Area Committees
Each member Council is entitled to elect two representatives to their District, or Area, Committee. The Area Committees play a very important role in the organisation of the County Association. They provide a channel of communication on matters of general concern between groups of Parish Councils and the County Office, are a means of making a joint approach by Parish Councils to their District Councils, and are a Forum in which Parish Councils are able to offer guidance and support for other Councils. They also allow an opportunity for talks on matters of relevance to the area, and most Area Committees continue the practice of inviting guest speakers to their meetings. Area Committees are the ideal vehicle to promote, protect and further the interests of their constituent Parish and Town Councils.
Area Committees naturally differ considerably in their level of activity, often depending on local issues. In the recent past there have been examples of the value of Area Committee lobbying, with Canterbury’s work on the K&C Hospital closure plans and Ashford’s work on Integrated Kent Franchise. The latter actually brought about co-operation between two areas as Maidstone was also affected by the proposals for IKF.