Denton Parish Council
The Council
Denton has a parish council of seven members elected all together every four years. Casual vacancies are normally filled by co-option. Parish councillors serve on a voluntary basis but the council employs a part-time clerk to provide administrative support.
The latest election should have taken place on May 4th last year, 2023, the same day as the District Council elections, but, as there were seven nominations for the seven places, no actual poll will be needed. The next elections will be in May 2027.
Further information about the elections and the role of parish councillors is provided on the Elections Page.
Parish councils have a limited range of powers but they do have a vital role to play in representing the views and interests of the local community.
They have a statutory right to be consulted by other bodies, notably the county and district councils, on issues affecting the village.
In particular they are consulted on all planning applications that affect the parish and have speaking rights at the District Council's planning committee meetings.
The Council encouraged residents to take part in the "Community Governance Review" conducted in 2017 by South Norfolk Council.
Perhaps the most interesting issue included in the Review was a potential change to the parish boundary to transfer eight properties from Earsham to Denton. Rather surprisingly, Earsham PC raised no objections.
The change was eventually approved by the District Council and the Local Government Boundary Commission in 2019.
Further details are available in a News Item from 2017.
The Council sponsors this website and in the past published a Village Directory but this has now been discontinued.
Who is on the Parish Council?
- Mr Terry Hanner (Chair) – Tel: 01986 788414
- Mr Ken Ashton (Vice-Chair) – Tel: 01986 788705
- M/s Melissa Bunn – Tel: 01986 789151
- Mrs Meghan Edwards – Tel: 07951 313418
- Mr Robert Fearnley – Tel: 01986 788630
- Mrs Christine Kerr – Tel: 01986 788372
- Mrs Helen Sida-Page – Tel: 01986 788549
Councillors are bound by a Code of Conduct which can be viewed on a Separate Page.
All councillors are required to complete a Declaration of Interest laying out their ownership of land in the parish and any other interests which might be relevant. The returns from members of Denton PC can be seen on the South Norfolk Council website.
Details of former members of the Council and other aspects of its history can be found in the History Section.
Parish Clerk
The Council employs a part-time Clerk to provide administrative support.
Mrs Jackie Loveday
Address:
2 Cherrywood, Harleston, IP20 9LP.
Tel: 07908 253095.
e-mail: dentonparish@gmail.com
The Council is a member of the Norfolk Association of Local Councils.
When are Meetings held?
Parish council meetings used to beld once a month in Denton Village Hall on the second Tuesday of each month (apart from August and December)
but since 2018 the Council have moved to meeting every other month. They will thus be held, normally on the second Tuesday, in January, March, May, July, September and November starting at 7.30 pm.
Additional meetings may be called if significant urgent issues, e.g. a contentious planning application, should arise.
Members of the public are always welcome to attend. There are items on the agenda which gives residents the opportunity to bring any relevant issues to the attention of councillors.
Most recent meeting: Tuesday, 12th November.
Agenda for that meeting.
The Draft Minutes of that meeting.
Minutes of previous meetings can be found in the Minutes Archive.
The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 14th January - tbc.
The Agenda will appear here in due course.
Council Annual Meetings
The Council holds an Annual Meeting, normally in May, when the Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected etc.
The 2024 Annual Meeting was held on Tuesday 14th May.
Standing Orders
The conduct of all council meetings is controlled by a set of
Standing Orders.
Download the Document PDF
Data Protection and Privacy Policies
The Council has adopted policies to meet national requirements.
Download the Document PDF
Complaints Policy
The Council has adopted a formal procedure to handle complaints.
which can be seen Here
Development Planning
The Council is a statutory consultee in the Planning process and has the right to be consulted on all Planning Applications affecting the Parish.
The Council has adopted a statement on planning procedure.
which can be seen Here
The Council is entitled to receive 25% of all Community Infrastructure Levy Payments. These are payments made by developers to reflect the impact of their develoments on the local scene.
Most of the money raised goes to the County Council to support improvements to roads, schools etc. but the Parish gets its share.
Full details on how the system works can be found on the
Government Website.
The Council receives an annual statement from South Norfolk Council on payments received and paid-out. The latest can be seen Here.
Minutes Archive
The minutes of previous meetings since 2007 can be found in the Minutes Archive.
How the Council Pays its Way
Each year the Council funds its activities by precepting a sum of money, £4,200 for the current 2023/24 financial year, from the district council. This is the same amount as last year.
Thos year this has resulted in a charge of £25.93 for a typical, Band D, property.
It is collected, with the sums required by the County Council, District Council and Police Authority, as part of all parish households' Council Tax.
Council Finance
Further information on the Council Tax system together with details of the Council's finances, budgets and accounts, are available on the PC Finance Page.
The formal notice of access to the Auditors Report is now available on a Special Page.
Parish Meetings
The Council also organises an Annual Parish Meeting each year, normally in April or May, where the Parish Council and local organisations report back on their activities during the year and any items of general interest can be discussed.
Residents are urged to come along, find out more and put their points of view forward.
The 2024 Meeting, preceeding the Council's Annual Meeting, will be held on Tuesday 14th May.
Agenda for that meeting.
Speed Monitoring
The Council have installed a Traffic Speed Monitoring System in the village.
Further information including detailed results are available on a
Separate Page.
Allotments
One power that Parish Councils do possess is the provision of allotments for local residents. DPC formerly provided four plots, on the land between the playing field and Rogerson's Wood.
However, recently, the parishoners renting plots decided to give them up and the site has now been cleared.
Access to Information
Under the Public Information Act the Council is required to publish details of what information it holds and how the public can gain access to it. This is provided on the next page.