Now the dust has settled on both the General Election and District Council elections in the locality, attention has turned to the Parish councils in Pevensey and Westham and what happened on 7 May.
News that there has been quiet revolouition of some kind has come as a surprise to both councils which are not noted for pro-active involvement in local campaigning issues.
All parish councils follow a non-partisan path when it comes to allegiances and affiliations. Councillors are unpaid and offer their services based on their interest and commitment to local communities.
This gives parish councils a sound ethos and structure.
It will be interesting to see whether ‘green activism’ in both Pevensey and Westham as part of each parish council profile, will have any bearing on matters related to policy making.
It was unusual for there to be an election in each parish. It only happens when the number of nominations exceed the statutory requirement.
In both councils the requisite number of councillors is 13, and there were 14 nominations, triggering an election.
Usually when one councillor gives notice that they intend to leave, or is deemed not to be part of the council through failure to attend, an invitation to be part of the council is posted on a village noticeboard .
The role is adopted by someone new.
There are also opportunities for Parish Councils to ‘co-opt’ members onto a council.
It is a time honoured procedure that works well in communities and provides for stability and continuity to the structure of parish councils.
The law says that parish council minutes must be published within 28 days of meetings, which now includes a requirement that these minutes are accessible online.
It is a relatively seamless way to do business in local communities.
From the ‘precept’, which is the fund proved yearly by Government for parish councils to function, a paid clerk is employed to see that matters like the minutes and decisions made are recorded and actioned, and that correspondence and communications can be serviced.
As well as being a stable system of governance, it is also a transparent way of doing business, as the community can see how money is being spent and how local matters are considered.
The two elections last week were therefore unusual and gave people an opportunity to look in on the matters of each council and see voting records for the nominations.
Interestingly, out of 14 candidates, the green activist candidate in Pevensey polled the third highest vote.
Does the replication of interest in some ‘green issues’ with voting patterns in Westham Council indicate a wider feeling in the locality in relation to the kinds of ‘green’ campaigns that are current in both parishes?
Helen Burton (now a Pevensey Parish Councilor) and Fiona Durling (now Westham Parish Councillor) are both part of the local green issue inspired ‘Incredible Edible movement’, which is committed to action on a number of fronts with regard to growing food and food utilisation.
In their statement of intention the local ‘Incredible Edible movement’ says “The Incredible Edible movement is spreading across the world and now Pevensey and Westham have joined the food revolution!”
“We aim to grow food in public spaces for everyone to share and encourage free food give-aways”.
“We aim to support growing edibles in private gardens by sharing knowledge and working with Stone Cross Garden Centre to make exciting, easy to grow edible plants more available”.
Helen Burton told Bay Life (11 May); “I’m looking forward to serving our community on the Parish council. I have several ideas to bring to the council and also hope to work with other district candidates locally. Now the elections are over I am hoping we can set aside our political differences and work together to move local projects forward”.
Note
Full results of the Pevensey and Westham Parish Council elections are published here by Wealden District Council
