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Redlingfield is a small village of more than fifty homes, close to the Norfolk-Suffolk border, lying between Horham and Eye and Occold and Hoxne. It has an historic Anglo Saxon church, a listed twelfth century nunnery, a pleasant green in the centre of the village and its Doorstep Green - a leisure and recreation area created by and for the villagers.
Redlingfield Parish Meeting Data Protection and Privacy Policy is available here.
What is a Parish (Village) Meeting?
A Parish Meeting is a meeting of the people of the parish.
A Parish Council Meeting is a meeting of the parish councillors.
The Annual Parish (Village) Meeting is a legacy from the Middle Ages when all local decision making was carried out by meetings of the whole community, taking place in the church vestry. This was long before Local Councils existed - Parish Councils were first created in 1894.
Parish Meetings are a form of direct democracy, which is uncommon in the United Kingdom, which primarily uses representative democracy.
Direct democracy is where people decide for themselves what is or isn't done by a direct vote, there are no proxies.
Representative democracy is where people elect individuals or proxies (Councillors, MPs etc) to make decisions and act on their behalf.
At the Annual Parish Meeting the chair is elected and instructed by the Parish Meeting to carry out the will of the meeting ie whatever was voted on and agreed on (provided it is legal).
Redlingfield Parish Meeting is the local government body for Redlingfield Village. Each year at the Annual Village Meeting the Chair is elected, along with a clerk and treasurer. The Chair is tasked with carrying out the wishes of the Annual Village Meeting (as voted for by local residents who are on the Electoral Register). There are no elected councillors.
The current Parish Meeting Chair is Midge Gibbons. The current Clerk is Janet Norman-Philips and following the resignation of the Treasurer earlier this year, Janet Norman-Philips is maintaining the Village accounts and Adrian Smith has agreed to stand in to sign cheques and provide the oversight needed for good governance. (All cheques have to have two signatures - Katie Abbot is also able to sign cheques, as can Janet Norman-Philips and Mike Ager).
Redlingfield Village Committee (a group of around 14-18 people (it varies) who volunteer to work on behalf of the village organising various activities and fundraising eg Pubs on the Green, litter picking, Summer BBQ, Race Nights, various other events. They also help maintain the Doorstep Green and church, as well as planting trees, installing play equipment and generally helping out. Many other villagers also volunteer and give their time to help carry out these activities. The Village Committee also acts as a sounding board for the Parish Meeting Chair – making suggestions about how things can be improved, or identifying new fundraising ideas as well as being a contact point for the wider village community).
Chair of Village Committee: Midge Gibbons
Village Committee Members: Andrew Abbot, Katie Abbott, Graham Abbott, Sue Chapman, Alan Chapman, Helen Cook, Will Edwards, Emma Hewitt, Pat Kelly, Manday Miller, Lesley Rose-Freitas, Adrian Smith; (plus Will Kerry is a part-time member).
Regarding the Doorstep Green - you can contact the Parish Clerk (Janet Norman-Philips) with any queries, suggestions or issues. The insurance for the Doorstep Green is provided by the Parish Meeting.
The members of the Doorstep Green company - Redlingfield Village Amenities Ltd - which owns and manages the Doorstep Green for the village are: Andrew Abbott, Katie Abbott, Mike Ager, Alan Chapman, Pat Kelly, Janet Norman-Philips, Alison Smith.
Mike Ager & Janet Norman-Philips organise the Pub On The Green events to raise funds for the Doorstep Green and other village expenditure.
The village magazine is edited by Mike Ager and he also maintains the village website.
Redlingfield's Church of St Andrew is the responsibility of Redlingfield Parochial Church Council (PCC)
PCC Chair: Rev Eleanor Goodison
PCC members are: Rev Richard Court, Hazel Abbott, Pauline Abbott, Avril Court, Ben Hewitt, Lesley Rose-Freitas, Alison Smith, Christine Stanford.
Village Defibrillator - Janet Norman-Philips is co-ordinating activities on behalf of the Parish Meeting.
Our Mid Suffolk District Councillor is Peter Gould. Email: peter.gould@midsuffolk.gov.uk 07548 155010
Our Suffolk County Councillor is also Peter Gould. Email: peter.gould@suffolk.gov.uk 07740 595375
Our Member of Parliament is Dr Dan Poulter. Email: daniel.poulter.mp@parliament.uk 0207 219 7038