Agenda item

Jackie Weaver, Chief Officer, Cheshire Association of Local Councils has been invited to attend the meeting to participate in discussions on these items:

a)    To agree a process and timescale for the appointment of an Interim Parish Clerk.

b)      To agree a provisional date and draft agenda for Annual Parish Council Meeting and Parish meeting.

The Annual Meeting for the Parish Council must be convened by Cheshire East Council no later than 14 days after the Parish Councillors take office.  A Parish Meeting, which is a meeting of all the electors of the Parish who are entitled to attend and vote, would then take place immediately following.

It is suggested that the meetings be held in the evening with the first commencing at 7.00 pm.  Room availability for the week commencing 18 May 2015 will be reported at the meeting.

It is suggested that Parish Councillors be invited to attend a welcome briefing, at which declarations of acceptance of office can be signed and other procedural matters addressed, prior to the commencement of the meetings, at say 4.30pm.

A suggested draft agenda for both these meetings is attached for consideration.

Consideration was given to the process and timescale for the appointment of an Interim Parish Clerk and to the provisional date and draft agenda for the Annual Parish Council Meeting which had to be convened no later than 14 days after the Parish Councillors took office, and for the Annual Parish Meeting which had to be held before the end of June. 

Jackie Weaver, of the Cheshire Association of Local Councils (ChALC) was welcomed to the meeting to which she had been invited to attend and participate in discussion on these items.

APPOINTMENT OF AN INTERIM PARISH CLERK

The Sub-Committee was advised that a Parish Clerk for the new council could only be appointed by the Sub-Committee on an interim basis, in order to assist the new council in its early days, and that it would be for the Parish Council itself to appoint a clerk of its choice in due course. 

It was noted that in previous such instances help had been provided by ChALC which had contacted the clerks at councils in its membership to seek applications from any who were willing to assist the new council for a limited period of time; ChALC confirmed that it would be willing to assist in this way again.  It was noted that the council to which the clerk was already attached would need to be willing and able to accommodate the commitment required.

Members welcomed the assistance of ChALC and said they would like the advertisement for the interim post to reach as many candidates as possible.   A model person spec for a clerk to the Council, and associated job description, were circulated and this was discussed along with preferred timescales.  It was proposed that the closing date for applications be the first week of March with interviews taking place in the week commencing 16 March 2015. 

The Chairman and the Registration Service and Business Manager agreed that they would assess the applications, and prepare a shortlist of people for interview by the Sub-Committee, but that all the applications would be circulated to the Sub-Committee for information and to enable them to comment if they so wished.

RESOLVED

1.    That the post of interim parish clerk be advertised via ChALC contacting its members to alert them of the vacancy.

2.    That the closing date for applications be the first week of March and that interviews be held in the week commencing 16 March 2015.

3.    That the Chairman and the Registration Service and Business Manager prepare a shortlist for interview but that all applications be circulated to the Sub-Committee for information and comment.

PROVISIONAL DATE AND AGENDA FOR THE INAUGURAL AND ANNUAL PARISH COUNCIL MEETING

It was reported that the Annual Meeting for the Parish Council had to be convened by Cheshire East Council no later than 14 days after the Parish Councillors took office.  A Parish Meeting, which was a meeting of all the electors of the Parish who were entitled to attend and vote, would then take place immediately following.

It was proposed that the meetings be held in the evening with the first commencing at 7.00 pm.   Room availability for the week commencing 18 May 2015 was reported and the Sub-Committee stressed that they should be in Macclesfield Town Hall.  It was suggested that Parish Councillors be invited to attend a welcome briefing, at which declarations of acceptance of office could be signed and other procedural matters addressed, prior to the commencement of the meetings. 

A draft agenda for both meetings, put together with assistance of ChALC, was considered.  In order to avoid confusion it was requested that an additional item be inserted, after the existing item 3, to clarify that following the designation of Macclesfield Parish Council as Macclesfield Town Council the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman would be known as the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor.  In addition items would need to be added regarding arrangements for the formal mayoral civic ceremony which would be held at a later date, and for a Cheshire East Officer update on the transfer of assets. 

Councillor Jackson sought clarification regarding office accommodation, the use of the Council Chamber for meetings, and the use of the Mayor’s parlour by the new Parish Council.  The Chairman indicated that these were matters outside the remit of the Sub-Committee and that alternative enquiries would need to be made within the Council.

RESOLVED

1.    That approval be given to the draft agendas as set out subject to the addition of items to clarify the position in respect of the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor, of arrangements for the formal civic ceremony, and for a Cheshire East Officer Update on the transfer of assets.

2.    That delegated authority be given to the Registration Service and Business Manager to finalise the date and location of the meeting.