A civil parish is an independent local democratic unit for villages and smaller towns and is part of the local administration and should not to be confused with an ecclesiastical parish centred on an Anglican church. The Parish Council therefore is a small local authority. Its councillors, who are voluntary, are elected by the local residents for four years at a time, the next year being 2003. Each year the councillors choose a chairman from amongst their number. The Council has formal powers to do many things around the village, e.g. provide allotments, look after recreation grounds, burial grounds, light the streets,
comment on planning applications, provide financial assistance to local organisations, provide local amenities and liaise and communicate effectively on behalf of residents with the Borough Council. In order to accomplish all this the councillors sit on committees which meet once a month and then report back to the Council monthly. All meetings are open to the public.

1. Full Council Meetings

These take place at 7.45pm usually on the third Tuesday of each month, except August. The May meeting is the Annual Meeting, at which the Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected and appointments to Committees etc. are made.
The agenda of meetings begin with Public Questions, which allows any member of the public to raise any matter of concern to them.
The meeting includes: Minutes of the last meeting - Liaison with Ruscombe Council - Borough Council Matters - Reports of the Committees- Councillors' Questions- Correspondence and Cheques Signed.

2. Planning and Amenities Committee

The main job of this Committee is to examine all the planning applications made in the Parish and just outside it. The Council has a statutory right to be consulted by the Planning Authority (WBC) but can only make recommendations - the Council has no power to amend or reject applications. The Borough Council do listen and sometimes, but not always, accept our recommendations.
Another major function of this committee is to oversee the "footway lighting" of the Parish. This means nearly all the street lights except those on the four main roads and newer residential areas. The Council provides and maintains various other amenities, such as seats and bus shelters. It also keeps an eye on WBC, to make sure it is carrying out its duties as Highway Authority, especially in respect of repairs.
The Committee is responsible for the twice yearly production of Twyford News in April and October.

3. Parish Lands Committee

This Committee is responsible for the upkeep and supervision of the land and property owned by the Council:
King George's Field (The Recreation Ground), its tennis courts, shed and playground.
Stanlake Meadow and its Pavilion
London Road allotments
Hurst Road allotments
Burial Ground and Millennium Garden (to the rear of the Church)
Jubilee Corner (at the entrance to The Grove)
Twycombe Lodge (the house next to Loddon Hall)
To manage its property the Council employs, on a part-time basis, a Village Ranger (handyman and groundsman) and a Park Warden.
The Council is not responsible for Loddon Hall, which is managed by the Twyford and Ruscombe Community Association.

4. Finance and General Purposes Committee

The main job of this Committee is to draw up the annual budget for approval by the Council in January. Unlike other forms of local authority Parish Councils are not subject to Government rate capping and can precept (i.e. tax) their residents for as much as they like. However, they are very limited as to the purposes for which this money can be raised.
In recent years the Council's annual precept has been around £55,000. This money, together with income from rents and some other sources, defrays the annual cost of the Council's activities.
From time to time the Committee deals with requests from local organisations for grants. Before recommending these grants to the full Council the Committee likes to ensure that the organisation is genuinely charitable (i.e. not commercial) and that its services are actually used by a significant number of Twyford residents.

5. The Annual Parish Meeting

This meeting is held once a year and is for the residents of the Parish to attend and hear the report of the Council and its Committees on the activities carried out in the year. It is usually held in May.

6. Meet the Public.

The Council runs an open session every two months to enable the public to meet with Councillors and discuss any relevant local topic or concerns. The meeting is held at the United Reformed Church Rooms on a Saturday from 1030 am till 1130
am.Dates of meetings are on this website or can be found on the Parish Council notice boards situated at the rear of Waitrose and in Amberley Drive.

7. Role of the Clerk

The Clerk is the Council's Executive Officer, responsible for carrying out the instructions of the Council. She works from home, where the Council's office is technically situated The usual channel of communication is via the phone, using the Council's own number 934 5444,mobile 07186 569552 or e-mail twyfordpc@btconnect.com