COUNCILLORS
Councillors give their time voluntarily as it is an unpaid role. By becoming a parish councillor you become someone your community will look to for help, guidance and support – a community leader with the power to influence decision, work alongside other agencies and local government, create a strategy and deliver plans for the benefit of the parish you live in.
Parish Councillors
The Parish Council of Walsoken is currently made up of 10 Councillors and they are:
Fred Leach – Chairman
fl01.walsokenparishcouncil@gmail.com
John Woolley – Vice Chairman and Village Hall Committee representative
Clive Bettinson
ceb01.walsokenparishcouncil@gmail.com
John Harwin
Andy Houghton
ah01.walsokenparishcouncil@gmail.com
Chris Luff
cl01.walsokenparishcouncil@gmail.com
Jenny Snow
Joanna Taylor
jowoolleyrugwash@hotmail.co.uk
Yvonne Cocks
Lynn Clarke
Borough Councillors for Walsoken, West Walton & Walpole Ward
Richard Blunt
cllr.richard.blunt@west-norfolk.gov.uk
Julian Kirk
cllr.julian.kirk@west-norfolk.gov.uk
County Councillors
Chris Dawson (Marshland South)
chris.dawson.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk
Julian Kirk (Marshland North)
julian.kirk.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk
The Role of a Councillor
They are elected to represent the interest of the local community as a whole and promote a harmonious local environment. The number of elected Councillors depends on the size of the area, in Walsoken we are able to have 10 Councillors.
Local Councils are the first tier of governance and are the first point of contact for anyone concerned with a community issue. They are democratically elected local authorities and exist in England, Wales and Scotland. The term 'Local Council' is synonymous with ' Parish Council, 'Town Council' and 'Community Council'.
Local Councils are made up of locally elected Councillors. They are legally obliged to hold at least four meetings a year. Most meet on a monthly cycle to discuss council business and hear from local residents. Borough and County Councillors regularly attend parish meetings and report at the Annual Parish meeting. Councillors are expected to attend meetings on a regular basis.
Councillors must abide by a Code of Conduct, a set of rules on how Councillors are expected to behave. They must also declare their financial interests in the parish, details of which are kept by the Borough Council.