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POLICIES

Southam Town Council Aims

  1. To improve the service it provides whilst ensuring best value.
  2. To work with others to improve safety, the environment and quality of life in the town, paying particular attention to the needs of vulnerable members of our community.
  3. To regularly and effectively consult the community.
  4. To promote the local economy.

Standing Orders

1. MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL

1.1 Subject to paragraph (4), all meetings of the Council shall be held at the Grange Hall, Coventry Road, Southam, CV47 IQA at 7.30 pm unless the Council otherwise decide at a previous meeting: that part normally open to the public to cease at 10.15 pm. Meetings shall not take place in premises, which at the time of the meeting, are used for the supply of alcohol unless no other premises are available free of charge or at a reasonable cost

1.2 The annual meeting of the Council shall be held:

  1. In an election year, the annual meeting of the Council shall be held on or within 14 days following the day on which the new councillors elected take office.
  2. In a year of ordinary elections of councillors to the Council, on the second Thursday following the date of those ordinary elections.
  3. In a year other than a year of such ordinary elections, on the second Thursday in the month of May that year.
  4. The annual meeting of the council shall take place at 7.30pm.

1.3a Ordinary meetings of the Council shall be held on the 4th Thursday of each calendar month with the exception of the months of August and December during which no ordinary meetings of the Council shall be held.

1.3b The date of the Budget and Precept meeting shall be held on the second Thursday in January. The date may, in exceptional circumstances, be varied by a resolution of Council at the November Council meeting.

1.4 The Town Mayor may, on giving not less than seven days notice (except in emergency) alter the date, time or place of any meeting of the Council if it appears to him/her that the date, time or place appointed is unlawful, impossible or generally inconvenient.

1.5 The agenda for the Town Council meeting shall be published at least 3 clear working days by the Town Clerk (Proper Officer) (when calculating the 3 clear days for notice of a meeting to councillors and the public, the day on which notice was issued, the day of the meeting, a Sunday, a day of the Christmas break, a day of the Easter break or of a bank holiday or a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning shall not count). The agenda shall give notice of all items of business to be transacted.

1.6

  1. Subject to standing orders which indicate otherwise, anything authorised or required to be done by, to or before the Chairman may in his absence be done by, to or before the Vice-Chairman (if any).
  2. The Chairman, if present, shall preside at a meeting. If the Chairman is absent from a meeting, the Vice-Chairman, if present, shall preside. If both the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman are absent from a meeting, a Councillor as chosen by the Councillors present at the meeting shall preside at the meeting.
  3. The code of conduct adopted by the Council shall apply to councillors in respect of the entire meeting.
  4. An interest arising from the code of conduct adopted by the council, the existence and nature of which is required to be disclosed by a Councillor at a meeting shall be recorded in the minutes.
  5. The Chairman of the Council, unless he has resigned or becomes disqualified, shall continue in office and preside at the annual meeting until his successor is elected at the next annual meeting vi)In an election year, if the current Chairman of the Council has not been re-elected as a member of the Council, he shall preside at the meeting until a successor Chairman of the Council has been elected. The current Chairman of the Council shall not have an original vote in respect of the election of the new Chairman of the Council but must give a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.
  6. In an election year, if the current Chairman of the Council has been re-elected as a member of the Council, he shall preside at the meeting until a new Chairman of the Council has been elected. He may exercise an original vote in respect of the election of the new Chairman of the Council and must give a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.

1.7 Extraordinary Meetings

  1. The Chairman of the Council may convene an extraordinary meeting of the council at any time.
  2. If the Chairman of the Council does not or refuses to call an extraordinary meeting of the council within 7 days of having been requested to do so by two councillors may convene an extraordinary meeting of the Council. The statutory public notice giving the time, venue and agenda for such a meeting must be signed by the two councillors.

2. ATTENDANCE BOOK

2.1 A book shall be provided at every meeting of the Council and any meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee in which each member of the Council present shall enter his or her name.

3. QUORUM

3.1 Four members shall constitute a quorum.

3.2 If a quorum is not present when the Council meets or if during a meeting the number of councillors present falls below the quorum the meeting shall stand adjourned.

