Halstead Parish Council is made up of 7 elected councillors who strive to keep the community of Halstead thriving, making this a great place to live. The council is split into 5 committees: the Council, Planning, Highways & Amenities, Communication and Events and Finance.
Full Council meetings are held on the second Monday of every month (except August) in the Pavilion, Station Road TN14 7DH at 7.30pm
The agenda for forthcoming meetings can be found on both our Noticeboards (outside Hancocks and The Recreation Ground)
Planning
The Parish Council is the village voice when it comes to planning issues. The Planning committee are asked by Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) for a written opinion on submitted planning applications within the village, which is then taken into account by the SDC planners.
Highways & Amenities
The Parish council work with Sevenoaks District Council and Kent County Council to make sure the roads we use are in good order. Whilst the Parish Council has no direct responsibility for the upkeep of the roads, they are happy to work on your behalf to make changes for the better. The council are responsible for a variety of community assets such as the Recreation Ground, Pavilion, Parish Rooms, Bus Shelter and Village Green and can help parishioners with a variety of issues they may have living in the village.
Communication and Events
The Council work to ensure good communication with residents and to put on events and activities for all to enjoy.
Finance
The Council use money collected with your Council Tax to ensure that the village is well maintained and remains a pleasant place to live.
Meetings
Council meetings and committee meetings are formal events, not social occasions. They have a clear purpose – to make decisions – and are not just talking shops. Furthermore, they are public events; the meetings must be advertised and the press and public have a right to observe how the council operates. Exceptions are when sensitive issues are discussed (such as legal, contractual or staffing matters) and then the council can agree to exclude the press and public for just that item of business.
Halstead Parish Council meetings are scheduled for every second Monday of the month at 7.30pm in the Pavilion. Council meetings are meetings of the full council. All councillors are expected to attend
Annual Meeting of the Council
This is where you the Chairman is elected and committee members are appointed. This is a meeting of the council.
Annual Parish Meeting
This is not a council meeting. It is a meeting of the Parish or Town electors taking place between 1 March and 1 June. Electors can contribute to the Agenda and in practice these meetings often celebrate local activities and debate current issues in the community. The Chairman of the council, any two councillors or any six electors can call the Annual Parish or Town Meeting. The Chairman, if present, will Chair the meeting.
Standing orders
The rules for the Annual Meeting of the Council will be contained in the council’s standing orders. Remember, these include rules of procedure laid down in legislation and additional regulations chosen by your council. Standing orders help the council to operate smoothly. For example, a third of the councillors (or three, whichever is the greater) must be present for the meeting to go ahead; this is known as the quorum.
Halstead Parish Council Standing Orders can be found below.
