Last week, I heard from two Parish Councillors about their work in Watlington, and what it’s like being a parish councillor. Self-described as ‘a doer’ and ‘the properly woman’, Karyn and Nicky showed me how much passionate parish councillors are doing for their communities, but also some of the difficulties they face.

Parish Councils are often met with misconceptions. Here are a few things that Karyn and Nicky wished people knew:

Are Parish Councillors paid for their time? No, parish councillors are volunteers. Most commit a minimum of 4 hours a week, but can give up to 10 or more. Karyn and Nicky worked out that the Watlington Parish Council volunteers around £100,000 worth of project management time.

Do councillors just direct and manage other people? No, councillors have to undertake any projects themselves, and so are often stretched for time.

Are councillors responsible for the bins? No, these are managed by the District or County Council. The above graphic from London Colney Parish Council very helpfully explains the responsibility of each tier of council. See this link for a bigger version: https://www.londoncolney-pc.gov.uk/council-responsibilities/

Watlington Parish Council is particularly busy supporting their community. In the last year alone, Karyn and Nicky along with their team have linked up 50 community groups on a new community website (mywatlington.co.uk), given out grants to community groups, engaged with the college about youth provision, run the park facilities, support a free car park and more. They’re also a kind of support office for local residents, providing information, combating loneliness, and problem solving.

All this work takes time, and when I asked what they were most proud of, Nicky started with ‘running shorter meetings!’. The time pressure combined with occasional personal agendas and strong public opinions can sometimes make their work feel a bit like a battle – but they believe that they are battles worth fighting!

Recently, Community First Oxfordshire worked with the parish council to develop a Neighbourhood Plan. These plans are powerful legal tools to shape development in the way the community decides, and in Watlington, it provided a breakthrough on a 50yr campaign for a road to reduce pressure on a key pinch point.

Their vision for Watlington supports a thriving community, full of independent shops, community initiatives, and green spaces. They dream of a Watlington that may not look different physically, but feels different socially. Where there’s a strong community and no one left behind. Where older and younger people are supported – such as through the youth council they are starting. And where residents in new housing are welcomed with local provisions adapted to include everybody.

Despite some of the challenges parish councils face, they can enable communities and places to thrive, using their deep understanding of the local area and passion to improve the places they live in.