The results of the 2nd May 2019 elections to the new unitary authority, Dorset Council, and towns and parishes throughout Dorset have now been declared.
Throughout the country as a whole there is a shortage of people who are willing to volunteer to be councillors on parish councils. Dorset is no exception to this and Stratton, along with 129 of the 163 parishes in Dorset did not have enough candidates to hold a ballot. Some parishes did not even have enough volunteers to meet the minimum number required, even without a ballot, to function at all. However, a successful appeal for candidates has meant that all councils will now be able to continue.
Stratton Parish Council should have a quota of 7 councillors and to be quorate has to have 3 councillors present for a council meeting to go ahead. Prior to the election on 2nd May, successful co-option of members during the electoral span of the council, latterly brought the complement to 5, still 2 members short, but reasonably workable, albeit with some inevitable delays in carrying out council duties.
Despite efforts to encourage residents to volunteer to be councillors, during the life of the council and especially prior to the election itself, only three of the existing councillors were nominated – just enough to be quorate if all three together are able to attend future council meetings.
With such a small number of councillors it is obvious that the future of Stratton Parish Council to continue to function is in some jeopardy.
Stratton Parish Council can co-opt onto the council and your current councillors appeal to all residents to consider applying.
Any and all of the three councillors who now make up the council, Andy Aylott, Cheryl Hobbs and Alan Wheeler will be happy to meet or speak with anyone who is interested in becoming a councillor and would like to discuss what being a councillor entails. Their contact details are available on this website, so if you are interested, please do not hesitate to get in touch.