Issue - meetings

To consider the Draft Parish Councils Charter (the attached version of which having been developed following discussions at the Parish Charter Working Group meetings held in July 2009).

Any further comments will be subject to an update from Mr. T. Beirne, Executive Director - Services, at the meeting.

At the invitation of the Chairman, Mr. T. Beirne, Executive Director - Services, addressed the meeting and formally presented the updated Parish Council Charter to the Forum.  He stated that, following meetings in July 2009 of the Working Group established at the Forum meeting held on 23rd June 2009, the original draft Charter had been updated and refined to take account of issues raised at the last meeting and at the Working Group.

He stated that the Charter would continually be reviewed and developed further in the future but that, for the time being, he was eager to obtain agreement in principle to the basic framework of the document.  Mr. Beirne added that he would act as the lead Senior Officer and that Councillor M. J. A. Webb would be the lead Portfolio Holder in respect of the Parish Councils.

It was anticipated that, by the start of the 2010/2011 financial year, all of the Parish Councils would have 'signed-up' to the document and that the Charter would have been approved by the District Council.

Members of the Forum raised a number of issues about the latest draft version but Mr. Beirne stated that the document was written in such a way that allowed for additional updating and amendment as the working relationship with the Parish Councils developed.

RESOLVED:

(a)       that, on the basis of the discussions, and in consultation with Mr. J. Cypher, the draft Parish Charter be further amended to refine particular areas of concern, together with the inclusion of a work programme of issues to be addressed in future (for example, finances, ICT strategy / arrangements, detailed planning guidance, review / development of the Charter, etc.); and

(b)       that the Parish Charter be forwarded to the Parish Councils for their consideration and to "sign-up" if considered appropriate.