LGR Town and Parish briefing
Please see attachment below.
Somersham Youth Council
Somersham Youth Council
Are you in Years 7 – 13 and interested in what is going on in your local community?
Somersham Parish Council want to start a youth council where young people can have a say about what they want to see happen in Somersham.
If this sounds like you please contact Irene at
executiveofficer@somersham-pc.gov.uk
or call 01487 841359
Free pizza and drinks!
Venue, date and time to be confirmed
Notice of Vacancy
Notice of Vacancy in office of Parish Councillor on the Somersham Parish Parish Council
Notice is hereby given pursuant to section 87(2) of the Local Government Act 1972 that due to [the resignation/death/non attendance] of Councillor Drury there is a vacancy on the Somersham Parish Council.
If, within 14 statutory days after the date of this notice, a request for an election to fill the vacancy is made in writing to the Proper Officer, Huntingdonshire District Council, Pathfinder House, Huntingdon PE29 3TN by ten electors of the Parish an election will be held. If no such notice is given the Parish Council will fill the vacancy by co-option.
If any member of the Parish would like to be considered for co-option, please contact the Executive Officer.
Dated: 12/8/25
Signed: I Heaiss
Parish Clerk
Address: The Norwood Building, Parkhall Road, PE283HE
Printed and Published by the Parish Clerk
Parish Council Address
Council Tax for Somersham
Council Tax for Somersham
There have been a lot of comments on social media recently about the level of council tax in Somersham compared to other towns and villages. This has also led to some ill-informed comments and speculation. Hopefully you will find the following information useful.
Parish Councillors are elected by parish residents every four years to take decisions on behalf of the community. They receive no remuneration. The role is entirely voluntary. All meetings are held, and decisions taken in public every four weeks with agendas published beforehand. Each meeting includes a public forum where all are welcome. Meeting minutes and accounts are all published on the council website.
The parish precept, or Council Tax demand, is a simple calculation. It is the number and cost of facilities divided by the number of taxable properties.
In response to local expectations the council has over the last 25 years been proactive and ambitious, seeking to provide as much as possible for local residents. As a result, Somersham has far more to offer than any other village in this part of the county. This includes the Millennium Sports Facility, Norwood Recreation Field, Play Area, Multi-Purpose Sports Area, Squash Court, Car Park, Library, Lake, Nature Reserve as well as the Timebank and Changing Lives activities, plus a full time grounds/handyman. Highway improvements have also been introduced in response to residents’ complaints about speeding traffic. These are all provided or assisted by your parish council and managed by staff and an office.
As the village grows over the next few years, the number of tax contributing households will increase, without the need for any significant increase in facilities. This means that council tax should not need to rise as it has in the past.
Comparison has been made with St Ives which charges less Council Tax. St Ives Town has four times the number of properties, but their council does not provide four times the benefits. Market Towns are different in that they are seen as strategic settlements expected to cater for a much wider geographical area than the town. Consequently, the Sports and Leisure facilities, Library, Car Parks etc are provided by the County and District Councils, not the Town council. Market towns also qualify for grants from the Combined Authority.
Advertising Posters & Banners
Advertising Boards
ALL advertising must be requested through the Clerk by the organisation/ charity holding an event
General advertising can be approved by the Clerk, whilst any advertising deemed contentious must be approved by full council
Local charity/organisation fundraising advertising only, NO business advertising
No ‘A’ frames will be permitted without prior approval & will only be approved in exception circumstances (eg car parking direction signs for special events) – ‘A’ Frames cause issues such as trip hazards and will be removed by Somersham Parish Council or Cambridgeshire Highways except if formal approval received.
Advertising Boards – MUST receive approval in advance from the Parish Office and then must be attached securely to railings with cable ties
All advertising boards must be removed within 2 days of the event finishing
Banners
Banners to be erected at high level can only be erected by the Parish Council staff due to insurance risk
Requests for Advertising
Must be made in writing to the Parish Clerk
Approval / refusal will be made to the applicant in writing
Somersham Parish Council reserves the right to remove any unauthorised or inappropriate signs erected at the Public Shelter.
Contact: Penny Bryant, Parish Clerk
clerk@somersham-pc.gov.uk
01487 841359
The Norwood Building, Parkhall Road, Somersham PE28 3HE
Local Council Award Scheme
Gold Standard
Gold Award logoThe Award Scheme report highlighted the council’s particular areas of strength, including its vision and leadership.
The Local Council Award Scheme is a peer assessed programme that has been designed to both provide the tools and encouragement to those councils at the beginning of their improvement journeys, as well as promoting and recognising councils that are at the cutting edge of the sector. It is through the sector working together to share best practice, drive up standards and supporting those who are committed to improving their offer to their communities that individual councils
and the sector as a whole will reach its full potential.
Somersham Parish Council’s Chairman Steve Criswell was quoted as being delighted “As a parish council, we realised several years ago that we had an increasing role to play in the well-being of our residents and the strengthening of our community. I am proud that our commitment has been recognised with this Gold Award. However, I am very aware that challenges lie ahead and to meet them we will need to work more closely with our County and District partners”
In terms of the future, the council is now reviewing ways in which it can keep on improving its offer to the local community and welcomes input from local people and partners on this. Somersham, and other local councils like it, are at the front line of the government’s localism agenda and are doing as much as they can to delivery services whilst being efficient and cost-effective. Currently the council provides a range of services including a dedicated website and social media, sports facilities, a community library, Time Bank, Youth Club and designated Nature Reserve and intends to further improve its community engagement through this.
