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Parish Councils are run by volunteers wishing to help their communities. Previously they were able to do this with a minimum of bureaucracy but, this has been steadily increasing and has now reached the state where it is such a burden, that it takes up a large proportion of the time and money available to a small Parish Council and is also causing much disillusionment amongst Parish Councillors, who are resigning.

The bureaucracy that applies to small Parish Councils, is roughly the same that applies to large Councils, who however have paid staff to handle it. It is unreasonable to expect unpaid volunteers to deal with the same complex situations. This is discouraging local people from trying to help their communities and putting them off Politics. It was thought that government was keen to devolve power and to get more people interested in grass roots Politics. This is completely the opposite of what is happening and something needs to be done soon to avoid the loss of many Parish Councils! If this should happen, it would mean an increase in Rates as, the work currently carried out by unpaid volunteers would have to be done by the paid employees of Town or District Councils

Current signatories

Because there are so many signatories, only the most recent 500 are shown on this page.

• Robert Brooks
• Venessa Shakespeare
• Mike Warnes
• Jamie Abdy Collns
• jack gibs
• michael Denys Briginshaw
• M.C.Blamey
• Colin M.F. Smalley
• Keith Cox
• Frank Skinner
• bill mortimore
• nigel johnson-hill
• Elizabeth Brent-Smith (member Brookthorpe-with-Whaddon PC)
• Wilfred Parr
• Charles Dowding
• jenny gove
• Clive Timms
• Cllr Dave Barnes (Kingston Lisle and Fawler)
• Paul Williams
• Stephen Flint
• William Temple
• peter jay
• Martin Reade
• Keith Beswick
• P W PRINGLE
• Jackie Graham ex parish clerk -35 years
• Cllr Glenn Bartley
• DAVID BEECHEY
• Sandra Moore
• Nigel Farage
• Abi Parsons
• Martin Rickitt
• Julie Grimshaw
• Dr Dafydd Phillips
• Gill Hill
• Peter Lemaire
• Cllr Lesley Longden
• A.J.Lock
• Judith Coates
• Eleanor Haycock
• Albert Walsham
• Peter Gibbons
• Denis Dodd
• Theresa Redgewell
• Ann Grant
• Dr Roger Templeman
• Les Borland
• Cllr Helen Margaret Morris
• R T Clifford
• John Hill
• William Cropper
• brenda hunt
• Tim Foggin
• Gervase Duffield
• John G Rogers
• David Gaulton
• William Ellis
• Dominic John Adderley
• murray graham
• Mr L Boyton
• Mr & Mrs N.A. Sutherland
• David Isbell
• Patrick Quinn Freckleton PC
• A Houghton
• Ursula McKinlay
• Gillian Hodgson
• Richard Clubley
• Des O'Flanagan
• Ian McBean
• Dr Peter Blenkinsop
• Dr Christine Blenkinsop
• Mr Oliver Crocker
• Michael Harris
• Francis Brian Bull
• Anne Wilkins
• Robert Gardiner
• Mary Harris
• David Foster
• Mrs Jean Grant
• Maraline E. Foster
• Judy onslow
• Michael Hannibal
• John Robert Moorey
• john filby
• Mrs E J Roberts
• Douglas Lines
• Harry Anderson
• Cllr.K.Preece
• Roger F. Haycock Chairman North Moreton PC
• Antony Parish
• Daphne Birkwood
• Sheila Stubbs
• Sue Bolam
• John Vivian Fielding
• Steven Bridgett
• Judi Hill
• Barney Rhys Jones
• Edward.W.Maslen-Jones MC DFC MA
• Kevin Holden
• Michael Smith
• Richard Poppleton
• John M Monaghan
• C Redwood
• J E Clunan
• george Skipper
• lyn deeley
• Robert Morrish
• Jean Harris
• Chris Johnson
• Shirley Cunningham
• Julie Knowles
• William Potts
• Angela Hallam-Baker
• Christopher Whatmore
• Ian Johnson
• High Ongar Parish Council
• Jestyn Angus
• Marguerita Sandland
• Cath Skipper
• Zoe Wareham
• Graham Hunt
