Brian Shemmings is Clerk to the Council and your contact for Parish business.
Telephone: (01425) 656246
Please phone only during normal weekday working hours . 9.30am to 5pm. Monday to Friday.   
Except in emergency.

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From the Clerk to all Residents

MODEL PUBLICATION SCHEME FOR PARISH, TOWN & COMMUNITY COUNCILS

The Parish Council: Sandleheath Parish Council

Council office: 19 Downwood Close, Fordingbridge, SP6 1EA

Tel: 01425-656246 e-mail brian@shemmings.net

Contact details: The Clerk to the Council is Brian Shemmings, who can be contacted at the above address & is normally available between 10am & 12 noon Monday to Friday.

The Council & decision making:

The Council consists of 7 elected councillors who serve a fixed 4 year term of office. Each councillor is subject to election at the end of the 4 year term. The Council elects its own chairman each May at the Annual General Meeting of the Council. The Council meets approx. every 6 weeks, meetings normally commencing at 7-30pm. The agenda for meetings is published on the Council's notice board situated next to the village shop & on the Council's web-site.Planning applications are initially dealt with by a small planning sub-committee & their recommendations are taken into consideration by the full Council, who make the final recommendation for the District Council.Minutes of Council meetings are published both on the notice board & web-site. Village residents who attend Council meetings are given a copy of the minutes of the previous meetings as of right.The conduct of each Council meetings is governed by Standing Orders (which can be amended each year at the AGM. The Clerk (and also the District Council's Monitoring Officer) retain a copy of the record of members'interests.

Finance:

The Clerk (who acts as the responsible financial officer) keeps a record of all financial transactions & is responsible for preparing the annual accounts and the annual return form which, after approval by the Council, s submitted to the external auditor appointed by the Audit Commission. The accounts are also audited by an internal auditor appointed by the Council. The precept request for each financial year is decided by the Council at each December meeting. Members'allowances, mainly for mileage involved in Councillors attending meetings of outside bodies, are Those laid down by the National Association of Local Councils. All matters relating to finance are in accordance with the governance & accountability in local councils.All financial transactions are decided by the full Council & all cheques must be signed by two councillors

Priorities:

Following the approval of the Parish Plan and Design Statement the Council are now working on the most apropriate way to implement the principal points. Eachvillage resident has a copy of the Plan & it anticipated that it can soon be accessed on the web-site. One major point that will soon be implemented will be the 30mph speed limit through the village. Policy statements made by the Council are published onthe notice board & web-site. Whilst we do not publish an annual report the chairman makes a full report to the Annual Parish Assembly & the minutes of that Assembly are published on the notice board & on the web-site.

Policies & Procedures:

The policies & procedures for the conduct of Council business are contained in the Standing Orders of the Council together with the Code of Conduct for Councillors. The Clerk to the Council is employed under a contract of employment based on the recommended NALC provisions.

List of Assets:

The assets of the Parish Council are two public seats & abus shelter. These are listed each year in the annual accounts. The Council is also responsible for the management of the Sandleheath Common which is situated to the west of the village.

Services we offer:

The Parish Council has the Common plus two public seats (one on the Common & one near Elms Close) plus one bus shelter. In the village but not owned or managed by the Council are the Scouts Centre, the Sandleheath Tennis Club plus two churches, one C of E and one Methodist. There is also a village shop/post Office.

Freedom of Information Act
General right of access 2005

PUBLICATION SCHEME UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

Responses to planning applications are available in the appropriate Minutes or on this website.

All other documentation such as Planning Applications, Highways etc. are held by:
NFDC at Appletree Court,Lyndhurst, Hampshire, SO43 7PA 
or
HCC at The Castle, Winchester, Hampshire. SO23 8UE