St Osyth Parish Council was formed in 1894 when the Government under Gladstone passed the Local Government Act of that year. The Civil Parish took over from the pre existing Parochial Church Council and became responsible for all civil matters previously dealt with by the Church Council, even conforming to the ecclesiastical parish boundaries. it would be true to say that Parish Council’s varied enormously and in reality were not highly regarded by successive governments.

Shortly after the second world war a report was prepared, by Lord Redcliffe-Maud, to strengthen parishes, but a change of government shelved the draft proposals and the reform of Parish Councils, intended to turn them into real local government bodies, such as we recognise today, waited until to Local Government Act 1972. There are now over 10,000 parishes in England. A council conducts its business in accordance with its powers. It has 34 distinct powers, each under an Act of Parliament, from the ability to own and manage allotments and cemeteries to village greens.

Governments add additional powers from time to time and for example from 31st December 2008, new legislation will extend our powers to promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of our Parish. The Administrative Parish Council of St Osyth and Point Clear has a population of 4119 persons, 3731 electors and 2530 properties of which 485 are void or holiday properties. We spend around £100,000 per year, 50% of which is the cost of running the administration. We spend £16,000 plus per year on grants to village organisations.

The St Osyth Business Association being one of the recipients, will have received £5,500 between 2004 and the end of the next financial year. The Cemetery costs ratepayers around £20,000 per year but income abates this sum and some £20,000 is spent on maintaining our open spaces, grass cutting being a major expense. As a Parish we have good lines of communication with the County Council, Tendring District Council, the Essex Association of Local Councils and various grant giving bodies from whom we  have received well over £90,000 for various projects such as upgrading the open spaces, building Cowley Parks grounds man’s shed, equipping and fencing Point Clear playground, installing the five-a-Side pitch and landscaping work at Priory Meadow recreation ground to quote a few.

The work of St Osyth Parish Council was recognised by the government in 2003 when we were designated as one of only seven ‘Quality Parish Councils’ nationwide, in no small measure due to the work of Allison Bond, our Clerk at the time, receiving our certification from Rt. Hon. Alun Michael M.P. the Minister, during a conference in Cardiff. We were one of the first Parishes in the Country to establish a Web Site early in 2000 and a letter of congratulation from the Prime Minister is recorded on the site. We have even had deputations from the Countryside Agency coming to St Osyth to investigate our success, in order to translate it into other authorities.

When I was asked to contribute to this Business Association publication I found it difficult to know what to include and what to leave out, but one thing must be said. St Osyth has a Council of active members, committed to bettering the place we all live in. We have good staff a Clerk, assistant Clerk and a manual worker, all of whom do their very best for the village. I am proud and pleased to be Chairman of such a group!

Sonia Grantham,

St Osyth Parish Chairman.