Westcott Parish Council is committed to high standards of engagement with its community. Our council is part of a tier of local government which belongs to, is part of and is directly accountable to its local community. Councillors play an important role as they are elected to make decisions on matters affecting our parish. We aim to make a measurable difference to the quality of life of the community we serve and to be responsive to the needs of our community. This statement sets out how we ensure the community is kept informed about and can contribute to the activities and decision-making of this council to the benefit of this parish.
We believe our community is everyone within the boundaries of our parish including all ages, any organisations, groups and individuals within it. We also recognise that residents pay for the activities of the parish council and that visitors to our community form an important part of the vibrancy of community life. We understand that there are certain bodies that are crucial to local quality of life and we will strive to achieve excellent working relationships with these bodies including village organisations, the Police, neighbouring councils and other tiers of local government.
This council ensures that its main documents which reflect its decisions are published andreadily available for the public to view. These documents include the policies, agendas, minutes and annual reports of the council. Information is available:
The council also summarises its activities and reports them in the Waddesdon Newsletter, which is distributed monthly to all households in Waddesdon, Fleet Marston, Westcott and Over Winchendon.
The agenda for full council meetings contain an invitation to the public and press to attend. The agenda gives an indication of the business to be transacted so that you can decide whether you want to attend or make your views known by some other means prior to the meeting.
Meetings are the forum for business and decision-making and it is important that this business can be conducted with ample time for due consideration of issues before councillors. However, at council meetings there is also an opportunity for the public to make representations in person prior to decisions being made. We welcome representations but inevitably have to apply a time limit and if you are concerned that there might be insufficient time to make your points known, you might wish to make representations in writing prior to the meeting.
We give representatives from the Police and other tiers of local government an opportunity to make reports to full council meetings. This provides the public and councillors with more information and an opportunity to ask questions on matters of interest to them.
The council will also call an Annual Parish Meeting on a day falling between 1 March and 1 June inclusive. This is your meeting, and you will have an opportunity to hear from many community organisations and to ask them questions. It is also possible to raise matters of concern to the community.
The council attends many meetings of bodies which make decisions affecting the local community. Information obtained from these meetings is reported to full council meetings.
Councillors are the decision-makers of the council. Councillors also hold the Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer to account. Councillors welcome contact with members of the public, endeavour to be available immediately prior to council meetings for anybody who wishes to speak with them, and they will listen to the representations you make to them at council meetings whether you attend in person, ask another person to raise matters for you or provide your comments in writing.
The Clerk is the Proper Officer of the council and is the appropriate contact in most cases for raising matters with or requesting information from the council.
12th May 2026
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