3.3 The consideration of any business not transacted shall be adjourned to a time fixed by the person presiding at the meeting, or if he/she does not fix a time to the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

4. ORDER OF BUSINESS

4.1 At the Annual Council Meeting the first business shall be

  1. To elect a Town Mayor.
  2. To receive the Town Mayor's declaration of acceptance of office.
  3. To elect a Deputy Town Mayor.
  4. To appoint representatives to outside bodies* and such appointments made at the annual meeting of the Council in a year of ordinary elections shall be for the term of four years. Appointments made outside of the annual meeting of the Council in a year of ordinary elections shall terminate at the end of the four year period for which the Council was elected.
  5. To appoint statutory or standing committees.
    and shall thereafter follow the order set out in paragraph 4.3

*Explanatory Note: Within the five days following an ordinary election the Town Clerk will send to every member a full list of vacancies on outside bodies and invite each member to submit in priority order no more than three preferences to fill such vacancies. A vote or votes will be taken at the Annual Council Meeting to approve appointments.

4.2 At every meeting other than the Annual Council Meeting the first business shall be the appointment of a presiding Chairman if the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor be absent.

4.3 After the first business has been completed the Council shall receive such declarations of acceptance of office (if any) as are required by law to be made, and thereafter the order of business, unless the Council otherwise decides on the ground of urgency, shall be as follows:

Prayers

  1. Apologies for absence
  2. Declarations of Interest (In accordance with NALC Legal Topic Note 22)
  3. Representations from the Public
  4. Minutes of the previous meeting
  5. Accounts for Payment
  6. Planning
  7. Town Clerk's Report
  8. Correspondence
  9. Reports from Working Parties (if any)
  10. Members items (if any)*
  11. Information from County and District Councillors
  12. Business (if any) which, in the opinion of the Mayor should be considered as a matter of urgency under Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972
  13. That the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor and immediate past Mayor, or, as a minimum, any two of the above, be authorised in consultation with the Clerk to deal with any business arising which is deemed to be urgent during the period of the Summer and Christmas recesses, including authorisation of payments.
  14. Exclusion of the Public from the meeting
    Notice of Motion (if any) may be introduced between Items (k) and (l)

* Explanatory Note: Any member wishing to raise an agenda item under ‘j' must give 10 clear days notice and provide to the Clerk either a brief synopsis or supporting documentation to allow other Councillors time to consider the matter prior to the meeting

4.4 A motion to vary the order of business on the ground of urgency

  1. may be proposed by any member;
  2. if proposed by the presiding Chairman may be voted upon without being seconded: and
  3. shall be voted upon without discussion.

4.5 No speech by a member of the public, under 4.3(c) shall exceed 3 minutes except by consent of the presiding Chairman.

5. MINUTES

5.1 Guidelines should motions be put and lost will only be recorded in the Minutes when

  1. A vote is requested
  2. Where a motion comes within the scope of a notice of motion.

5.2 Minutes will contain a record of the items of business under discussion followed by a brief resume stating the decisions and resolutions.

5.3 Councillors shall be named in the Minutes only on the following occasions:

  1. Where there is a notice of motion.
  2. Under Members' items
  3. Appointment of members to working parties and other bodies.

5.4 The minutes of a meeting shall record the names of councillors present and absent.

6. ELECTION OF TOWN MAYOR AND DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR

6.1 No member of the Council shall be considered for election to the office of Town Mayor until that person has completed four consecutive years' service ending on the date of the election of Town Mayor as a member of the Council.

6.2 No member of the Council shall be considered for appointment to the office of Deputy Town Mayor until that person has completed three consecutive years' service ending on the date of appointment of Deputy Town Mayor as a member of the Council.

6.3 The person elected as Town Mayor shall be the person who was appointed Deputy Town Mayor at the immediately preceding Annual Meeting of the Council, provided that this person has not ceased to be a member of the Council.

6.4 If the application of paragraphs (1) and (2) results in no member qualifying for election then the member elected as Town Mayor or appointed as Deputy Town Mayor as the case may be shall be on the basis of seniority of continuous service (ending on the date of election of Town Mayor or appointment of Deputy Town Mayor) as a member of the Council.

6.5 If the application of paragraphs (1), (2) and (4) results in more than one member of the Council qualifying for election then the eldest by age shall be elected as Town Mayor or appointed Deputy Town Mayor as the case may be.

