Allithwaite and Cartmel Parish Council Aspirations and Mission Statement
A parish council is a local authority that makes decisions on behalf of the people in the parish. It is the level of government closest to the community, with the district authority (in our case, Westmorland and Furness Council) above it in the hierarchy.
As the authority closest to the people, parish councils are invariably the first place people can go with concerns or ideas. For this reason, they are a vital part of any community.
Parish councils make all kinds of decisions on issues that affect the local community. Probably the most common topics that parish councils get involved with are planning matters (they are statutory consultees), crime prevention, managing community assets such as open spaces, and campaigning for and delivering better services and facilities.
It’s true to say that on their own, parish councils have limited powers to make decisions. But they do have the ability to negotiate with, and the power to influence, those other organisations that do make the final decisions (such as the district council, health authorities, police etc).
MISSION STATEMENT: –
We are committed to a better quality of life for all the residents of Allithwaite and Cartmel.
We plan to achieve this in association with other groups in our community, as well as the public, private and voluntary sectors.
Allithwaite and Cartmel Parish Council will therefore strive to:
- Be open and accessible in all its decision-making.
- Be accountable in all its council activities.
- Be responsive to the needs of the community.
- Encourage community participation.
- Wherever possible, individuals and groups are encouraged to work in partnership with the Council to enhance the area to the benefit of the wider community.