To receive a report of the Parish Liaison Working Group.
Minutes:
The Committee had before it a report * from the Parish Liaison Working Group.
At its meeting on 19th August 2016 the Committee had resolved to form working group following a report from a Parish Council that they had not received important information which Parishes in East Devon had received. Members considered that more information should be passed to Town and Parish Councils and in particular that there had been a lack of information regarding Planning Enforcement. The Committee had agreed that information and contact with Town and Parish Councils had reduced over recent times.
The Working Group consisted of Cllr F J Rosamond, Cllr Mrs G Doe and Cllr A R Berry. The Working Group was assisted by Sally Gabriel, Member Services Manager and Julia Stuckey, Parish Liaison Officer.
The Member Services Manager outlined the contents of the report, explaining that the officer who had undertaken Parish Liaison in the past had been moved to different projects a number of months prior to the formation of the working group and that her work regarding Towns and Parishes had not been covered. As a budget saving exercise this work had since been transferred to the Member Services Team, with a team member being appointed as Parish Liaison Officer, and that this would allow the team to better communicate with Towns and Parish as well as District Councillors.
The Parish Liaison Officer had proposed some means of improving communication with Towns and Parishes and some of these had been implemented. The Town and Parish Newsletter had been reinstated and the towns and parishes had been asked to contribute good news stories. Some joint training had taking place with regard to iPads and social media.
Cllr Doe reported that she had taken a delegation of Parish Councillors from Lapford to Uffculme to meet with Councillors there who had set up a café in the square. She reported that all concerned had found it to be a worthwhile exercise and that she would provide an update on this for the Town and Parish Newsletter.
The Working Group had been pleased with the work that had been undertaken and had put forward some recommendations for further improvement.
Discussion took place regarding:
· The Chairman of the Council visiting Town and Parish Councils throughout the year;
· The need for Members to be kept informed so that they could in turn update Town and parish Councils;
· The benefit of Members attending local meetings to keep them up to date.
The Committee reviewed the recommendations from the group and it was RESOLVED that:
And it was further RESOLVED that:
· That a method of keeping Ward Members informed be implemented regarding matters pertaining to their Ward.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
Note: - Report * previously circulated and attached to Minutes.
Supporting documents: