You may make contact with your Parish Councillors or the Clerk - please click here for details of your Parish Councillors, together with contact details for your DCC and MDDC Councillor
THE PARISH COUNCIL
Culmstock Parish council is a small local authority. Its councillors are elected for four years at a time The Parish Council consists of ten seats and one part-time salaried Clerk. The next election will be in May 2027. Vacancies occurring between elections are filled by bye-election (if requested) or co-option. Each year the councillors choose a Chairman from amongst their number.
Parish Councils have a number of formal powers. Many provide a cemetery, allotments, look after playing fields, play areas and village greens, they maintain and guard things such as rights of way, bus shelters, public seats, small scale street lighting, and often provide village halls and meeting places. The Parish Council can do these things by actually providing them itself, or by helping someone else (such as a charity or volunteers) financially to do so. Parish Councils have the power to improve the quality of community life by spending sums of money on things which, in their opinion, are in the interests of the Parish or its inhabitants.
Parish councils are the most unbureaucratic and cheapest kind of local authority in existence. Their funds are a tiny part of the council tax. They get no general government grant, and so have every incentive to be economical. The accounts are strictly audited every year by an external auditor.
Planning: Councils are also the focal point for local consultation on matters such as planning applications and Borough Council strategic planning. The parish councillors know the village and can represent its views to other authorities such as District and County Councils. They are entitled to be consulted on planning applications and are often consulted on things like schools and roads. Mid Devon District Council consult the Parish Council on all planning applications submitted within the Parish. However, the final decision as to whether or not permission is granted lies with the district council. Anyone can comment on an application and comments should be submitted direct to the District Council. See links to the district council website under PLANNING on this page.
Parish Council Meetings
This is normally on the second Wednesday of the month (with a recess in August) at 7pm in the function room of Culmstock Village Hall. Occasionally the date or time of the meeting may change. Details of meetings are displayed on the agenda. The agenda is published on the website and notice of the meeting is normally displayed on the Parish notice boards; outside of Culmstock Village Hall, the post office and the church. Notice is also usually displayed in the surrounding hamlets of Nicolashayne, Prescott and Maidendown. Members of the public are invited to attend and may address the council at the start of the meeting. Minutes of meetings are displayed on the Parish website and a summary is published in the Culmstock News.
Parish councils are the most unbureaucratic and cheapest kind of local authority in existence. Their funds are a tiny part of the council tax. They get no general government grant, and so have every incentive to be economical. The accounts are strictly audited every year by an external auditor.
Members of the public may attend monthly council meetings, and participate when there is a public session.
Please contact the Parish Clerk for more information.
Data Protection Officer (DPO)
The DPO for Culmstock Parish Council is Mr Paul Russell. Email: paul@microshadevsm.co.uk
PLANNING
Search: Planning Application details
See the links below for help when commenting on a planning application:
Information from MDDC
More help with planning applications