Baddesley Ensor Parish Council

SERVING AND SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY

Communication Strategy

March 2010-2013

Introduction:

Parish and town councils in England and community and town councils in Wales are the first tier of local government. They deliver a vast range of services at a community level.

There are 211 parish and town councils in Warwickshire, made up of over 1500 councillors. These first-tier councils can respond to the needs of the community – delivering the services or representation it most needs.

At present, in Warwickshire, there is a three-tiered structure of local government.

Town/Parish/Community Council
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5 District/Borough Councils

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Warwickshire County Council

Powers and duties

Parish and town councils have a large range of powers, and the activities parish and town councils are involved in are immense. Many parish and town councils are involved in planning, promoting tourism, licensing, community halls, representation, management of town and village centres and providing community halls.

How parish councils work

Parish councils are statutory bodies. Members are elected for a term of four years and councils are funded principally by an annual precept. Income and expenditure for the next financial year are calculated in the form of estimates. The net amount (the precept) is added to council tax, collected by the county, borough or district council (principal authorities) and paid to parishes in two six-monthly instalments. Parish and town councils can apply for other funding such as grant and funding awards, but they do not receive funds direct from central government, as principal authorities do. Currently the Baddesley Ensor Precept is £19,000 per year.

The Parish Councils Aims and Objectives

Aim:

To support the development of facilities and community life in the Parish in environmentally friendly ways

Objectives:

Communities: To engage with communities and groups in the area and support them practically and via grants available through the Parish and externally

Health: To encourage access to open spaces and promote health/well being by providing safe and accessible recreational space, allotments and by supporting groups and associations that promote health and wellbeing type services.

Environment: to encourage sustainable lifestyles and a high quality local environment

Planning: Totry to ensure that the Planning Authority supports new developments that are sympathetic to the village, promote and support residents to remain and seek employment locally and do not detract from the scenery and openness of the area.

Transport: To promote the improvement of public transport and its increased use by local residents.

Representation: To listen to the views of the local population and make representation on its behalf to the relevant agencies and the County Council as appropriate on any issues the Parish Council has a power.

The Councils responsibilities Include:

a) maintenance of an adequate and legal accounting system, conforming to the standards set out in the current Audit and Accounts Regulations

b) Following lawful procedures in respect of the decision making processes and keeping a record of all decisions taken.

c) Maintenance of safe environments for the general public, Members of the Council, employees by ensuring that adequate health and safety procedures are in place and risk management procedures are carried out wherever the Parish Council has a responsibility.

d) Compliance with employment legislation

e) Provision and Maintenance of all notice boards kept by the Parish Council

f) Provision and Maintenance of Parish Council seats and bus shelters.

g) BaddesleyVillage hall in respect of the maintenance and upkeep thereof to include 2 member representatives attending all Village Hall Management Meetings.

h) The provision and upkeep of the allotments

i) The upkeep of the Recreation ground as Trustees through Deed of Trust

Quality Status:

The Council is currently applying to become a Quality Parish Council

What is the Quality Parish Scheme?

The scheme was launched by DEFRA in July 2003 following a Government White Paper Our Countryside: The Future. A Fair Deal For Rural England (November 2000) which proposed a number of initiatives designed to enhance the role of parish and town councils.

A Quality Parish Council:

• is representative of, and actively engages, all parts of its community, providing vision, identity and a sense of belonging;

• is effectively and properly managed;

• articulates the needs and wishes of its community;

• upholds high standards of conduct;

• is committed to work in partnership with principal local authorities and other public service agencies;

• in proportion to its size and skills, delivers local services on behalf of principal local authorities when this represents the best deal for the local community;

• works closely with voluntary groups in its community;

• provides leadership to the community through its work on parish plans; and

• working with its partners, acts as an information point for local services.

What are the accreditation tests?

1. Electoral Mandate 2. Qualifications of the Clerk

3. Council Meetings 4. Communication

5. Annual Reports 6. Accounts

7. Ethical Framework

Taken as a whole, the tests exceed the statutory duties with which all parish councils should be complying as a matter of course, and represent standards which an efficient, well-run parish council that actively engages with and works for its community should be meeting.

How is the accreditation undertaken?

The County Accreditation Panel meets to determine the submitted applications and evidence portfolio. The panel meets in closed session to review the evidence, then interviews representatives from the Council (e.g. the Chairman and the Clerk). The panel’s decision is then forwarded to the National Association of Local Councils for formal certification.

The accreditation must be renewed every 4 years.

What are the benefits?

The QPS accreditation demonstrates that the Council has met the standards expected from an effective, representative and active Parish Council. It may therefore apply for additional sources of government funding not available to non-QPS Councils and may also enter into a charter arrangement with District and County councils to devolve some services (and associated funding) to the Parish.

Parish Councillors:

Councillors have an active interest and concern for their local community. They represent local people and work in partnership with them and others when necessary. They help facilitate the provision of local services and facilities and take decisions that inform the policy of the Council.

Councillors are not paid and have to abide by the Local Government Code of conduct and declare their financial interests in the Parish. Councillors must also declare a personal or prejudicial interest in any matter under discussion in a Parish council meeting.

WHO ARE YOUR LOCAL PARISH COUNCILLORS?

Lorna Ferguson: Chair, tel 01827 712020 (Village Hall Secretary)

Alan Arnold: Vice Chair, tel 01827 71 (lead for the Recreation Ground re-development)

Geoff Taylor: Parish Clerk, tel

Martin Sharp: Councillor, tel 01827 715729( second lead for Recreation Ground development)

Mark Garrett: Councillor (lead for The Common Word) tel 01827 712933.

