Harwich Town Council succeeded Harwich Borough Council during local government re-organisation in 1974.
The Council is statutorily responsible for the provision and administration of allotment land and is the administrative body for the putting green, skate park and crazy golf in the leisure area of the town.
Buildings behind the old Magistrates Court, now an Auction House (previously known as The Hill School) were purchased by the Council in 1993 and developed for community use, and currently these buildings are let to various community and leisure organisations.
All other services in the Town are the responsibility of Tendring District Council and Essex County Council , also Harwich Town Council works in a consultative capacity with these authorities.
Harwich Town Council consists of sixteen Councillors who are elected every four years. The Chairman of the Council (The Town Mayor) and the Deputy Mayor are elected annually, in May, by their colleagues, with the Deputy Mayor normally succeeding The Mayor.
The Full Council meet roughly every 6 weeks, with the Planning Committee meeting being held every 3 weeks. At this meeting recommendations on Town Planning Applications are made to Tendring District Council who are the Planning Authority for Harwich. Other Committee meetings are held at approximately quarterly intervals throughout the year
Allotments Committee – To oversee the management of allotment land
Finance and General Purposes Committee – To monitor all council income and expenditure. It manages and monitors auditing, insurances and all policy matters.
Environment and Community Committee – to oversee issues relating to the environment and highways, as well as tree planting, and to liaise with the relevant authorities.
Council administration takes place at The Guildhall where four members of staff are employed :
Clerk to the Council and Responsible Financial Officer – Lucy Ballard 01255 507211 option 3 (Mon – Friday 9.00am – 2.30pm)
Assistant Clerk – Marie Snell 01255 507211 option 4 (Mon – Friday 9.30am – 1.30pm)
Estates Supervisor – Andy Wells 01255 507211 option 5 (Mon – Friday 9.00am – 1pm)
Apprentice Admin Assistant – Vacant
There are two volunteer honorary archivists that visit each week to carry out the ongoing task of keeping interesting records of the past along with many other tasks. Without their dedication, we could potentially lose such artefacts to a larger organisation.
Archivists – Anne Kemp-Luck and Ray Plummer – 01255 507211 option 6 (Tues 9.30am – 12 noon)