Shotley Parish Council

Parish Councils are the first tier in the local Government structure in rural areas in England (the other two tiers being the District and County Councils) and Shotley Parish Council is a very proactive one. The Council has nine members who are elected every four years, the most recent election at the time of writing being May 2011. Parish Councillors, unlike District and County Councillors, receive no payment for their services, though the Council itself does have a number of employees including the Parish Clerk, Responsible Financial Officer and Community/Litter Wardens, as well as contracting services where necessary. The website at http://www.myshotley.com is maintained on behalf of the Parish Council.

The Council has a variety of pwers and duties including owning, managing and maintaining public amenity spaces such as play areas, allotments and green spaces, as well as promoting businesses and tourism in the area and giving practical and financial support to local organizations including voluntary groups and charities. It is also a statutory consultee on planning matters. The PParish Council is actively involved in a number of ongoing projects including the attempts to redevelop the former HMS Ganges site and The Shotley Sea Defence Project. Meetings are held at Shotley Village Hall on the third Thursday of every month, beginning at 7.15PM, and are open to the public.