Cleveland Way - the national long distance footpath passing through our parish
Governance
Parish Councils are an essential part of the structure of local democracy and have a vital role in acting on behalf of the communities they represent. Parish Councils:
- give views, on behalf of the community, on planning applications and other proposals that affect the parish
- undertake projects and schemes that benefit local residents
- work in partnership with other bodies to achieve benefits for the parish
- alert relevant authorities to problems that arise or work that needs to be undertaken
- help the other tiers of local government keep in touch with their local communities
In general terms good governance is about the processes for making and implementing decisions. It is not about making ‘correct’ decisions, but about the best possible process for making those decisions. Good governance is accountable, responsive and follows the rule of law.
In December 2014 the Department for Communities and Local Government issued the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities. This requires smaller authorities such as Parish Councils to make information available to increase democratic accountability. The 'About Us' section provides information about the Councillors’ responsibilities as required under the Transparency Code. The 'Finance' section provides the relevant financial information and the 'Meetings' section provides an up-to-date record of all the agendas, minutes and papers of formal meetings.
