About the Parish Council

Marsh Gibbon Parish Council is a local authority and has to work in accordance with legislation passed by Parliament. Marsh Gibbon is one of approximately 110 parishes that make up the Aylesbury Vale District, in the county of Buckinghamshire.

The decisions of the Parish Council are made by elected councillors who either live or work or have business interests in the Parish. Marsh Gibbon Parish Council has seven councillors and they are elected for a four-year term of office. None represents a political party, as is usual in parish councils. Five of our present councillors were elected in May 2007, one was co-opted to the council in June 2007 and one was co-opted in February 2008. Our councillors are:

Cllr Richard Cross (Chairman)
Cllr Ian Metherell (Vice-Chairman)
Cllr Mrs Penny Evershed
Cllr Derek Leonard
Cllr Mrs June Smith
Cllr Mrs Valerie Summers
Cllr Mrs Elizabeth Taylor

The Council employs a part-time Clerk, who is responsible for the administration and the finances of the council. The Clerk at the present time is Graham Cumming

The Councillors' and Clerk's contact details can be viewed by clicking on the names above.


The Parish Council has two roles -

It is involved in providing local facilities, for example the street lights, litter bins, village seats, the children's play equipment at the Village Hall and the teenage 5-a-side pitch. The Council also maintains and administers the Marsh Gibbon Cemetery. More details can be found under the Parish services section.

The Council's other role is that of being consulted on or, at least, informed of a wide range of other issues, usually by Aylesbury Vale District Council and by Buckinghamshire County Council. It has a statutory right to be notified of all planning applications within the parish boundary and has the right to comment on these to the Planning Authority (Aylesbury Vale District Council). It also receives information about the activities of many other organisations, including Central Government Departments and NHS Trusts.

Whilst the Parish Council does not directly make major decisions that affect all of our lives, it is a body that larger outside organisations can, and usually do, deal with - so there is an opportunity to make local views known. When the District Council or County Council makes a decision, the Parish Council is able to use its unique local knowledge to help ensure that the needs and views of local residents are taken into consideration.

At its meeting of 14th July 2009, Marsh Gibbon Parish Council agreed its objectives and in doing so also satisfied Audit Commission requirements.

Council meetings are open to the public and 'Public Participation' is an agenda item at each of the meetings. This provides parishioners with an opportunity to raise issues that concern them. Meetings usually take place on the second Tuesday of each month, in the Village Hall or URC Schoolroom - see calendar.

The Parish Council has a Finance Committee, which has oversight responsibility for the Council's financial affairs. The Committee has the power to recommend actions to the Council, but not to pass resolutions. It comprises four Councillors who are elected to the Committee at the Annual General Meeting; with the Clerk ex officio. The members of the Committee at present are Cllr Ian Metherell (Chairman), Cllr Richard Cross, Cllr Penny Evershed and Cllr Elizabeth Taylor. The Council's Internal Auditor also attends Committee meetings from time to time. Meetings, which are open to the public, are usually held every two months, in the Village Hall or URC Schoolroom - see calendar.

The Parish Council also has a Cemetery Committee, which has responsibility for the management of the Burial Ground and for ensuring that Marsh Gibbon has a safe, well-ordered and respectful place for burials. All members of the Parish Council are members of the Cemetery Committee and the Committee therefore has the power to pass resolutions and to spend money. Meetings, which are open to the public are at present held monthly in the Village Hall or URC Schoolroom - see calendar.

To raise money, the Parish Council issues a precept, which is included in the Council Tax bills. The precept for the financial year 2010/2011 is £17,320, or about £45 per household. The Parish Council accounts are publicly audited and a copy of the Annual Return is available to members of the public.

The Parish Council is subject to the Freedom of Information Act and the new model publication scheme was adopted by the Parish Council on 11 November 2008.

Details about councillors, meetings and other items of interest are also available on the Parish Council notice board in Church Street.


Cllr Penny Evershed
Marsh Gibbon Parish Council

April 2010



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