Your Council

Who we are

Handley and District Parish Council is the first tier of local government for the villages and hamlets of Handley, Chowley, Milton Green and Golborne David. The council is made up of local volunteers who give their time to represent residents, look after community assets and make sure the parish has a voice on the matters that affect it, from planning applications to highways, footpaths and village amenities.

The council is supported by a part time Parish Clerk, who is also the Responsible Financial Officer. The Clerk manages the day to day business of the council, prepares agendas and minutes, and is the first point of contact for residents.

Your councillors

The Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected by the council each May at its annual meeting. Our Cheshire West and Chester ward councillor, Cllr Mike Jones, also attends parish council meetings regularly and reports on borough matters.

The Parish Clerk

Ruth Richardson is Clerk to the Council and Responsible Financial Officer. If you have a question for the council, or would like an item considered at a meeting, please contact the Clerk in the first instance.

What the council does

• Comments on planning applications within the parish as a statutory consultee
• Raises highways, speeding and road safety concerns with Cheshire West and Chester Council
• Looks after the parish defibrillator and supports community safety
• Sets the parish precept and publishes its annual accounts and audit each year
• Supports local organisations and community projects through small grants
• Represents residents in discussions with landowners, businesses and public bodies

Governance

The council operates under its adopted Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and Code of Conduct, which are reviewed and re-adopted each year at the annual meeting. Copies of these documents, together with the council’s annual accounts and audit papers, are published in the parish documents library.

Get involved

Parish councillors are elected every four years, and vacancies that arise between elections are filled by co-option. If you live or work in the parish and would like to find out more about becoming a councillor, please get in touch with the Clerk.