Skip to accessibility (Image)

SWIPE RIGHT/LEFT FOR NEXT/PREVIOUS PAGE

Click 'accept cookies' below to remove this message

   Login to account
 
Gnosall Parish Logo (Image) 

Gnosall Parish Council           

 (Including the wards of Moreton and Knightley)                                   

 

Dementia Friends Logo (Image)

GPC Logo (Image)

Meaning of Parish Council logo

What is the meaning behind Gnosall Parish Council's 'Badge of Office' and logo?

You have probably seen the logo on our Council publications and our attractive badge of office worn by the Chair.  On the other hand, you may not know what it represents and how it was chosen.

In the 1980s it was decided to purchase a badge of office for the Chair from a prestigious firm of jewellers who deal in these badges for councils across the country.  Their designers asked councillors to come up with ideas for what could be put on the badge.  The result was adopted as not just the design for the badge but also for the Council's logo.

In the top left hand section there is the gridiron on which St Lawrence was martyred, to represent our Gnosall church.

In the top right hand section there are two items representing the railway which used to go through the Parish of Gnosall, one being a railway line, the other a signalling token.

Below on the left are a yoke harness and a sheaf of wheat to represent agriculture, and on the right for local industries a bag of flour (because it is said that self-raising flour was first produced here in Coton Mill) and a teddy bear (because there used to be a teddy bear factory opposite the Methodist Chapel).

These four sections are brought together with a cross on a shield.

So the badge and logo reflect our local Gnosall history, our heritage and our rural setting in a unique design that we can be proud of as a community.

Previous Revision(s) (Image)Freedom of Information Publication Scheme (Currently being updated)

Parish Councils

Parish Councils are the most local level of government in England. They are secular arms of government (not ecclesiastical parishes) and are independent of other levels of local government, such as Borough and County Council, but maintain a close working relationship with both.  

They play a vital role in representing the interests of their communities and improving the quality of life and the local environment. They can also influence other decision makers and can deliver services to meet local needs. Although decision remains with the planning authorities, local councils can influence the decision-making process by making informed comments and recommendations.

What we do

Gnosall Parish Council acts within a framework of legislation conferred by Parliament make a massive difference to local people's quality of life. The Council is passionate about this community and seek to make a change to help improve residents' lives. The Council runs numerous services, some you will see day-to-day, but others are less known. These include introducing setting up dementia-friendly groups, creating a neighbourhood plan, implementing suitable housing, establishing youth projects, managing allotments and open spaces, maintaining footpaths, public seating and litter bins. Many local groups have benefitted from the Council's involvement.

The role of Gnosall Parish Council may briefly be described as follows: -

Executive - As an executive body, the Parish Council has many statutory functions and, as the elected body of the parish, it has powers of decision.

Representation - Councillors are elected to represent the local community, so must either live or work in the Council's parish. Becoming a councillor is a rewarding experience as you will be able to make a change in your community to help improve residents' lives. A councillor’s role can include developing strategies and plans for the area, helping with problems and ideas, representing the community, working with other local community groups, decision making and reviewing decisions and talking to the community about their needs and what the Council is doing. 

Consultation - Several bodies, including Stafford Borough Council consult with Gnosall Parish Council to gather local opinion and concerns. For example when a Local Plan is being drafted the Parish Council will be asked to consider its impact on the Parish.

Promotional - The Parish Council is often the body required to take a lead on issues or initiatives affecting the interests of its area. This is seen as a natural role, as a local council may be the only body with initial access to information and with the resources and capability to act.

The Parish Council is also the 'first port of call' for many residents enquiring about public services and the Parish Council endeavours to answer these queries as efficiently as possible. As a local government body the Parish Council deals with local issues and concerns through its principal powers and duties.

Councillors

The parish is divided into areas called Wards. Gnosall has three wards; Gnosall, Knightley and Moreton. Each ward is represented by a number of Parish Councillors in relation to the population in that ward. There are 12 Parish Councillors in Gnosall, three in Moreton and one for Knightley.  

If a resident of Gnosall wishes to bring a matter to the attention of the Parish Council there are several options available to them:

By contacting one of their Ward Parish Councillors who will endeavour to answer any questions the resident may have or alternatively put the query in front of the Parish Council on behalf of the resident.

By contacting the Parish Council's office, via telephone, letter or email.

By putting the question to a Parish Council Meeting, at which an agenda item is set aside as an Open Forum for Members of the Public.

