About the Council

Parish Councils

These are the first level of elected local authority. Parish councillors represent the interests of their constituents. Lapworth Parish Council has nine unpaid members who are elected every four years unless the seats are uncontested then councillors may be co-opted. The last election/co-option for Lapworth Parish Council was in May 2011. The Council is administered by a part time paid Clerk

Meetings

Council meetings are held once every month (except August) at 7.30pm in the Village Hall, usually on the second Monday of the month. The Lapworth annual assembly is held before the March meeting and the annual council meeting, at which the Chairman and Vice-Chairman are elected is held in May. Dates of meetings, agendas and minutes are available here. All meetings of the Parish Council are open to the public and notices of them are posted on Parish Council notice boards around the village. Any member of the public is entitled to be present and the council welcomes public attendance.

At every Council meeting a standing item, Public Forum, allows members of the public to raise matters not on the agenda. This, the first item on the agenda, is the part of the meeting in which the general public may speak to raise matters of concern. Between meetings members of the public may raise matters of concern with any member of the council or the clerk. The clerk to the Parish Council can be contacted at clerk@lapworthpc.orguk or by telephone on 07712531873. The Fix My Street website, a central government initiative, can also be used to report local matters that need attention such as defective street lights and damaged pavements.

Planning

Lapworth Parish Council is a statutory consultee in the planning process, but planning decisions are made by Warwick District Council which is the local planning authority The Parish Council has no separate planning committee as planning issues are an agenda item in the regular council meetings and all councillors can comment. The council makes its views known to the appropriate meeting of the Planning Sub-Committee of Warwick District Council. The menu link to planning applications goes to the register of planning applications on the Warwick District Council website. From a planning perspective, the Parish Council is mindful of the listed buildings and conservation areas within the Parish.

Land

It is the landlord of the village hall and has a representative on the village hall management committee. It is also responsible for maintaining the green area at the corner of Station Lane and the Old Warwick Road and verges in the parish. It also maintains the war memorial.

Support

It provides some support for the Parochial Church Council. It also nominates a Lapworth School governor and several governors to the Lapworth Charities.

Housing

The Council conducted a housing needs survey in 2009 that was published in 2010. There were about 270 responses that concluded there was a need for 6 extra dwellings, four of them rented. A report of the survey, including appendices, can be found here

Emergency

All councillors will be involved if there is an emergency that affects the local area.

Footpaths

The council is a corporate member of the Council for the Protection of Rural England. Enquiries about footpaths can be sent to any councillor or the Clerk. Also problems with footpaths can be reported on the County Council website (typing “paths” in the search box will get you to the correct place).

Tree Preservation Orders

Warwick District Council have made a list of tree preservation orders in Lapworth available. This list, from about May 2009, is for information only and should not be considered as an official document. If you need definitive information you should contact Warwick District Council