Working for the Heybridge community
The Parish Council is a local authority under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972 and came into operation on 1 April 1987 following the creation of the civil parish of Heybridge in 1986. It consists of twelve members (Parish Councillors) who are elected every four years.
The Chairman is elected by the Parish Council at its statutory annual meeting in May. It may also appoint a Vice-Chairman. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman must have been elected at the general election.
The Parish Council has the following employees – Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer, Financial and Administration Officer, Day Caretaker, Evening/Weekend Caretaker. The Internal Auditor is a Chartered Accountant.
The Parish Council delegates certain of its functions to the Planning Committee, Environment and Facilities Committee, Personnel Committee, Events Committee, and Appeals Committee, appointed each year at the statutory annual meeting.
Planning Committee
Meets 1st Monday of the month
Councillor Anne Beale Councillor John Harrison Councillor Mike Hall Councillor Bruce Heubner Councillor Paula Spenceley 3 Vacancies
Personnel Committee
Meets As Required
Councillor Anne Beale Councillor Trevor Cable Councillor Ashley Jones Councillor Simon Burwood Councillor John Harrison Full membership
Environment and Facilities Committee
Meets 4th Monday of the month
Councillor Simon Burwood Councillor Trevor Cable Councillor Mike Hall Councillor Bruce Heubner Councillor John Harrison Councillor Nick Spenceley Full membership
Events Committee Councillor Trevor Cable Councillor Ashley Jones Councillor Nikki Swindle 3 Vacancies Meets 2nd Monday of the month
The Parish Council is directly responsible for the following land and property:
- Plantation Hall, Colchester Road
- King George V Playing Field, Colchester Road
- Play areas at Elizabeth Way and Plantation Hall
- Amenity areas at Larch Walk, Rowan Drive, Elizabeth Way and The Roothings
- Horse Trough in The Street
- War memorial at Heybridge Cemetery (the cemetery is under control of Maldon District Council)
- Notice boards at Bentalls, Holloway Road, Ten Acre Approach, Temple Way, Plantation Hall,
- Various amenity and off-street lighting – Stock Chase, The Roothings, Woodfield Cottages, Wharf Road, Green Lane, and at Chapel Lane,
- Bus shelters at Bentalls Centre, Goldhanger Road,
- Seats adjacent to bus shelters at Holloway Road, adjacent to the Waring Room Car Park, and also adjacent to St. Andrew’s Church, outside King George V Playing Field and adjacent to the junction of Lawling Avenue with Goldhanger Road
- Various litter and dog waste bins
The Parish Council is also responsible for the maintenance of the closed churchyard at St. Andrew’s Church Heybridge It has responsibility for maintaining the following:
- Green Lane off Crescent Road
- Centre hedgerow along Colchester Road
- Verge adjacent to the Waring Room car park, The Street
- Elms Farm roundabout, Langford Road.
The Parish Council has engaged a contractor on a rolling contract to maintain its grassed areas and open spaces. The body is commissioned to carry out other individual items of maintenance work from time to time e.g. fencing repairs, play equipment maintenance and repair, putting up signs, clearance of litter. The street cleansing contactor regularly clean Plantation Hall Car Park for a nominal charge. The services of a self-employed gardener/handyman, are also engaged.
The Parish Council has a number of other functions, which are mainly of a consultative nature. Perhaps the most important role is that of giving views on planning applications. By law, the District Council is required to notify the Parish Council of all applications affecting Heybridge, and comments should be returned within 28 days. A copy of the weekly list produced by District Council is sent to all Parish Councils, and it is open to the Parish Council to comment on any application in a neighbouring Parish which it is felt might affect Heybridge. Notices of current applications are displayed on official notice boards, and copies of applications due to be considered are available for inspection 30 minutes prior to the start of Parish Council meetings. The Parish Council is also given the opportunity to comment in the event of appeals against planning decisions of the District Council.
The Parish Council can play an important role in highways monitoring and liaison with Highways and Transportation Services at County Hall. The Parish Council can seek to influence the Highways Maintenance and the Locally Determined Budgets and, where necessary, enlist the support of the County Councillor. Consultations are received on proposals affecting public rights of way, the removal of highway rights and the naming of streets on new development.
The Parish Council is responsible and has to be accountable for its financial administration, which is subject to an annual public audit. An annual precept is levied on the District Council for a sum of money to meet the budget requirement. This is then collected as a proportion of the Council Tax on householders in Heybridge. The Local Government Act 1972 authorises Parish Councils to spend up to a certain amount of money (calculated by formula) for the benefit of all or some of its inhabitants. This is known as ‘section137 expenditure’ and normally applies to certain ‘one-off’ projects the expenditure on which is not otherwise authorised, and the giving of donations.
The Parish Council resolved from 21st May 2023, until the next relevant Annual Meeting of the Council, that having met the conditions of eligibility as defined in the Localism Act 2011 and SI 965 The Parish Councils (General Power of Competence)(Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012, to adopt the General Power of Competence.