• Cllr Alistair Cook
• Cllr Linda A Boylan
• fern payne
• Cllr Andrew I Lewer
• David W Vaughan
• jacqueline bailey
• Alan Douglas Clark
• Freda M Sills
• David Mallinson
• Peter Edington
• Kevin McEntaggart
• Janet Carter
• karen martindale
• lance dowson
• Gillian Campbell
• David Colborn
• David Wheeler PC
• Giles Cattermole
• Philip Adamson
• Jo Sobey, chairman, Shurdington Parish Council
• Valerie Trevan
• Cllr Ray Wild
• Barbara Walker
• Rebecca Muir
• Valerie Batty
• Graham Markham
• Maureen Coyle
• Roger Aston
• Paul Trevan
• David Rogers
• Mark Gadd
• Janice Kilgariff
• Patrick Plunkett
• David Roos
• Andrew Cawdell
• James Justin Macnamara
• Preston Parish Council
• athur hazlerigg
• Patricia Crane
• D E Maas
• j. stuart elliott
• Michael Downs P.C.
• Cllr. Richard Snodin
• Bill Glasper
• jason sherwood
• Andy Clarke
• Roger Watson
• Tony Fenton
• Susan Roberts
• Betty Roe
• Cllr Tony Mott
• St Kew Parish Council
• j meek
• Ruth Harland
• Geoffrey Parkinson
• Barbara Herbert
• Gary Trickett
• Kevin Bradley
• Diane Kidger
• Heidi Jensen
• Stephen Ellis Clerk Stanton PC
• roger craven
• LINDA PAICE
• Nigel Lawrence
• Judith Diment
• Michael Jenkins
• Valerie Taylor
• Jesse Taylor
• Gayle Campling
• Graham Knight
• Len Parkyn
• Francis Williams
• Cllr.J.M.Fraser Royce
• Mary Reakes-Rich
• Paul Bancroft
• Victoria Sivell, Chairman Hawling Parish Meeting
• louise ross
• Gentian Walls
• Charles Fox
• richard greig
• Brian Barttelot
• Valerie Bright Parish Clerk to Stapleford Abbotts Parish Coucnil
• John Quilter
• Harry Whitehead
• roger brown
• Guy Knight
• TRACY CLAYTON
• NEIL CLAYTON
• CAMERON CLAYTON
• Helen Whittington (clerk - Denne Neighbourhood Council)
• Cllr. Chris Bayley, Earnley PC
• Peter O'Neill
• chris lake
• Peter Collins PC
• Charles Simon Harcourt-Smith
• Elaine Smit
• Neil Hepworth
• Sharon Baker
• Robert Malcolm Gale
• Sally Camps
• Nick Stowe
• Peter Bradley
• Geoff Darvill
• Mary Shaw
• Archie Turnbull
• Lynne Thompson
• LOIS TILDEN
• Ray Evison
• Gavin Bury
• Pat webster
• M F Young
• Erik Sorensen
• Patricia Craig Chair, Staining PC
• Eric F. Webster
• Cliff Tomkins
• Cllr. Patricia Price
• John West
• Anthony Cooper
• Tim Fletcher
• Pete Eames
• FelicityWhite for Ashwick Parish Council
• Claire McLeish
• Cllr David Meachin (Farningham)
• Peter Chubb
• Steve Stevens
• David Smyth
• Philip Fearn vice Chairman Iwade PC
• ROZ CHEESMAN
• Charles Willsher
• Keith Eatwell
• mrs.m.livesey
• John Argar
• Nigel Fursdon
• Lawrence Moss
• Jerry Whitmarsh, Vice Chairman, Linton PC
• John Howard
• michael clemson
• Pamela Dorothy Pearce
• Martin Bruton Denne Neighbourhood Council
• E M Divall
• Brenda Hardman Councillor
• Francis Hardman
• Geoffrey Barrett
• Jayne Venables
• james hollands
• M D.Stevens
• john weight
• Robert Jones
• Cllr.N.Blake
• Amanda Hodgkinson
• Sylvia Harlow
• Roy Denney
• Jeanette Dawson
• Michael Young
• Little Rissington Parish Council
• Dave Pettifer
• Michael Delaney
• Anne Hyde
• Peter Hobbs
• Ros Hart
• Heather Mill (cllr)
• Mike Gaffney
• Richard M Hutchfield
• Kathryn Gale
• Michael Hutton
• Caroline Levett
• mike brain
• Peter Herrin
• Andrew Day
• Melvyn Tisbury(Holme Pierrepont and Gamston Parish Council)
• David St John
• David Storey
• Brian Sharman
• Cllr Carey Bower
• Duncan Sanders
• Mike Prince
• Alan Mawer
• Val Aspeling
• Frederick Kenneth Ellen
• Ann Robey
• Rodney Thorpe
• tom hoy
• Andrew Finnis (Chair - Hougham Without)
• claire champion
• Arvind Patel
• John Lowings
• michele johnson
• Beryl Grix
• Sarah White
• Barbara Plummer
• June Hope
