1. Would it be possible, if the parishes wanted to do so, to include an explanatory paragraph / small leaflet about the parish precept in the mailing sending out the Council Tax bills?
2. Hugh Bennett had made a presentation about the Older Persons Task Group at the last meeting and the parishes had been asked to submit comments. Did he receive any feed back and has a report emerged yet?
3. News on the Core Strategy?
4. Shared services with Redditch - are there likely to be any disadvantages (Redditch has little experience with working with parishes)?
5. What impact will there be on the parishes arising from cuts in funding to the District Council?
6. Provision of training for the parishes by the District Council on:-
§ planning issues
§ the Code of Conduct
Minutes:
(a) Parish Council information in Council Tax billing packs
"Would it be possible, if the parishes wanted to do so, to include an explanatory paragraph / small leaflet about the parish precept in the mailing sending out the Council Tax bills?"
The Chairman stated that this issue had been considered in the past but had been reluctantly turned down due to the increased costs which would be incurred by including an individual leaflet relating to each of the parish areas.
The contents of a statement from Ms. J. Pickering, the Head of Financial Services, was read out to the Forum giving a further explanation of the issues involved. However, the statement included details of a possible solution for the 2011/2012 Council Tax year (the bills having already been prepared for 2010/2011) by way of a generic explanation on behalf of all of the parishes contained within the County/District Combined booklet which was sent to all households with the Council Tax bills. Members of the Forum were advised to contact Ms. A.-M. Darroch, the Council's Communications Manager, with a view to obtaining space in next year's combined booklet.
The Forum considered alternative methods of communicating an explanation of what parish councils do and why they raise a precept. It was noted that each parish operates in differing ways and do different things so a generic statement on behalf of all parish councils may not accurately reflect the work undertaken within the parishes. For example, some parish councils within the district employ the services of a Lengthsman, paid for out of the parish precept. However, the Forum considered that the Lengthsman scheme was something that should be investigated at a later date.
This was noted
(b) Older People Task Group
"Hugh Bennett had made a presentation about the Older Persons Task Group at the last meeting and the parishes had been asked to submit comments. Did he receive any feed back and has a report emerged yet?"
The Forum were advised that two responses had been received following the presentation on the Older People Task Group by Mr. Bennett at the previous meeting. Brief details of these responses were relayed to the Forum.
It was reported that, whilst the Task Group's report had been drafted, the Overview Board would be considering the report at its meeting to be held on 2nd February 2010 before being presented to Cabinet on 3rd March 2010 which would then consider the recommendations made by the Task Group.
This was noted.
(c) Core Strategy
"News on the Core Strategy?"
The Forum were advised of the current situation in respect of the development of the draft Core Strategy; that is, the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) report had been received and more focussed work on the draft Core Strategy could therefore be undertaken. The Forum were also informed of the approach the Council were intending to take in respect of the housing allocation within the District of 4,000 houses initially up to 2021, with scope for a further 2,000 - 3,000 in later years.
Members then discussed the implications of the RSS report, the draft Core Strategy document, matters arising from the formal Examination in Public and the proposals for consultation with the public and statutory consultees.
This was noted.
(d) Shared Services with Redditch Borough Council
"Shared services with Redditch - are there likely to be any disadvantages (Redditch has little experience with working with parishes)?"
The Chairman informed the Forum that the Council's relationship with the Parish Councils would be likely to be unaffected by the Shared Services initiatives.
Mr. Dicks reported that the Shared Management Team had been appointed and would formally be taking up their posts on 20th April 2010. He also outlined how he anticipated services to improve as a result of closer shared working and how he planned to implement the necessary changes in due course.
RESOLVED that the details of the new Shared Management Team, together with contact information, be forwarded to the Parish Councils for information.
(e) Cuts to the District Council's budget - impact on Parish Councils
"What impact will there be on the parishes arising from cuts in funding to the District Council?"
Mr. J. Cypher expressed concern that, as a result of cuts to the Council's budget, the operation of the Local Neighbourhood Partnerships was to cease on 31st March 2010.
The Chairman stated that it was unfortunate that the Council had to take this course of action but savings were required to be made for the next financial year. However, he added that additional funding was being given to the Local Strategic Partnership which would be available to cover the District, rather than those specific areas where a Local Neighbourhood Partnership had been established.
From the ensuing discussion, Members of the Forum considered the issues relating to engaging the public and public bodies, including the possibility of encouraging those Partnerships already established to continue their work on an informal, unfunded basis.
This was noted.
(f) Parish Council Training - Planning issues / Code of Conduct
"Provision of training for the parishes by the District Council on:-
§ planning issues
§ the Code of Conduct."
Mrs. Felton explained that both the Head of Planning and Environment Services, and herself, had provided training for individual, or groups of, Parish Councils in the past, and that there was no reason why this could not continue as long as the training sessions were well attended and, therefore, meaningful.
She suggested that requests for training could be programmed in to a training schedule in order that there is a better opportunity for the provision of training.
Mr. Cypher commented on the Code of Conduct training which had been provided in the past, with a view to the provision of further training on the imminent changes to the Code of Conduct. Mrs. Felton responded by saying that the Chairman and Clerk of the Parish Councils would also be invited to future Code of Conduct training, but that it would be impractical to invite all parish councillors.
In respect of training on planning issues (especially in the light of recent planning applications in Stoke Prior, Alvechurch and Dodford), it was felt that the new Head of Planning Services, when appointed, could assist in developing a programme of relevant training.
This was noted.