About

Lampeter Velfrey Community Council is made up of 11 Community Councillors who work closely with the Community Clerk to represent their electorate, deliver services to meet local needs and strive to improve the quality of life in Lampeter Velfrey community. There are two Wards: Lampeter Velfrey and Ludchurch and all Councillors contribute to their communities by attending meetings, deciding which activities to support and where money should be spent; what services should be delivered and what policies should be supported. They try to make sure their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by monitoring how well things are working and they often get involved locally by going to meetings of other organisations or bodies affecting the wider community. Community Councillors are not personally responsible for the Council's liabilities.

What is a Community Council?

Town and Community Councils are the first tier of local government and provide communities with a democratic voice and a structure for taking community action.

The Community Council is a legal, corporate body entirely separate from but comprising of its Members (Councillors). The Council has a duty to appoint a Chair, a Clerk, a Financial Officer (often the Clerk) and an Internal Auditor. It must convene an Annual Meeting and at least three other meetings each year. The Council has a duty to consider all relevant matters brought before it, to make informed decisions, judgements and recommendations and to implement these by instruction to the Clerk.

Councils have various Duties and Powers that are legislated for – a Duty is a mandatory action that must be carried out, a Power is also granted by legislation (through an Act of Parliament) but is discretionary, ie the Council will have the Power to do something but may choose not to do it. An example of this is the Power to provide allotments, a children's play area, bus shelters or public toilets.

How is Lampeter Velfrey Community Council constituted?

Lampeter Velfrey Community Council is a statutory body governed by its Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and the Councillor Code of Conduct.

Lampeter Velfrey Community is divided into two Wards – Lampeter Velfrey and Ludchurch. There are a total of 11 Councillors, 8 for Lampeter Velfrey and 3 for Ludchurch.

The Lampeter Velfrey Ward covers Tavernspite, Princes Gate, Llanmill and Lampeter Velfrey.

The Ludchurch Ward covers Ludchurch

What does a Community Councillor do?

Community Councillors act as ambassadors for their community, keeping everyone aware of local needs or concerns and reporting back on local, regional and national matters. The everyday contact that Councillors have with local people is the most important part of being a local Councillor.

Councillors represent the voice of their community as a whole and exist to consider the information gathered and to make a group decision. No one Councillor is responsible for any single decision. As a Councillor you would:

Listen and be a voice for your community – by doing this Councillors get a feel for the aspirations and concerns of the people they represent. The Council can then respond to requests for information on services from the Local Authority, eg. planning and can draw attention to issues that concern the community.

Act as an Ambassador for your community – Councillors are often invited to sit on local bodies and organisations whose work affects the whole community.

Attend meetings – Councillors once elected or co-opted agree to attend all possible meetings.

Attend ceremonial functions – there will be times when Councillors are expected to attend civic functions on behalf of their community, eg. remembrance services.

When are the meetings?

Council meetings are usually held on the second Tuesday of every month (not including August) at 7.30pm, alternating between Lampeter Velfrey Village Hall, Tavernspite Village Hall and Longstone Community Hall, Ludchurch. Our meetings are public and anyone is welcome to attend.  To ensure that correct and adequate meeting facilities are set up to allow efficient meetings, please contact and notify The Clerk before joining any meeting. 

Where does the Community Council’s income come from?

The Community Council is able to raise a Precept each year which constitutes the main body of its income. As this is public money there is a stringent annual audit process involving both Internal and External Auditors.