Startforth Parish Council

Startforth Parish Council consists of seven Councillors and has one employee — the Parish clerk who works part-time.

The most recent elections for the Council were held in May 2021 and the next elections are scheduled for May 2025. If vacancies arise between elections, we advertise these on the home page of this website.

The Parish Council meets on the third Wednesday of each month (except August when no meeting is held) at Startforth Morritt Memorial Community Centre. Meetings normally start at 7.00 pm and members of the public are very welcome to attend. Future meetings are listed in our Schedules of meetings page,  and papers and reports associated with our meetings can be found in the Agendas and Minutes page of this website.

The Parish Council currently has only one Committee. The Personnel Committee deals with all employment matters. Members of the Personnel Committee are: Cllr Chris Carr, Cllr Jayne Cox and Cllr Craig Baker.

What the Parish Council is - and isn't - responsible for

The Parish Council is responsible for: Church Bank Field, operating the Stainmore Close  playground, commenting on planning applications within the parish  (although the authority which makes the decision is Durham County Council).

The Parish Council can also help with talking to the County Council to arrange repairs to bus stops, public footpath repairs, public seating, emptying of litter bins etc., and talking to landowners about dangerous trees, collapsed fences etc.

The Parish Council is NOT responsible for broken street lights, pothole repairs or reporting owners who fail to pick up after their dogs have fouled.

Parish Councils in general

There are over 9,000 parish and town councils representing around 16 million people across England. They form the most local level of government and cover many rural and urban areas.

Parish councils have an overall responsibility for the wellbeing of their local communities. The work of a Parish Council falls into three main categories: Representing the local community; Delivering services to meet local needs; and Striving to improve quality of life in the parish.

Each year the Parish Council asks for a sum of money, called a ‘precept’, which is collected through your Council Tax. This money is used by the Parish Council to provide or improve facilities and services for local people and to run the Council. Parish Councils can also apply for grants and loans.

What do Parish Councillors do?

Councillors have three main areas of work:

Decision-making: through attending meetings and committees with other elected members, councillors decide which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and what policies should be implemented;

Monitoring: Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working; and

Getting involved locally: as local representatives, Councillors have responsibilities towards their parishioners and local organisations. This often depends on what the Councillor wants to achieve and how much time is available.

The day-to-day work of a Councillor may include:

Going to meetings of local organisations;

Going to meetings of bodies that affect the wider community, such as the police, the Highways Authority, schools and colleges; and

Bringing parishioners' concerns to the attention of the Council.

Could You be a Parish Councillor?

As a Councillor you can become a voice for your community and affect real change. It helps if you’re a ‘people person’ who enjoys talking to other residents but, more importantly, you need to have the concerns and best interests of the parish as a whole at heart.

Councillors are community leaders and should represent the aspirations of the public that they serve.

Parish Councils are the most local part of our democratic system and are the tier of local government which is closest to the public. Why don’t you stand for your local parish council and see what difference you can make to your local community?

How much time does it take up and when?

On average, less than a couple of hours a week. Obviously there are some Councillors who spend more time than this – and some less — but in the main, being a Parish Councillor is an enjoyable way of contributing to your community and helping to make it a better place to live and work. Council meetings are always held in the evening – as are most meetings of the other groups which Councillors attend on the Council’s behalf.

Talking and listening to your fellow parishioners can be done at any time but you must be able to spend a couple of hours, usually monthly, attending Council meetings.

Are you qualified to be a Parish Councillor?

Most people are qualified to serve as a Parish Councillor. However there are a few basic rules. You have to be:

A British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth or the European Union; and

18 years or older on the day you become nominated for election; and 

live or work in or near the parish.

You cannot stand for election if you are the subject of a bankruptcy restriction order or interim order or have, within five years before the day of the election, been convicted in the United Kingdom of any offence and have had a prison sentence (whether suspended or not) for a period of over three months without the option of a fine.

There are also some other disqualifications relating to candidacy, but they are too complex to outline here. If you require further details or are interested in becoming a parish councillor, please contact the Clerk.