MPC

Milnthorpe Parish Council’s responsibilities/assets include The Green and the Market Square, a number of other small greens in the village centre, the playing field, including the children’s play area, and a pony paddock!

The Parish Council runs the weekly Friday Market and the monthly Farmers Market.

Milnthorpe Parish is Cumbria Parish of the Month Mar 2016

The Parish Council has five part time paid staff: a parish clerk, market supervisor, playing field warden, square & green cleaner and a grass cutting operative.

The Council comprises nine unpaid elected members who serve a four-year term. Council meetings are normally on the second Monday of the month – the agenda and minutes are displayed on the Council notice board in The Square along with a list of ongoing projects that the council is undertaking.

Members of the public are welcome to attend the monthly meetings and have an opportunity at each meeting to address the Council about any subject.

The Parish Council, which is the most local level of government, works closely with the District and County Councils. Some of the maintenance work that the Parish Council does has been delegated from the County and District Councils.

Most of the Parish Council’s expenditure goes on staff costs, maintaining its assets and keeping the Village clean and in good order. Much time is spent in exercising whatever pressure it can on higher authorities for planning, highways and traffic control – to deal with issues affecting the quality of life of residents.

A large part of our Parish Council income comes from market rents which have declined recently because of changes in shopping patterns. This means that the Council is becoming increasingly dependent on the annual parish precept, the parish share of the council tax bill.

The charts show the breakdown of the Parish income and expenditure 2016/17.