Clandon Parish Councils Need More Hands

Published on: 5 Sep, 2018
Updated on: 7 Sep, 2018

The parish councils of East Clandon and West Clandon need more councillors. But they have to get agreement from Guildford Borough Council before they can increase their memberships and residents in each parish have to be consulted.

East Clandon Parish Council wants to increase from five to six members and West Clandon Parish Council from six to eight.

A GBC spokesperson said: “We’re consulting the public about this in a Community Governance Review which launches on Monday, 3 September.”

The two Conservative borough councillors for the area are firmly behind the request. Jenny Wicks gave her support when the subject was raised at a council meeting and Matthew Sarti said yesterday (September 4, 2018): “Parish councils do a fantastic job of maintaining and enhancing their local area. I fully support the increase in members for both East and West Clandon.”

Explaining the case for Easy Clandon, Sibylla Tindale, chair of the parish council said: “East Clandon Parish Council has a need for an extra councillor because of the amount of work that needs to be done, and because at times we do not achieve a quorum at our meetings.

“Having six councillors will make reaching a quorum easier, but in reality, the reason for an extra councillor is to provide a training path combined with the vision to encourage new people to join in and participate in ‘local affairs/ government’ and with taking on part of a portfolio.

“All of the work is done by village volunteers, residents who believe in contributing to their village and the wider community too. Nobody is paid. It is an act of faith and support in village life and doing one’s best for one’s community.

“Currently, each of our five councillors has a parish portfolio and simultaneously holds down a full job.

“So spreading the load with a sixth councillor is in the interest of retaining great people and will encourage new people to take up a role who may view being involved with less trepidation if the load is not too great.”

John Stone, parish clerk at West Clandon added: “We think that increasing the number of councillors, from six to eight in our case, will make it easier to reach the quorum, which remains at three. This can sometimes be an issue when, as at present, we have an occasional vacancy, or one of our busy councillors is delayed by other commitments.

“We also hope that increasing the numbers will enable us to include councillors from a wider range of backgrounds which better reflect the diversity of life in the parish.

“Finally, it will help future proof the council for the increase in population within the parish envisaged under the new Local Plan.”

Advice in the GBC statement is: “From 3 September to have your say go to www.guildford.gov.uk/comgovreveast and www.guildford.gov.uk/comgovrevwest, email us at committeeservices@guildford.gov.uk or write to John Armstrong, Democratic Services Manager, Guildford Borough Council, Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford GU2 4BB.

“Please state your name and address clearly. Your reply must reach us no later than 5pm on Friday 26 October 2018.”

If approved, the change will come into effect on the date of the next scheduled parish council elections on May 2 2019.