Rendlesham Parish Council is a tier of local government for the parish of Rendlesham and is committed to working together with residents for the benefit of the whole community. It is a statutory body with a wide range of powers and responsibilities — including oversight of local services, responding to planning consultations, and representing parish interests within the East Suffolk Local Plan and Suffolk County Council frameworks.

The Council raises funds through a precept (via Council Tax) and must meet its legal obligations in areas such as transparency, financial control, data protection, and public governance. Its work is governed by Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, and national legislation.

How to Become a Councillor

Parish councillors are volunteers who represent the community and help shape local decisions. You can join the Council in two ways:

• By standing for election during regular local government elections (held every four years)
• By co-option if a vacancy arises between elections and no election is called

When a councillor resigns, a public notice is issued. If ten or more registered electors request it within 14 working days, a formal election is held. If no election is called, the Parish Council is then allowed to fill the vacancy by co-option.

If you are interested in joining the Council via co-option, please complete the application form and return it to clerk@rendleshamparishcouncil.gov.uk.

Co-option Application Form (PDF)

Roles and Responsibilities

• The Full Council is the main legal decision-making body. It sets policies, approves budgets, and oversees council operations and committees.
• The Chair is elected annually by councillors to preside over meetings and ensure fair and orderly debate. The Chair has limited legal powers outside meetings (such as casting votes and calling extraordinary meetings), but plays a key role in representing the Council publicly and working with the Clerk on time-sensitive or delegated matters.
• The Clerk is the Council’s Proper Officer and a statutory public officer. They are employed by the Council to provide legal and procedural guidance, carry out administration, and implement decisions. The Clerk is not a councillor or political representative, and has a duty to act impartially, lawfully, and in the public interest.

All councillors must sign a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and follow the Council’s adopted Code of Conduct. The Council must hold at least four formal meetings per year, including the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.