DAMERHAM PARISH COUNCIL PUBLICATION SCHEME UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Contact for Damerham Parish Council is the Clerk to the Council,

Lindsey Malcom 

Email: clerk@damerham.net

Telephone: 07943 390965

The Council and Decision Making

The conduct of each Council meeting is governed by Standing Orders (which can be amended each year at the Parish Council Annual Meeting).

The Council usually consists of 9 elected councillors who serve a fixed 4-year term of office. Each councillor is subject to election at the end of the 4-year term. The Council elects its own Chairman each May at the Parish Council Annual Meeting. The Council meets on the 4^th Monday of every alternate month. Meetings are held in the Village Hall and commence at 7.30pm with a period for representations from members of the public. The agenda for the meetings is published a week in advance on the Council’s noticeboard situated next to the bus shelter and also on the Council’s website. Minutes of Parish Council meetings are normally published as drafts on the Parish Council web site two weeks after the meeting.

The Council has the right to comment to the New Forest District Council Planning Office on planning applications within the parish; but has no decision-making power. Should you have submitted a planning application you are most welcome to attend the Parish Council meeting at which this is on the agenda and will be invited to speak during the item reserved for public participation.    

The Clerk and also the District Council’s Monitoring Officer retain a copy of the record of members’ interests. This is also reflected on the parish and district councils’ websites.

Finance

All matters relating to finance are in accordance with Governance and accountability in Local Councils. Financial Regulations; Insurance and Risk Assessment are reviewed annually.

All financial transactions are decided by the full Council at its published meetings and all cheques must be signed by two councillors registered with the bank. Bi-monthly bank reconciliations are checked by an appointed councillor who is not a signatory to the account.

The Clerk, who acts as the responsible financial officer, keeps a record of all financial transactions and is responsible for preparing the annual accounts and the annual return form which, after approval by the Council, is submitted to the external auditor appointed by the Audit Commission. The accounts are also audited by an internal auditor appointed by the Council.

The precept request for each financial year is finalised by the Council at each January meeting.

Members’ allowances, mainly for mileage involved in Councillors attending meetings of outside bodies, are those laid down by the National Association of Local Councils.

Exercise of rights by electors of the Parish

Parish Council meetings are open to the public and, as the first item on the agenda, there is a 10-minute period for any elector of the parish to address the meeting or ask a question of the Council. Members of the public do not have the right of comment during the remainder of the meeting but may make their comments to the Chairman or Clerk after the meeting. 

Policies and Procedures

The policies and procedures for the conduct of Council business are contained in the Standing Orders of the Council. Councillors also follow the Code of Conduct adopted by New Forest District Council and this fulfils the Council’s obligations under section 27 (2) of the Localism Act 2011, and is consistent with the following principles of public life set out in the Act: selflessness; integrity; objectivity; accountability; openness; honesty, and leadership.

A complaints procedure is in place and is available from the Clerk.

The Clerk to the Council is employed under a contract of employment based on the recommended NALC provisions.

Assets

The assets of the Parish Council are as follows: the War Memorial; equipment and facilities on the PlayTrail (the land is leased by the Parish Council from NFDC); the beacon; the Bus Shelter; the Millennium and the Jubilee benches; one quarter ownership of the Speed Watch equipment (shared with Sandleheath & Rockborne Councils and a private individual); the parish defibrillator; one lap-top computer; the Parish notice board. 

Format in which available

Charge for Supply

Information

Minutes of Council Meetings

Hard copy and website

£1 for hard copy / Free to view online

Procedural Standing Orders

Hard copy and website

£2 per copy / Free to view online

Minutes of Parish Council Annual Meeting

Hard copy and website

£1 for hard copy / Free to view online

Councillor Information and Responsibilities

Hard copy, noticeboard and website

£1 for hard copy / Free to view online

Code of Conduct

Register of Members’ Interests

Held by Monitoring Officer at District Council, by Clerk and NFDC website

Free to view online

Periodic Electoral Review

Information relating to the periodic electoral review of the council area

NFDC Democratic Services retain this information

Information available online - http://www.lgbce.org.uk

Information relating to the latest boundary review of the council area

NFDC have this information

Information available online - http://www.lgbce.org.uk

Employment Practice and Procedure

Terms and conditions of employment and job description

Clerk’s terms and conditions of employment and job description available in hard copy only

£2 per copy

Planning Documents

Responses to planning applications

Comments forwarded via NFDC website

Free to view online

Audit & Accounts

Annual return form

Hard copy and website

£2 for hard copy / free to view online

Annual statutory report by Internal & External auditor

Copy of full document in hard copy only

£2 per copy

Receipt and payment worksheets, bank statements

Viewing by appointment with Clerk. Expenditure over £100 available online.

No charge / free to view online

Precept request

Only available in hard copy

£1 per copy

VAT submission and payment

Available in hard copy only

£1 per copy

Financial Regulations

Hard copy and website

£2 per copy / free to view online

Budget Documentation

Hard copy and website

£2 per copy / free to view online

Further Documentation

Asset Register

Hard copy and website

£1 for hard copy / free to view online

Risk Assessment

Hard copy and website

£2 for hard copy / free to view on line

Complaints Procedure

Hard copy and website

£1 for hard copy / free to view online