Aintree Village Parish Council: The Parish Council

The Parish Council

What is a Parish Council?

Parish Councils are the third tier of local government. They may choose to call themselves a Parish or Town Council depending on the number of residents, but this does not alter their status or responsibilities. Aintree Parish Council was established in 1895. This Council consists of 12 voluntary Councillors who are elected for a four year term of office to serve and administer needs of the residents of Aintree Village. It employs a part time Clerk to the Council and a part time R.F.O (Responsible Finance Officer) to implement policy decisions. Funding is raised by a precept on each adult resident in the Parish of Aintree Village.

What do they do?

The Parish Council owns Harrow Drive Playing Fields and employs a full time groundsman and a full time assistant groundsman, and three part time park-keepers to maintain the high standards of the park. The facilities on offer to the public include two full size football pitches, a bowling green and pavillion, crazy golf, a ‘trim track’, five tennis courts, basket ball, childrens play equipment and a climbing frame. There is also an enclosed area used for additional tennis or roller hockey etc. They also own a private footpath across Aintree Racecourse.

When do they meet?

They meet the second and fourth Monday at 7.45pm, each month at the Council Rooms in Harrow Drive. A notice of every meeting is displayed in the Parish Council notice board at Altway shops.Minutes are availble in the local library. Most Parish Council meetings are available to the public; although they do not have a right to speak unless invited to do so. If an elector wishes the Council to discuss a subject the Clerk must be notified in advance.

Who are they?

Click here to see.

Click here to see the board commemorating the past chairmen of the Council.

The Clerk to the Council is Glyn Harris and the Responsible Finance Officer is Mrs Karen Ellis.

Chairperson	Peter Gill	Ratepayers Association
Vice-Chairperson	Carole Mitchell	Ratepayers Association
	Paul Carlton	Ratepayers Association
	Dave Coombe	Ratepayers Association
	Godfrey Downey	Ratepayers Association
	Mavis Duggan	Ratepayers Association
	Fred Forrest	Ratepayers Association
	Gordon Fraser	Ratepayers Association
	Len Green	Ratepayers Association
	Joan Harkins	Ratepayers Association
	Peter Harper	Independent
	Geoff Payne	Ratepayers Association

History of Aintree Village Parish Council.

The 1894 Local Government Act passed through Parliament on 5th March 1894. Most Parish Council Elections took place on 4th December 1894. At that time Aintree Village had only three hundred residents and it was decided that Aintree was too small for a Parish Council. Aintree won an appeal against this decision and held their election on 7th February 1895.

Quote from Ormskirk Advertiser, 6th December 1894;

"This meeting was held in the SchoolRoom Aintree, Mr William Pye presiding. A resolution was passed establishing a Parish Council for the Parish Of Aintree"

It was said of the Local Government Act that;

"Every labourere who pays the smallest rate in his Parish, will have a choice in the election of his Council and would, when the duties are fully understood, exercise it for his own benefits."

Aintree Village is often confused with other areas including those known as Walton Vale and Hartley’s Village, which are 2 miles away and are governed by Liverpool City Council. Aintree is widely believed to mean ‘one tree’or ‘tree standing alone’. Aintree Village was first documented as ‘Ayntre’ in a charter of Cockersand Abbey written about 1200 AD. Local historians have researced Aintree Village and found other early documented evidence. With this in mind, it was decided by the Parish Council to assure the area of its own identity and to revert back to its original name of ‘Aintree Village’. This request was granted by Sefton Council in 1999.