Hilton Parish Plan

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

The County, District and Parish Councils

45. Overall, people do not seem to think that their representatives in local government are aware of their concerns or in touch with local issues.  This concern is muted where the Parish Council is concerned but is more pronounced at the district and county levels. (Click here to open a chart in a new window).

46. Only a minority of villagers have ever attended a Parish Council meeting and many were unaware that they could.  There is also a feeling that the Parish Council needs to be more 'transparent' in its work.

Maintenance and local services

47. Most respondents felt that the village's fabric was at least reasonably looked after. The only noteworthy exception to this is local roads, which over 30% of people thought were poorly maintained.  Few saw litter as a significant problem, although fly tipping on the road to Fenstanton (outside the Parish boundary) is a significant concern. 

Funding for improvements

48. People were asked to say where they thought the money for improvements should come from.  Of course, views on this were as varied as the potential sources.  Insofar as we were able to identify any common ground on this, it was that funding should not be through increases in council tax.  If there is a unanimous view on this vexed subject it is that any money residents provide must be demonstrably used to fund projects that directly benefit the community.