<Back                                                                                             Barkway Parish Council

A parish council is the part of local government closest to the people. It serves the smallest area and is responsible for the most local of matters. Parish Councillors are elected volunteers and do not receive any payment for offering their services.

Very importantly, a parish council can "precept" - raising a sum collected with the council tax each year to improve facilities and services for local people.  It has a number of basic responsibilities in making the lives of local communities more comfortable, many of which are often taken for granted. Essentially these powers fall within three main categories:

  • representing the whole electorate within the parish;

  • delivering services to meet local needs;

  • and striving to improve quality of life in the parish.

Individual powers include the provision and maintenance of community transport schemes, traffic calming measures, local youth projects, activities, leisure facilities, parking, village greens, public lavatories, litter bins, street lighting, street cleaning, burial grounds, allotments, bus shelters, commons, opens spaces, footpaths, bridleways, and crime reduction measures.

A parish council can also comment on planning applications - they are statutory consultees (they have to be consulted if they so wish) and can be represented at public inquiries.

Barkway Parish Council is committed to promoting and safeguarding community values, to enhancing the quality of village life and civic pride in Barkway and its corporate objectives are:

1 To promote and represent the interests of the village, to embrace progress and to improve the quality of life for the local community.
 

2. To engage in a continuing open dialogue with residents, to understand their concerns, needs and aspirations, to explain how the Council will address these within the resources and powers available

 

3. To encourage and promote social and community values in the village by working with and supporting, where practicable, local organisations, groups and agencies to provide additional services and facilities to the village.

 4. To encourage and promote the long term viability and vitality of the village, where and when applicable, through partnerships with other Parish Councils and levels of government.

Barkway Parish Council meets every second Tuesday of the month (except for August) and the agenda always includes a public session, allowing members of the Parish to attend and raise particular items of interest or concern. A Parish Annual meeting is held in April/May - the date for this year is 26th May at 7.30pm in Barkway Village Hall

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