What is Horspath Parish Council?
| Horspath Parish Councillors are all volunteers, who work entirely without payment to support and represent this village community. There is no expenses allowance available for Parish Councillors. Horspath Parish Council consists of 11 elected members, including a chairperson, with a salaried part-time Parish Clerk to provide routine administrative support and to act as the Council's Finance Officer. The elected Councillors may be adult men or women in any proportion, all of whom must be registered as residents and electors in Horspath. Councillors are elected every 4 years, and may be re-elected for a further 4 years if they wish to volunteer their names for re-election. When a vacancy arises as a result of the resignation of a Councillor, the notice of this vacancy is posted on the village notice boards, and unless at least 10 Horspath residents petition the District Council to hold a full Parish Council Election, nominations are simply accepted by the Parish Clerk from anyone on the Electoral List in Horspath, and the remaining Councillors then have the discretion to co-opt one of the nominees to fill the vacancy, if necessary, by holding a vote within the Council if there is more than one candidate for a single vacancy arising. These procedures are transparently fair and are recorded as a matter of public record. All Councillors are obliged to formally declare their personal and business interests when they join the Council, and to agree to a Code of Conduct and follow a set of Standing Orders governing the operation of the Council, which follows the national guidelines for local government bodies. |