Ashbrittle
Parish Council - It is often forgotten that before parishes
were originally governed by The Vestry which consisted of local
landowners and Churchwardens who obviously had “vested”
interests.
This was local government in infancy. County Councils came
into being by the Local Government Act 1888, then District and
Parish Councils the Local Government Act 1894. However, parishes
could elect to continue as in the days of their forefathers by
having an annual parish meeting, Ashbrittle did just that on the
4th of December 1894, and it was not until the civil amalgamation
of parishes (brought about by the Local Government Act 1972) involved
joining with Bathealton and Stawley for administrative reasons
that a decision had to be made. The choice was limited; keep things
as they were or apply for separate Parish Council status.
The latter was chosen in 1974 and Asbrittle Parish Council came
into being with the first meeting being held on the 21st of April
1975. In the name of 'democracy' Parish Councils were the
last tier in local government to be invented. Originally
they had considerable power, which eventually became 'watered
down' as the powers devolved into the other tiers. Since
the Local Government Act 1972, and under recent directives from
“New Labour , in theory more power and decision making has
returned to us, but in planning and highway matters much to the
chagrin of the parish the reality is that decisions are made centrally.
The present councillors are:
Cllr Charles H Doble (Chairman), The Old Rectory, Ashbrittle TA21
0LQ Tel: 01823 672365 or 01823 672618, charles.doble@ukgateway.net
Cllr Michael House, 2 Rectory Road, Ashbrittle TA21 0LQ Tel: 01823
673145
Cllr Pearl Fisher, Miltons Cottage, Ashbrittle TA21 0LG Tel: 01823
672570, pearl@fisher5033.freeserve.co.uk
Cllr Henry Fisher, Milton Cottage, Ashbrittle TA21 0LG Tel: 01823
672570
Cllr Jane Rowse, The Cottage, Ashbrittle TA21 0LE Tel: 01823 672549
Borough Councillor Cllr John Bone, 2 The Linhay, Hurstone Farm,
Waterrow TA4 2AT Tel: 01984 623441 john@hurstone.demon.co.uk
County Councillor Cllr Caroline Smeaton, Medecia Cottage, Cheddon
Fitzpaine, Taunton TA2 8JU Tel: 01823 412830, csmeaton@somerset.gov.uk
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