Keresley Parish Council
Keresley Parish is a small area to the north of Coventry, bounded by Bennetts Road to the east, Tamworth Road to the west and Sandpits Lane to the South. To the North is the boundary between Coventry and North Warwickshire. The parish was founded in 1881, and in 1932 a few acres in the south of the parish were transferred to the City of Coventry.
Keresley Civil Parish Boundary
Duties
The Parish Council liaises with Coventry City Council and other bodies such as developers to improve Keresley Parish, the environment and services.
Keresley Parish Council is a Statutory Body with responsibilities that include;
- Managing local assets such as
- Allotments
- Burial Grounds, Cemeteries, Churchyards and Crematoria
- Bus Shelters
- Clocks – public clocks can be provided and must be maintained
- Community Centres, Conference Centres, Halls, Public Buildings
- Footpaths
- Land – acquisition and sale of
- Public conveniences – provision and maintenance of public toilets
- Rights of Way – footpath and bridleway maintenance
- Seats (public)
- War Memorials
- Bye-laws – the power to make bye-laws concerning: baths and washhouses (swimming pools), cycle parks, mortuaries and pleasure grounds
- Drainage – of ditches and ponds
- Entertainment and the Arts
- General Spending – parish councils can spend a limited amount of money on anything they deem of benefit to the community that is not covered by the other specific responsibilities described in this list
- Gifts – parish councils may accept gifts
- Highways – lighting, parking places, right to enter into discussions about new roads and road widening, consent of parish council required for diversion or discontinuation of highway, traffic signs and other notices, tree planting and verge maintenance
- Legal proceedings – power to prosecute and defend any legal proceedings in the interests of the community, power to take part in any public enquiry
- Litter – provision of litter-bins and support for any anti-litter campaigns
- Planning – parish councils may be notified of any planning applications for the area
- Postal and Telecommunication Facilities – power to pay a public telecommunications operator any loss sustained in providing services in that area
- Recreation – provision of recreation grounds, public walkways, pleasure grounds, open spaces, village greens, gymnasiums, playing fields, holiday camps and boating ponds
- Maintaining Signs – danger signs, place names and bus stops signs
- Tourism – financial contributions to any local tourist organisations allowed
- Traffic Calming
- Water Supply – power to utilise stream, well or spring water and to provide facilities for general use
More detail about the work of the Parish Council may be found in the Keresley Parish Council and Current Parish Councillors page.
They also work with local Bablake Ward Councillors elected to Coventry City Council. More detail about the City Councillors can be found on the Current Ward Councillors page.
Employees
Keresley Parish Council council has one paid part time employee. Officially called the Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer of the council, they are more commonly known as the Clerk.
They are expected to provide advice and support to the council but is not a member and cannot vote.
The clerk draws up and signs the agenda calling upon Councillors to attend the monthly meeting. Details of Meetings can be found on the Meetings page.
Training
The Parish Council needs to ensure that both Councillors and their Clerk are capable in their jobs.
For newly appointed councillors training is needed to ensure that the Parish Council is working within the law. Constant changes to legislation also means that existing councillors may need further training.
Training is usually provided by WALC (Warwickshire & West Midlands Association of Local Councils) on a number of topics needed by Councillors and Clerks.