The Parish Council of Chalfont St. Peter
The Parish Council of Chalfont St. Peter is a locally elected body of voluntary councilors who make decisions on the management and use of various assets owned and/or controlled by the residents of the village. They ensure that money allocated for local use through taxation is efficiently spent in the interests of the Village.
The Parish Council can also act as a voice for the community by helping to channel any community concern regarding major developments to the correct authorities. It also helps facilitate local village entertainment and works alongside community groups. Whether it is helping to fund the local River Misbourne project or assist an older person's action group, the council is the democratic voice of Chalfont St. Peter.
There has been a Parish Council in Chalfont St Peter since 1894 when Parish councils were first given official powers by the then prime minister Benjamin Disraeli. Since then the popular and proudly 'semi rural' village of Chalfont St. Peter has grown and is currently the largest Parish in England. In 2006 the Parish Council moved from a single room in the community centre to its new offices next to the football club in Mill Meadow.
In addition to the monthly meeting of the full council there are five standing Committees which regularly meet to discuss and decide upon the various issues affecting the community. The committees are ; Amenities and Planning, Open Spaces, Finance, Human Resources and Communications and PR. Occasionally other committees are set up to deal with important issues such as the Centenary Year in 1994, and the Millennium. Working Parties are also created to undertake particular projects such as the recent Village Design Statement Working Party which is looking at creating a planning design document for the village. Apart from small scale planning applications, where the Committee has authority from Council to comment directly to the District Council, all Committees make their recommendations to the full Council for a final ratification.
The procedures governing the meetings of the Parish Council can be found here
The responsibilities and powers of the Parish Council can be found here
The Parish Councillors
Parish Councilors are elected unpaid volunteers. Only the chairman receives payment, a statutory yearly allowance of a few hundred pounds to cover expenses. Each councilor is allocated a 'ward' (an area of the village) which they represent. Chalfont St Peter currently has a party political Parish Council and councilors can either be co-opted along existing party lines or voted in during an election, which takes place concurrently with a general election. Chalfont St Peter has had a number of independent councilors who have successfully won their seat by lobbying for votes in their ward.
To view details of our Parish Councilors click here
Being a Parish Councillor is not only a rewarding and educational pastime it is a good introduction to local government. If you would like to know more about becoming a Parish Councilor click here
Council Staff
The Parish Council is a voluntary organization but it employs a Clerk to oversee the councils administration and Haywardens to maintain the villages open spaces. Details of our Clerk and Staff can be found here
The Parish Council owns the following land:
- Allotments. Two areas of land, one at the end of Church Lane (Love's Delight allotments) and another off the A413, almost opposite the Esso garage (Hill House allotments), are allocated as areas (size ?) for growing vegetables and fruit. These can be rented by residents. To apply for an allotment, please click here
- St. Peter's Garden - This is an old Church graveyard on Church Lane which, whilst still consecrated ground, is now a public open space by permission of the Diocese.
- The Garden of Rest - Our main cemetery off Denham Lane
- Grazing fields - The Parish owns one area of open land by the Hill House allotments consisting of about 5-6 acres. This is currently let to a horse grazier on an annual lease.
The Council leases the following land:
- Cheena Meadow, Denham Lane - This is used as recreation ground.
- Lady Gibb Millennium Wood - An area of wild woodland and scrub that has been allocated as a nature reserve in memory of Lady Gibb who was also a Parish Councillor.
The Parish Council manages:
Mill Meadow
Mill Meadow is managed by The Parish Council under delegated powers from the District Council who own it. The land was originally bought by the District Council as public recreation ground. The Parish Council has a separate precept or budget from the District Council for managing this land -, with the exception of the areas fenced off for the football club and tennis club who maintain their own land under direct leases with the District Council. The play area is now maintained by the Parish Council and the area between the football and tennis clubs is used by the Middle School and a small area by junior teams from the football club. (this all needs clarification. Who controls what?)