6.6 No person shall be eligible for election to the office of Town Mayor, if

  1. he/she shall have been so appointed to that office at the immediately preceding Annual meeting of the Council; or
  2. previously he/she shall have held that office and there be members of the Council eligible for election under paragraph (1) above.
  3. previously he/she shall have held that office for more than one term and there be members of the Council eligible who have held that office for a lesser number of terms.

7. NOTICES OF MOTION

7.1 Except as provided by these standing orders, no motion may be moved unless the mover has given notice in writing of its terms and has delivered the notice to the Town Clerk at least ten clear days before the meeting of the Council at which the motion is considered.

7.2 The Town Clerk shall date every notice of motion when received by him/her, shall number each notice in the order in which it was recieved, and shall enter it in a book which shall be open to the inspection of every member of the Council.

7.3 The Town Clerk shall insert in the summons for every meeting all notices of motion properly given in the order in which they have been received unless the member giving such a notice has stated in writing that he/she intends to move his/her motion at some later meeting or that he/she withdraws it.

7.4 If a motion specified in the summons be not moved, it shall, unless postponed by the Council, be treated as withdrawn and shall not be moved without fresh notice.

7.5 If the subject matter of a motion comes within the province of a committee of the Council, it shall, upon being moved and seconded, stand referred without discussion to such committee or to such other committee as the Council may determine for report; provided that the presiding Chairman, if he/she considers it to be a matter of urgency, may allow it to be dealt with at the meeting at which it was moved.

7.6 Every motion shall be relevant to some question over which the Council has power or which affects the Town.

8. OTHER MOTIONS

8.1 Motions dealing with the following matters may be moved without notice:

  1. To appoint a chairman of the meeting;
  2. To correct the minutes.
  3. To approve the minutes.
  4. To alter the order of business
  5. To proceed to the next business.
  6. To close or adjourn the debate.
  7. To refer a matter to a committee.
  8. To appoint a committee or any members thereof.
  9. To adopt a report.
  10. To authorise the sealing of documents.
  11. To amend a motion.
  12. To give leave to withdraw a motion or an amendment.
  13. To extend the time limit for speeches.
  14. To consider a question affecting an employee of the Council otherwise than after the power of exclusion of the public under section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act, 1960 has been exercised.
  15. To suspend standing orders, except those mandatory by law.
  16. To exclude the press and public under section 1(2) of the public bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act, 1960.
  17. To silence or eject from the meeting a member named for misconduct.
  18. To invite a member having an interest in the subject matter under debate to remain.
  19. To give the consent of the Council where such consent is required by these standing orders.
  20. To extend the time limit for which the meeting is normally open to the public.
  21. To appoint Working Parties whose constitutions may be determined at the time by Council.

9. QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS

9.1 A member may ask the presiding chairman any question concerning the business of the Council.

9.2 A member with or without notice may ask the Chairman of a committee or Working Party any question upon the proceedings of the Committee or Working Party then before the Council if the question is put before the Council's consideration of those proceedings is finished.

9.3 Every question shall be put and answered without discussion.

9.4 A person to whom a question has been put may decline to answer.

10. RULES OF DEBATE FOR MEETING

10.1 No discussion shall take place upon the minutes except upon their accuracy. Corrections to the minutes shall be made by resolution and must be initialled by the presiding Chairman.

10.2 A motion or amendment shall not be discussed unless it has been proposed and seconded, and, unless proper notice has already been given, it shall, if required by the presiding Chairman, be reduced to writing and handed to him before it is further discussed or put to the meeting.

10.3 A member when seconding a motion or amendment may, if he/she then declares an intention to do so, reserve his/her speech until a later period of the debate.

10.4 A member shall direct his/her speech to the question under discussion or to a personal explanation or to a question of order.

10.5

  1. No speech shall exceed five minutes, except by consent of the Council.
  2. Every member has the right to speak once on any item but may only speak again at the discretion of the Chairman and not before all other members wishing to speak have been heard.

10.6 An amendment shall be either-

  1. to leave out words
  2. to leave out words and insert or add others.
  3. to insert or add words

10.7 An amendment shall not have the effect of negating the motion before the Council.

10.8 If an amendment be carried, the motion as amended, shall take the place of the orginial motion and shall become the motion upon which any further amendment may be moved.

