About - Bishop's Waltham Parish Council

Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council was formed in December 1894 after the Local Government Act of the same year allowed for an elected Council in all parishes with a population of over 300. At the time Bishop’s Waltham’s population was approximately 2,800.

The Local Government Act 1894 stated that each Parish Councillor would have a one-year term of office and the old Council would be required to ‘retire’ and the new Council come into office on the 15th April each year. Parish Councils would consist of a chairman and councillors, the number, fixed by the County Council, would be between 5 and 15.

At the time of the Act the new Parish Council took over all powers previously exercised by the parish vestries except for those dealing with the church or church charities. These powers included the maintenance of closed burial grounds, possession of village greens and the operation of fire engines. In December 1894 a meeting was held to elect the first Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council.

The County Council had decided that Bishop’s Waltham should have 9 councillors and 19 candidates put their names forward. A vote by a show of hands was taken but this was challenged and a poll demanded.

This poll took place two weeks later and the first Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council was elected. The first Chairman of the Parish Council was Thomas John Brown and he served as Chairman for 20 years, dying shortly before the annual meeting in 1915 while still in office.

Since then the Parish Council has had 48 Chairman, many serving more than one term. The current Chairman is Bill Gilling who was elected to the post in May 2010. When the first Parish Council was elected the members were leading citizens of the town including farmers, the rector, a brickmaker and other professional men.

Today the Parish Councillors come from a wide range of occupations – accountants, members of the Health profession, self employed businessmen, utility workers and retired professionals. It is an unfortunate statistic, and not just in Bishop’s Waltham, that many of the Councillors are over 55. Due to the pressures on younger people in these economic times it is difficult for them to find the time and commitment required to be a Parish Councillor. However, Parish Councils will need to be more proactive in the future to attract these younger individuals to ensure the continuation of the Parish Council.

The current Bishop’s Waltham Parish Council is composed of 14 Councillors who were elected in
May 2011. To allow business to be considered in detail there are 6 Committees. These Committees consider all matters pertinent to them and make recommendations to the full Council accordingly. At present the Council Committees are Finance, Policy and Resources, Sports and Recreation, Buildings, Tourism, Community and Environment, Planning and the West Hoe Cemetery Management Committee. Further details of these Committees can be found on the relevant pages on this site.

The Parish Council employs a Proper Officer (the Clerk) to undertake the instructions of the Council, a Deputy Clerk, an Assistant Clerk, a Responsible Finance Officer, three groundstaff and three caretakers. The Council meets every second Tuesday in the month when the public is invited to attend and address the Council if necessary.

The Committees meet on the other Tuesdays in the month. Meeting dates here


Acknowledgement:
Peter Watkins, Bishop’s Waltham Parish, Town and Church Published 2007 by Swanmore Books.