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Governance
Yarnscombe Parish Council (“the Council”) has enrolled in the National Association of Local Councils award scheme because it is keen to demonstrate that it has the documentation and information in place for operating lawfully and according to standard practice. It is now developing additional documentation and information for good governance, effective community engagement and council improvement.
The first phase of this project was completed in October 2017 with the achievement of the Foundation Level award. The Council is now working towards the Quality Level award, which it hopes to achieve by October 2021. The ways in which the criteria for each of these levels are satisfied can be seen by clicking either of the links below.
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Standing Orders- Financial Regulations
- Code of Conduct. As indicated in the minutes of the Parish Council’s meeting held on 25 July 2012, the Council has adopted the Code of Conduct of Torridge District Council, with minor modification regarding participation of councillors in matters in which they have an interest. This modification is clarified in the Council’s Standing Orders, Section 7.
- Register of Interests. The registered interests for individual Parish Councillors can be accessed from the “Councillors” page of this website.
- Publication Scheme for information access
- Annual Return and Auditor’s Report
- Information required under the Local Government Transparency Code
- Calendar of meetings. For the year 2019–2020 Parish Council meetings will be held on the following dates: 24 April 2019, 22 May (including Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Parish Council Meeting), 26 June, 24 July, 28 August, 25 September, 23 October, 27 November, 18 December, 22 January 2020, 26 February, 25 March.
- Minutes. The minutes of all Parish Council meetings since January 2005 can be accessed from the Minutes page of this website. The Council has no committees or subcommittees.
- Agendas. The agendas of all Parish Council meetings since January 2005 can be accessed from the Agendas page of this website. In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, Section 3, the agenda for a forthcoming meeting is published at least three clear days before the meeting. (The meaning of “clear days” is given in Standing Orders, Section 1.)
- Budget and precept information for the current and previous year is contained in “Yarnscombe Parish Council – Information Accessible to the Public”, Section 3.
- Complaints procedure. Complaints that a councillor has breached the Code of Conduct are dealt with in accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders, Section 8. Complaints about the administration or procedures of the Council are dealt with in accordance with the Council’s Complaints Procedure.
- Council contact details and councillor information
- Action Plan
- For evidence of consulting the community see, for example, the Council meeting minutes of 24 June 2015 re. Emergency Plan.
- Publicity advertising Council activities is notified in a timely fashion on the home page of this website.
- Evidence of participating in town and country planning can be seen in the minutes of many Council meetings, e.g. 27 January 2016.
- Draft minutes of all council and committee meetings are available within four weeks of the last meeting. Draft minutes have a “DRAFT” watermark across each page until they are approved and accepted at the following meeting.
- Health And Safety Policy
- Equality Policy
- Community Engagement Policy — to be written
- Councillors’ profiles
- Grant Awarding Policy
- Evidence showing how electors contribute to the Annual Parish or Town Meeting.
- Electors are invited and encouraged to attend the Annual Parish Meeting, as exemplified in this extract from the monthly village newsletter of May 2019.
- The Council made a grant in 2018 to the Parochial Church Council [PCC] to assist with maintenance of the churchyard, which is freely available for visiting by any of the residents or visitors to the parish. In accordance with the Parish Council’s Grant Awarding Policy a report was written in February 2019 and submitted by the PCC showing how the grant funding was used.
- Action Plan, including budget and action/review timetable
- Annual report, online material and regular news bulletins — in preparation
- Evidence of helping the community plan for its future — in preparation
Other Documents