Shoreham Parish Council is the third tier of local government below Kent County Council and Sevenoaks District Council.  The Parish Council is regulated by a set of Standing Orders and Councillors must abide by the Code of Conduct.

The Parish Council consists of 8 elected members:  1 from Romeny Street ward, 6 from Shoreham ward and 1 from Well Hill ward; they are not paid.  They are supported by a part time Parish Clerk who is paid.  The Parish Council is funded by a Precept from Sevenoaks District Council, which is funded by residents’ Council Tax.

The Parish Council meets at the beginning of each month except in August; meetings are on the first Wednesday in the month if they take place in Shoreham Village Hall.  In July the meeting is held in Well Hill Mission Church.  You will find a list of meetings on this site.

The work of the Parish Council concerns mostly three areas:  Planning, Amenities and Community and Environment including Highways.  There are separate committees for Planning (which meets twice monthly) and Amenities (which meets bi-monthly).  The Parish Council considers recommendations made by these committees and approves the minutes generated.

Planning

Sevenoaks District Council forwards all planning applications to the Parish Council and invites its comments.  Comments are made by the Planning Committee and Sevenoaks District Council makes the final decision.  This also applies to Tree Preservation Orders.  The Parish Council is informed about tree works but comments are not sought.

Notices of all planning decisions and appeals are sent to the Parish Council.

Both Kent County Council and Sevenoaks District Council consult us also on planning policies.

Amenities

The Amenities Committee considers matters concerning the maintenance of and improvements to the land owned by the Parish Council and the facilities offered.  All of this is in Shoreham Village and includes the Recreational Ground with the children’s play area, the Allotment Area, the Cricket Ground and the Village Green.  Equipment in the play area is checked regularly by a member of the Parish Council and an annual inspection is carried out by an independent contractor.  The Parish Council pays for the grass to be cut on the recreation ground. The trees on Parish Council land are also checked for safety and health by an expert and any necessary action taken.  The upkeep of the allotment gardens is managed by the Allotments Association and that of the Cricket Ground by the Cricket Club. A lengthsman is employed to keep the recreation ground tidy in Shoreham.  A lengthsman is also employed in Well Hill.

Community and Environment

The Parish Council liaises with local police and community wardens about community needs and problems.  The Parish Council owns the main notice boards within the parish and displays current information.  Representatives of the Parish Council serve on different committees within the parish to ensure good communication.   The Parish Council actively supports some local charities and groups by means of its limited budget for grants and donations.  The Public Toilets in Shoreham are maintained by the Parish Council which is also responsible for collections from the dog waste bins within the parish.  The Freighter Collection of large unwanted items is also funded by the Parish Council.

Highways and Footpaths

The Parish Council reports problems with roads to KCC Highways: potholes, poor surfacing, road signs.  It consults with other authorities on traffic and parking issues and can make requests and recommendations.  The car park in Shoreham Village is owned and maintained by Sevenoaks District Council.  We are consulted on changes to footpaths and report any problems that we are made aware of to the relevant authority.