10.9 A further amendment shall not be moved until the Council has disposed of every amendment previously moved.

10.10 The mover of a motion or of an amendment shall have a right of reply.

10.11 A member, other than the mover of a motion shall not, without leave of the Council, speak more than once on any motion except to move an amendment or further amendment or on an amendment, or on a point of order or in a personal explanation or to move the closure.

10.12 A member may rise to make a point of order or a personal explantion. A personal explanation shall be confined to some material part of a former speech by him/her which may have been misunderstood. A member rising for these purposes shall be heard forthwith.

10.13 A motion or amendment may be withdrawn by the proposer with the unanimous consent of the Council, which shall be signified without discussion, and no member may speak upon it after permission has been asked for its withdrawal unless such permission has been refused.

10.14 When a motion is under debate no other motion shall be moved except the following

  1. To amend the motion.
  2. To proceed to the next business
  3. To adjourn the debate
  4. That the question be now put
  5. That a member named be not further heard
  6. That a member named do leave the meeting
  7. That the motion be referred to a committee
  8. To exclude the public or the press or both
  9. To adjourn the meeting.

10.15 The mover of a motion shall have a right of reply immediately before the motion is put to the vote. If an amendment is proposed the mover of the amendment shall be entitled to reply immediately before the amendment is put to the vote. A member exercising a right of reply shall not introduce new matter. After the right of reply has been exercised or waived, a vote shall be taken without further discussion.

10.16 A member may, with the consent of his/her seconder, move amendments to his/her own motion.

10.17 The ruling of the presiding Chairman on a point of order or on the admissibility of a personal explanation shall not be discussed.

10.18 Members shall address the presiding Chairman.

10.19 A member may only speak when called upon by the Chairman.

10.20 Whenever the presiding Chairman rises during a debate all other members shall be seated and silent.

10.21 At the end of any speech a member may, without comment move "that the motion be now put", "that the debate be now adjourned" or "that the Council now adjourn". If such motion is seconded and if the presiding Chairman is of the opinion that the question before the Council has been sufficiently debated (but not otherwise), he/she shall forthwith put the motion. If the motion "that the question be now put" is carried, he/she shall call upon the mover of the motion under debate to exercise or waive his/her right of reply and shall put the question immediately after that right has been exercised or waived. The adjournment of a debate or of the council shall not prejudice the mover's right of reply at the resumption.

11. DISORDERLY CONDUCT

11.1 No member shall misconduct him/herself at a meeting by persistently disregarding the rulings of the presiding Chairman, by wilfully obstructing business, or by behaving irregularly, offensively, improperly, or in such a manner as to scandalise the Council or bring them into contempt or ridicule.

11.2 If, in the opinion of the presiding Chairman a member has so misconducted him/herself, the presiding Chairman shall express that opinion to the Council and thereafter any member may move that the member named be no longer heard or that the member named leave the meeting, and the motion, if seconded, shall be put forthwith and without discussion.

11.3 If either of the motions mentioned in paragraph (2) is disobeyed, the presiding Chairman may suspend the meeting or take such further steps as may reasonably be necessary to enforce them.

12. DISTURBANCE BY THE PUBLIC

If a member of the public interrupts the proceedings of any meeting the presiding chairman shall warn him/her. If he/ she continues the interruption the presiding Chairman shall order his/her removal from the chamber. In case of general disturbance in any part of the chamber open to the public the presiding Chairman shall order that part to be cleared.

13. VOTING

13.1 Members shall vote by show of hands unless the Council instructs a vote by ballot.

13.2 If a member so requires, the Town Clerk shall call out the names of the members of the Council and shall enter "yes" or "no" against their names on a list which shall be recorded in the minutes.

13.3 The Chairman may give an original vote on any matter put to the vote, and in the case of an equality of votes the presiding Chairman shall have a second or casting vote.

14. RESCISSION OF PRECEDING RESOLUTIONS

No motion to rescind any resolution passed within the preceding six calendar months, nor any motion or amendment to the same effect as one which has been rejected within the preceding six calendar months, shall be proposed unless notice thereof shall have been given and entered on the agenda, and the notice shall bear (in addition to the name of the member who gives it) the signatures of five other members (as a minimum). When any such motion has been disposed of by the Council, it shall not be competent for any member to propose a motion to the same effect within a further period of six calendar months, but this standing order shall not apply to a recommendation contained in the report of a committee.

