Approval
These terms of reference were approved at the Parish Council’s annual Meeting on 1 May 2019
Premise
The purposes of this Committee are as follows:
- to consider how the Council can meet legislative requirements and to provide recommendations on direction and practical matters in respect of the environment and open spaces within the area covered by the Parish Council. This includes but is not limited to the
grounds maintenance contract, hanging baskets and planters, land and buildings owned or leased by the Parish Council, and issues raised by Councillors and residents such as parking and cleanliness in the villages - to organise an annual calendar of events, and to provide direction for officers, councillors and volunteers in the planning, organisation and evaluation of these events
- to have detailed oversight of the Council’s finances and to provide a proposal for the annual budget and parish precept, under consideration of the Council’s action plans, to be taken to full Council for approval.
Membership
The Committee shall comprise of at least five Councillors appointed at the Annual Council meeting or at a Council meeting. At the first meeting of the Committee a Chair will be elected by the members and the proposed terms of reference agreed. The terms of reference must be approved by full Council. All Councillors will receive the agenda and draft minutes for each meeting.
Quorum
A quorum will be three members.
Meetings
The Committee should hold at least six meetings each year of which the dates and times will be agreed at the start of each financial year. Other further meetings will be convened on a needs basis, determined by the Chair in conjunction with the Clerk.
Time will be set aside for public participation in accordance with Council policies.
Representatives of organisations and community groups in the Parish will be invited to meetings to discuss and arrange a calendar of events in the Parish, and to arrange and organise joint events where planned.
Conditions
Due to the confidential nature of some items of business to be transacted it may on occasion be necessary to hold meetings (or parts thereof) in private in pursuance of Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings Act 1960 Section 1 as amended 2014 and by the Openness of
Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014). This can be done at any point during the meeting.
Minutes to be an agenda item and presented for noting at the next meeting of the Parish Council.
The Committee may co-opt to fill temporary vacancies.
The Committee is empowered to invite specialist professional officers or advisers to attend meetings to provide guidance as to matters under discussion. If a cost is involved this must be agreed and resolved at a Council meeting before the attendance of the officer or adviser takes place.
The Committee has powers delegated by full Council in relation to the Environment and to Events and can therefore make expenditure within allocated budgets and within the Council’s Financial Regulations. The Committee has no powers in terms of the Council’s finances but can put forward recommendations and reports to the full Council for resolution.
Only members of the Committee may vote on agenda items. Staff will not be formal members of the Committee and will not have any voting rights on this Committee.
Non-Members of the Committee are subject to the same rules as Committee members regarding confidentiality and the requirements of the Code of Conduct.
The Committee will comply with and have due regard to Council policies and guidance, which include (but are not limited to):
- Standing Orders
- Financial Regulations
- Council policies
- Publications such as Governance and Accountability for Local Councils A Practitioners’ Guide.
The Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) is responsible for the proper administration of the Parish Council’s financial affairs and is responsible for the maintenance of any documents and records necessary for the effective fulfilment of the Committee’s duties.
Restrictions
A member of the Committee must declare any conflict of interest and withdraw from the room and, or abstain from voting as appropriate.
The Committee must be mindful of the law relating to local council finance in particular that the annual budget and parish precept must be agreed by full Council.
The Committee’s Responsibilities and Powers
The Committee has delegated powers including to make expenditure within the relevant budget in relation to Events and to the Environment.
Any matters requiring expenditure whether urgent or not will be dealt with as per the Council’s Financial Regulations.
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