Helpringham and its outlying residences (the fen, farms etc) is served by a dedicated Parish Council that dates back to our forefathers.
History of Parish Councils
Parish councils have their origins in medieval times, in an era when money was seldom used and when few people lived in the countryside. Communities came together in order to organise land management, agriculture and settle disputes. The current system of parish councils was formed in 1896. There are currently around 10,000 parish councils in the country. Any community can ask to have a parish council, and, in fact, many new parishes have been formed in recent years -particularly in urban areas. Local councils have evolved considerably over the last 1000 or so years, but one thing remains the same: they are the tier of local government which is closest to individual communities and therefore have the greatest potential for identifying, understanding and addressing the needs of the communities they serve. While some larger councils are run along party political lines, there is no expectation that any councillor needs to be part of any political party. The vast majority of parish councils are not split by party politics.
In Helpringham, you are served by 7 independent councillors who have declared no political affiliation; they are there to commit to public service for the benefit of Helpringham and our residents.
Helpringham Parish Council 2020
The Council, as we mentioned, comprises of 7 Helpringham residents, working to support the local community. Being a Parish Councillor is a voluntary post and no renumeration is given. Councillors regularly liaise with other councillors (parish, town, district and county), local authorities and residents. The Parish Council is supported by a Parish Clerk and Proper Officer, who also serves as the Responsible Finance Officer.
Primary Role of the Parish Council
Your Parish Council (PC) has an overall responsibility for the wellbeing of your local community and representing the views of all residents within the parish of Helpringham.
Secondary Role of the Parish Council
Parish councils have a responsibility for running local services which may include cemeteries, village greens, play areas, speed awareness, community car schemes and potentially much more. In Helpringham, the Council is responsible for the cemetery, maintenance of public areas (grass cutting), the Green, has initiated activities such as litter picking and speed awareness monitoring, and is responsible for the litter and dog waste bins. Furthermore, Helpringham PC has actively supported the Citizens Advice Bureau, the Village Cenotaph, Heckington Voluntary Car Scheme, the Memorial Hall, your Village Christmas Tree, St Andrews Church, Covid support groups and the Playing Field (an independent charity run by members of our village).
The PC applies annually to the district council for funding, for the amount you see on your council tax bill; this is known as the precept. The precept is the sole funding for running the essential village maintenance and the support to the village infrastructure as we have mentioned.
Influencing and shaping the long-term development policy for the parish, and as part of the planning process, comment on planning applications in the parish as well as highways matters.
Improve the quality of life and the environment in their local area.
Working to identify issues which are important to the lives of the residents you represent.
Working to bring about improvements through local projects, lobbying other service providers and working in partnership with other parishes and agencies.
Support and training of councillors
Training and advice for parish councillors is provided by the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC). The district councils and county council provide training, advice and support on particular issues relating to working with the community.