Council Elections 2021 Prospective Candidates Pack

Council Elections 2021 Prospective candidates pack

Contents

Our History ...... 1 2021 Elections ...... 1 Town Mayor & Deputy Town Mayor ...... 1 Committee structure ...... 1 Our Services & Assets ...... 2 Devolution ...... 3 Council Staff ...... 4 Frequently Asked Questions ...... 5 Still have a question? ...... 7 Further useful links: ...... 7

Our History

After local government re-organisation in 1974 and the demise of Penzance Borough Council and the West Penwith Rural District Council, the Charter, civic regalia and traditions of the town were maintained by the Penzance Charter Trustees until the formation of Penzance Town Council in 1980. The Council, at that time, comprised 15 members serving 5 wards in the Parish area of Penzance, which includes Newlyn, Mousehole, Paul, Gulval and Heamoor. The Council changed to 20 members in May 1999, with increased representation in the more heavily populated South, North and East Wards.

2021 Elections

In the upcoming elections on 6th May, all seats across the Parish will be contested. Following the Electoral Review in 2019, the ward boundaries of the Parish have changed to:

• Penzance Promenade (6 seats) • Penzance East (6 seats) • Newlyn & Mousehole (5 seats) • Heamoor & Gulval (3 seats) You can view the new ward boundaries on Cornwall Council’s interactive map. The elected Council will then serve until the first week of May 2025 (a 4 year term of office).

Town Mayor & Deputy Town Mayor

At its Annual Meeting held in May, Penzance Council elects the Town Mayor (Chair of the Council) and the Deputy Town Mayor at a formal ceremony usually held in St. John’s Hall, Penzance. The Town Mayor is elected annually but often, by tradition, serves for a 2 year term of office. The Town Mayor, assisted by the Deputy Town Mayor and 2 Civic Deputies, carries out the civic functions role on behalf of the Town Council and, in any given year, can be involved in between 300 to 400 engagements both in the Parish and further afield.

Committee structure

There is an Informal Meeting of the Council to agree the membership of the 4 Standing Committees (new Councillors are asked which 2 they would be interested in sitting on), the

1 timetable of meetings for the forthcoming municipal year and representation on a number of outside bodies. Standing Committees

The Council has 4 standing Committees:

• Finance & General Purposes • Leisure & Amenities • Planning • Penlee House The Committees meet once every 2 months, except for the Planning Committee who meet every 3 weeks to consult on planning applications by Cornwall Council.

Full Council

The Full Council meets 6 times per year and the minutes of each Committee meeting are submitted to the Full Council to be noted. The conduct of members is controlled through the National Code of Conduct and the conduct of meetings through the Council’s Standing Orders - these are the written rules of a local Council. They are used to confirm a Council's internal organisational, administrative and procurement procedures and procedural matters for meetings.

Our Services & Assets

Services & Assets

The Council operates a number of services across the Parish as well as owning and maintaining a number of assets:

• Penlee House Museum & Gallery • Penlee Park • Penlee Open Air Theatre • Penlee Coach House • Penlee Centre • Wellfields Car Park • Wherrytown Skateboard Plaza • Penzance AFC (clubhouse and pitch) • 8 allotment sites (approx 200 individual plots) • 6 public toilets • Community Toilet Scheme • War Memorials (maintenance) More information about each service can be found on our website.

Services we do not provide

There are many statutory services that are still provided by Cornwall Council including:

• Benefits • Council Tax • Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour • Environmental issues e.g. fly-tipping, street cleaning • Food Hygiene & Safety • Housing • Planning Enforcement • Road Maintenance & Parking Issues • Steret Lighting • Recycling, Rubbish & Waste • Licensing

Devolution

Devolution is a wonderful opportunity for partnership working. It enables our community to have more control and investment in the town and its assets. This is an exciting time to join Penzance Council - we are expanding our operational scope and structure to effectively manage the assets and facilities being devolved from Cornwall Council. In 2016, Penzance Council took over responsibility for 6 public toilets within Penzance:

• Wherrytown • Alexandra Playpark • South Pier • Tourist Information Centre • Penalverne • Princess May Recreation Ground We are now planning to take on several new assets so they can be improved for everyone to enjoy. Steps have already been taken to put funding in place for the next phase of projects so that work can begin as soon as the handover from Cornwall Council happens. The next planned phase will include us taking on the management of:

• Alexandra Play Park and the nearby tennis courts • Princess May Recreation Ground • Foxes Lane Play Park in Mousehole

Council Staff

Penlee Centre

The administrative centre for Penzance Council is the Penlee Centre, Penlee Park, Penzance, which is headed by the Town Clerk.

