Shaftesbury Lido

The Town Council has twelve elected members who give their time voluntarily for the benefit of Shaftesbury and its residents. The Council elects one of its members to be Town Mayor in May of each year, electing a Deputy Mayor at the same time. The Mayor presides over all Town Council meetings. Membership The Full Council meetings are attended by all members of the Town Council and are presided over by the Mayor and, in their absence, the Deputy Mayor. There are twelve Full Council meetings scheduled each year, beginning with the Annual Meeting which takes place in May. Responsibilities The Full Council meetings approve and adopt the minutes of Town Council and Committee meetings, receive reports on the Mayor’s engagements and correspondence and receive reports from Dorset Councillors and local organisations. The meetings also deal with contractual, financial, legal and policy matters that Committees do not have the remit to resolve. Committees The Town Council has one formal committee – Planning & Highways, meeting on a monthly basis. Dates for meetings of the Council’s Committees can be found on our Meetings page. In addition, the Town Council has two advisory committees – Shaftesbury Swimming Advisory Committee and Mampitts Advisory Committee, which both meet on an ad-hoc basic. Terms of References for all committees are contained within the Scheme of Delegation. Planning and Highways Committee information Parish or Town Meetings A parish meeting may be convened by any six local government electors for the parish. Not less than seven* clear days’** public notice is to be given of the meeting, the notice specifying the time, place and business to be transacted. The notice must be signed by the person or persons convening the meeting and will not be issued in the name of the clerk of the council. Public notice must be given by posting the notice in some conspicuous place(s) in the parish and in such other manner (if any) considered desirable by the person(s) convening the meeting. Usual places are public notice boards, post offices, village stores, village halls, etc. There is no statutory requirement to publish the notice in the press, although this often happens. The press and public have the same rights of admission to a parish meeting as they have to a meeting of the parish council (Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960). You are advised to contact the Town Clerk for further information and guidance if you are considering calling a Parish Meeting. * If the business proposed relates to the establishment or dissolution of a parish council, or the grouping of the parish under a common parish council, fourteen clear days’ notice is required. **clear days do not include the day of issue, the day of the meeting, public holidays or periods of national mourning