About Yatton Parish Council

For the Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 2010, click here.

Parish councils are local authorities (and are nothing to do with the church despite what goes on in The Vicar of Dibley) . They are the lowest tier of local authority in England. Next step up in this area is North Somerset Council. North Somerset Council looks after education, social services, highways and several other matters.

Although North Somerset Council is bigger and richer than Yatton Parish Council the Parish Council is independent of North Somerset Council and is no way subordinate to or controlled by North Somerset Council. The Parish Council makes its own decisions (although they must be decisions permitted by law). Some parish councils operate a party political system, as does North Somerset Council. Yatton Parish Council, however, is not currently party political.

Yatton Parish Council serves both Yatton and Claverham. North Somerset Council has decided, however, that the name of the Parish Councuil should remain as it is.

Parish councils have certain powers that they can choose to exercise. Yatton Parish Council currently does the following:

  • receives a copy of all planning applications and comments on many of them (you can view our comments on North Somerset Council's Planning Portal )
  • maintains Glebelands (including the wildflower garden and the village green) and the Rock Road and Hangstones sports fields
  • maintains Hangstones Pavilion
  • maintains a number of children’s play areas in Yatton and Claverham (but not Horsecastle play area which is the responsibility of North Somerset Council) and the skatepark on Hangstones field
  • maintains the Yatton Burial Ground (but not the churchyard which is the responsibility of North Somerset Council)
  • maintains the allotments in Mendip Road
  • maintains the War Memorial gardens in Rock Road
  • owns (jointly with Congresbury Parish Council) the top of Cadbury Hill including the Iron Age camp
  • operates some (but not all) street lights
  • provides and empties dog bins and some litter bins in Yatton and Claverham
  • organises the Christmas lights
  • makes grants to local voluntary organisations
  • monitors public rights of way in the area
  • comments generally on matters of concern in Yatton and Claverham such as road safety
  • works with neighbouring parish councils on matters of common interest such as airport expansion

Parish councillors are elected at the same time, and in the same way, as North Somerset councillors. The last elections were in May 2007 and the next will be on 5 May 2011. Yatton Parish Council currently has 18 members. Parish councillors are unpaid and receive no allowance, although travelling and subsistence expenses are reimbursed. Contact details for all councillors are here.

The Parish Council currently meets about every other month, normally in the evening. There are also committees of the Parish Council to handle the detail, and one committee in particular which comments on planning applications. They meet when convenient to members. There is a calendar of meetings for 2010/11 here. All Council and committee meetings are open to the public, although the public may be asked to leave when confidential business such as appointment of staff is being discussed. There is a short period at the beginning of every Council and committee meeting where members of the public can make statements or ask questions.

The Parish Council elects its own Chairman, currently David Crossman, and a Vice-Chairman, currently Trevor Bidwell-Ford. Committees also elect a chairman and vice-chairman.

The Council has a small number of employees, headed by the Clerk, Crispin Taylor. Crispin is assisted in the Parish Office by two part-time administrative staff. The sports field and other properties are maintained by two part-time grounds staff, one of whom helps to keep the streets clean in Yatton, and there is a part-time village orderly to help keep the streets clean in Claverham.

The Parish Office, in Yatton Library, is open to the public between 10.30 and 1.30 on Tuesdays and Fridays (this is under review). On Fridays a colleague from North Somerset Council's Streets & Open Spaces service is also available in the Parish Office.

The Parish Council's expenses are met by council tax payers in Yatton & Claverham. Your council tax bill includes an amount (called a 'precept') to meet the Parish Council's expenses. Details of how we have spent council tax payers' money are always available from the Clerk.

                           Crispin Taylor, Clerk to Yatton Parish Council