Photo Credit: John Goode - Packhorse Bridge at the ford, Tarrant Monkton
DAPTC E-News 22nd January 2021
The deadline for your council's submission of your precept request it looming at the end of the month. Please ensure that you complete and return the forms to Dorset Council via precepts@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk
The deadline for completion of the survey that we have been running throughout December and January on the DAPTC Area Committees has now been extended to the end of January. Details of the survey are shown in the Advice, Information and Guidance section below. Please make sure that you make your voice heard by completing the short survey, it will only take a few moments of your time. Thank you.
The Local Plan Consultation in the Dorset Council area has now gone live, links to the consultation are included below in the Dorset Council section. It’s important that, as the 8 week window has now opened on the Local Plan, you get this scheduled quickly for review. Additionally there are some helpful webinars planned as we as a podcast – please encourage participation as this will aid understanding on a complex topic. All information is on the Dorset Council website.
Please forward this update to elected members so they can also keep up-to-date and have an appreciation of whapening in the sector.
INFORMATION | GUIDANCE | ADVICE
1. Wet Signatures on minutes when meeting virtually
We’ve had the odd query on this since last March ’20 and generally the most important aspect of minute approval is passing the resolution at the following meeting. A number of you will start seeing internal auditors checking your documents remotely on websites and may ask what plans you have to get the minute book up to date with wet signatures. We know many of you have been posting the draft minutes to your chair whom has then signed and returned them to you having shown them on screen to fellow members in the meeting. This has been one pragmatic way of dealing with the situation. Others have suggested a digital signature often used by solicitors – both are appropriate in the current circumstances. NALC’s current view is that the resolution is the priority and that updating the minute book with wet signatures can be done at a later point if posting draft minutes to a chair or digital signatures proves problematic. You may want to share this if challenged by your auditor.
2. New government proposal for a 'Right to Regenerate'
On 16 January 2021, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) announced a new 'Right to Regenerate' which will enable the public to require councils and the public sector to sell unused land and assets. Further information on the proposal can be found here.
The MCHLG has also published a consultation seeking views on the government's proposals in respect of the new right. The consultation link can be found here.
3. BHIB Insurance explain what a recent Supreme Court judgement means to it's customers
On Friday 15th January, the Supreme Court handed down their judgement on the High Court test case brought by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), regarding business interruption insurance claims and COVID- 19.
This information may or may not be applicable to your particular insurance policy, however it may be useful to you.
The appeal involved the policy wordings of six insurers, and in a number of respects, the court found in favour of the FCA. The judgment is binding on the six insurers, and insurers with similar wordings will be required to interpret their wordings in light of the ruling.
Sometimes we get queries into our mailbox that we can't help with, however we know that there will be someone within our membership that will be able to provide information and guidance because at least one of you will have come across the issue yourselves.
If you are able to help with any of the issues below please get in touch with the appropriate contact. Thank you.
a. Three Councils in the Purbeck area have expressed concerns over the removal, loss or theft of BT phone boxes that had been claimed by the Councils from BT. If this has happened in your town or parish please can you get in touch with thePurbeck Area Committee Secretary.
b. Do you have defibrillators within your parish or town council area that are attached to private properties? If this is the case, do you have any experience of what happens when the property is sold? If you have any information that you wish to share, please get in touch with thePurbeck Area Committee Secretary.
c. Electronic Banking through HSBC bank. Does your parish or town council successfully use electronic banking with the HSBC Bank? If you do and could offer some help and advice on setting this up, please can you get in touch with Tim Watton who is Clerk at Lytchett Matravers Parish Councilor call him on 07824 829491.
d. Electronic Banking through Lloyds bank. A similar request to the one above, only this time to those of you who use electronic banking with Lloyds. If you could offer any advice or information on this, please contact Liz Maidment, who is Clerk at East Stoke Parish Council.
5. Please give us your views on the DAPTC Area Committees
All of our member councils have received an email from Chief Executive of DAPTC Neil Wedge, asking for your opinions on the current DAPTC Area Committee structure. We would like to know how you, your councillor's and whole council feel about the meetings, how they are run and whether they are working for the organisation as a whole.
The Executive Committee has given its Strategy Working Group the remit to investigate possible future options on how DAPTC will structure committees after a full consultation with our members over the coming few months.
As a starting point we would like to hear as many views as possible, from the widest possible audience, and to facilitate this we have set up six questionnaires. There is a survey relating to each DAPTC Area Committee and one that relates solely to the Towns and Larger Councils Committee.
The links to the surveys are shown below, we encourage you all to complete the appropriate one for your council area committee.
The Executive Committee will review members feedback on how the existing structure is working early in 2021. The closing date for comments is 9am on 1st February 2021.
6. Website offer for smaller parishes
DAPTC have teamed up with the technology company Aubergine to enable smaller parish councils in our membership to obtain a very reasonably priced WCAG (Web Content Accessibilty Guidelines) compliant parish council website.
Further information on the offer can be found here.
If your council is interested in signing up to this offer, or hearing more please contact the DAPTC office.
