Parish Councils Will Restore Democratic Accountability in Thurrock

1.33.57am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 10th Apr 2007

Liberal Democrats are calling for the introduction of Parish Councils in Thurrock.

Earnshaw Palmer said "We believe that Parish Councils have a crucial role to play in promoting and upholding democratic accountability in Thurrock. Parish councils can provide around thirty four different types of services ranging from providing allotments to spending money on community transport schemes.

Parish Councils are the first tier of local democracy which is closest to people and provides a strong voice for the local community. It operates in area defined as civil parish which could be based on geographical or electoral ward boundaries. They are set up under Local Government Acts and have legal powers to deliver many basic services and undertake projects and schemes that benefit local residents.

It can cost between £5.00 and £20.00 a year but the benefits are enormous as residents decide what services they want their Parish Councils to provide giving them a greater say over what happens in their local community. For example, they can pay to employ Street Wardens to help reduce incidences of anti-social behaviour in the area.

Within the Parish Council structure there is also provision for a youth council. This will provide a platform that will give young people the opportunity to have a say in the local issues and focus attention on providing services that cater for their needs. (An issue which needs to be urgently addressed in many parts of Thurrock)

Parish Councils are administered by a paid employee usually the Parish Clerk and run by elected Parish Councillors. Elections are held every four years.

Parish Councils will have a greater say in the running and improvement of local services.

· Being consulted on planning matters affecting their area

· Being consulted on matters relating to local highways management.

· Being involved with the police in drawing up crime prevention strategy for the area.

The services that Thurrock Council provides are divided into statutory and non statutory categories. As such non-statutory services like cleaning and greening can be subject to budget cuts. Unlike the Thurrock Council, the responsibilities that Parish Councils have are statutory and they are duty bound to deliver them. There are services which could be better delivered by Parish Councils than Thurrock Council.

The benefits of economies of scale could be offset by reduced numbers working in a smaller but dedicated team in a particular community. They will be more productive than a larger number of staff for the same service covering the borough. For example a dedicated team of 5 cleaning staff for say Chafford Parish Council would be more productive than a team of 30 spread over the entire borough. This should not lead to a duplication of local services. When a Parish Council assumes responsibility for a service that is normally provided by Thurrock Council there should be no extra cost to the local community as the budget for this service would be transferred to the Parish Council.

It should be pointed out that Parish Councils are not a threat or substitute to Community Forums. In areas where both exist they are known to work well and these experiences could be replicated in Thurrock.

Many residents would welcome a Parish Councils in Thurrock because it relates to their local community. They want something closer to home. With Thurrock Thamesgateway Development Corporation being an unelected body wielding such powers, there is an overwhelming need to restore democratic accountability at local level and to reinvigorate public faith in local democracy resulting in the cost-effective delivery of local services that meets residents' needs and exceeds their expectations rather having plans dictated from above creating unwarranted anxieties in some communities.

Parish Councils will give local residents a strong voice over local issues that affect their lives. It is about time that "He who pays the piper calls the tune!"

For further information about parish councils please visit http://www.nalc.gov.uk website or contact info@thurrocklibdems.org.uk