To review the outcome of a
report considered by the Shadow Executive Committee at their meeting on 20 July
2018. The Chairman and Chief Executive
of the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils will be in attendance at
the meeting to join the discussion. It
is also envisaged that there will be a representative/s of a parish and/or town
council in attendance. Councillor Jeff
Cant will also be in attendance.
A copy of the report to the
Shadow Executive Committee has been attached for information.
Minutes:
The committee reviewed a
report that had been considered by the Shadow Executive Committee at their
meeting on 20 July 2018. The Chairman
welcomed the following to the committee, who had been invited to join with the
discussion:
·
Hilary Trevorah, Chief Executive Dorset Association for Parish and Town
Councils (DAPTC)
·
Councillor Adrian Hibberd, Alderholt Parish
Council and member of the DAPTC Executive Committee and Chairman of DAPTC
Eastern Area Committee.
·
Dr Martin Ayres, Swanage Town Clerk
The
Chairman of DAPTC, Councillor John Parker had sent his apologies as he was
unable to attend the meeting.
Hilary
Trevorah provided a statement from the DAPTC which set out their role in
supporting 160 parish and town councils across Dorset including providing
information to the councils in respect of current changes in local government
in Dorset. She noted that the link with
local councils was now even more important as parish and town councils had an
understanding of local needs and could be involved in helping to shape future
services. DAPTC were keen to work as
partners with the unitary organisation to support local councils to work for
and provide services for local communities where appropriate.
Dr
Martin Ayres, Swanage Town Clerk expressed a wish to break down barriers and
improve partnership working between the tiers of local government. He provided some examples of work being
undertaken in Purbeck.
Councillor
Adrian Hibberd asked that smaller parishes be included in direct communication
about changes in local government. He
expressed a desire for parish councils to be part of the changes but
appreciated the tight timescale that was being worked to. He asked for an indication of services and
powers that may be passed down by the end of the year in order for the parish
council to precept accordingly.
The
committee was invited to ask the attendees questions and during discussion the
following points were raised:
·
The DAPTC was working with the Shaping Dorset Council’s Programme Team
and received newsletters from the team and could contact the team if there was
information that was needed by DAPTC members e.g. information on the review by
the Boundary Commission. The DAPTC was
not part of any officer group and made their representations by attending
Shadow Council committee meetings and making representations during public
participation time. The DAPTC was not
comprehensively integrated but could be contacted by the Programme Team if
there was information that needed to be sent out
·
In response to a question, Hilary Trevorah noted that it would be
helpful if there could be a more formal link between the DAPTC and the
Programme Team
·
Members discussed the position with communications with parish and town
councils and a number of members expressed the view that communications should
come direct from the Shadow Council or Programme Team
·
It was noted that the report which was considered by the Shadow
Executive Committee on 20 July 2018 provided a high level summary of what each
sovereign council was doing in relation to the transfer of assets to town and
parish councils and other community groups.
The report also set out a suggested set of principles for Dorset to
ensure a consistency of approach to asset transfer that would not adversely impact
on the new Council
·
The Programme Team was working to ensure a ‘safe and legal’ Council on 1
April 2019. Decisions about asset
transfer and devolution of powers would be considered at an appropriate time
after this point. This position needed
to be clear in communications with town and parish councils and other relevant
bodies
·
It was recognised that some councils would be keen to take on the
opportunity of providing more services and that some would not want this or
have the resources to be able to provide additional services
·
The Interim Head of Paid Service provided an update in respect of those
task and finish groups that had been paused and noted that their work had been
incorporated into the work of other task and finish groups
·
Dr Martin Ayres provided information in respect of the experiences in
Swanage Town Council in previous local government reorganisation in Dorset
·
Hilary Trevorah noted that DAPTC members were aware of the budgetary
constraints for the unitary organisation but emphasised the important role for
parish and town councils in providing the understanding of the local needs of
communities. Councils wanted to be part
of the solution as to how services were delivered in future. Councillor Adrian Hibberd commented that this
would provide an opportunity for local councils to have a real influence in
their area
·
The Interim Head of Paid Service read out a statement that had been
provided at the meeting of the Shadow Executive Committee on 20 July 2018 with
regard to the appropriate timing of the conversation with parish and town
councils. The new unitary authority
needed to decide how it would operate before any decisions could be taken on
how services would be delivered in future or the devolution of powers. It was recognised that there could be an
opportunity for a piecemeal approach to discussions with parish and town
councils based on the agreed principles.
Budgets would be agreed in the normal timescale and responses sent out
to town and parish councils as quickly as possible. There would be a further 3 years with no cap
put on town and parish councils
·
In addition, the Interim Head of Paid Service noted that there was no
reason why the DAPTC could not be linked in with the appropriate decision
making frameworks. He also noted that communications
could be sent direct to town and parish councils from the Shadow Dorset Council
·
The Chairman asked the committee whether they wished to receive a report
at the next meeting with regard to how DAPTC could be integrated with the Programme
Team and the decision making structure of the new unitary authority? There was not general support from the
committee for this proposal
·
A point was made in respect of the need for clarity on the future of
services such as provision of public toilets
·
Although there would need to be discussion at an appropriate time in the
future about issues such as these it was noted that the main concerns for the
unitary organisation would be the provision of Adult Social Care and Children’s
Services. It was recognised that the
provision of local services such as public toilets and tourist information were
important to parish and town councils
·
Councillor C Reynolds provided information on the positive experience
with engaging with parish and town councils in West Dorset and in particular
the experience in Lyme Regis
·
There was a general level of feeling that parish and town councils
should be receiving regular information
direct from the Shadow Dorset Council in order to ensure that there was a clear
line of communication
·
The Interim Head of Paid Service noted that members of the Shadow Dorset
Council received bi-weekly communications from the Programme Team. The DAPTC was also now receiving this
information. A full communications and
engagement proposal was to be considered by the Shadow Executive Committee at
their meeting in August
It
was proposed by C Brooks seconded by N Lacey-Clarke
Recommendation to the
Shadow Executive Committee
That
town and parish councils receive direct communication from the Shadow Dorset
Council on a fortnightly basis.
Supporting documents: