Hathersage Parish Council – old

Autumn panorama (Stephen Elliott)

On this site we show information relating to Parish Councils in general and to Hathersage Parish Council in particular.

A Parish Council is the lowest and smallest tier of Local Government, above which are District or Borough and County Councils. As such it is the closest and most accessible to its electors. Parish in this context refers to a civil parish and has no connection with a Church parish. A Parish Council will usually cover a village and its surrounding countryside. The village of Hathersage is unusual in having two Parish Councils. Outseats Parish Council covers approximately the area north of the A6187 and west of Hood Brook with Hathersage Parish Council covering the remainder of the village.

Parish Councillors are elected every four years, the whole Council being elected at the same time. Vacancies arising during the Council’s lifespan are filled by either co-opting a new member or, if sufficient voters request it, holding an election. The number of Councillors depends on the number of electors in the Parish. Hathersage has 14 Councillors, whose names and contact details can be found on the Contacts page.

A Parish Council only has powers that are specifically given to it by statute. It has no authority to do, and is prohibited from doing, anything that is not included in these powers. To see Parish Councils’ powers visit [www.nalc.gov.uk or see their list of powers and duties].

Whilst Parish Councils have no powers with regard to planning matters (the planning authority for Hathersage is the Peak District National Park) Hathersage Parish Council do see and comment to the planning authority on planning applications within the Parish. It is possible to see all current planning applications and planning decisions at www.peakdistrict.gov.uk

Hathersage Parish Council holds monthly meetings of the full Council on the first Tuesday of each month at 19.30 in the Sampson Room at the Memorial Hall and Committee meetings when required. Notice of all meetings, which include the Agenda, is given on the Councils notice board as well as on this site on the Notice Board page. Members of the public are entitled to attend all meetings and have the opportunity, before the meeting, to address the Council on any matter. They do not have the right to take part in the Council meeting. The most recent published minutes of the Council’s meetings can be accessed on the Notice Board page.

Apart from income from the swimming pool (which includes grants from Derbyshire Dales and High Peak Councils, Outseats Parish Council and the Primary Care Trust) and its let properties, the Council is financed by means of a Precept. The Precept is an amount which the Parish Council requests from the District Council and which the District Council raises by including it on the Rate Demands of the householders in the Parish. The Council’s accounts are subject to annual audit by an auditor appointed by the Audit Commission.

Anyone wishing to raise matters with the Council should do so by writing to The Clerk, Parish Room, Main Road, Hathersage, Hope Valley, S32 1BB.