About Olveston Parish Council
Olveston Parish Council
Olveston is an Ancient Civil Parish with records of overseers going back to the early 1700’s, Olveston Parish Council (OPC) was formed under the Local Government Act 1894 and serves the villages, hamlets and outlying areas of Olveston, Tockington, Old Down, Lower Hazel, Ingst, Awkley and Woodhouse Down.
The job of the Parish Council is to represent the interests of the whole of Olveston Parish, understanding the needs of different groups in the community.
A Parish Council consists of members of the public that reside within the parish, with the number of councillors representing it based on the total population of the parish it serves.
Olveston Parish Council (OPC) has nine elected / co-opted Councillors who can serve for a period of 4 years (or more if re-elected), along with a part time Clerk. All the councillors are unpaid volunteers who give their time freely. The only paid member of the council is The Clerk to the Parish Council who also acts as the Responsible Financial Officer.
Additionally, members of the full council lead and participate in various committees, sub-committees and working groups covering matters such as Planning, Recreation & Leisure and Finance. The working groups include Climate and Nature, and Traffic and Parking.
A Parish Council and its work is funded by a ‘precept’. This is the amount householders of the Parish pay as part of the Council Tax in order to maintain facilities and to do whatever needs to be done to preserve and improve the quality of life for the residents and visitors alike. OPC always strives to exercise best value practices in all our expenditure.
Central Government is encouraging local councils to deliver more services and play a greater part in their communities. As such, on many issues, OPC is the best first stop for information and guidance.
We are in direct communication with the South Gloucestershire District Council (SGC) and liaise with them on many matters impacting on the Parish. OPC has the responsibility to provide or interact with South Gloucestershire Council on various services including, planning, highways, transport and traffic, community safety, housing, street lighting, allotments, cemeteries, playing fields, litter, war memorials, seats, shelters, and rights of way and many more. OPC oversees many of these items on an on-going basis, referring to SGC where an item is their sole responsibility.
Council Meetings - Where and When
The business of the council is carried out at regular council meetings, on the following basis:
| Type | When | Where |
| Full Council Committee Meetings | 7.30pm on the fourth Tuesday of every month | Queen Alexandra Memorial Pavilion on Alveston Road, Old Down |
Planning Committee | 7.30pm every two weeks | Queen Alexandra Memorial Pavilion on Alveston Road, Old Down |
| Finance Committee | Regularly – TBA | Queen Alexandra Memorial Pavilion on Alveston Road, Old Down |
| Climate and Nature Working Group | Bi-Monthly (evening – time varies) | Various |
| Traffic & Parking | Quarterly (evening – time varies | Various |
Agendas for all the committee and sub-committee meetings are published in advance on this website and on the Council’s notice boards outside Olveston Stores, outside The Swan Pub in Tockington and on the bus shelter in front of The Crescent in Old Down.
Unless indicated otherwise members of the public are welcome to attend Parish Council meetings. Members of the public can only speak whilst the normal business of the meeting is being conducted, and if you have contacted the Clerk to the Parish Council prior to the meeting. If you wish to raise anything which is not on the agenda you are advised to contact the Clerk in writing, asking for this to be included on the council’s next agenda. Councillors cannot make decisions on anything which is not included on the agenda.
Getting Involved
Volunteering
The Parish Council is committed to working for the good of the whole of Olveston Parish and wants to hear your views on what we should be doing to support the local community. There is a huge variety in what the Parish Council does and we welcome anyone who wishes to help in making the Parish the best place to live. All your ideas and comments are welcome and if you have the time and the passion, we are always looking for volunteers. Additional help is always welcome and getting involved in one of our initiatives could be a good way to find out more about what we do and how we do it.
You can contact us via the Contacts page in the main menu above.
Becoming a Parish Councillor
Much of what the Council does is common sense and as a Parish Councillor, you could help to look after and improve many of the facilities in our parish. You can spend a lot of time on council work – but most people have jobs, families and hobbies that also demand a lot of time. However, as with most things, the more you put in, the more you (and our community) will get out.
If you think you might be interested in joining the Council in future there are two ways in which to do so, either by election or by being co-opted on to the council.
All nine seats on the Parish Council come up for election every four years. The elections are held on the same day as District Council elections, usually in May. Prior to the election date you need to complete a straightforward nomination form (available from our clerk). It must be signed by your proposer and seconder and witnessed. Then submit it to the Electoral Services Unit of South Gloucestershire Council.
Co-option is a less formal process than election and the Parish Council may fill vacant seats on the Council by co-option.
When seats on the Council remain unfilled after the four-yearly election (because fewer than nine valid nominations were submitted), or after a “casual vacancy” is created, for example by resignation of a councillor, and if, after the vacancy has been officially advertised, a by-election process has not been formally requested by 10 electors.
If you want to put your name forward, or if you would like more information about what’s involved, please contact the Clerk to the Parish Council using the Contact option in the main menu above.
Sub-committees – each has a maximum of four council members where a Full Council membership consists of nine. Meeting frequency determined by Chair of Sub-committee /Sub-group, with monthly report of activities to Full Council. All decisions taken by Sub-committees/Sub-groups must be approved by the Full Council. Sub-groups must have at least one member of the full council.
Any council member may attend any of the Sub-committees/Sub-groups but can only address the meeting with the approval of the relevant Chair and cannot vote at the meeting.