Aldingbourne Parish Council consists of 10 elected members. The Parish Council currently has two vacancies for the role of Councillor, if you are interested please contact the office for more information.

Full Council usually meets on the first Tuesday of each month, with the Planning Committee meeting on the second Tuesday of the month. There are no meetings held in January and August. The meetings are normally held at Aldingbourne Community Centre, Olivers Meadow, Westergate starting at 7.00pm and are open to the public. Aldingbourne Parish Council welcomes members of the public to all meetings. There will be a ’Public Session’ item on each Agenda when residents are free to discuss any item on the agenda.

Aldingbourne Parish Council are very lucky to have County and District Councillors from West Sussex and Arun Councils, attend meetings. Councilllors, as well as residents, are free to ask any questions to either Councillors and to make full use of them whilst we have them present.

As well as holding a Full Council meeting, the Parish Council has two other committees. The Planning Committee which responds to planning applications as a statutory consultee, and the Finance Committee, which look after the Council’s finances and sets the Council’s budget and precept on an annual basis. The Council appoints members to serve as representatives on other bodies or to carry out particular functions.

The Council employs a Clerk who is also the Responsible Financial Officer, and an Assistant Clerk. Both staff members undertake the administration of the Council’s business.

The Parish Council is also required by regulation to hold an Annual Meeting usually in May. The Council is required to arrange an Annual Parish Assembly. This is an informal meeting of parishioners at which the council chairman traditionally gives a report on the council’s activities in the preceding year and other local organisations and clubs can also give reports. Residents have the opportunity at the Assembly to raise any issue and ask questions.

The parish council is also a Trustee of the Westergate Recreation Ground Fund (a registered charity) which was established when land in Barnetts Field was conveyed to the parish. Today, the fund holds the proceeds from the sale of the Barnetts Field site which is deposited in investments approved by the Charity Commissioners and the income earned is applied towards the upkeep of the recreation ground in Olivers Meadow.