15. COMMITTEES

15.1 The Council may at its Annual Meeting appoint statutory and standing committees and may at any other time appoint such other committees as are necessary, but subject to any statutory provision in that behalf:

  1. shall not appoint any member of a committee so as to hold office later than the next annual meeting,
  2. may at any time dissolve or alter the membership of a committee.

15.2 The Town Mayor or Deputy Town Mayor shall be members of every committee.

15.3 Every committee shall at its first meeting before proceeding to any other business elect a chairman and may elect a vice-chairman who shall hold office until the next annual meeting of the Council.

15.4 The chairman of a committee or the Town Mayor may summon a special meeting of that committee at any time. A special meeting may also be summoned on the requisition in writing of not less than a quarter of the members of the committee. The summons shall set out the business to be considered at the special meeting and no other business shall be transacted at that meeting.

15.5 Every committee may appoint sub-committees for purposes to be specified by the committee but they shall not delegate their powers to a sub-committee.

15.6 The chairman and vice chairman of the committee shall be members of every sub-committee appointed by it unless they signify that they do not wish to serve.

15.7 Except where ordered by the Council in the case of a committee or by the Council or by the appropriate committee in the case of a sub-committee, the quorum of a committee or sub-committee shall be one half of its members.

16. PROCEEDINGS IN COMMITTEE

16.1 Standing Order No 9 (except those parts relating to standing and to speaking more than once) and Standing Order No 29 on interests of members in contracts and other matters shall apply to committee and sub-committee meetings insofar as they are appropriate.

16.2 Members of committees and sub-committees shall vote by show of hands.

16.3 Chairmen of committees and sub-committees shall, in the event of an equality of votes, have a second or casting vote.

16.4 A member who has proposed a motion which has been referred to any committee of which he/she is not a member, shall be entitled to explain his/her motion to the committee but shall not vote.

16.5 Any member of the Council shall, unless the Council otherwise orders, be entitled to be present as a spectator at the meetings of any committee or sub-committee of which he/she is not a member.

17. ADMISSION TO MEETINGS

17.1 The public and representatives of the press shall be admitted to all meetings of the Council and committees of the Council.

17.2 The public and representatives of the press may be excluded from any part of a meeting where in the opinion of the Council or a committee of the Council publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted and the Council or the Committee make an appropriate resolution pursuant to Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 or any enactment amending or replacing that Act.

17.3 The Town Clerk shall afford to the press reasonable facilities for taking their report of any proceedings at which they are entitled to be present.

17.4 The presiding Chairman shall have power to allow any member of the public to speak on any matter at his discretion at the commencement of any meeting of the Council, with the exception of the Council's Annual Meeting for a maximum time of 3 minutes.

17.5 Members of the public shall not be permitted to speak at meetings of committees of the Council unless specifically invited to attend a particular meeting of a committee to discuss particular subjects.

17.6 A notice of meeting shall be sent together with an invitation to attend to the County Councillor for the division in which the parish lies and to the District Councillor or Councillors for the parish, and to the officer in charge at Southam Police Station, who will be permitted to address meetings of the Council and committees of the Council at the discretion of the presiding Chairman.

17.7 Photographing, recording, broadcasting or transmitting the proceedings of a meeting by any means is not permitted without the Council’s prior (written) consent.

18. APPOINTMENTS

18.1 Where more than two persons have been nominated for any position to be filled by the Council and of the votes given there is not an absolute majority in favour of one person, the name of the person having the least number of votes shall be struck off the list and a fresh vote taken, and so on until a majority of votes is given in favour of one person.

18.2 If at a meeting there arises any questions relating to the appointment, conduct, promotion, dismissal, salary, or conditions of service, of any person employed by the Council, it shall not be considered by the Council until the Council has decided whether or not the public shall be excluded.

