NP Documents

Weston-under-Penyard Parish Council
Terms of Reference for Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group

1. Purpose
The Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group (the Steering Group) has been established by the Weston-under-Penyard Parish Council (the Parish Council) for the purpose of supporting the Parish Council in the production of a Neighbourhood Development Plan and to carry out the following tasks:

Investigate and identify support for the Neighbourhood Development Plan.
Identify sources of funding.Take responsibility for planning, budgeting and monitoring expenditure on the Plan and report back to the parish council on these matters.
Liaise with relevant authorities and organisations to make the Plan as effective as possible.
Identify ways of involving the whole community and gather the views and opinions of as many groups and organisations in the community as possible.
Determine the types of survey and information gathering to be used.
Be responsible for the analysis of the survey, the production and distribution of the final report.
Identify priorities and timescale for local action in the Action Plan, including the lead organisations and potential sources of project funding.
Regularly report back to the parish council on progress, issues arising and outcomes from the exercise.

2. Membership

The Steering Group will be made up from a good cross-section of the community, including parish councillors nominated by the parish council. Membership by any individual of the Steering Group and/or any supporting Working Group shall at all times remain at the discretion of the Parish Council.
The Membership of the Steering Group will normally be limited to a maximum of 12, but this may be increased with the approval of the Parish Council.
A record of the Steering Group Membership will be maintained through the minutes of the group.

3. Roles

At the first meeting, the Steering Group will elect a chairperson, a secretary, and a Finance Co-ordinator.
The group will also allocate to its members the roles of Communication’s Co-ordinator, and Volunteer Co-ordinator.
The role of Bridging Coordinator (providing effective liaison between the Parish Council and the Steering Group) will be carried out by the Parish Councillor members of the group.
Other roles may be allocated to members of the group as required.

4. Roles & Relationships

Parish Council insurance will cover the previously agreed activities of the Steering Group and volunteers, but steering group officers, in liaison with the parish clerk, will ensure that terms of the insurance are not breached.
The Steering Group, via its parish council members will provide a regular report to the parish council, for endorsement.
The parish council will provide the opportunity for the endorsement of regular reports via its meeting agenda.
Working Groups may be established to carry out duties specified by the full Steering Group, which may include:-

Data Gathering
Consultations
Making recommendations

The make-up and purpose of working groups will be regularly reviewed by the full Steering Group.
It is expected that all Steering Group members abide by the principles and practice of the Parish Council Code of Conduct including declarations of interest.

5. Meetings
The Steering Group shall normally meet monthly (but every two months as a minimum), or as may be required.

At least three clear days’ notice of meetings shall be sent to members via the communication method agreed with, and appropriate to, each individual member.
Whenever possible, notices of meetings should detail the matters to be discussed. .
The secretary shall keep a record of meetings, and circulate notes to Steering Group members and the Parish Council in a timely fashion. The latter will publicise the notes via their usual methods.
A rolling schedule of meetings will be set in place, preferably at the first meeting of the Steering Group and made available to the public via notice boards, Weston News website and magazine.
All meetings will be held in public and be open to the public to attend. Copies of minutes and reports will be public documents.
Copies of the Parish Council’s Code of Conduct will be available at all neighbourhood planning meetings.

6. Quorum and Voting

The quorum of the Steering Group and any Working Group will be half the membership of the Group.
The Steering Group will seek to operate by consensus.
In the event of voting being required each member will have one vote. A simple majority will be required to support any decision. The Chair of the meeting will have a casting vote.
The Steering Group may not take decisions outside its delegated powers or on matters reserved to the Parish Council.

7. Working Groups

The Steering Group may establish such working groups as it considers necessary to carry out the functions specified by the Steering Group.
Membership of Working Groups is open to volunteers from the Weston-under- Penyard parish community, subject to approval of the Steering Group
Each working group should have a lead person who will be a member of the Steering Group.

8. Finance

All grants and funding will be applied for and held by the Parish Council, who will ring-fence the funds for Neighbourhood Development Plan purposes only.
Notification of all planned expenditure will be given to the Parish Council before actual costs are incurred.
The Finance Officer shall keep a clear record of expenditure supported by receipted invoices and will regularly review and update the budget in liaison with the Parish Clerk.
The Finance Co-ordinator in partnership with the Parish Clerk will draw up and agree with the Steering Group procedures for Steering Group Members and volunteers who wish to claim expenses.
The Finance Co-ordinator will report back to the Steering Group and the Parish Council on planned and actual expenditure for the project.
Invoices will be made out in the name of the Parish Council who will pay them at their next scheduled parish council meeting.
Members of the community who are involved as Steering Group Members or Volunteers with any of the working groups may claim back any previously agreed expenditure that was necessarily incurred during the process of producing the Neighbourhood Development Plan. This could include postage and stationery, telephone calls, travel cost.

9. Dissolving the Steering Group

At the conclusion of the Neighbourhood Development Plan project the Parish Council and Steering Group will consider the future working of the Steering Group.
The Parish Council may, if it considers appropriate, dissolve the Steering Group.
If the Steering Group wishes to dissolve at any time it must notify the Parish Council giving a reasonable period of notice to allow the Parish Council to meet to consider the matter.