Introduction to Orton Waterville Parish Council

The Parish of Orton Waterville consists of five parish wards:

  • The Village (3 members)
  • Orton Wistow - which also includes most of the Business Park and a part of Ferry Meadows- (3 members)
  • Orton Brimbles and Southgate – which includes Northgate and the Showground - (3 members)
  • Goldhay West and Goldhay East which together make up only part of Orton Goldhay - (2 members each)

The boundaries of Orton Waterville Parish do not coincide with those of the City Council ward called Orton Waterville, as the Parish Ward of Goldhay East is in the City Council Ward called Orton Longueville.

Elections are normally held in May every four years.   In addition, if a vacancy occurs following an election or between elections, OWPC may co-opt a new member providing there is insufficient demand for a further election.

Note: Co-option – OWPC chooses someone from a list of volunteers

OWPC Legal Status of OWPC
OWPC is a corporate body with a legal existence of its own quite separate from that of its members. Its decisions are the responsibility of the whole body. OWPC has been granted powers by Parliament including the important authority to raise money through taxation (the precept) and a range of powers to spend public money.

OWPC is the lower tier of elected local government. The Peterborough City Council (PCC) is the principal authority and has a legal duty to deliver services such as education, town and country planning, environmental health and social services. OWPC has the legal power to take action, but also has fewer duties and greater freedom to choose what action to take. OWPC plays a vital part in representing the interests of the communities served; not least in ensuring the realisation of commitments from PCC, improving the quality of life and the local environment. Furthermore OWPC influences other decision makers and can, in many cases, deliver services to meet local needs. The OWPC can make a difference by making a unique response to the needs of the local community with a sensitivity that is more difficult for principal authorities to achieve. 

Clerk of OWPC
The clerk is appointed and employed by the Parish Council.  The current Clerk is Mrs Hildegard Hall. The clerk provides advice and administrative support, and takes action to implement council decisions. The clerk may have to act as a project manager, personnel director, public relations officer or finance administrator. The clerk is not just a secretary and is not at the beck and call of the chairman or other councillors; the clerk is answerable only to OWPC as a whole. The clerk is the proper officer of OWPC in law. Legally councils can agree to delegate decisions to clerks. Delegation must be formally agreed by the full council.  The Clerk is the responsible financial officer (RFO) of OWPC and is responsible for managing the OWPC finances.  The clerk provides information upon which OWPC decides its budget for the next financial year, which runs from April 1st to March 31st each year.

The role of clerk is a part time position.

Sources of Finance
Sources of Finance – The most important source of income for OWPC is from the Precept.  The Parish Council has the right to instruct the City Council to add this parish tax to the council tax for the parish.  The Precept is applied proportionally to tax payers in the parish.  OWPC decides the total amount required.  Currently the City Council also pays OWPC a grant based upon the number of electors in the parish.  There is also income from allotments and storage sheds.

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