Local Election

[Ken Baynham]

I recently received a Herefordshire Council poll card enabling me to vote for a councillor to represent my parish on the 7th. September.

Can anyone tell me how I can find out which parish I live in, who are campaigning to be elected  and reasons I should vote for them?  

I have asked many of my neighbours but none seem any better advised than me. 

[twowheelsgood]

Start here - https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/info/200231/parish_councils/33/parish_councils/7

 

Your polling card should say which ward you are in. Note that wards are often different boundaries to parishes.

[megilleland]

Have a look at these links.

 

Forthcoming elections

Find election information for your area

Parish councils and wards map
 

[Glenda Powell]

Ken, as you live in Belmont, your parish council is Belmont Rural Parish Council. You should receive some literature from the person standing,(they are leaving it a bit late to start canvassing).You can also get in touch with the chairman of the parish council and ask for the name of the candidate. Your elected county councillor is Tracey Bowes IOC.

[Denise Lloyd]

Surely apart from Graham Powell's patch these elections are for Parish Councillors aren't they?

[Chris Chappell]

There is a bye election for a city councillor in the Hinton & Hunderton Ward, but I am not aware that there is an election in the Belmont Parish area. Best ask you parish council chairman, who I think is Adrian Bridges if you live in Belmont parish.

[Ken Baynham]

Thank you both for kind help and  information.

 

It seems I am in the Hereford, Hinton and Hunderton  parish ward (This is indeed what is listed on the polling card but I had assumed these were three separate parishes or wards sharing the same polling booth) and that the councillor that represents this parish ward is someone called  Chris Chappell whom I assume is standing for re-election.

 

How do I find out what Chris Chappell stands for, who is standing against him and what they stand for.

[Ken Baynham]

I have moved Glenda.

[Ken Baynham]

Nice to put a face to the name Chris.

 

Can you enlighten me?

[Glenda Powell]

Ken, there is a vacancy for the city parish council for Hunderton and Hinton ward. I have just gone onto the website the candidate is Kevin Tillet Independent

[JesseB]

Hello - I'm new to this group, but interested in Herefordshire politics. I'm a bit confused about who is standing in the city by-election. I didn't think there was an Independent candidate. Am I wrong?

[Aylestone Voice]

These are the candidates (no independent)

 

Jennings Catherine Ruth 11 The Pastures, Lower Bullingham, Hereford, HR2 6EU It's Our County (Herefordshire) 

 Morris Scott John 51 Princess Avenue, Hereford, HR1 1HJ Labour Party 

 Price Jamie Owen Richard 7 Priory View, Belmont, Hereford, HR2 7XH Conservative and Unionist Party 

 Tillett Kevin Paul 20 Villa Street, Hunderton, Hereford, HR2 7AU Liberal Democrats 

[Denise Lloyd]

Now I am confused I thought the Parish Council was non political(that is apart from the Ward Councillor)  - please somebody clear up this confusion 

[Ken Baynham]

Thank you all for help. Things are a little clearer now. I did receive a leaflet from Kevin Tillett.

 

The leaflet did not mention of the election but was asking for asking for signatures supporting his campaign (Liberal Democrats) to tidy Hinton and Hereford. Is this the same Kevin Tillet who is seeking election to the Hinton and Hunderton Parish council and is the same as the Hereford, Hinton and Hunderton Parish Ward specified on my polling card?.

[Glenda Powell]

Ken, Yes it is the same Kevin Tilett, on the electoral website he is down as an Independent, that is why I stated he was.

 

Denise, In this case the City council is also the city parish council, they make decisions at parish level, but then goes to Herefordshire Council. If they agree with the city parish proposals, then they are passed, if not the decisions/ proposals don't go any further. You can be both a Herefordshire county councillor and Hereford City parish councillor. Most people stand in a by-election as a step towards becoming a county councillor.

[Ken Baynham]

Thanks Glenda. I become further enlightened.

 

If I understand it correctly then Kevin Tillett is seeking election as a parish councillor, Does he serve in any other capacity i.e. county or city councillor and can you tell me how I find out what the other candidates stand for?

[Glenda Powell]

Ken, see post 13 above they are all the candidates and what party they are standing for. In regards to Kevin Tillett the position he standing for is Parish councillor for the city council. The city council is the parish council. Glenda

[Ken Baynham]

Thanks Glenda.

[Chris Chappell]

Hi Ken,/Jesse B, et al.

 

It is confusing, hopefully I can explain. Each Herefordshire Council Ward is divided into parish wards/ councils. Some rural council wards have several parish council within them.

 

In Hereford City there are Herefordshire Council wards, with one councillor each.. most of those wards have one parish councillor however in the larger wards there are two parish councillors. This is the case in Hinton & Hunderton. I am the Herefordshire Council representative but I am also a parish councillor for the Ward. The vacancy arises as the other parish councillor resigned and now has to be replaced. So that there will be two parish councillors for the Ward on the City Council. There are 53 Herefordshire councillors and 18 Hereford city councillors.

 

There are often vacancies on rural parish councils and sometimes no one wants to stand so someone is co-opted. These councils usually have between 7 and 12 parish councillors depending on the number of residents. Ledbury town, Ross Town, Bromyard, Kington also have a parish council covering the town area made up of several councillors but Kington, for example has only one Herefordshire councillor but several parish councillors. Ross town, with a larger population has three Herefordshire councillors, I think, but their wards may go outside the town boundaries so include part of another parish council area. Confused!

Many people are, but the ward boundaries are set independently by the Boundaries Commission who review the size of population every few years and to equal them up, adjust the ward boundaries.

 

I hope this helps. I will look on site later to see if you need further explanation.

[Ken Baynham]

Thanks for information Chris.

 

As I understand it Hinton  & Hunderton Parish do not have a council as for example Belmont Rural has but has two councillors that represent us on a ward called Hereford City Council which serves sixteen different parishes. 

 

Do members of the city council also automatically become county councillors.

[Chris Chappell]

No that's quiet right. My fault probably I will try to explain. Hinton & Hunderton is one Ward within the parish council area of Hereford City Council. The parish council wards within the city boundary make up the city council.

Hinton & Hunderton are within the Church of England parish of St. Martins. This is an ecclesiastical parish and not a civil one and has no relevance politically.

 

It is not rue that most parish councillors believe it is a step up to becoming a county councillor. There are far too many parish councillors for that to happen. I became a county councillor some years before I became a city councillor. There is a lot more work involved being a county councillor, a recent survey within Herefordshire saw most county councillors report that they gave between 50- 70 hours a month of their time for council work. Far more than most people want to give.

 

I hope this explains things.

Regards

Chris

[Ken Baynham]

Thanks again Chris.

 

I think the preverbal penny has finally dropped.

 

Thank you all for all the information and help. 

[Denise Lloyd]

Nice to see one  local rag has remembered there are local elections being held today

 

https://t.co/4dZa5gG4DV

 

Duh hello Hereford Times!

[megilleland]

Also today a parish ward election in the Hinton & Hunderton Ward. Full list here.