Support Services Team

• Support Services Manager & Responsible Finance Officer • Senior Administration Officer • Finance & Administration Officer • Communications Officer • Administration Officer/Mayor's Secretary (part-time)

Leisure & Amenities Team

• Leisure & Amenities Manager • Operations Officer • Facilities Officer • Community & Environmental Officer

Penlee Park

Penlee Park is maintained by a small team of gardeners who are part of the wider Leisure & Amenities Team:

• Head Gardener • Gardener/Groundsman • Assistant Gardener • Maintenance

Penlee House

Penlee House Gallery & Museum is owned and operated by Penzance Council. Penlee House achieves visitor numbers of 35,000 to 40,000 per year and the staff are supported by volunteers from the Friends of Penlee House which has a membership of over 1,000.

Penlee House Team

• Director • Deputy Director/Curator • Education & Outreach Officer • Technical Officer • Visitor Services Officer • Administrator (part-time) • Retail Manager (part-time) • 2 x Retail Assistants (part-time) • Digital Apprentice

The Orangery Café, situated at Penlee House, operates on a franchise basis and provides annual income to Penlee House in support of its operation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can my local Council do?

The powers of a Town Council are wide and varied. The Council exists as the most localised form of government and is there to serve and represent the parish or town and their residents and electors.

• Allotments • Open Spaces • Playing Fields • Parking • Public Toilets • Special Projects • War Memorial maintenance These are just some of the areas where your town council can act to improve the town, its amenities and support to local people. Town Councils also play a major role in local consultation:

• County consultation on waste, tourism, education and transport • Consultation on planning in your Parish, local plans for your area, provision of services within your district and Parish • Government consultation on legislation which might affect the future of your village, town, county, region or country. • Forming local policy – neighbourhood plans and emergency plans.

Is becoming a Councillor worthwhile?

Being a local Councillor can be a rewarding experience; here are some views from our current Councillors:

"I decided that if you aren't happy with things, or if you want something changed about the way your community is run, then one way of helping to change things is to put your hat in the ring and run for election!"

"Some of us go to the pub after Council meetings - it is not all grind!"

"Enabling change for the better is what makes being a Councillor so rewarding."

"If there've even a part of you curious about putting your name forward then I would say go for it!"

Who can stand as a Councillor?

You can stand to be a local Councillor if you are:

• At least 18 • A British, Commonwealth, or European Citizen • Registered as a local elector or have lived, worked or owned a property in the parish for at least a year

What’s involved in being a Councillor?

The Town Council normally meets once every 2 months and may also hold additional meetings to discuss particular issues. You will need to attend regularly and be prepared to give time to being a Councillor. You will be asked to complete a public Register of Interests published on the Cornwall Council website, and to abide by the local council’s Code of Conduct. You will be asked to keep an open mind and take part in decision making for your area including spending money for local services and facilities.

So how do I get elected?

Local Council elections will be held on 6th May 2021. Further information, including links to the nomination papers will be available from our website: Elections 2021 - Penzance Council (penzance-tc.gov.uk)

To find out more about what's involved in being a Councillor, contact the Cornwall Association of Local Councils: Tel: 01872 272648 Email: [email protected] Web: www.cornwallalc.org.uk

If I am elected…

Can I afford it? Costs for approved travel and subsistence outside of the Parish can be reimbursed. What would my time commitment be? It will depend on the extent of your involvement and what role you choose to take in the work of the Council. To give you an idea of the current meetings schedule visit our meetings page on our website. What initial help will be given? Penzance Council is supported by a full-time Town Clerk who is very knowledgeable in Council procedures and always ready to advise new Councillors. Will I receive any form of training? All new Councillors are offered a full suite of induction training courses to help you get to grips with Council procedures. Training, seminars and courses are also organised throughout the year. Will I receive any other support? Support is also available from the Cornwall Association of Local Councils (CALC).

Still have a question?

Further useful links:

National Association of Local Councils The Seven Principles of Public Life

Local Government Association: The Councillor’s Role The Electoral Commission: Guidance for candidates standing for election Parish and Town Councils in Cornwall Cornwall Council: Interactive map of parish wards and boundaries Cornwall Code of Conduct for City, Community, Parish and Town Councils

Penzance Council Penlee Centre Penlee Park Penzance TR18 4HE

Email: [email protected] Web: www.penzance-tc.gov.uk Find us on Facebook

This document was published March 2021