Fylingdales Parish Council comprises 7 councillors. Elections to the PC are held every 4 years. The next elections will be in 2027. If a vacancy occurs between elections, the vacancy is filled through co-option. We are supported by the Parish Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer, who is funded to work 12 hours per week. The Clerk is trained to understand the roles and functions of the PC, the legislation that governs our work and to advise councillors on the correct protocols to follow. The Clerk is the only employed member of the PC.
Government Definition
The Parish Council (or Town Council) is an important tier of Government within the UK; a Parish is the smallest and most localised tier of local government in the UK and is a properly constituted local authority. Parish Councils operate two tiers below national government, ie the tier below district and borough councils. The Parish Councils in the country are often viewed as the part of government closest to the people. They are the only local government tier that represents residents at parish level.
Parish Councils are therefore an essential part of the structure of local democracy and have a vital role in acting on behalf of the communities they represent. Parish Councils:
The Parish Council has legal responsibilities as an owner of public land and buildings, and sometimes as an employer. The powers and duties, and the way a Parish Council operates are laid out in local government statute and regulations.
The Parish Council is a corporate body. The decisions made and actions taken are the responsibility of the Parish Council as a body. Individual Councillors may not be held to account for the decisions made collectively by the Parish Council. Fylingdales Parish Council is committed to safeguarding and enhancing the quality of life and pride in the communities and environment of Fylingdales Parish. This commitment extends to safeguarding the welfare of parish councillors.
District or borough councils hold responsibility for services such as education, transport, maintenance of streetlights, roads and footpaths, planning applications, and waste collection and disposal, where the funding comes directly from government or is raised through council taxes.
The responsibilities of parish councils are much more limited and generally consist of providing and maintaining public spaces and facilities. Fylingdales Parish Council is responsible for amenities such as 4 of the 5 defibrillators in the area, playgrounds in Robin Hoods Bay and Fylingthorpe, the toilets at Bank Top, the allotments on Middlewood Lane, the open space at Kingston Field and a number of benches positioned around the Parish.
Because Fylingdales Parish lies within the National Park, the Parish Council works closely with both North Yorkshire Unitary Council and the North Yorks National Park Authority. The National Park is focused on the natural environment, which, in this area includes responsibility for footpaths and cycleways, moorland and planning.
Parish councillors are generally elected by members of the public and will serve for up to four years before their position is up for re-election. If there are vacant posts after an election, or if posts become vacant in the interim, interested members of the public may be co-opted to the role. Fylingdales Parish Council is constituted with 7 parish councillor seats.
To be a Parish Councillor, you will need to be over 18 and to live or work in the area. Because parish councillors are elected to the role, there are no other specific criteria to be met. However, the Parish Council may choose to consider skills gaps when considering co-option. As a Parish Councillor, you will submit (register) any particular interests (eg businesses, membership of boards, etc.) in the Parish to make sure you remain objective in decision-making. You can check the register of interests of your Parish Councillors.
Parish Councillors are NOT paid. At Fylingdales, the only paid member of the Council is the Clerk/Responsible Financial Officer, who is responsible for ensuring that councillors understand and follow the established procedures, protocols, and legislation applicable to their work. The Clerk provides independent, objective, and professional advice and support to the Parish Council.
A Parish Councillor has 3 areas of work.
A Parish councillor has a responsibility to attend meetings and committees with other elected members, to contribute to Parish Council decisions on which activities to support, where money should be spent, what services should be delivered and how policies should be implemented.
Councillors make sure that their decisions lead to efficient and effective services by keeping an eye on how well things are working. This might involve some delegated responsibilities; for example, Fylingdales Parish Council delegates responsibilities to individual councillors for:
Councillors have responsibilities towards their constituents and local organisations. This often depends on what the councillor wants to achieve and how much time s/he has available. Some councillors are ‘out and about’; others work hard ‘behind the scenes’. The day-to-day work of a councillor may include additional delegated responsibilities such as:
It is the job of the Council to represent the interests of the whole community rather than the interests of individuals. Councillors are representative of their community and are likely to hold diverse viewpoints that overall reflect the profile of the community. A parish Councillor’s role is to understand the make-up of their community and the varying needs of different groups within the community. Councillors have a duty to be well-informed about diverse local views to make sure a wide range of considerations is taken into account in decision-making.
Parish Councillors do not monitor and report on the behaviours and actions of individual members of the community. Parish Councillors do not intervene in criminal or civil actions amongst residents.
Parish councillors cannot take up a cause on behalf an individual in the community – but would consider any principle at stake and how different situations and developments impact on the wider community.
A Parish Councillor is acting on behalf of the Parish Council only when attending a meeting of the Parish Council or when conducting an aspect of their delegated responsibilities.
Councillors do not comment on behalf of the Parish Council or respond on behalf of the Parish Council under any other circumstances. In general conversation with a member of the community, any views expressed by a councillor are his/her own view and are not necessarily the views of the whole Parish Council. Councillors do not make promises on behalf of the Council but may ensure that the views of individuals are represented, or explain the decisions reached by the Council.
So, when you see us in the street or on the beach, or in the pub, stop and say ‘hello’ by all means. Ask questions, tell us of any concerns but please bear in mind we are most likely just out and about enjoying ourselves, wrangling the (grand)kids or just doing the things needed to keep our own households going. Under these circumstances, our opinions and suggestions are our own and not necessarily those of the Parish Council.
Mrs Sally Haywood
Email: clerk@fylingdalespc.org.uk
Telephone: 07971 470308
As Parish Clerk I am the key point of contact for all Parish Council business. Please bear in mind that I work for only 12 hours per week, usually spread over Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. However, I will always respond to your emails and phone calls as soon as I can.
Cllr Lydia Gibson
(Co-opted NOVEMBER 2022)
Email: cllr.l.gibson@fylingdalespc.org.uk
Environment & Community Liaison Committee
Staffing Committee
Cllr Graham Kemp
(Co-opted March 2024)
Email: cllr.g.kemp@fylingdalespc.org.uk
Cllr Stuart Micklewright
(Co-opted August 2025)
Email: cllr.s.micklewright@fylingdalespc.org.uk
Cllr Claudia Sutterby
(Elected May 2022)
Email: cllr.c.sutterby@fylingdalespc.org.uk
Cllr Carolyn Watkinson
(Elected May 2022)
Email: cllr.c.watkinson@fylingdalespc.org.uk
Staffing Committee
Environment & Community Liaison Committee
Cllr Penny Whitesmith
(Co-opted August 2023)
Email: cllr.p.whitesmith@fylingdalespc.org.uk
Staffing Committee
Environment & Community Liaison Committee
Cllr David Wall
(Co-opted June 2024)
Email: cllr.d.wall@fylingdalespc.org.uk
Fylingdales Parish Council supports the need for Civility & Respect in the workplace. We treat everyone with courtesy and respect and ask for the same in return. We ask that you treat your councillors and council staff courteously without violence, abuse, or harassment.
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