The principal function of a Town Council is to act as an
instrument of community at grass roots level and to promote
and watch over the particular interests of Kenilworth.
The Town Council acts as a sounding board for community
opinion, to focus the sense of the local community, whether
in protest against, in agitation for, or in consultation
about anything that affects the social or environmental well
being of the Town and to bring that consensus to bear on the
responsible decision makers, whether they be members of a
local authority or of any other agency, public or private.
The other functions of a Town Council may be classified
into:
The Management of Local Public Properties
The Town Council owns and holds the deeds of Kenilworth
Castle, which is in the guardianship of English Heritage.
The Provision of Services
Services include allotments, public lighting, footpaths,
bridle ways, cemeteries and crematoria, public lavatories,
car and cycle parks, bus shelters, public seats and litter
bins.
Under this heading the Town Council owns Odibourne Allotment
Gardens and rents Spring Lane Allotments from Warwick
District Council. These sites are rented to Kenilworth
Allotments Tenants Association on a fully maintaining and
repairing lease.
The Encouragement of Voluntary Initiative
This includes the management or oversight of charities,
grant aid to voluntary effort, the giving or sponsoring of
entertainments, arts and crafts and tourism and expenditure
on many different things considered to benefit the Town.
This section also includes subscriptions to organisations
and bodies and provision to make and receive courtesy visits
at home and abroad.
Since Kenilworth is an ancient town it has a great number of
Charities some of which have combined to ensure greater
financial ability to help deserving causes.
The Town Council also makes small grants to various
voluntary organisations, including Kenilworth in Bloom and
the Christmas Lights.
The Defence of Local Interests
Defence includes the statutory right to see all planning
applications and make recommendations on them to the
District Planning Authority. Consultation prior to the
making of bye laws and the rights to represent the views of
the townspeople at public inquiries and to oppose private
bills in parliament.
The influence of the Council is also exerted through its
District and County Councillors and through membership of
National Associations.
Every two weeks the Town Council Planning Committee meets to
examine all planning applications for Kenilworth and
considers any objections from local residents before making
its recommendations to the District Planning Authority. The
Town Council is also consulted by the County and District
Councils on structure plans for development, transportation
and future strategic planning.
The Town Council appoints representatives to serve on the
Governing Bodies of all County Council schools . It also
appoints representative Trustees to all Charities in the
town.
Guardianship of Local Traditions and Rights
Guardianship of local traditions and rights is, of course,
impossible if there is no truly local council to carry it
out.
It is under this heading that the Town Council retains the
Annual Meeting when the Mayor is elected for the forthcoming
year. There is also a Civic Service held annually, usually
at St Nicholas Parish Church. The traditional opening of
Kenilworth Carnival remains with the
Mayor.
Similarly under this heading the Town Council retains,
maintains and secures the civic regalia and the Mayoral
Chain.
Rating and Finance
The rating authority is Warwick District Council who
collects rates on behalf of the County Council and Town
Councils.
The Town Council rate is charged to the residents of the
Town only and is usually a very small percentage of the
total General Rate.
The rates levied by
Kenilworth Town Council over recent years (typical band D
charges) are:-
1993/94
£ 5.74 per household (Council Tax)
1994/95
£13.37 per household (Council Tax)
1995/96
£ 8.70 per household (Council Tax)
1996/97
£ 8.28 per household (Council Tax)
1997/98
£ 8.14 per household (Council Tax)
1998/99
£ 7.99 per household (Council Tax)
1999/00
£ 6.53 per household (Council Tax)
2000/01
£ 6.66 per household (Council Tax)
2001/02
£6.86 per household (Council Tax)
2002/03
£7.11 per household (Council Tax)
2003/04
£7.34 per household (Council Tax)
2006/07
£11.18 per household (Council Tax)
Electoral Representation
The Town Council consists of 17 members elected from three
Wards on a four yearly basis (the Town Council was last
elected May 2003 although there has been a by-election
since).
The Mayor is elected from within the Council for a period of
12 months only.
The Council committees meet on two monthly cycles totalling
some 55 meetings a year
Public Participation
The Town Council actively encourages positive public
participation in its activities and all meetings of the
Council and its Committees are open to the Press and public.
Details of meetings including Agenda, are published on the
notice board at the Council Offices, Southbank Road and the
Kenilworth Connection at Abbey End.
A complete list of meetings for the Municipal Year is
available upon request at the Council's Offices at Southbank
Road.
