30pm. The agenda for each meeting together with minutes of past meetings can be found on the Parish Council website