John Moore: Councillor, tel 01827 713408

Roger Chamberlain: Priest in Charge ( www.stnicholasbaddesley.org)

Geoff Fisher; (Village Hall representative), tel 01827 715721

Vacancy:

If you are interested in becoming a Parish Councillor please contact the Parish Clerk Ian Galbraith on 01827 897874.

As at March 2010 we have one vacancy and an application form for PARISH COUNCILLOR is attached. You will be required to address the full council with reasons for applying and will be asked to illustrate how you can, by your membership, benefit the community and contribute to the Aims and Objectives of the Parish Council.

Have Your Say: Baddesley Ensor Parish Council rather than make assumptions on behalf of the village decided instead to consult and actively seek the views of all its residents (age 11 and over).It did this through the Parish Planning Process.

The attached Parish Plan and its Action Plan now inform both the priorities for spend within the parish but also form part of a network of other plans or designations that have an impact on the Parish, i.e. community strategies, local authority planning documents, transportation plans and housing and environmental strategies.

In order to produce the plan the Parish Council commissioned an in-depth analysis of the responses to a specifically designed questionnaire which in turn had been developed through two main consultation events held in the village.

The parish Plan has produced a rich source of information for the Parish to consider and use accordingly. It may be that many of the key points identified through the report are already well recognised. However, if this is the case, then at least now these concerns have been tested and proven, and the Parish Council has the means to respond within the comfort of robust evidence behind it.

So what were the key issues for you and what have we or are we doing about it:

• Car Parking: we have carried out 2 surveys in the last 2 years to seek local opinion on a one way system in the village. On both occasions you voted for leaving the roads as they are.
• Speeding traffic: we have worked with both the Police and with local Borough and CountyCouncillors to slow traffic in the village to 20 mph.
• Housing issues re new build and type of build including where: We review all local applications and object to specific planning if it is felt to be detrimental to the village or village life. More recently we supported the Borough Council in objecting to the reinstatement of the mineral plan which would open up the Opencast debate locally again.
• Health related services, access to and information in respect of: We have worked with our local GP to preserve the dispensing facilities locally and have lobbied the Warwickshire PCT on your behalf. Our website advertises local surgeries and schemes, including the new Books on Prescription library services. ( web-link)
• Dog fouling: We have purchased new Dog Bins and increased collection of waste
• Mobile phone reception and access to good internet facilities was particularly raised as a block to business and personal development: We have raised this with local planners and will be speaking to BT and mobile companies on your behalf as part of the Parish Planning process.
• Contactingthe Police and Police response to issues/incidents: We have established good local contact with our PCSO Matt Steele who attends the Parish Council meetings regularly. The village website has a slot for the Police and local news items from Warwickshire Police are available.
• Use of amenities provided i.e. library, recreation ground, village hall etc: Opening times etc are published on our website. All local services also have their own pages.
• Need for more facilities for young people, e.g. skate park: We have a new committee formed who meet monthly to take forward bids and actions in respect of improvements to both the Pavilion and to modernise the Rec. We will shortly be opening a new play area costing some £50,000 built through a successful funding application to the Borough Council Leisure services.

• We asked you how you wanted to communicate with us and us with you: In the main people told us they found out what was happening in the village by the following means:-

• · Word of mouth 72%
• · Notice boards 32%
• · The Post Office 45%
• · Village Voice ( Atherstone Herald) 29%
• · Common Word 59%
• · Local Shop 34%
• · Local Papers 33%

• If we are to take forward planning we therefore have to expand on these methods of communication and expand and explore new ways of communicating with residents and the community.

So How Will We Do This:

• Parish Council Meetings: the Parish Council meet on the second Tuesday of every month ( except August) at 7pm in the Village Hall. The agenda for each meeting is published one week in advance on both the website and on various notice boards around the village. Each month there is a specific topic discussed in detail all of which relate directly to our current business priorities. The public are invited to join us for any meeting and specifically for the topical discussions.
• Village Website: www.baddesleyensor.com: the website is a new feature for us and is still under construction. It does however reflect all parts of the village from activities to shops to services locally.
• Village Voice: the Parish Clerk, Ian Galbraith writes in the VillageVoice each month, the Village Voice is to be found in the local news items pages of the Atherstone Herald. And includes specific items of interest or news.
• Notice Boards: the Parish Council currently have access to three notice boards locally, at the Working Men’s Club, the Village Hall and at St Nicholas Church, a new board will also be available soon at Woodside school. Council minutes, Agendas and notices are displayed each month on these boards for the public’s information.
• Post Office and Pub: We are lucky to have the support of both the local landlord of the Red Lion Pub, and of the Postmaster and his wife who encourage and allow the posting of local information on their premises. The parish Council have more recently purchased a new notice board for the Red Lion specifically to display local notices and minutes.
• Common Word: We are shortly to re-establish our local newsletter ‘The Common Word’ and intend to publish four copies each year. The ‘Word’ is particularly popular with our older members of the village some of whom have no access to the internet.

• How will we know we are getting this right? We will be able to measure our successes and shortcomings by your comments either directly to the Chair or Parish Clerk or to one of our councillors. Details of all Parish Councillors and their contact details are available above.

A measurement of success will also be increased use of local facilities including hits to the website.

How much will this cost? This year we have been successful in securing additional funding for refurbishment of the Recreation Ground and have sufficient reserves to carry out all of our pledges.

You will be aware that for the third year in succession we have not increased the local precept but have continued to improve the village and to spend your money on those improvements you have made a priority through the Parish Plan.

How long will it take? The Parish Plan is for three years and is due to be consulted on publicly in November 2010.