Introduction

The Parish Council is a body corporate with perpetual succession and consists of six councillors who are elected every four years. Elections coincide with the District Council elections and were last held in May 2007. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected annually from their own number and the Council employs a part-time Clerk who is also the Responsible Financial Officer. If a councillor retires or resigns during his or her term of office there are special procedures for replacing him or her.

What We Do

As the lowest tier of government in England the Parish Council's powers are limited and are prescribed by law. A detailed list of the powers of parish councils may be seen by clicking here. Among other things, Burley Parish Council owns and maintains 2 bus shelters, 2 village notice boards, 17 seats situated around the parish, 4 road signs, and the Millennium Stone in the village centre. The Council owns the "Youth Club Site" behind the Fire Station, which is presently occupied, free of rent, by the "Little Deers" Pre-School. We maintain the War Memorial in the village centre and the ten milestones in the parish, three of which are Grade II listed. The Council exercises its right to be consulted on all planning matters and applications.

The Council appoints a governor to Burley County Primary School, a trustee to the Burley Charities and a trustee to the Village Hall.

An important power is the ability to spend up to £5 per elector (i.e. about £6,000 per annum) for any purpose, which in the opinion of the Council is in the interests of or will directly benefit the area or its inhabitants, or of part of it, or of some of them. In practice this means that the Council can and does make grants to various groups and organisations in the area such as Victim Support, Citizens' Advice Bureau, Age Concern, New Forest Disability Information Service, the Village Hall, and so on. All requests for grant aid receive careful consideration.