7. The 2021 Census - 21st March 2021
DAPTC will be working with Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council to give some practical tips on how your council can help to engage your communities in the lead up to the Census going live next year.
The person who is taking the lead on the 2021 Census in the Dorset is Philip Eades. Philip can be reached viaphilip.eades98@field.census.gov.uk
Philip has provided us with a number of resources and links to further information that your council will find useful. These are all shown below:
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
If you are making a single electronic payment in settlement of more than one DAPTC invoice, please drop us a short email stating the payment date, amount and DAPTC invoice numbers to ensure we are applying the payments to the correct invoices against your council.
TRAINING FOR OFFICERS AND COUNCILLORS IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY
Trio of Planning training – all three training sessions are fully booked:
FULLY BOOKED 28 January 10am-12noon Introduction to Planning FULLY BOOKED 11 February 10am-12noon Role of Local Councils in Planning FULLY BOOKED 25 February 10 – 12noon Important Planning Concepts
We will shortly be releasing new dates, hopefully starting in May, of evening and daytime sessions for the three planning sessions shown above and one daytime session for each of the duo of neighbourhood planning training. Details will be provided via a training e-news update, in the weekly Friday e-news and on the DAPTC website training pages
DAPTC - What we do
9th February 10 - 11am
Join the DAPTC team for this FREE OF CHARGE session to help new and existing Clerks, elected members and prospective councillors understand how we support members in Dorset. Neil, Debbie and Lisa will be on hand to talk you through the resources available and an overview of the Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils (DAPTC) and how we link up with National Association of Local Councils (NALC), Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP). We finish each hour with a Q&A. We are also happy to run these sessions for individual councils. More information on What we do – Meet the Team, including booking
Finding New Parish & Town Councillors:
18 February 9.30 – 11.30am How can you effectively find and encourage people to stand or be co-opted as town or parish Councillors? Join us to discover effective ways Councils and Councillors can encourage more people to come forward – this interactive session explores practical ways to do just that. More information and booking for Finding New Parish & Town Councillors
Finance training:
Training available on a selection of financial subjects:
- Introduction to VAT for Local Councils
- Finance for Councillors
- Internal Controls
- Role of Internal Audit
- Year End Accounts & Audit
e-learning: understand key topics at a time and date to suit you
DAPTC is providing an opportunity for member councils to ensure their officers and elected officials understand key topics, through the following 12 e-learning training options:
Modern Slavery I Display Screen Equipment Assessment I Customer Service Essentials I Leadership Essentials I Managing & Reducing Stress I Personal Safety Essentials I Freedom of Information Essentials I Fire Safety Essentials I Health & Safety Essentials I Data Protection Essentials I Equality & Diversity
NALC would like you to answer three questions on the changes implemented during the pandemic. Complete the survey here.
They would be grateful if they could have your thoughts by 3rd February 2021.
If you aren't currently receiving LCR magazine and would like to find out more and subscribe, visit: www.nalc.gov.uk/lcrmagazine.
Land Ownership Survey
NALC has recently engaged with Her Majesty's Land Registry regarding an on-line survey around Land Ownership. This is a key issue to many local councils, especially when it comes to development and Neighbourhood Planning.
To complete this survey, which is especially for town and parish councils and parish meetings, please follow the linkhere. The deadline for completion of the survey is 26th February 2021.
Royal Garden Parties
Regrettably and understandably, a decision has been taken to cancel the Queen's Garden Parties in London and Edinburgh in 2021. Garden parties remain very much a part of future planning for the palace, and once the situation regarding the pandemic is clearer, we expect to receive further guidance from the palace about how they will incorporate nominations from the cancelled events in 2020.
Make a Change - Become a Councillor campaign
NALC continues to update it's #MakeAChange campaign guidance for the May 2021 elections. To find out more, NALC have further information on their Make a Change webpage here.
On the webpage you will be able to find all new resources such as:
Dorset Council's Local Plan consultation began on 18th January 2021 and will last for eight weeks. For information on where you can view the plan and details of how the consultation will take place, please see the attached document.
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.
Multi-million pound Transforming Travel programme is due to start construction
Construction of the Leigh Road sustainable travel corridor is due to start on 18 January 2021. This project aims to help residents to enjoy the area more on foot or other means such as bike, scooters, mobility scooters and wheelchairs. To achieve these aims this project includes:
reducing the vehicle speed limit from 40mph to 30mph
new dedicated cycle lanes
two new crossings for pedestrians and cyclists
better pavements for walkers
improved bus access
Further details on the scheme and contact details can be foundhere.
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 here.
Latest news from the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
The NHS have now started the COVID-19 Vaccine programme. To find out more about the COVID-19 Vaccine please visit theNHS Vaccine Page.
Through our partnership with Dorset CCG, the communications team have asked that we share the attached social media assets which can be used on your website and social media profiles.
The simple messaging is: The NHS will get in touch when it’s your turn to be vaccinated.
Please use asap for the remainder of December and into January – these are formatted as a poster to print and in other sizes for social media profile images or cover images. They can also be used as standalone images. Help support your community by sharing the message.