News and Events

County & Community Council Elections 2012

Within the next few months a new Town Council will be elected, so we would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone with an interest in Monmouth and its future to consider standing for election on 3rd May this year. 

The role of the Town Council may not immediately be obvious but its contribution and responsibilities are wide and diverse and can be summarised thus: 

• Running & organising ceremonial events in the Town including, with the British Legion, the Remembrance Day Parade.
• Funding and organising Christmas lights, Christmas Candlelit Procession, street decorations, floral displays, community grants, Agincourt Street public toilets, benches & seats, litter bins and dog waste bins etc.
• Giving financial support & planning assistance to The Carnival; organising significant essential funding for The Attik, Monmouth’s Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Summer Play Activities and The Festival.  Also one of the three largest funders of the Shire Hall restoration.
• Major consultee on all Planning affecting the Town including the Local Development Plan; statutory consultee to Welsh Government; active participation with the Police & CSAT (Community Safety) and the Monmouth Partnership Forum.
• Campaigners for reduction in impact of A40 on the community and improvements in access to Wyesham.

To undertake this extensive workload, the Council has, since 2004, been run via four committees:  Finance & Policy, Planning, Environment Affairs & Community Affairs becoming the most cost-effective Town Council in Monmouthshire in terms of rate per household (an average of £30 p.a.).

Committees meet regularly and report to Full Council – all meetings are open to the public with an opportunity to speak and people are encouraged to come.  Agendas are displayed on ward notice boards; Minutes are publicly published; Committee Chairmen send regular press releases to the Monmouthshire Beacon and, each summer, publish a report.  Additionally, this information can be viewed on line at www.monmouth.gov.uk. 

This is just a small insight into what the Town Council does with limited finances.  There is always huge scope to do more. The current Council, working within what is seen as a publicly acceptable budget during this time of austerity, has always sought involvement in matters benefitting the wider community rather than being pressurised by select groups with projects producing minimal wider benefit.

If you are interested in helping your local community, do consider becoming a Town Councillor.  Standing for election is not onerous and details can be obtained from the Town Clerk on 01600 715662.  The Town Council is essentially non-political; Political parties do not form groups and so it is entirely open to individuals who come together to work for the benefit of others.

Monmouth Town Councillors – (Finance and Policy Committee)

County & Community Council Elections 2012 Poster

www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/homepage/46/elections

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