About the Parish Council

The first Parish Council was elected on 4 December 1894.  Elections are held every four years and the electorate democratically elects the Council by having the opportunity to record a maximum of seven votes, thus resulting in the seven applicants with the highest votes being duly elected.

The Parish Council is non-political and the councillors do not represent any of the political parties. the prospective candidates must be proposed and seconded by parishioners listed on the Electoral Roll and the papers have to be lodged with the Electoral Officer at Braintree District Council.

The main requirements for election to the Parish Council is that the would-be candidate must be at least 21 years old and have resided either in the parish or within three miles of it during the whole of the twelve months preceding the day he or she was nominated.

Parish Council meetings are held bi-monthly and the dates are on the Parish Council Notice Board situated on the Montefiore Institute and also on this website. At the beginning of the meetings there is a public question time when members of the public may present any parish matters they wish to be raised, or they may attend as observers but may not take part.

The Annual General Meeting must be held in May each year when the councillors elect the Chairman and Vice Chairman; also at this meeting the seven councillors are allocated various responsibilities and the financial Officer presents the Annual Accounts. In addition an Annual Parish Meeting must be held when members of the Parish hear reports from the councillors on the past year's activities. this gives everybody an opportunity to ask questions and air his or her views - this is the only meeting where Any Other Business is allowed.