Please forward this email to elected members to keep them up to date with training offers and key messages for the sector.
If you are reading this and wish to subscribe to the weekly e-news just click here: SUBSCRIBE DAPTC E-news
MAYOR MAKING IN BLANDFORD FORUM | It was a great pleasure to accept an invitation to Blandford Forum Town Council's Mayor Making Ceremony and luncheon today. A fantastic occasion and superb to see these traditions still being kept alive across Dorset generally. Congratulations to Cllr Colin Stevens the new Mayor of Blandford Forum.
Left to Right: Linda Scott-Giles (Town Clerk), Cllr Keith Stevens (Chair of NALC), Cllr Colin Stevens (Mayor of Blandford Forum), Cllr Hugo Mieville (Deputy Mayor) and Rev. Chris Beaumont (Chaplain to the Mayor).
IMPORTANT - DORSET COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN & PLANNING TRANSFORMATION | Really important date for your diaries in the Dorset Council area. Friday 27th May 2022 11am to 1pm. Invites have been issued by Yvonne Lester in the Dorset Council Planning Team to an 'in person' update at the Dorford Centre in Dorchester.
I understand that there have been around 50+ attendees registered and that Dorset Council will open the invite up on a first come first served basis to a second delegate from each council. There is a limit on the number of attendees to just under 100. If you haven't registered and were thinking of just turning up - you may be turned away so that the venue capacity is adhered to. PLEASE REGISTER TO AVOID A WASTED JOURNEY.
Refresh your knowledge here on the Local Plan: Dorset Council Local Plan COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE REVIEW (CGR) | Last 2/3 days to get any feedback in on the consultation in certain locations across the Dorset Council area. Don't miss out! CGR Dorset Council Information NALC LEGAL TOPIC NOTES (LTN) UPDATED | In the DAPTC Updates section below you can read about the re-issued and updated LTN 80. DAPTC EMAIL ACCOUNTS | As part of the subscriptions renewal process we have been getting the work ready to upgrade member email accounts. Thank you to all those that responded and I'm pleased to say we will be swapping them over to the new 5GB storage package during the course of next week. Thanks for your patience.
MEMBERSHIP SURVEYS | Thank you to all the Clerks that have been completing our membership survey - they are flooding in and will be used wisely.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Neil
INFORMATION | GUIDANCE | ADVICE
** NEW ** 1. DAPTC Subscription Invoices
This week we have been busy sending out the annual Subscription invoices to all our member councils, along with an explanatory email. If you have not yet received one or the other, please let the office know.
** NEW **2. Increase in Mailbox size for councils signed up to 'dorset-aptc.gov.uk' email addresses
Thank you to all those councils who have signed up to the increase in the mailbox size for the 'dorset-aptc.gov.uk' email addresses. We are hoping to make the upgrade for your mailboxes with the next 7 days.
Any councils who use an email address provided by DAPTC have the option to increase the size of the mailbox from 100MB to 5GB for the annual cost of £39. Don't worry if you have not opted for the increase yet, if you decide that you wish to upgrade, you can do so at any time. Just let us know.
** NEW ** 3. Mobile Alteau Flood Barrier - Free to a good home!
The Clerk at Burton Bradstock Parish Council has been in touch to let us know that the parish council have an inflatable mobile flood barrier available to any parish council that would be able to make use of it.
Details of the inflatable barrier can be found here.
** NEW ** 4. Update to Legal Topic Note 80 on Member's Conduct & the Registration and Disclosure of their Interests.
The conduct and standards regime has undergone several changes in the last few years. The updated LTN 80 sets out the main changes and developments.
You you view the LTN here. Please distribute the note widely to your members.
5. Spending and VAT on Jubilee Events
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – gifting mugs to residents?
The advice from the NALC Legal Team for councils without the general power of competence when giving out mugs or other gifts, such as bookmarks, water bottles etc to residents in celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee is that Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 would be the best power to use. This is when such a scheme was available to the community at large and subject to the council reasonably concluding that the expenditure would be appropriate, there would be direct benefit to the residents/ area and that the benefit would be commensurate.
The VAT and Financial Advisor to DAPTC and our members, The Parkinson Partnership have issued an Advice Notice giving guidance on VAT for Jubilee events. The Advice Note can be found here.
6. Technical Consultation on Street Naming.......LAST CALL DEADLINE THIS SUNDAY!!!
This might or might not be right up your street!
The consultation is actually underway and appears not to be well known or circulated amongst parish and town councils. I’ve been alerted to it today and felt it best to send out this quick note in case there are any councils amongst you that would like to provide feedback and views. Apologies that the deadline is tight. All is explained on the link below.
Just click on the training you are interested in - it's now easy to book courses either with us or our training partners. Don't forget to check with your Clerk before finalising dates/times.
NALC Star Council Awards 2022
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Star Councils Awards for 2022 recognise the incredible work of the local council sector.
Local councils, councillors, young councillors, clerks and county associations are going above and beyond their regular duties around England, and NALC wants to showcase that extraordinary work.
The nomination period ends on 27th May 2022.
Links to useful NALC Webpages:
** New **NALC Committees - if you are interested in the work that NALC does through it's committees, you can view the latest Agendas and Minutes here.