18.3 If a candidate for any appointment under the Council is to his/her knowledge related to any member of or the holder of any office under the Council, he/she and the person to whom he/she is related shall disclose the relationship in writing to the Town Clerk. A candidate who fails so to do shall be disqualified for such appointment, and if appointed may be dismissed without notice. The Town Clerk shall report to the Council or to the appropriate committee any such disclosure. Where the relationship to a member is disclosed the Standing Orders on interests of members in contracts and other matters shall apply. The Town Clerk shall make known the purport of this Standing Order to every candidate.

18.4 Canvassing of members or of any committee, directly or indirectly for any appointment under the Council shall disqualify the candidate for such appointment. The Town Clerk shall make known the purport of this sub-paragraph of the Standing Order to every candidate.

18.5 A member of the Council shall not solicit for any person any appointment under the Council or recommend any person for such appointment or for promotion; but nevertheless a member may give a written testimonial of a candidate's ability, experience or character for submission to the Council with an application for appointment.

19. SEALING OF DOCUMENTS

19.1 Any two members of the Council may seal, on behalf of the Council, any document required by law to be issued under seal.

19.2 A document shall not be sealed on behalf of the Council unless its sealing has been authorised by a resolution of the Council.

20. INSPECTION OF DOCUMENTS

20.1 A member may for the purpose of his/her duty as such (but not otherwise) inspect any document in possession of the Council or a committee of the Council, and if copies are available shall, on request, be supplied for the like purpose with a copy.

20.2 All minutes kept by the Council and by any committees shall be open for the inspection of any member of the Council and any elector during reasonable hours of the day and for such purpose "reasonable hours of the day" shall mean during such hours that the office of the Town Council is open to the public.

21. INSPECTION OF LANDS AND PREMISES

21.1 No member shall in the name of the Council, inspect any lands or premises which the Council has the right or duty to inspect unless authorised to do so by the Council or by a committee.

21.2 Receive and retain copies of byelaws made by other local authorities.

22. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS

22.1 Subject to paragraph (2) hereof any of the preceding Standing Orders may be suspended so far as regards any business at the meeting where their suspension is moved.

22.2 A motion to suspend Standing Orders shall not be moved without notice under Standing Order No 8 (15) unless there shall be present at least two-thirds of the whole number of the members of the Council.

23. VARIATION AND REVOCATION OF STANDING ORDERS

Any motion to add, to vary or revoke these Standing Orders shall when proposed and seconded be referred without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

24. PUBLICATION OF STANDING ORDERS

A printed copy of the Standing Orders together with a printed copy of any amendments thereto shall be delivered to each member by the Town Clerk upon delivery to him of the member's declaration of acceptance of office.

25. CONFIDENTIALITY

No member of the Council or any committee or sub-committee of the Council shall disclose to any person not a member of the Council any business declared to be confidential by the Council, Committee or sub-committee, as the case may be.

WITH RESPECT TO FINANCIAL MATTERS

26. MOTIONS INCREASING EXPENDITURE

Any motion which, if carried would, in the opinion of the presiding chairman, substantially increase the expenditure upon any service which is under the management of or reduces the revenue at the disposal of any committee, or which would involve capital expenditure, shall when proposed and seconded stand adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council, and any committee affected by it shall consider whether it desires to report thereon.

27. EXPENDITURE

Orders for the payment of money shall be authorised by resolution of the Council and signed by three members present at the meeting.

The Council’s financial regulations shall be reviewed once a year.

The Council’s financial regulations may make provision for the authorisation of the payment of money in exercise of any of the Council’s functions to be delegated to a committee, sub-committee or to an employee.

28. ESTIMATES

  1. Any committee desiring to incur expenditure to be defrayed out of the rates shall, not later than fourteen days prior to a meeting of the Council, give to the Town Clerk a written estimate of the expenditure recommended for the coming year, and such estimate shall be submitted to the Council at its next meeting immediately following the meeting of the relevant committee.
  2. The Council shall approve written estimates for the forth coming financial year at its meeting before the end of January.

29. CONTRACTS

29.1 Where it is intended to enter into a contract exceeding £5000 but not exceeding £15000 in value for the supply of goods or materials or for the execution of works, the Town Clerk shall give at least three weeks public notice of such intention in the same manner as public notice of meetings of the Council is given. Where the value of the intended contract exceeds £15000 similar notice shall be given in addition to all firms included in the appropriate standing approved list of contractors maintained by the District Council or if no such list is maintained then in such newspapers circulating in the district as the Town Council shall direct.

