About the Parish Council

Who We Are:

The Parish Council is the first tier of local government covering the parish of Mawnan, which includes Mawnan Smith, Helford Passage, Durgan, Penwarne, Bareppa and Maenporth, near Falmouth. Residents of Mawnan Parish can seek advice and guidance on various matters pertaining to the local area. We will endeavour to assist at first hand, or to forward matters to the unitary authority, the Cornwall Council.

The Parish Council comprises 10 elected Councillors (also called members), who are volunteers drawn from the local community, plus a salaried clerk (also called an officer). Councillors are normally elected every four years, to coincide with the Unitary (“One Cornwall”) Elections. The Council’s Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected each May, from among Councillors.

Currently, all Parish Councillors in Mawnan are “independents”, in that they do not represent any political parties, but instead the general interest of the local community. However, there is nothing to prevent candidates from political parties from standing for election to the Council.

A list of the Councillors is available on this website.

What We Do:

The Council provides services for, and manages and maintains the assets of Mawnan Parish, within the resources provided by the annual precept and other incomes, taking into account the wishes of the residents and the need to obtain value for money.

The Parish Council Office is located in Mawnan Memorial Hall, Sampys Hill, Mawnan Smith, TR11 5EW. You can contact us via email at clerk@mawnan.org.uk or by phone at 01326 251022.

The Parish Council undertakes a range of local responsibilities :-

  •  Provision of grant funding for the Maintenance of the Junior Playing Field and Carwinion Playing Fields
  • Provision of the Public Toilets in Mawnan Smith
  • Support, including donations, for many local organisations
  • Representation on a number of other local groups and charities
  • Offering observations to the Planning Authority (Cornwall Council) upon planning applications affecting land or property within the parish
  • Lobbying hard for improvements in infrastructure and public services
  • Maintenance of Public Rights of Way and parts of the South West Coastal Path (partnership arrangement with the Cornwall Council)
  • Highways Weed Control in Mawnan Smith
  • Maintenance of the ‘old’ churchyard at Mawnan Church & acting as Burials Authority for the new graveyard.

Our Meetings:

The Council meets monthly at either Mawnan Bowling Club or Mawnan Memorial Hall. Meeting dates, timing and venue are listed on the agenda, which is published on this website and on the village noticeboard (outside Mawnan Smith Surgery). Meetings include an open discussion period, allowing members of the public to ask questions of the Council. Minutes of meetings are also published on this website.

Mawnan Parish Council usually meets at 7.30pm, on the third Thursday of each month, except in August when no meeting is held (though a Planning Committee meeting may occur if necessary). Extraordinary meetings may also be held when required. Members of the Public and Press are welcome to attend these meetings.

A standard agenda is used for meetings, with additional items as and when required :-

  • Apologies for Absence
  • Declarations of Interest
  • Public Comment on Items on the Agenda
  • To Confirm Minutes of Previous Meeting(s)
  • To Report on Matters Arising from the Minutes not on the Agenda
  • Agenda Items
  • Correspondence
  • Planning Applications
  • Finance & Payment of Accounts
  • Reports from Committees & Representatives
  • Report from Cornwall Council Ward Member
  • Date & Time of Next Meetings
  • Comments from Members of the Public

All meetings are open to the public, other than when confidential business is being considered. At the start of every meeting there is an opportunity for the public to comment on agenda items. At the end of every Parish Council meeting there is a further public discussion period. Here people have the opportunity to bring up any matters which may be of concern or interest to the community as a whole.

Agendas, Draft Minutes, Annual Reports, Newsletters and other information are all available on the notice board, and from the Parish Council office. Most documents can also be found on this web site.

Policies and Procedures

The way that the Council meetings operate is determined by its Standing Orders, and there are also Financial Regulations which set out how its finances will operate, including its policy on tenders and contracts. All Councillors must abide by the Council’s Code of Conduct, which includes a requirement for Councillors to declare various interests.

The Council also maintains an Asset Register, containing details of everything it owns. A Risk Assessment document has been drawn up, to ensure that the Council has taken the necessary steps to protect its assets, and to ensure its continuing operation and financial viability.

If required, there is a Complaints Procedure, although we hope that no-one will ever need to use this. Complaints concerning the Council, members, officers, or its procedures or administration should initially be put in writing to the Clerk or Chairman.

Partnerships

There are some matters that are dealt with more effectively by the different tiers of local government working together. Mawnan Parish Council collaborates with the Cornwall Council on issues such as housing, planning, policing, etc. The Parish Council is also a member of the Cornwall Association of Local Councils (CALC), a grouping of Parish and Town Councils, which works for the general good of the county.

The Council has links with local voluntary organisations, and is always eager to forge new ones. Any such organisation may have copies of Agendas and Minutes on request. Organisations are encouraged to give a brief report on their year at the Annual Parish Meeting, which is held each May, immediately prior to the May Council meeting. Details are displayed beforehand, both on this web site and the notice board.

Residents’ views

The Council welcomes the views of residents on all local issues. Such views may be expressed in writing to the Clerk to the Council. Alternatively, residents can make an appointment to speak with the Parish Clerk in person.

Should you wish to discuss any matter with a Parish Councillor, feel free to approach any of the Councillors whose contact details are available on this website.

To contact the Parish Council, please CLICK HERE

Budgets

The Council’s annual (April to March) budget is set in December the previous year, when present and future needs of the Parish are discussed, and priorities agreed and costed. Cornwall Council collects the parish precept through the Council tax, and provides this to the Parish Council the precept in two instalments during the year.

For specific information on our budgets & spending throughout the year please look at the Council Spending & Budgets page.  This page also contains statutory information on our End of Year audits.

Freedom of Information

Mawnan Parish Council resolved to adopt the Freedom of Information Act’s latest Publication Scheme on December 18th, 2008. The Parish Council’s Publication Scheme came into force on January 1st, 2009, and the core classes of the scheme have been applied to Mawnan Parish Council.

The individual’s right to access information came into force from January 1st, 2005.

The Freedom of Information Act is an extension to the Data Protection Act 1985 and enables interested parties access to information produced by the Parish Council such as agendas, minutes and financial documents.

Please note that a charge may be made to cover the cost of printing and postage.

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