Parish Council

Walkern has a Parish Council of seven members and a Parish Clerk. The Council meets in the United Reform Church on the first Thursday of every month at 8.00 pm.  Extra meetings are sometimes called to discuss planning applications or other large events which require attention before the next planned meeting.

Agendas for the meetings are posted on the parish notice boards and, on this website, at least three days before the meetings.

The Parish Council meetings are open to the public, generally informal, and include an ‘open forum’ when members of the public can, and usually do, bring matters of interest to the attention of the council.  Outside of the open forum session members of the public may generally observe but not take part in the discussions of the council unless and until the Chairmen invites them to do so on any agenda item.

If you intend to ask the parish council for funding, please contact the Clerk at least a week before the meeting so that we can add the request onto the agenda.  This is because the Parish Council cannot approve expenditure that has not been notified on the agenda.

There is a Parish Council Annual meeting every year in May where the Chairman presents their report of the previous 12 months activity to the community and the parishioners can raise issues and discuss them in open forum.

The responsibilities of the council are varied and include:

• The parish council is consulted on all planning applications within the parish, and on major planning applications in neighbouring parishes. We can recommend refusal, approval or modification and conditions to East Herts District Council who make the ultimate decision.
• Looking after and improving areas of the parish, e.g. grass cutting and planting in some verges and open spaces.  We also take responsibility for the upkeep of all our assets and provide risk assessments.
• Liaising with the county council on highway safety and repair.
• Liaising with the county council on the state of footpaths and other rights of way.
• Making grants to village organisations or other initiatives from council funds.
• Liaising with the police on matters of concern within the parish.
• Litter picking and provision and maintenance of dog waste and general waste bins.
• Monitoring drainage and ditches throughout the parish and actioning as and when necessary.
• Making environmental improvements as and when thought appropriate.
• Maintaining this website for the benefit of parishioners and other village organisations.

More information on all these activities is provided on this website

The council income comes mainly from funding collected by the district council (the Precept) and the council also receives interest on our cash balances and can apply for grants as and when required.

The Parish Councillors and Clerk are listed on this website, as are minutes from our meetings, accounts and other financial information.