• John Hawkins
• c.d.perko
• Robert Hilliard (Wolvey Parish Councillor)
• Geoff Partis
• Leni Cooper
• Don & Dot Taylor
• kate dutton
• Kathryn England
• Alwyn Carter
• Joanna Morris-Jones
• Brian A. Martin
• Dennis Sully
• clive rowland
• Diane Greenwell
• annabel gough
• Mrs J Marshall
• Tony Butler
• Derek Gerrard
• Andrew Bygate
• Angela Langrishe
• alyson marriott
• Jennifer Bettney
• Sara Tait
• eddie collins
• Roemary George
• Andrew Slater
• val owen
• Stuart Tyler
• M. Preedy
• Alan White
• Clive Baxter, Linton PC
• Lynne Tominson
• Frances Ann Tanner
• Diana souster
• Graham Tipper
• Shaun Souster
• Susan Park
• stephen morley
• Ailsa Land
• Roger Brown, Rowsley Parish Council
• John Barton
• Derry Walton
• Rowland Kemp
• John A. Bradshaw
• Richard Vaux
• L W Pratchett
• J Cawthorne
• Jonathan Djanogly MP
• Della Munro
• simon smith
• Dr Chris Clews
• Robert Ball
• Ian McKay
• Nicholas Fawcett
• Alan Waters
• J.R. Turner
• Frank Johnston
• David Purssord
• Teresa Purssord
• Josephine Pharoah
• Nigel Shaw
• Peter Emmerson
• Janice Mary Toogood
• David Cannon
• Sally Hayes
• David Roberts
• Dennis Cooper
• Michael Stanton
• Veronica McGloin
• Celia Plumb
• Michael Hodge
• Linda Elliott
• R Grootendorst LGOWatch
• louise pancham
• Patricia Allen
• Barry Thorne
• Eamonn Mullins
• Mary Laker
• Anthony Richard Whincup
• Karen Hawker
• Peter Palmer
• Philippa English
• Cllr Dr Jack Cohen
• Terry Simpson Ringwood Town Council
• graeme J Allan
• Claire Yearsley
• Julie Hardy
• Angela Charlton (Parish Clerk, Chaldon, Surrey)
• David Gallacher
• K Armistead on behalf of Freckleton Pparish Council
• Mary Vacca
• John Sings
• Malcolm Weston
• Fay Fostr
• BRIAN APPS
• Richard Collingwood
• Kate Johnston
• george smith
• Liza Meredith
• Craig Wardle
• Norman Ian Machin
• neil raines
• Barry Bennett
• Ulcombe parish council
• Ian Westall
• jasmin sudworth
• William Hicks
• Delfryn Williams
• Antony Sage
• Glyn David
• Edward Austin, Parish Clerk
• GARETH NICHOLLS
• bill brereton
• Martin Richardson
• Nancy Matthews
• John Hughes
• Brian Roberts
• Peter Graham-Woollard
• Janet Lloyd
• John D Burdett.
• Lisa Jones
• John Keith WEST
• Richard B Mattey
• Mark Ward-Jones (Gwehelog Fawr Community Council)
• Eifion M Jones Clerc CC Llansannan
• N Thomas
• Cllr Alan Mason
• Gwyneth A Dillon
• Hilary Westwood
• Roger Thornburgh
• Joanne Cruddas
• Andrew Keith Gregory
• brian wilkinson
• caroline cazenove
• Giles Stanesby
• Gareth Roberts
• john webb
• Rebecca Bashi
• Sue Burton
• John & Dorothy Harrison
• Councillor Richard White
• philip wilson
• Nicola Jane Hellard
• F.Hogg
• vanessa van der pas
• Paul Egan
• Shan Morris
• stanleyherrett
• John Brown
• Jane B Dodd
• Nathan Thorpe
• T. Lloyd-Nesling
• Julie McLellan
• Fiona Bartholomew
• Michael St Maur Sheil
• Mair Kromrei
• Ian Morley
• Veronica Jefferies
• Vera Platt
• Frances Collinson
• Sandy Fisher - Clerk to Bisley Parish Council
• Peter Fox
• Nicola Foxwell
• Anne Sawyer, ex clerk Buckland P C
• Ken Betteridge, Chairman of Asthal ParishCouncil with a budget of less than £5000.00.
• Mr P Goodman
• Christopher Lowe
• J W Bruce Forman
• Isabel Clark
• Jonathon Keymer
• Alistair Macdonald-Smith
• nicola wright
• Geoffrey Francis Dawe
• Daniel Church
• Robert Rees
• Mary Anson
• Mike Haseler
• G.A.M.Taylor
• Andrew Bols
• Stuart Fyfe
• andrew newcombe
• Katherine King
• Ian Phillipson
• Steve Bassett
• Ian McPherson
• J Burlo
• Terry Haynes
• angus silverstone

Because there are so many signatories, only the most recent 500 are shown on this page.

Show all signatories