Who we are & what we do

Trotton-with-Chithurst parish council consists of seven councillors who serve for four year terms starting with the local government elections (see parish council elections below). If a vacancy arises in between these elections (eg a councillor moves from the area), the vacancy must be advertised and a new member can be co-opted through a clearly laid-down legal procedure.

All councillors are voluntary (unpaid) including one who also acts as the clerk to the parish.

Council meetings are usually held on the second Wednesday of every other month (starting in January), usually at 6pm in the Southdowns Manor or St George's church, Trotton. The public are welcome to attend the meetings - see the diary of meetings for more information - although they are asked tyo let the clerk know in advance so that suitable facilities can be arranged.

If you need any information about the council and its services that you cannot find on this website, please contact the parish clerk who will be happy to give advice and assistance.

The most recent parish council elections were held as part of the local government elections on 4th May 2023. You can find out more about local government elections from the website of the Electoral Commission HERE. Please contact the clerk for more information if you are interested in standing for election to the parish council - or in being co-opted if a vacancy arises.

Our councillors are elected or co-opted. If you would like to become a councillor or find out more about what they do then please contact the clerk

Officers

• Chairmen: Max Maharajh
• Vice-chairman: Dave Dawtrey
• Responsible financial officer: Max Maharajh
• Clerk (voluntary): Neil Ryder
  • Neil and Max are also jointly responsible for the website and data protection
  • Dave Dawtrey is responsible for churchyard maintenance and the parish emergency and resilience plan

Priority action teams

We have divided our main responsibilities up according to a six-part action plan drawn up from the results of a residents survey in late 2023 as part of the preparation of our parish priorities plan. Each team is chaired or co-chaired by a PC member but also includes other community volunteers:

• Team 1: Local environment - path and road maintenance, verges and open spaces, trees and historic buildings
  • Max Maharajh (chair)
  • Matt Bloomfield, Phillippa Hill
  • Church safety, bus shelter & noticeboard maintenance, emergency plans: Dave Dawtrey
  • Trotton Common (Stuart Webster)
• Team 2: Local facilities & infrastructure - transport network improvement (paths, roads, traffic speed / noise), community hub & recreation facilities
  • Neil Ryder (chairs)
  • Jayne Collins, Dave Dawtrey, Dominic Ferguson, Michael Morgan, Caroline Pilley, Annie Portman, Duncan Robinson
  • Public transport: Barry Cooper
  • Traffic speed / noise: Pete Upfold
• Team 3: Community events & activities - fete, bonfire, social events, nature walks, other events

• Simon Southern (chair)
• Carola Brown, Sophie Newton
• Team 4: Community support - resident welfare & support, neighbourhood watch
  • Dominic Ferguson and Colleen Homan (co-chairs)
• Team 5: Housing & planning - housing policy, planning
  • Neil Ryder (chair)
  • Margaret Bentall, Elaine Cubberley, John Field
• Team 6: - Sustainability & diversity - working with ERA and others to oversee parish sustainability & biodiversity charter, dark skies, waste, water, power etc
  • Kathryn MacKellar and Veronica Carter (co-chairs)
  • Carola Brown, Dominic Ferguson, Jenny Jordan, Andrea Linell, Max Maharajh, Sophia Newton, Tobiah Thomas
  • River Rother liaison: Tim Palmer

Our representatives at West Sussex County Council is Kate O'Kelly and our representative at Chichester District Council is Tim O'Kelly (Yes - her husband!).

The latest register of interests for council members, showing their employment and pecuniary interests (as required by section 30 of the Localism Act 2011 and other interests required by the council's code of conduct) is shown under "Councillors" in our document store HERE.