Euxton's Clerk is Debra Platt.
Debra began working for the Council in July 1999 and followed in the footsteps of two previous long standing Clerks.
In February 2007 Debra achieved the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) which makes her a 'qualified' Clerk. This qualification would be necessary if the Council wished to apply for 'Quality Parish Council Status'.
Below are some notes on what a Clerk to the Council does.
The Clerk is appointed by the Council and necessary to discharge the functions of the Council, also required is a Responsible Financial Officer to administer its financial affairs, this is often the Clerk.
The Clerk will also store the Council’s documents, convene meetings and is the signatory for summons, responsible for taking lawful minutes and issuing orders for payment.
A Clerk attends meetings, record the meetings, carries out the resolutions and decisions of the Council, administers the work, liaises with other agencies, researches and briefs the Council on new legislation and the Council’s powers and duties.
A Clerk may also have some delegated authority for certain functions such as supervising staff.
The Clerk holds the Councils official documentation and ensures the legal requirements of publication, availability and access of documents is met.
The Clerk is responsible to the Council as their employer, but must remain independent to carry out the Council’s decisions. The Clerk will report and update the council on its responsibilities, legal or otherwise, give advice on procedures, make recommendations or offer guidance to the Council, ensure the council is run in accordance with the rules and participate in ongoing training.
Euxton has three part-time Village Caretakers.
They all use the mechanical sweeper and carry out tasks around the village to keep it litter free and tidy.
There is an article about the Pavement Sweeper in the News section - link here.
The Parish Council introduces one of its employees, Ron Bridge. Ron is one of the three part-time Village Caretaker/Pavement Sweeper Operators.
Ron has worked for Euxton since September 2002 and previously worked for both South Ribble and West Lancashire Borough Councils and so brings a lot of experience to Euxton Parish.
Autumn is approaching which is a challenging time for Ron and Robert. Leaves fall from trees covering the pavements and no sooner has one lot of leaves been cleared, the wind blows and a load more fall.
Since Ron began he has taken on a number of major projects including the regular clearing of the footpath leading from Bank Lane through the woods beside Ransnap Brook and splitting off up to Greenside. Cutting back overhanging weeds and shrubbery, clearing away years of mud and debris from the edges of the path to allow the rainwater to flow off it and leave a clear tidy way for pedestrians. He also cleared rubbish out of the river including a commonly seen item - the shopping trolley.
Village Caretaker - Bob (Sadly Bob died on 31/12/07 see article)
Robert has worked for Euxton since May 2003 and previously worked in the food industry. He has received training on the pavement sweeping machine and is regularly seen by residents on the estates around the village or on the main routes keeping them litter free and swept.
Autumn is a very busy time for the caretakers because of the leaves falling and constantly covering the pavements but Ron and Robert do an excellent job of keeping the main routes clear of build up and looking tidy.
Through the summer Robert and Ron clear back debris from the inside edges of pavements so the path of the sweeper would be easier and the pavements cleaner. They encounter a lot of overgrown hedges and trees which hinder their passage on some routes, some of which are owned by residents and so can't be cleared back by the Council. Some bushes have become so bushy and wide the sweeper can no longer reach underneath them to the pavement edges - some pavements have even become too narrow to take the sweeper down. The Parish Council would like to make a request to residents to prune and trim perimeter hedges, bushes and trees to keep public pavements free.
Another task they carry out is keeping the ginnels free from litter and where possible taking the sweeper machine down, if it fits, or regularly sweeping them by hand.
If you have seen any public areas which require attention, please contact the Council directly so they can be programmed either for the village lengthsmen or the task directed to the land owners.
Jack joined the Euxton team in January 2004.
Jack concentrates on the three play areas in the village for his main work but also carries out all the duties Ron and Robert do, when the play areas have been tended to.
Since Jack joined the team the play areas have received regular, concentrated attention and it shows in the quality and tidyness. Weed are a major problem as they very easily take hold in the loose soft bark surface the play areas have and need it needs constant scrutiny and weeds pulling out.
Also there is often problems with smashed glass bottles, from older children using the play areas in the evening. All the pieces need hand picking to ensure the surface is glass free for the young children and toddlers to use the play areas.
