Agenda and minutes

To provide an opportunity for Members and Officers to declare any disclosable pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in any item on the agenda.

Councillor S Hogben declared a non-pecuniary interest as a Crewe Charter Trustee.

There were no members of the public present.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on 22^nd November 2012.

RESOLVED

That the minutes of the meeting of 22^nd November 2012 be approved as a correct record.

The Sub-Committee is invited to discuss the preparatory work now required in advance of the Crewe Parish Council elections on 4^th April 2013.

Linda Davenport from the Cheshire Association of Local Councils (ChALC) will be in attendance for this item, as ChALC have kindly offered to assist the Council with the work required in this respect.

Issues for discussion / consideration include:

a)    Arrangements for Seminar(s) for prospective candidates (suggested to take place in early February).

b)    Consideration of  appointment of an Interim Parish Clerk

c)    Transfer of assets from Cheshire East Council  – Allotments / Public Conveniences at Lyceum Square

d)    Transfer of assets and obligations from the Charter Trustees    

e)    Arrangements for the annual meeting of the Crewe Parish Council in 2013 (no later than 14 days after the day on which the councillors elected to the new parish council take office).

The Sub-Committee discussed the preparatory work required in advance of the Crewe Parish Council elections on 4^th April 2013.

Linda Davenport from the Cheshire Association of Local Councils (ChALC) was in attendance to assist the Sub-Committee.

The following issues were considered:

a)    Arrangements for Seminar(s) for prospective candidates. This had been done for the Wilmslow Community Governance Review. It would include information on how to stand for election. Two dates were proposed in early February to fit in with the elections timetable:

Wednesday, 13^th February (evening)

Friday, 15^th February (afternoon)

There were suitable meetings rooms available in the Municipal Buildings. A draft programme would be produced  and the events would be advertised by public notice and a press release.

RESOLVED

That the seminars be approved and the officers draw up a programme and arrange suitable publicity.

b)    Consideration of  appointment of an Interim Parish Clerk

At about this stage with the Wilmslow Review, the Interim Parish Clerks were appointed with the assistance of ChALC.

The officers would canvass experienced town and parish clerks with a view to appointing an interim parish clerk. The interim clerk would remain in post until the new parish council had appointed a permanent clerk, usually about six months.

The interim parish clerk would be funded from the budget approved for the first year of the parish council. It was agreed that the clerk should be appointed from February 2013 to allow two months before the elections. The temporary clerk would continue to be employed by the council for which they already worked but would accrue hours which would be paid by the Parish Council after April, in the same way as the arrangements for an interim clerk had worked for the Wilmslow Review. The parish council at its first meeting would be asked to take responsibility for the interim clerk.

RESOLVED

That the officers make arrangements for the appointment of an Interim Parish Clerk on the basis discussed, seeking expressions of interest from across Cheshire, and the selection and appointment of the Clerk be made by the Sub-Committee at a meeting convened for that purpose.

c)    Transfer of assets from Cheshire East Council  – Allotments / Public Conveniences at Lyceum Square

It was proposed that Cheshire East Council continue to maintain the toilets in Lyceum Square for three months from 1^st April 2013. The relevant officers were working to ensure that the assets transfer notice would be completed on time and that any TUPE-related issues had been addressed.

RESOLVED

That a meeting be arranged in early January between the Chairman and the officers working on asset transfers.

d)    Transfer of assets and obligations from the Charter Trustees    

The Democratic Services Team Manager reported that arrangements were in place to categorise and insure the various ceremonial assets associated with the former Crewe and Nantwich and Macclesfield Borough Councils. The assets included insignia, maces, swords and ‘mayoral property’. 

Regulations required that the assets should be transferred to  ...  view the full minutes text for item 70.

The Sub-Committee is invited to consider the Government’s discussion paper on making it easier to set up new town and parish councils. The discussion paper (attached) was published on 31^st October 2012 and the closing date for responses is 9^th January 2013. The Sub-Committee is invited to consider a response.          

The Sub-Committee considered a discussion paper by the Department for Communities and Local Government entitled ‘Making it easier to set up new town and parish councils’.

The paper set out what it saw as a number of problems with the current process for those wanting a new parish council:

• Too demanding for campaigners
• Doesn’t allow designated neighbourhood forums a distinct role
• Community governance reviews have too wide a scope
• Reviews take too long
• No right of appeal

Members agreed with the point about a right of appeal but considered that  the other points raised were not particular areas of concern.

The paper then set out three options to make the process for creating a new parish council simpler and better:

1.    Amend existing guidance

2.    Changing the law

3.    Making it easier for neighbourhood forums to start the process for creating a new parish council

With regard to option 1, Members agreed that guidance should be amended to make it clear that the right weight should be given to what is effective and convenient for the local community, separately from the local authority itself.

RESOLVED

That the officers draft a response and circulate it to members of the Sub-Committee for comments; the Chairman would then sign off the response subject to any amendments.

The Sub-Committee noted a letter, circulated at the meeting, which had been sent to Town and Parish Councils by the Director of Finance and Business Services concerning the 2013/2014 precept arrangements. A provisional grant entitlement of £79,745 had been calculated for the Crewe  Parish area to compensate for the Cheshire East Council tax support scheme which would considerably reduce the tax base.   

Would Members and Officers please bring their diaries.

To be agreed.