Stogumber with the Quantock hills behind
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About the Parish Council

The Parish Council represents residents and businesses in the village, hamlets and countryside of the Parish. The Parish Council has few powers, but it can influence decisions made by Somerset Council and other organisations such as the Environment Agency.

The Parish Council owns the Beacon Field on Station Road, the car-parking in The Square and has become the trustee of the Stogumber Playground behind Slade Close.

There are nine unpaid volunteer Parish Councillors, and the Parish Clerk who works six hours a week. The Parish Council's income is drawn from the Council Tax.

Councillor Contact Details email
Nicholas Browne   cllrbrowne@stogumberpc.org.uk
Jeremy Foley   cllrfoley@stogumberpc.org.uk
Cliff Matravers 01984 656596 cllrmatravers@stogumberpc.org.uk
Viv Sellick 01984 656638 cllrsellick@stogumberpc.org.uk
Tom Vesey   cllrvesey@stogumberpc.org.uk
Alison White 01984 656058 cllrwhite@stogumberpc.org.uk
Clerk   clerk@stogumberpc.org.uk

How to raise a problem or alert us to an opportunity

You can raise issues by contacting the Parish Clerk, or by speaking directly to any Parish Councillor.

Alternatively, every Parish Council meeting is open to the public, and there is always an opportunity for members of the public to speak on any matter listed on the agenda. You do not need to tell us in advance that you wish to speak, but doing so helps us to plan the meeting.

Meetings

The Parish Council normally meets every two months, usually on the evening of the second Thursday of the month, at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. Meeting dates and agendas are published on the Parish Council noticeboards (in the churchyard and at the corner of Sawpits) and the Parish Council page of this website at least 3 clear working days before the meeting.

The Parish Council also holds site meetings to consider planning applications and information about these is also published on the noticeboards and website.

See further down this page for links to minutes of meetings.

Neighbourhood Plan

Stogumber currently has a Neighbourhood Plan in place that has been adopted by the District Council. This is a document that is referred to when considering planning applications in the neighbourhood area.

Planning applications

Planning applications can be a stress and worry for both applicants and neighbours, and here are a few notes that may be helpful:

  • The planning authority to whom you apply, and which makes the decision is Somerset Council.
  • Somerset Council has a duty to put up site notices. If you want to know when there is a planning application for a site near you, look out for the site notices which are posted near the application site.
  • You can also search for, view and comment on planning applications on the Somerset Council website. https://www1.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/online-applications//.
  • If you didn't know about an application until after the decision has been made, the decision cannot be changed without mounting a legal challenge.
  • The Parish Council is a statutory consultee which means that Somerset Council are required to ask the Parish Council what it thinks, but it is not obliged to agree with the Parish Council’s opinion when arriving at its decision.
  • If you have a view on a particular application, you can send your comments direct to Somerset Council.

Parish Precept

The Parish Council precept is the amount of money the Parish Council receives out of the Council Tax collected by Somerset Council. The total precept for 2023/24 is £21,350; for a Band D house this equates to £65.36 per year. Anyone is welcome to see the Parish Council's accounts and budget, please contact the Clerk on clerk@stogumberpc.org.uk

Contacting the Parish Council

Parish Clerk:
   clerk@stogumberpc.org.uk

You are also welcome to speak to any of the Parish Councillors about any matters concerning you.

Freedom of Information

The Freedom of Information Publication Scheme was adopted on 12 January 2012 and can be seen here.

Key Auditing Documents

The following documents relating to the auditing and accountability of the council are available:

Minutes of Parish Council meetings

Below are links to the minutes of Parish Council meetings. They are published in draft because the minutes are not formally approved until the following meeting. If you would like to see a copy of the approved minutes, please contact the Parish Clerk.

   9 November 2023
   14 September 2023
   6 July 2023
   10 June 2023 (Planning Meetings)
   4 May 2023 (Planning Meeting)
   11 May 2023 (Annual Parish Council Meeting plus Playground Association Meeting)
   9 March 2023
   1 March 2023 (Planning Meeting)
   18 February 2023 (Planning Meeting)
   4 February 2023 (Planning Meeting)
   14 January 2023 (Planning Meeting)
   12 January 2023
   10 November 2022
   29 September 2022
   20 August 2022 (Planning Meeting)
   14 July 2022
   20 June 2022
   13 June 2022
   12 May 2022 (Annual Parish Meeting)
   12 May 2022 (Annual Parish Council Meeting plus Playground Association Meeting)
   2 April 2022
   10 March 2022
   16 December 2021 (Extraordinary Meeting)
   11 November 2021
   16 October 2021 (Extraordinary Meeting)
   16 October 2021 (Planning Meeting)
   25 September 2021 (Planning Meeting)
   11 September 2021 (Planning Meeting)
   9 September 2021
   10 July 2021 (Planning Meeting)
   8 July 2021 (Council Meeting plus Playground Association Meeting)
   6 May 2021 (Annual Parish Meeting)
   6 May 2021 (Annual Parish Council Meeting)
   6 May 2021 (Playground Association Meeting)
   11 March 2021
   14 January 2021
   12 November 2020
   10 September 2020
   1 July 2020
   25 June 2020
   21 March 2020
   12 March 2020
   9 January 2020
   14 November 2019
   12 September 2019
   11 July 2019
   9 May 2019 (annual Parish Meeting)
   25 April 2019 (planning meeting)
   28 March 2019 (planning meeting)
   16 March 2019 2019 (planning meeting 2)
   16 March 2019 2019 (planning meeting 1)
   10 January 2019
   8 November 2018
   13 September 2018
   12 July 2018
   10 May 2018
   10 May 2018 (annual Parish Meeting)
   8 March 2018
   11 January 2018
   9 November 2017
   14 September 2017
   27 July 2017
   13 July 2017
   11 May 2017
   11 May 2017 (annual Parish Meeting)
   9 March 2017
   12 January 2017
   10 November 2016
   8 September 2016
   14 July 2016
   12 May 2016
   10 March 2016
   14 January 2016
   12 November 2015
   10 September 2015
   9 July 2015
   14 May 2015
   16 April 2015
   12 March 2015
   8 January 2015
   4 Decembember 2014
   27 November 2014
   23 October 2014
   11 September 2014
   10 July 2014
   12 June 2014
   1 May 2014
   10 April 2014
   13 March 2014
   8 January 2014
   11 December 2013
   13 November 2013
   9 October 2013
   12 September 2013
   8 August 2013
   22 July 2013 - Capton and Aller solar planning proposals
   11 July 2013
   11 June 2013
   9 May 2013
   Annual Meeting 9 May 2013
   17 April 2013
   13 March 2013
   30 January 2013
   19 January 2013 (site meeting)
   9 January 20132
   14 November 2012
   24 October 2012
   3 October 2012
   19 September 2012
   13 September 2012
   12 July 2012
   17 May 2012
   Annual Meeting 17 May 2012
   1 May 2012
   8 March 2012
   12 January 2012
   10 November 2011
   8 September 2011
   14 July 2011
   19 May 2011
   11 November 2010
   15 September 2010
   14 July 2010
   12 May 2010
   10 March 2010
   13 January 2010
   19 November 2009
   9 September 2009