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Upper and Lower Benefield is situated in East Northamptonshire, along the A427 in between Corby and Oundle.

Benefield Parish Council consists of 7 elected members who represent both Upper and Lower Benefield. The Parish Council Meetings are held approximately every 6 weeks in the Village Hall, Brigstock Road, Lower Benefield.

Notice of Election

The Draft Minutes from the Parish Council Meeting held on Monday 22nd February 2021 are now available. The  date of the next Parish Council Meeting is due to be held on Monday 12th April, the agenda is now available

There is a growing Cricket Club, the Cricket Pavilion has been extended, which is situated in Upper Benefield.

The Village Church is in Lower Benefield, along the Brigstock Road, which holds regular services on Sunday’s along with an Annual Flower Festival and Garden Fete.

The Village Hall is also available for hiring, and events along with contact details are on the Village Hall News Page.

Parish Council Election Thursday May 6th 2021

Anyone intending to stand for election should check the Notice of Election for the area where they intend to stand for details of the times and locations where the nomination papers must be delivered.   Copies of nomination papers may be downloaded from https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/local-elections-england for election to wards representing the new North Northamptonshire Council  or https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/parish-council-elections-england for parish council elections by navigating to the relevant resources section.  Paper copies of Nomination papers will also be available from local election offices from 8^th March 2021.  Please liaise with the elections team in East Northamptonshire, as usual, for this election to make arrangements for delivery/collection. Please note that changes have been made to the subscriber requirements for the North Northamptonshire Council elections.  The number of subscribers required will change to a proposer and seconder only and this has been reflected in the new nomination paper template.

East Northants: elections@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk

In light of the current Covid 19 situation additional safety measures will be in place to maintain the safety and security of all those involved in the nomination process.  Visitors delivering nomination papers will be asked to maintain social distancing and wear a face covering unless an exemption applies.  Visitors will also be requested to make use of the hand sanitiser gel provided.  Other measures include an informal checking process where nomination papers may be emailed to us for checking before formal submission as well as an appointment system for hand delivery of nomination papers.  Anyone wishing to use the informal checking service should, where possible, ensure that their nomination paper is scanned and emailed as a separate attachment.  If submitting multiple nominations for informal checking please attach each candidate as a separate document. For East Northamptonshire, please send your nomination forms for informal checking to elections@east-northamptonshire.gov.uk. We will be able to make informal checks of nomination papers sent electronically from 18^th March until 4pm on Wednesday 7^th April.  Please note that irrespective of any informal checks undertaken, nomination papers must still be formally submitted by hand during the nomination period which starts on 25^th March and closes at 4pm on 8^th April 2021.  An appointment system will be in operation for the formal submission of nomination papers.  If a candidate or their representative arrives to deliver nomination papers and they do not have an appointment they may be asked to wait whilst we first process the nomination paper of a person who has made an appointment.

Nomination papers should not be delivered by anyone who is displaying Covid 19 symptoms, has recently tested positive for Covid 19 or who is isolating.  The candidate should identify another person to deliver their nomination paper in these circumstances.

A short video animation detailing how to complete a nomination paper will be made available on local websites from 15^th March 2021 along with a Candidate and Agents presentation.  In addition anyone seeking further guidance about standing as a candidate or wishing to download and print a copy of the nomination paper can do so by visiting the Electoral Commission website at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/local-elections-england for the North Northamptonshire area election and https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/parish-council-elections-england for town and parish council elections.

Other dates that may be of interest are as follows:-

• The March electoral register is to be used for the elector numbers on nomination papers. Do not include any changes provided on the 1 April updates.
• The last date for applications to register to vote in time for the elections is by 12 midnight on Monday 19th April 2021. Applications can be made online: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
• The last time for applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes and amendments or cancellations of proxy votes is 5 pm on Tuesday, 20^th April 2021.
• The last time for new applications to vote by proxy is 5 pm on Tuesday, 27th April 2021.
• The last time for applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election on grounds of physical incapacity or for work/service reasons is by 5 pm on Thursday, 6th May 2021.  The physical incapacity must have occurred after 5 pm on Tuesday, 27th April 2021.  To apply on the grounds of work/service, the person must have become aware that they cannot go to the polling station in person after 5 pm on Tuesday, 27th April 2021
• Poll cards will be despatched as soon as practicable after publication of Notice of Election and by no later than 29^th March 2021
• The main issue of postal votes will be despatched between 16^th and 20^th April 2021

Notice of Election will be published on 25^th March 2021

Community Email

Benefield Parish Council would like to set up a community email; if you would like to receive an email communications from the Parish Council, please do send an email to benefieldparishcouncilclerk@gmail.com saying “I consent”.

By doing this you will be consenting to Benefield Parish Council holding your email address and using it to communicate with you. This will be done in accordance with the Councils data protection policy which can be found on the Council’s website. The policy summarises your rights, including your right to withdraw your consent at any time.

Please note that all emails to be circulated to the village by the Parish Council will be “closed emails. In other words, no recipient of an email will be able to see the name or email address of any other recipient of that email.

Dog Fouling – Clean Up After your dog – It is the Law

There have been several reports of dog poop bags being thrown into the hedgerows along the permissive footpaths, please take it home and put it in your black bin.

The Law

Using powers in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (2005), East Northamptonshire Council has implemented four dog control orders including “Failing to remove dog faeces”. This applies to all land that is open to the air and the public are entitled or permitted to have access to with or without payment. Using these powers the council can issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 to any person that lets their dog foul and does not pick it up. Being unaware that your dog has fouled is not considered a reasonable excuse for leaving it.

If you are issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice and you don’t pay it you could be taken to court. The maximum penalty then rises to £1,000. Whenever you go out with your dog carry some bags with you, just in case. Having no bags with you isn’t a reasonable excuse for not clearing up and you could still be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Enforcement

East Northamptonshire Council’s Environmental Services Officers patrol areas where problems with dog fouling have been reported to try to catch the offender or act as a deterrent. If you would like to report a fouling problem it would be helpful if you could give them as much details such as approximate times when the fouling is happening and if possible descriptions of the dog and/or its owner. We may also be able to put up some signs warning owners not to let their dogs foul. Please see our dog fouling page for more information.

Please use the reporting dog fouling form to report an area to us where dog fouling needs to be cleaned up.

Church News Page has been updated on 17th December 2020

Village Hall Events page updated on 24th March 2020

Local Events page updated on 6th November 2019

Neighbourhood Plan Document has been added and Details of How the Council Tax is Calculated on Tuesday 3rd September 2019.  These Documents can be found under the heading of Parish Council.