Local Interest Groups and Societies
The Model Publication scheme
has been prepared and approved by the Information Commissioner. It commits
an authority to make information available to the public as part of its
normal business activities. The information covered is included in the
classes of information mentioned below, where this information is held
by the authority.
The scheme commits an authority:
• To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter
of routine, information, including environmental information, which is
held by the authority and falls within the classifications below.
• To specify the information which is held by the authority and
falls within the classifications below.
• To proactively publish or otherwise make available as a matter
of routine, information in line with the statements contained within this
scheme.
• To produce and publish the methods by which the specific information
is made routinely available so that it can be easily identified and accessed
by members of the public.
• To review and update on a regular basis the information the authority
makes available under this scheme.
• To produce a schedule of any fees charged for access to information
which is made proactively available.
• To make this publication scheme available to the public.
Classes of Information
Who we are and what we do.
Organisational information, locations and contacts are all available on
this website. See elected representatives
What we spend and how we spend it.
The audited statement of accounts for the financial year ending 31 March 2008 and for the previous year may be seen here or for a pdf version click here.
The main item
of Parish Council expenditure comprises the annual contract for grass
cutting. Full details of this may be obtained by application to the Clerk
How we make decisions.
Details of our procedures may be obtained on application to the Clerk.
Policies are developed within Parish Council Meetings and are fully described
in the resulting minutes, which are available on this website in the archive
of minutes.
The list of assets owned by the Parish Council may be obtained by application
to the Clerk.
Details of
any commissioned reports and/or inspections used by the Parish Council
in its decision making may be obtained by application to the Clerk
The Services we Offer.
The Parish Council is the most immediate level of democratic representation available to parishioners. It consists of seven local citizens who are volunteers, receiving no payment, but interested in improving and preserving the village and community.
The Parish Council does the following:
• It spends around £20,000 each year, mainly in grass cutting and village improvements or communications eg replacing seats, the occasional new street light, maintaining notice boards and the village website etc
• Through sub committees, it supports and invests in the allotments and the work of the Shipton Volunteers, who contribute hundreds of low cost but highly valuable hours to maintaining the appearance and accessibility of the village
• It is consulted by and works with all the higher public bodies such as the District Council and County Council when they wish to obtain local opinion on policy especially in the areas of planning, the environment, transport and threats to the community such as flooding.
• It can request action where the actual responsibility lies with one of these higher public bodies eg in road marking or layout, public safety concerns etc
• It supports the New Beaconsfield Hall and organisations benefiting the people of Shipton
• The
Parish Council has developed an Emergency Plan to cover the first period
of any serious emergency in our village. It is encouraging parishioners
with relevant experience, skills or equipment to sign up to this plan.
For details of this plan click
here. (and for a pdf
version click here). This plan is very much
a moving target and still contains gaps relating to the availability of
skills or relevant equipment. It is appreciated if parishioners can put
themselves forward by contacting the clerk if they feel able to fill any
of these gaps.
The Parish Council is directly responsible for the management of four parcels of land within the Parish. These are:
- The closed burial ground which surrounds the church and which cannot be over buried.
- The current burial ground ("new cemetery"). The PC has taken responsibility for the maintenance of this area from the Parochial Parish Council (PCC). This runs parallel to and on the other side of Church Path from the church and the closed burial ground.
The Parochial Parish Council (PCC) in agreement with the PC has agreed that the PC should meet the following responsibilities.
1. The PC appoints the Vicar or his/her representative to act as the Clerk to the Cemetery
2. The PC adopts the rules governing graveyards as set out in the Oxford Diocesan Year Book (revised annually) as being the rules to apply to the administration of the cemetery
3. The PC adopts the scale of charges as set out by the Church of England (revised annually). The fees are collected by the Vicar and paid to the PC
4. In recognition of the work undertaken by the Vicar, the PC pays to the PCC the balance of fees minus the costs of reasonable maintenance of the existing graveyard and new cemetery.
- The recreation field off Station Road. This is the responsibiltiy of the Parish Council under the Enclosures Award of 1857. The PC is responsible for the upkeep of the whole area and all the play equipment but not the tennis courts, which are let to the Tennis Club. The play area is inspected twice yearly by RoSPA and checked each month by a Parish Councillor or their nominee
- The village allotments. These are located on the Swinbrook Road to the south of the Village. Day to day management of the allotments is by a separate sub-committee of the Parish Council, chaired by one of the Parish Councillors (currently Councillor Jill Mavin who can be contacted through the Clerk). The sub-committee applies regulations and guidelines agreed with the Parish Council to permit the fair and efficient running of the allotments for the benefit of all holders and parishioners. The Parish Council is responsible for the general maintenance of the allotment field and has recently invested in improved water troughs and better access.
Allotment plots are available in several sizes: a full sized one is approximately 100’ x 30’. Half sizes are popular, as is sharing a plot with a friend. Currently the annual fees are £15.00 for a full allotment and £7.50 for a half.