Structure

The Parish of Wargrave is divided into three specific areas known as Wards (North, West and East, there is no South Ward due to Wargrave's geographical and electoral location). Each has a differing number of Councillors, relative to the population of the ward, who represent the residents. The North Ward has two Councillors, as does the East Ward and the West Ward has eight. Details of all the Councillors can be found on the Councillors page.

The Parish Council itself is made up of twelve Parish Councillors from all walks of life who meet regularly to discuss and adminster the Local Authority's functions. Parish Councillors are democratically elected every four years at the Local Government Elections, although from time to time Parish Council seats need to be filled, for various reasons, within the term of office. To be eligible for office a prospective candidate must be over 18, a British subject or citizen of the European Union and an elector. In addition the candidate must have, during the whole of the twelve months before the day of nomination, resided in the parish or within three miles of it, or occupied as owner of tenant any land or premises therein or had their principal or only place of work there. There are also several disqualifications which may apply which include undischarged bankruptcy, employee or contractor of the council and criminal convictions. (Further criteria apply and full details can be obtained from the Parish Council's office.)

The Parish Council's main meeting, the 'Full Council', is assisted in its work by 'standing committees', each having a specific area of responsibility. The consitution of the committes is as follows:

Planning and Environment Committee.
One of the committee's responsibilities is to ensure that the development control (planning) function of the Parish Council is carried out effectively. The committee considers each planning application upon its own merits and uses current legislation, regional and local planning policy to determine the representation to be sent to the Local Planning Authority (Wokingham District Council) which then makes a decision as to whether or not the application is approved. The committee also has responsibility for footpaths, environmental issues and cycle routes

Following an internal restructuring this committee now also deals with highways and transportation issues. The functions includes the monitoring of the condition of all the roads and footways within the parish, where necessary the appropriate agencies are contacted to rectify damged surfaces and so forth. Public transport is also included within the committee and appropriate representations are made to ensure that the community as a whole is served by public transport.

Another responsibility passed to this committee is streetlighting, with over 100 streetlights throughout Wargrave, the committee has to ensure that a rolling programme of repairs and upkeep is maintained.

Recreation Ground and Open Spaces Committee.
This committee deals with the recreational areas owned or operated by the Parish Council including the Wargrave Recreation Ground and Allotments. Some of the facilities include football and cricket pitches as well as a childrens play equipment. The committee also oversees the implementation of several leases on property situated at the Recreation Ground for organisations such as Scouts, Tennis, Cricket, Bowls, Guides and Youth Centre. The grounds maintenance for the local cemetery is also adminstered by this committee under a service level agreement with the Wargrave Church.

Policy & General Purposes Committee.
Future direction and strategy is a continually evolving responsibility for this committee. Whenever new initiatives or legislation is introduced, it is this committee's responsibility to ensure that appropriate policy is implemented smoothly and efficiently.

The internal restructuring also sees this committee gain responsibility for the financial aspects of the Council including budget preparation and monitoring as well as scrutiny of the Council's spending plans. The operation of the Woodclyffe Hall also falls within the jurisdication of this committee making sure that all relevant legislation is adhered to as well as the general upkeep of the building to an appropriate standard. The collation and implementation of a forward plan for the hall will ensure that this community facility continues to be enjoyed by many.