Just 24 hours left if you want to be a Godshill parish councillor!

You may be aware that the new parish council started their four year tenure last month. There was no actual election because only five candidates put their names forward for the six seats. However, it is great to see that there are two new councillors in Amanda Taylor and Carl Donoclift. So there is still one seat to be filled.

Now, unless you are someone who buys the County Press and looks at the small announcements every week, or someone who is willing to risk life and limb trying to read the decaying parish council noticeboard in the village or you have found your way into the depths of the parish council website (there is no alert on the home page, there never is) you won’t know how to apply or that all applications must be received no later than:

NOON ON MONDAY 21ST JUNE

So, I’m doing my very best to let as many people know that one further parish councillor is needed. By all means contact me if you want to know more about being a parish councillor. I did it for 15 months until I could no more stand the unwillingness of the council to communicate with the people of Godshill and what I perceived to be the autocratic way in which the council was run.

I believe the parish council will start to be a bit different now with the two new councillors who are both in business and have significant current communication experience.

Please consider being a parish councillor. Here is the announcement from the parish clerk:

Godshill Parish Council has a vacancy and will therefore consider the co-option of a person to fill this vacancy and serve on the Council.

Written applications to fill this vacancy are invited from members of the community who are a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of any other member State of the European Union and on the relevant day (that is, the day of nomination or election) have reached 18 years of age or over.
In addition, they must fulfil one or more of the following criteria:

• On the relevant day and thereafter they continue to be on the electoral register for the parish, or
• During the whole of the twelve months before that day they have owned or tenanted land or premises in the parish, or
• During the whole of the twelve months before that day their principal or only place of work has been in the parish, or
• During the whole of the twelve months before that day they have resided in the parish or within 4.8km (3 miles) of the parish boundary.

Any person who is disqualified from standing for Local Government Elections shall be disqualified from being a member of the Parish Council.Applicants should be able to demonstrate their involvement and interest in local affairs within the Godshill Parish Council area and should provide details regarding any appropriate skills that they consider would be of assistance to the Council.

The appointed person must comply with the Code of Conduct, including completing the Register of Financial and other Interests, as it applies to Parish and Town Councillors.

Applications should be sent to: Godshill Parish Council, Sunnyside, High Street, Newchurch, Isle of Wight, PO36 0NJ. or to the following e mail address garethhughesiow@hotmail.co.uk

The closing date for applications is noon on Monday 21st June 2021 and it is anticipated that interviews will be held within one week of this date if required.