Parish Council Responsibilities

The Parish Council comprises nine elected councillors and has one formally paid employee, The Clerk, who also acts as Responsible Financial Officer (RFO). The Clerk sets each meeting agenda, takes the minutes of all the PC meetings, implements the action points arising from the meetings, manages the Parish Council’s accounts and generally ensures that the Parish Council operates within the law. The Clerk is also responsible for the management of Woolfords Lane Cemetery.

The Parish Council holds a monthly public meeting, typically convening the third Monday in the month. The calendar of meetings can be found here. The agenda is posted on the Spar noticeboard and on the Meetings Page of this website three working days before the meeting. A 10 minute open question session is held at the start of each PC meeting whereby Members of the Public are welcome to ask Councillors questions or raise issues. Residents are very much encouraged to attend PC meetings. Anyone wishing to raise an issue but unable to attend the meeting should email the Clerk before the meeting elsteadpc.clerk@gmail.com and The Clerk can raise their concern.

Thursley Road Rec

In addition to its monthly meetings, a public Annual Assembly is held for residents at which the PC reports its annual income and expenditure and highlights its main actions of the year.

The Parish Council is elected to represent the views of its’ parishioners and its areas of responsibility are detailed below:

Finance

The Parish Council manages the annual precept it receives from Waverley Borough Council. The precept is collected via the local council tax and is the Parish Council’s main source of income. The PC agrees a budget before the start of each financial year and reports against this on a quarterly basis. There are strict rules governing the financial arrangements of Parish Councils which are overseen by the Responsible Finance Officer and the Internal Scrutineer (an elected member of the Council). The PC accounts are audited annually by Internal and External Auditors and are available for viewing on request.

Planning

The council is included in the consultation process for planning applications relating to the Parish. Planning Meetings are open to the public and the Planning Committee Chair is happy for individuals to comment on any applications either at the meeting or in correspondence beforehand.  Please contact The Clerk via email: elsteadpc.clerk@gmail.com if you wish to attend a planning meeting and / or comment on an application.  Planning meetings usually take place before the monthly PC meeting however times can vary so please contact the Clerk beforehand. Comments made by the Parish Council relating to planning applications are considered by Waverley Borough Council, in arriving at a decision

Insurance

The Parish Council carries 3rd party liability insurance for all areas of the village which it manages (the recreational grounds, cemetery, allotments and village greens).

Neighbourhood Plan

The Parish Council together with Peper Harow is responsible for formulating The Elstead & Weyburn Neighbourhood Plan and keeping it updated.

Highways

The Parish Council liaises with Surrey County Council on all matters relating to the condition of the roads, rights of way, paths, signage, road markings and surface water drainage within the Parish. 

Recreation Grounds & Play Areas

The Parish Council owns and manages the Burford Lodge and Thursley Road recreation grounds, as well as the play area in The Croft. It ensures that all three areas are well-maintained. The Parish Council pays for the play equipment to be regularly inspected by an external company and ensures that any defects are dealt with swiftly. If any members of the public notice that any of the equipment needs remedial work please contact the Clerk by email: elsteadpc.clerk@gmail.com.  

Allotments

The allotments at Burford Lodge were established in 2009 in response to members of the public. The land is owned by the Parish Council and managed by the Elstead Village Allotment Association (EVAA). Parishioners who would like to rent an allotment should contact Karen and Chris Meredith.

Defibrillators

The Parish Council has installed and maintains 3 defibrillators in the village located at The Spar store, Elstead Pavilion (located at the Thursley Road Rec) and at Burford Lodge Rec.

Grass Cutting & Tree Management

The Parish Council is responsible for managing the grass cutting of the main public areas in the village; Church Green, Village Green, Burford Lodge Rec, Thursley Road Rec and the cemetery at Woolfords Lane. The Parish Council has a duty of care to ensure the safety of its trees and land. The PC conducts a tree survey bi-annually and undertakes any remedial work as required.

Village Website

The Parish Council is responsible for the village website which is updated by The Parish Clerk and administered by volunteers.

How the Village Looks

The Parish Council owns three noticeboards and a number of benches. Of the rubbish bins in Elstead, the majority are owned by Waverley and it manages the waste collection for them. 7 bins are owned by The Parish Council; 1 at The Moat, 2 at Thursley Road Rec, 2 at Burford Lodge Rec and 2 at The Croft. The PC owned waste bins are emptied by a contractor every Monday and Friday. If anyone notices overflowing bins please inform the Clerk by email: elsteadpc.clerk@gmail.com.