Source: https://www.abinger-pc.gov.uk/community/abinger-parish-council-13002/the-role-of-a-parish-councillor/ Read: 2026-11-04 SHA-256 of the file as fetched: 444ce0874f494beecc786f75de036de5a625c1981c82eb031d83e30a3a8d9b85 The role of a Parish Councillor - Abinger Parish Council - Abinger Parish Council, Abinger Common, Dorking Cookies Save and close We use essential cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set analytics cookies that help us make improvements by measuring how you use the site. These will be set only if you accept. For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see our cookies page . Essential Cookies Essential cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. For example, the selections you make here about which cookies to accept are stored in a cookie. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions. 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Skip to main content Abinger Parish Council Cookies Home Role of the Council The role of a Councillor Parish Councillors/Clerk Section 137 Grants Report It Wienerberger Brickworks Brickworks Community Liaison Committee Finances 2017/18 - 2024/25 AGAR Reports News Council Meetings/Agendas Minutes 2026 - 2027 Minutes 2025 - 2026 Minutes 2024 - 2025 Minutes 2023 - 2024 Minutes 2022 - 2023 Minutes 2021 - 2022 Minutes 2020 - 2021 Minutes Jan - March 2020 Minutes: May to Nov 2019 Minutes: 2018-2019 Minutes: 2017-2018 Minutes: 2016-2017 Minutes: 2015-2016 Minutes: 2014-2015 Minutes: 2013-2014 Annual Parish Meetings Planning Meetings/Lists Planning Lists Travel Scenes of Abinger Parish South Ward APC Policies Forest Green Ecology Tree Management Abinger Cons. Charities Parish Council Elections Playgrounds Contact Home Role of the Council The role of a Councillor Parish Councillors/Clerk Section 137 Grants Report It Wienerberger Brickworks Brickworks Community Liaison Committee Finances 2017/18 - 2024/25 AGAR Reports News Council Meetings/Agendas Minutes 2026 - 2027 Minutes 2025 - 2026 Minutes 2024 - 2025 Minutes 2023 - 2024 Minutes 2022 - 2023 Minutes 2021 - 2022 Minutes 2020 - 2021 Minutes Jan - March 2020 Minutes: May to Nov 2019 Minutes: 2018-2019 Minutes: 2017-2018 Minutes: 2016-2017 Minutes: 2015-2016 Minutes: 2014-2015 Minutes: 2013-2014 Annual Parish Meetings Planning Meetings/Lists Planning Lists Travel Scenes of Abinger Parish South Ward APC Policies Forest Green Ecology Tree Management Abinger Cons. Charities Parish Council Elections Playgrounds Contact SHARE Facebook Tweet LinkedIn Mail Sign up to our Email Alerts Latest News NOTICE OF VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR Monday, 21 September 2026 PLAYGROUND AT OAKFIELDS, WALLISWOOD Tuesday, 25 August 2026 Water Testing at The Tillingbourne Tuesday, 18 August 2026 See all The role of a Councillor Life on a Parish Council – you should try it! By Carla Jones, Abinger Parish Councillor We’ve all heard of a Parish Council, but have you ever thought of becoming a Councillor? Maybe, maybe not. I’d urge you to consider it. It really does open your eyes as a volunteer to local decision making, which directly impacts on our own doorsteps. I moved into Mole Valley and specifically into Abinger Parish a couple of years ago having grown up next door in Ewhurst. I don’t feel like a stranger, this is my ‘hood! I love the area, the nature, the landscapes, the pubs, the people – yet there are things I’d like to see evolve or improve. Having travelled the world professionally encouraging marginalised and ignored girls and young women to have a voice, to speak up, to be heard, to be active citizens, I realised I wasn’t really walking the talk. Rather than moan on the sofa, it was time to engage in the community I care about, to stand up and be counted. And so began my journey to being a Parish Councillor. The group of people I joined are awe inspiring in their commitment – Peter has been involved for 37 years! And our Chair and Vice-Chair frankly are powerhouses of knowledge, tackling big meaty issues with skill or little local niggles with good grace. We meet once a month for a couple of hours in the evening. We have a Clerk who keeps us on track. We are on the look out for new faces to join us – what do we need? It’s important to have a mix of backgrounds, of knowledge, of skills, of time available to commit. Newcomers and long-time villagers all welcome and age is no barrier. What matters is your ability to attend once a month, to look after a notice board and your willingness to care about the whole Parish, not just the bit where you live! Did you know, Abinger Parish is reputed to be the longest in the country? The five villages within the boundary – Okewood Hill, Walliswood, Forest Green, Abinger Common and Abinger Hammer – are all quite different in nature. The Parish is split into smaller wards and you as a Councillor of a ward need to ensure you aren’t a Nimby – we make decisions for the good of the whole. So whether it is playground provision, road signage, planning decisions or development of the area that interests you, I’d urge you to think about making contact with our Clerk at [email protected] . No one will make you stay as long as Peter, but a couple of years so we hear different opinions and voices would be a big help. Come and get involved, have a say and together we can ensure Abinger Parish remains vibrant, sustainable and a place we all want to live. And rest assured, we do have a laugh too – I wouldn’t do it if we didn’t! *Carla Jones joined Abinger Parish Council in January 2017 Abinger Parish Council Parish Clerk Working Hours Mondays & Tuesdays Privacy Policy Mail to Abinger Parish Council Powered by Hugo Fox Connecting Communities © Copyright 2026 HugoFox Ltd.