PARISH COUNCIL

Town and parish councils are the first layer of local government. They are elected local authorities, which aim to engage local people and respond to their needs, through representation as community advocates or by providing services.

Many parish and town councils are involved in planning, promoting tourism, licensing, community halls, representation, management of town and village centres and provide local representatives for the Council’s Community Area Boards.

Each town and parish council is made up of councillors who, on the whole, are elected through the ballot box. Elections are held every four years. By-elections are also held to fill vacant seats as and when they occur.

Some councillors are not elected but co-opted onto the Council. This happens when there are not enough candidates at the time of an election to fill all the vacancies or, when a vacancy occurs mid-term, the electorate does not call for an election. In these  circumstances the existing elected councillors, provided there is a quorum (i.e. one third of the whole numbers of members with a minimum of three), can co-opt members to fill the remaining vacancies.

Please contact us if you feel you would like to be involved with our local council


The following are all under the remit of local councils:

  • Allotments

  • Burial Grounds, Cemeteries, Churchyards and Crematoria

  • Bus Shelters

  • Bye-laws – the power to make bye-laws concerning:baths and washhouses (swimming pools), cycle parks, mortuaries and pleasure grounds

  • Clocks – public clocks can be provided and must be maintained

  • Community Centres, Conference Centres, Halls, Public Buildings

  • Drainage – of ditches and ponds

  • Entertainment and the Arts

  • Footpaths

  • General Spending – parish councils can spend a limited amount of money on anything they deem of benefit to the community that is not covered by the other specific responsibilities described in this list

  • Gifts – parish councils may accept gifts

  • Highways – lighting, parking places, right to enter into discussions about new roads and road widening, consent of parish council required for diversion or discontinuation of highway, traffic signs and other notices, tree planting and verge maintenance

  • Land – acquisition and sale of

  • Legal proceedings – power to prosecute and defend any legal proceedings in the interests of the community, power to take part in any public enquiry

  • Litter – provision of litter-bins and support for any anti-litter campaigns

  • Planning – parish councils must be notified of, and display for residents, any planning applications for the area. Any comments submitted to the planning authority by the parish council must be taken into account

  • Postal and Telecommunication Facilities – power to pay a public telecommunications operator any loss sustained in providing services in that area

  • Public conveniences – provision and maintenance of public toilets

  • Recreation – provision of recreation grounds, public walkways, pleasure grounds, open spaces, village greens, gymnasiums, playing fields, holiday camps and boating ponds

  • Rights of Way – footpath and bridleway maintenance

  • Seats (public)

  • Signs – danger signs, place names and bus stops signs

  • Tourism – financial contributions to any local tourist organisations allowed

  • Traffic Calming

  • War Memorials

  • Water Supply – power to utilise stream, well or spring water and to provide facilities for general use

Manningford Parish Council (March 2023):

CHAIR

Andrew Paine

VICE CHAIR

Andy Reed

Finance

Clerk/Ruth Kinderman

Planning, Environmental

Bridget Lanyon

Highways

David Proto

Village Hall

Sue Lymposs

Footpaths

Andy Reed

Playground

Linda Tamani

PARISH CLERK

Ruth Kinderman
2 Little Woodborough, Woodborough, Pewsey, SN9 5PL

01672 851757 | m.kinderman57@btinternet.com

WILTSHIRE COUNCILLOR FOR THE PEWSEY VALE

Paul Oatway
Meadow View, Milton Lilbourne

07779 898456 | paul.Oatway@wiltshire.gov.uk