About The Council

Each year the Parish Council raises a precept on council taxpayers to cover many of its expenses. The precept in the financial year 2023/24 is £377,246. Additional funds may also be obtained from the income received by hiring out sporting facilities and by obtaining grants from other bodies. Parish Council activities include:

Looking after parish property such as the Town Hall and South Road Pavilion, benches and notice boards

Maintaining 1 streetlight on Hythe Green

Maintaining Open Spaces such as Hythe Green, Horn Street Recreation Ground, Burmarsh Recreation Ground, South Road Football Pitches, and Oaklands Park, including grass cutting and hiring out the South Road sports facilities.

Maintaining the children’s play equipment at Hythe Green, Horn Street, Burmarsh, Oaklands, Reachfields, St Georges Place and Peregrine Close.

Taking bookings for the sports facilities at South Road – Football, Tennis and Bowls.
liaising with Kent County Council regarding traffic problems. The Parish Council successfully worked with Kent County Council to reduce the speed limits to 20mph in Stade Street and is currently working with Kent County Council to improve pedestrian safety in Twiss Road.

Commenting on planning applications within the parish. Folkestone and Hythe District Council make the final decision on planning applications but will consider the views of the Town Council.

Supporting local community projects such as 101 Open Door, Hythe Youth Football, and Hythe Dementia Forum

Conducting other projects in the parish such as new play equipment and new benches for recreational areas.

Managing allotments at Twiss Road, Horn Street, Eaton Lands and Longbridge.

Holding civic events such as Armed Forces Day and Remembrance Sunday.

As a head Cinque Port, promoting the Cinque Ports towns.

Providing entertainment through the summer months on Oaklands Bandstand.

Supporting and providing Boot Fairs and larger events for residents to enjoy on Hythe Green.

The Town Council consists of 16 Councillors who represent 4 wards.

Each year the Council elects a Town Mayor.

Structure of Committees

The Council Structure (PDF)

Plans and Works Committee

The Mayor J Martin and Deputy Mayor A Jones (ex-Officio), Councillors M Dearden,  Graham, J Hawkins, S McConnell, K Miles, D Wade and M Whybrow,

Boot Fairs Allocation Sub-Committee

Councillors K Miles,P Graham and M Whybrow

Allotment Working Group

Councillors D Wade, J Martin and M Whybrow

High Street Working Group

Councillors P Graham J Hawkins, and S McConnell

Finance & General Purposes Committee

The Mayor J Martin and Deputy Mayor A Jones (ex-Officio), together with Councillors A Dickinson,  P Graham, J Hawkins, K Miles,  D Owen, T Prater, M Whybrow and D Wade

Personnel Sub-Committee

Councillors M Whybrow, J Martin, P Graham and J Hawkins

Personnel (Appeals) Sub-Committee

Councillors A Dickinson, N Slade and T Prater

The Councils Operations

Statement One

Hythe Town Council is parish council with town status since 1974. It has an overall responsibility for the wellbeing of your town and local neighbourhood. It represents your local community, delivers services and will aim to improve the quality of life for residents.

Statement Two

Hythe Town Council provides and maintains parks and open spaces, sports and leisure facilities, and contributes to local festivals and celebrations. The Council will endeavour to maintain and promote the town’s assets.

Statement Three

Councillors are elected to represent people who live in the area. Hythe Town Council is divided into four wards. The Councillors make decisions through attending and debating at meetings, deciding what activities to support, where public money is spent, what services it has the powers to deliver to the community and implements policies. Hythe Town Councillors will ensure their decisions have a positive impact on the town and it’s residents.

Statement Four

In conjunction with the Strategic Plan for Hythe, Hythe Town Council will endeavour to accelerate work towards becoming carbon neutral by 2025 and encourage others to follow suit.

Statement Five

In conjunction with the Strategic Plan for Hythe, Hythe Town Council will strive to increase leisure, local education, and development opportunities for our young people, 16 and under. Actively engage with Hythe Youth Groups to establish a Hythe Youth Parliament.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS (PDF)

PARISH COUNCIL POWERS (PDF)

Each year the local council appoints members to its sub committees. All the members of the Finance and General Purposes committee MUST be members of the Council.

Advisory committees such as working groups need have no council members at all.

A Council can arrange to have any of its functions, except the issuing of precept, exercised by a committee, which can in turn, arrange to have them exercised by a sub-committee.

A committee must consist of more than one member.

Once a committee has made a decision the minutes of its meeting is presented to full council to be ratified.

Duties and decisions can be delegated to a committee or to an officer of the Council. Individual Councillors do not have the power to make decisions.