Gold Hill and Austenwood Commons
There is a large are of common land in Chalfont St Peter. About 33 acres in total are maintained under a 1913 management scheme. Management of these commons was delegated to the Parish from the Amersham Rural District Council but without a precept as probably at the time it cost virtually nothing to manage as it was grazed by cattle. Both Commons were registered under the 1899 Commons Act and were therefore exempt from further registration under the 1965 Act. Both Commons (and the Gerrards Cross Commons) are owned by the Lord of the Manor, Mr. David Baldwin who lives in Bourne End. He takes a keen interest in the Commons. The football pitch is used by the Gold Hill Baptist Church team and the C St P AFC teenage teams.
Maltmans Green
This old settlement which pre-dates Gerrards Cross was registered in 1965 as Common land with no owner. The County, District and Parish Councils therefore stand in as the owner by law and are responsible for the land. In practice the Parish Council maintains the area.
Footpaths
The County Council has the statutory duty to keep these open but in practice a lot of the maintenance is done by the Parish Council, particularly in the winter. The Parish has entered into the Parish Paths Partnership with the County and the Countryside Commission whereby some of the work done on the footpaths will be paid for by the Partnership.
Bus shelters and Seats
Bus shelters and seats are all owned and maintained by the Parish Council.
Noticeboards
There are ( X ) notice boards maintained by the Parish Council to display notices of meetings and byelaws. These are located at ......
Street lights and Coronation Clock
The Parish Council owns about 412 street lights (as opposed to the taller highways lights) as well as the Coronation Clock at the top of Market Place. These are all maintained by the Parish Council who has a responsibility for repairing and painting them.
Planters
The Parish Council owns the planters outside the George and on the Broadway whilst also maintaining the plants in the planter outside Budgens supermarket and the two outside HSBC which belong to Chiltern District Council.
Watersplash Garden
The garden, in the remains of the old river ford (watersplash) by the Greyhound, was built and is maintained by the Parish Council. It is hoped that the River will soon flow more regularly after repairs to the riverbed are undertaken by The Misbourne Society near Chalfont St Giles.
Meeting dates for 2010
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JANUARY 1ST Bank Holiday 4th Amenities & Planning 13th Open Spaces 7 pm 13th Human Resources 8.30 pm 21st Finance 25th Amenities & Planning 28th Council
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JULY 1st Open Spaces 12th Amenities & Planning 15th Human Resources 22rd Finance 29th Main Council |
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FEBRUARY 4th Open Spaces 11th Comms & Public Relations 15th Amenities & Planning 18th Finance 25rd Council
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AUGUST 2nd Amenities & Planning 12th Comms & Public Relations 19h Finance 23rd Amenities & Planning 30th Bank Holiday
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MARCH 4th Open Spaces 8th Amenities & Planning 11th Human Resources 18th Finance 25th Council 29th Amenities & Planning
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SEPTEMBER 9th Open Spaces 13th Amenities & Planning 16th Human Resources 23rd Finance 30th Main Council
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APRIL
1st Open Spaces 2nd Bank Holiday 5th Bank Holiday Comms & PR date to be confirmed 19th Amenities & Planning 22nd Finance 29th Council
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OCTOBER 4th Amenities & Planning 7th Open Spaces 14th Comms & Public Relations 21st Finance 25th Amenities & Planning 28th Main Council
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MAY 3rd Bank Holiday 6th Open Spaces 10th Amenities & Planning 13h Human Resources 17th Parish Meeting 20th Finance 27th Main Council 31st Bank Holiday |
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NOVEMBER 4th Open Spaces 11th Human Resources 15th Amenities & Planning 18th Finance 25th Main Council |
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JUNE 1st Amenities & Planning 3rd Open Spaces 10th Comms & PR 17th Finance 21st Amenities & Planning 24th Main Council |
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DECEMBER 2rd Comms & Public Relations 6th Amenities & Planning 9th Finance 15th Maria Taylor Concert (7.30 pm) to be confirmed 16th Main Council 27th Bank Holiday 28th Bank Holiday
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Council Meetings are held in Chalfont St Peter Parish Council Offices at 8 pm. Committee Meetings are held in the Council Office at 8.00 pm (Human Resources and Amenities & Planning 7.30 pm). If further information is required please contact the Clerk to the Council on 01753 891582
13 January 2010
