About - Parish Council
What is the Parish Council?
Escrick Parish Council is the first tier of local government.
There are up to eleven unpaid Councillors and a part-time clerk. Councillors are elected for a four year term. If there are vacancies, new Councillors may be co-opted onto the Council at other times.
What does the Parish Council do?
The Council has some direct responsibilities - for example:
- cutting the grass on the village green and playing fields
- maintaining the war memorials
- insuring and inspecting the playground
- operating about half of the street-lights in the village.
In other areas the Parish Council makes representations on behalf of residents of the Parish, such as commenting upon planning applications. However, the final responsibility lies with other bodies such as North Yorkshire Council.
Our frequently asked questions page provides more details about what the Parish Council does, and the other councils covering the area.
How is the Parish Council funded, and what does it spend it on?
The Parish Council receives an annual precept of around £20,000 which is collected as part of local 'council tax'. Most of the precept is spent on the grass cutting (for the village green, playing field and verges), street lighting and public liability insurance. More details of our expenditure can be found on our budget page.
What area does the Parish Council cover?
The Escrick Civil Parish area extends from St Helens Church in the north, to the business park and Hollicarrs to the south. (The area north of St Helen's Church is part of Deighton Parish, despite being part of Escrick village). See Escrick Civil Parish map.
How are decisions made?
The Parish Council makes decisions at meetings by considering 'motions' and passing 'resolutions'.
Parish Council meetings are held at The Parsonage Hotel. Meetings are usually held on the first Monday of every month at 19:00, excepted August when there is no meeting, or if the first Monday is a bank holiday. The dates are advertised on the meetings page of our website and on the Parish Notice Board on Main Street.
Council meetings are open to the public except for any part that deals with sensitive information.