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Parish Council

Town and parish councils are the first level of local government. They provide communities with a democratic voice and a structure for taking community action.

On this page you can find important information about the Parish Council, like:

  • meeting agendas and minutes
  • contact details
  • Parish documents and projects
  • and Parish Council responsibilities

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Council Meetings

Bridge Parish Council meetings generally take place on the second Thursday of each month (except August) at 19:30 at the village hall.

Council meetings are important; this is where decision are made for the parish. The chairman is in charge of the meeting, and the clerk supports the council as it discusses business. The meeting is the council team in action. Council meetings and committee meetings are formal events, not social occasions. They have a clear purpose – to make decisions – and are not just talking shops. Furthermore, they are public events; the meetings must be advertised and the press and public have a right to observe how the council operates. The same approach should be adopted for sub-committees. Exceptions are when sensitive issues are discussed (such as legal, contractual or staffing matters) and then the council can agree to exclude the press and public for just that item of business.

It may seem strange, but local electors/residents do not have the right to speak at any parish council meeting, including the annual council meeting, but many councils set aside a period, often before the meeting starts, to allow for public comments and questions.

Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council are controlled by law, namely the Local Government Act 1972.

Agendas and Minutes

Open in Google Drive

Parish Documents

Open in Google Drive or view the Archives

Pecuniary Interests

To view the register of pecuniary interests declared by Parish Councillors in the District please click here.

Responsibilities

Governance of the village happens on the parish, city, and county levels. Each has their own set of responsibilities:

Kent County Council (kent.gov.uk)

  • Roads and highways
  • Traffic enforcement (moving traffic)

Canterbury City Council (canterbury.gov.uk)

  • Bin collections
  • Council tax
  • Environmental issues
  • Licences and permissions
  • Traffic enforcement (stationary, e.g. parking)
  • Car parking
  • Enforcement of public spaces: footpaths, green spaces, recreation ground
  • Housing
  • Planning applications

Bridge Parish Council

  • Management of public spaces: footpaths, green spaces, recreation ground
  • Planning applications (statutory consultee)

Recreation Ground Committee

The Recreation Ground Committee is responsible for carrying out regular inspections on the play park.

The inspection log is available online.

Inspection reports from before March 2020 are available here.

Resources

Flooding

  • Groundwater: current status and flood risk (gov.uk)
  • Flood warnings (gov.uk)
  • River and sea levels for: Bridge, Kent (gov.uk)
  • 5-day flood risk (gov.uk)
  • Long-term flood risk search (gov.uk)