Who we are, what we do, and where your money goes

Great Boughton Parish Council covers the two wards of Vicars Cross and Boughton Heath with a total of about 3,500 households between them (aprox 8500 residents). We have 15 locally elected Councillors who meet monthly to make all kinds of decisions that affect our local community.  We are consulted by the Borough Council on local planning applications, large and small.  We manage playgrounds and other open spaces within our boundaries, including Pearl Lane Allotments.  We own and manage Vicars Cross Community Centre (VXCC) and also provide support to Caldy Valley Neighbourhood Church and Community Centre.

In addition to the Parish Council meetings, sub-groups for Finance, Planning, Communications & Events, and Caldy Valley management also meet regularly.  All our meetings are open to members of the public.  They are advertised on our notice boards, which we are currently renewing and improving.

Our main source of income is the ‘parish precept’, paid through your household council tax.  Effectively, this is the parish council’s (small) share of the council tax you pay.  Our precept had not gone up for a number of years.  However, this year the Parish Council agreed to increase our precept slightly to maintain our income in the face of rising expenditures.  However, thanks to extra support from the borough council, the amount of money you will pay in the precept for 2017/18 has actually gone down slightly.

The Parish Council is always interested in your views via phone, email or letter so please do get in touch with Kath Lloyd, our Clerk, if there is anything that you would like to share through this site.

Our phone number is 01244 637277 or you can text or phone our mobile 07709512348.

Our email address is clerk@greatboughtonparishcouncil.org.uk

Our next meeting is on Monday 4th September 2017 at Bishops High School, Vaughans Lane, Boughton Heath,  Chester at 7.30pm and the public is welcome to attend.

We aim to:

• keep residents informed about the plans and actions of the elected Great Boughton Parish Council (GBPC)
• Provide up to date and accurate information about the Parish, its history, proposed development plus the activities of clubs, societies and voluntary groups active within the parish.
• Provide opportunities for active participation in local issues for all residents by a discussion and consultation forum.

As a local resident you  a have legal right to inspect, ask questions about and challenge items in your council’s accounts.  For more information, the National Audit Office has published a guide – Council-accounts-a-guide-to-your-rights. pdf

Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015

In order to comply with the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 which came into force on 1 April 2015, the Parish Council is required to publish certain information.

Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2017

• Declaration of Status of Accounts http://www.greatboughtonparishcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Declaration-of-Status-of-Accounts-17-001.jpg
• Notice of the Date of Commencement of Period for the Exercise of Public Rights http://www.greatboughtonparishcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Period-for-the-Exercise-of-Public-Rights.jpg
• The Annual Governance Statement (Section 1 of the Annual Return)http://www.greatboughtonparishcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Declaration-of-Status-of-Accounts-17-001.jpg
• The Annual Governance Statement (Section 2 of the Annual Return)http://www.greatboughtonparishcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/AAccounting-Statement-Section-2-001.jpg

The website includes all the materials relating to GBPC as recommended by the Information Commissioner plus general community information. If you believe that some information is missing then please contact the Parish Clerk through the secure contacts link with your suggestions. Wherever possible we will put the materials on the website.

GBPC aims to be as be as transparent and informative as it can possibly be in the interests of open democracy. The website includes all the materials relating to GBPC as recommended by the Information Commissioner plus general community information.  Some information of a personal or confidential nature relating to employees or contracts under negotiation cannot always be placed on the website.  If you believe that some information is missing then please contact the Parish Clerk through the secure contacts link with your suggestions. Wherever possible we will put the materials on the website.  If you wish to make a Freedom of Information Request (FOI) because the information is not published on the website, then please do so using the online form available on the website or by writing to the clerk. It is possible that charges may apply where documents have to be photocopied.