Parish Councillors come from all walks of life and are democratically elected every four years at the Local Government Elections - although from time to time Parish Council seats may need to be filled within the term of office. 

Standing for election

Local councils can only be as helpful, connected and energetic as the people elected to run them, so we need councillors capable, enthusiastic and engaged to reflect their communities. You can find out more about becoming a councillor on The Electoral Commission and Local Government Association website. There are three ways that you can become a councillor; standing for election, filling a vacant seat after an election (co-opted) or filling a casual vacancy.


 

There are six simple steps to becoming a councillor:

  1. Check for elections in your area by emailing your elections officer
  2. Submit your nomination to the returning officer — find out more about the process.
  3. Wait for your nomination to be accepted
  4. Your nomination is made public by the principal authority
  5. Start your elections campaign
  6. Polling day — find your polling station

Vacancies after an election (co-option)

If, after an election, there are some unfilled seats, the local council should take steps to fill any vacancies by making co-options within 35 days (not counting weekends and public holidays). However, if the council does not have enough elected members to be a quorum (meaning at least one-third of the council must be elected or three members, whichever is greater), the electoral returning officer must run a by-election to fill the remaining places.

 What does a candidate need to do?

  1. Check with their electoral returning officer if there is a vacancy near you
  2. Put yourself forward for co-option
  3. The council may ask you for a CV or invite you for an interview 
  4. The council will choose their co-opted councillor

Casual vacancy

A casual vacancy is a seat that becomes available between elections, which may occur for several different reasons, such as a councillor resigning, becoming disqualified (by committing an offence) or not attending any meetings in six months.

The council clerk will declare the vacancy by posting a note within the parish and notifying the electoral returning officer. 

This notice will also confirm that a by-election will be held if at least ten electors request it within 14 days (not including weekends and public holidays). If there is no demand for a by-election, the council will fill the vacancy by co-option. 

Town and Country Planning

Gnosall Parish Council liaise closely with Stafford Borough Council and Borough Councillors and respond, where necessary, to consultations that contribute to Town and Country planning, in particular, Stafford Borough Council’s Local Plan and its review www.staffordbc.gov.uk/local-plan-review-

Structure

A statutory annual meeting is held in May at which the Chair and Vice Chair of Council are elected by the Council members at the start of the civic year (which runs from May to April). Gnosall Parish Council has three employees – the Clerk, the Council Support Officer and Cleaner/Caretaker. The decisions of the Parish Council are carried out by the Council's staff, led by the Clerk. The Parish Council operates a committee system which enables members to consider more complex issues in detail at committee level. Each committee has a Chair nominated and voted for by his/her councillor colleagues. Recommendations from committees are presented to the full Council for approval (or otherwise). Decisions are founded on a majority vote from all councillors present at the meeting at which the decision is made. The council has nine principal committees which meet at regular intervals.

Meetings

The full Council meets once a month (except for August). Unless noted otherwise in the agenda, all Council meetings are held in the BrearleyRoom at the Grosvenor Centre commencing at 7.30pm and all Committee meetings are held at the Council’s office behind the Grosvenor Centre – also commencing at 7.30pm.

Members of the public are very welcome to attend any of the Parish Council or Committee Meetings. At the start of every meeting there is a public session at which members of the public are permitted to make representations, ask and answer questions and give evidence in respect of any item of business. Subject to any extension granted by the Chair of the meeting, the public period is limited to 10 minutes and each speaker is limited to two minutes.

The Minutes of all Parish Council and Committee Meetings are included in the Meetings section and are also placed on Parish Council notice-boards, with notice of forthcoming meetings. An agenda for each meeting is issued a minimum of three clear working days before the meeting is due to take place.

Your Borough and County Councillors (for Gnosall Parish)

Stafford Borough Councillors

Cllr Scott Spencer  sspencer@staffordbc.gov.uk'>sspencer@staffordbc.gov.uk'>href='mailto:sspencer@staffordbc.gov.uk'>sspencer@staffordbc.gov.uk

Mr M. Winnington ~ 01785 822224 mwinnington@staffordbc.gov.uk'>mwinnington@staffordbc.gov.uk'>href='mailto:mwinnington@staffordbc.gov.uk'>mwinnington@staffordbc.gov.uk

Staffordshire County Councillor

Mr M. Winnington ~ 01785 822224   mark.winnington@staffordshire.co.uk'>mark.winnington@staffordshire.co.uk'>href='mailto:mark.winnington@staffordshire.co.uk'>mark.winnington@staffordshire.co.uk