This week we are focusing on TRAINING as we have some courses to fill over the next two weeks and some of these won't be repeated! Please read the training section as we have released some more dates for later in 2020 and also early 2021. Don't miss out!
Don't forget - please let us know if you have any new councillors, employees or Clerks so we can let them know what support and training is available - email:DAPTC office direct.
FOLLOW DAPTC ON TWITTER HERE Please forward this update to elected members so they can also keep up-to-date and have an appreciation of what's happening in the sector.
If you are feeling lonely and left contemplating how your small parish might afford a new website and comply with the legislation in our sector as well as accessibility requirements - we'd like to hear from you. As well as attending our WCAG session on 11th November below we are looking for 5 parishes for a focus group and possible pilot of a new low cost website solution. Interested? Email Neil daptc@dorsetcc.gov.uk
The AGM (10am 14th Nov 2020) is now just over two weeks away and in the next few days a joining instructions email will be issued to those who have so far confirmed they will be attending. Please look out for these in your council inbox - we are keen to make sure nominated voting delegates and non voting attendees are clear on their roles whilst attending. Agenda and AGM Member pack can be found HERE
We have uploaded a bag full of new courses for late 2020 and into 2021 and there will be more getting added over the coming weeks - so keep an eye out!
Just a 'heads up' - some of the training partners we have engaged are now running national courses which our members can join. This has two benefits, firstly there are more options on dates and secondly you get to hear and network with councils from around England. The downside - these courses can book up quickly so the sooner you let us know the quicker we can get you registered. here's the run down on what's in the calendar:
12th Nov | CHAIRING A VIRTUAL MEETING - given recent news this is a great way of developing your chairing skills further as we aren't like to be heading back to physical meetings soon. This is a must do for experienced chairs and those taking up new roles.[NEW]
17th Nov | COUNCILLOR FUNDAMENTALS - have you been co-opted recently or keen to get a refresher; then this course with Kim Bedford is for you.
19th Nov | INTRODUCTION TO PLANNING - Dr. Andrea Pellagram will get your understanding of planning knocked into shape with the first of a trio of courses.
19th Nov | BUDGETING - Parkinson Partnership will help you prep for the precept! [NOW FULLY BOOKED]
3rd Dec | BUDGETING - Parkinson Partnership will help you prep for the precept! [ONLY 3 SPACES LEFT]
17th Dec | IMPORTANT PLANNING CONCEPTS-Dr. Andrea Pellagram will get your understanding of planning knocked into shape with the third of a trio of courses.
For those councillors and clerks who snapped up the free pilot modules you have until 16th November 2020 to complete them and send us the feedback. Thanks to those who have already done this and for the feedback! DAPTC E-Learning Modules
1. Pre-Order your new copy of Local Council Administration
The Twelfth Edition of Local Council Administration by Charles Arnold-Baker is now available to pre-order through the publishers Lexis-Nexis. The 'Bible' for all local council clerks is due for publication in December 2020 and all member councils of DAPTC will be eligible for a discount off the full price of the book which is £149.99. We understand the discount available will be 20% taking the cost down to £120.00
As well as providing you with this regular E-News, we intend to introduce a quarterly publication which showcases the work being done around the county by our members. Please send into us your news with a view to it being included in the publication.
We would be very happy to receive any photographs (along with your permission to reproduce them) and news articles as soon as you have them. Please send them in to the DAPTC office
3. CLERK SUPPORT
We have had a request for any information other Clerks might hold in situations where a defibrillator managed by the parish/town council is located on a building not owned by the council. Does anyone have an active agreement in place with the building owners for 'wifi' and power supply? Emaildaptc@dorsetcc.gov.ukif you have and we'll pass on the information.
Coming Up In The Next Few Weeks
Remembrance Sunday - 8th November 2020
There are a number of documents/website where you can get advice on planning your gatherings, the links for these are shown below:
The National Association of Civic Officers have given permission for the attached newsletter to be shared with local councils, and you may find the information useful.
The Royal British Legion have also have created avirtual field of remembrancewhere people can virtually plant their Tribute from home, and explore other Tributes made to remember the fallen.
Councillor eligibility - second-home ownership
We have received some queries about whether having a second home in a parish counts for the purpose of being eligible to be a parish councillor in the parish. This may become more common leading up to elections next year or in the event of councillor disqualifications.
S.79 (1) (b) of the Local Government Act 1972 provides that a person shall, unless disqualified by virtue of this Act or any other enactment, be qualified to be elected and to be a member of a local authority if he is a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a relevant citizen of the Union and on the relevant day he has during the whole of the twelve months preceding that day occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in that area.
Our view is that a second-home owner occupies the premises under s.79 (1) (b) (unless the property is let to someone else). Land has a legal occupier for occupiers’ liability purposes and that applies in the case of second-homes.
Chairing – remote meetings and technical issues
Remote meetings continue to raise issues and a request we advised on recently concerned a chairman who, because of an unstable wifi connection, joined a council meeting and immediately asked that someone else take the chair because of the connection problems. A chair was elected for the meeting. Decisions were taken and acted upon and agreements were made with third-party contractors. However the chairman did not lose connection and was present for the entire meeting. A councillor who was not present at the meeting raised the matter of the validity of the decisions taken because the chairman was present but did not chair.
The law states that the chairman, if present, shall preside at a parish council meeting (paragraph 11 (1) of Schedule 12 to the Local Government Act 1972). Advising after the event, our advice was to take a practical and pragmatic approach. The council in question had acted upon the decisions taken at the meeting and entered in to contractual relations with third parties. Commercial parties acting in good faith would not be expected to know local government statutory requirements.
It goes without saying that councils should be prepared for technical issues arising in future remote meetings and for how they will deal with them. The practical NALC guidance on remote meetings is recommended for council use.
Guidance
We continue to deal with new government regulations in respect of Coronavirus and the impact for the sector. Our legal advice feeds in to the corporate NALC guidance on the Coronavirus page on the NALC website.
As advised in the Chief Executive’s bulletin, LTN 30 on defamation has recently been updated.
Get the latest news from Dorset Council, including leisure centre offers, waste and recycling, libraries and more. Sign up to their various newsletters though thislink.
Community Engagement - Website Content & Navigation
We are looking for more volunteers to join our group to help us review the structure of our content and website navigation to ensure it is user-friendly, accessible and easy to understand. Do you think you could help? To get involved and join the group, please complete our quick survey:http://orlo.uk/hS7pm
Latest news from the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
NALC are asking for responses by 4th December 2020 at 17:00pm topolicycomms@nalc.gov.uk. Each member in Dorset will receive an email direct from DAPTC with the background information and a short list of questions. The email will be issued today 23/10/20.