29.2 The notice shall state the general nature of the intended contract and shall in addition state the name and address of the person to whom tenders are to be addressed and the last date by which those tenders should reach that person in the ordinary course of post.

29.3 If no tenders are received or if all the tenders are identical the Council may make such arrangements for procuring the goods or materials or executing the works as they think fit.

29.4 Standing Orders 18(4) and 18(5) shall apply to tenders made following notice as if the person submitting the tender was a candidate for an appointment and all notices issued pursuant to this Standing Order shall contain a statement to that effect giving the purport of those Standing Orders.

30. PECUNIARY INTERESTS

30.1 If any member has any pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, within the meaning of section 95 of the Local Government Act 1972 and Section 106 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 in the contract, proposed contract or other matter, he/she shall, while it is under consideration by the Council withdraw from the meeting unless:

  1. The disability imposed upon him/her by section 94 of that Act has been removed by the District Council; or
  2. The Council invites him/her to remain; or
  3. The contract, proposed contract or other matter is under consideration as part of the report of a committee and is not itself the subject of debate.

30.2 The Clerk shall record in a book to be kept for the purpose, particulars of any notice given by any member or any officer of the Council of a pecuniary interest in a contract and the book shall be open during reasonable hours of the day for the inspection of any member.

31. ISSUE OF ORDERS

No member of the Council or of any committee shall issue any orders on behalf of the Council or shall issue any orders in respect of anything being done for the Council unless authorised to do so by the Council or by a committee.

32. ACCOUNTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

32.1 Except as provided in paragraph (2) or by statute all accounts for payment and claims upon the Council shall be laid before the Council.

32.2 Where it is necessary to make a payment in respect of any account which has not been laid before the Council, such payment shall be certified as to its correctness and urgency by the appropriate officer. Unless it has been otherwise authorised by the Council, payment shall be authorised only in exceptional circumstances or during recesses by any two of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and, immediate past Mayor in consultation with the Responsible Financial Officer.

32.3 All payments authorised under sub-paragraph(2) of this Standing Order or made without authority of the Council under any statute shall be separately included in the next schedule of payments laid before the Council.

32.4 Within the terms of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 1996, the Responsible Financial Officer for the Town Council will be the Deputy Clerk.

32.5 The Annual Accounts of the Town Council will be prepared and audited in accordance within the terms of the Accounts and Audit Regulations 1996 and will be subject to the conditions laid down for medium sized councils.

32.6 All councillors will be provided with a copy of the Statement of Annual Accounts signed and dated by the Responsible Financial Officer and Town Mayor within six months of the end of the financial year.

32.7 The Statement of Annual Accounts will be submitted to Council for approval, prior to audit, within six months of the year end.

33. CODE OF CONDUCT

33.1 All councillors shall observe the code of conduct adopted by the council.

33.2 If paragraph 12(2) of the code of conduct contained in the Local Authorities (Model Code of Conduct) Order 2007(SI No. 1159) has been adopted by the Council or pursuant to relevant provisions in a statutory code of conduct in force at the time, councillors may exercise the rights contained in standing order 33.3 below only if members of the public are permitted to (i) make representations, (ii) answer questions and (iii) give evidence relating to the business being transacted.

33.3 Councillors who have a prejudicial interest in relation to any item of business being transacted at that meeting may (i) make representations, (ii) answer questions and (iii) give evidence relating to the business being transacted but must, thereafter, leave the room or chamber.

34. POWER OF WELL BEING

34.1 Before exercising the power to promote well-being, a meeting of the full Council shall have passed a resolution to confirm it has satisfied the prescribed statutory criteria required to qualify as an eligible parish council.

34.2 The Council’s period of eligibility on the date that the resolution under standing order 34 above was made and expires on the day before the annual meeting of the Council that takes place in a year of ordinary elections.

34.3 After the expiry of its preceding period of eligibility, the Council continues to be an eligible council solely for the purpose of completing any activity undertaken in the exercise of the power to promote well-being which was not completed before the expiry of the Council’s preceding period of eligibility referred to in standing order 34 .2 above.

OTHER DOCUMENTS

The following documents (pdf format) also provide more information: