This page provides information, including Terms Of Reference on advisory groups and committees that have been established to provide input to WPC on specific areas of the Council's responsibilities 

------------------

Notes:

Advisory Groups - these have no decision-making powers or delegated responsibilities; they are established to support the Council in taking decisions in areas where the advisory group has specific expertise/experience.  The need for, and role of, advisory groups is reviewed annually by the Parish Council at the annual meeting of the Parish Council. Advisory group members are part of the community and serve in a purely voluntary capacity.

Committees - these are made up purely of Councillors and or Parish Council Employees and may or may not have decision making powers or delegated responsibilities, dependent on their Terms Of Reference. The need for, and role of, committees is reviewed annually by the Council at the annual meeting of the Parish Council

 

1) PLANNING ADVISORY GROUP (PAG)

PAG was orignally established in 2014 at the request of the Parish Council, following a recommendation of the Parish Plan. The Group comprises members with professional experience of building, planning and architecture. The purpose of the group is to help the Council in responding to planning applications referred for consultation by East Suffolk District Council (ESDC)

Terms Of Reference: The PAG brief is to assess all planning applications relating to buildings in Walberswick against national and local planning policy and to prepare reports on these for consideration by the Parish Council. The reports are to be used at the Council's discretion; the responsibility for submitting responses on planning applications to ESDC on behalf of the village remains with the Parish Council.

PAG operates under the following rules:

1)  No correspondence or discussion takes place with planning applicants or anyone else with an interest in the application.

2)  The group is non-partisan. It does not lobby for particular outcomes and cannot enter into disputes between applicants. 

3)  Applications are assessed on the basis of the information presented and the relevant planning policies. PAG views sites from the nearest public footpath or highway where it can and where it is relevant.

4) PAG does not usually comment on small variations of detail to approved applications, nor to applications relating to trees.

5) Applications are reviewed by at least three members of the group, usually more. Members with an interest in an application absent themselves from its consideration.

6) The deliberations of the group are confidential but all reports are posted on the WPC website.

PAG reports are published on a dedicated webpage once the Parish Council has included them in the published Agenda

----------------------------------------

2) SCROLL ADVISORY GROUP (SAG)

The SAG Group was created in May 2019 by resolution of Walberswick Parish Council (minute ref: 360 19/20 b).

Terms Of Reference: The SAG brief is to provide advice to the Council on the preservation and display of the Walberswick Scroll. This Advisory Group determines its own Chair and membership and provides input abd advices to the Parish Council on matters relating to the scroll at appropriate times.

SAG operates under the following rules:

1) The Scroll belongs to the Parish Council, appears on the Parish Council Asset register and all final decisions regarding the scroll are taken by the Parish Council

2) The deliberations of the group are confidential but any reports/advice issed to the Parish Council are posted on the WPC website with other meeting papers

----------------------------------------

3) NEIGHBOURHOOD DEVELOPMENT PLAN (NDP) STEERING GROUP

The initial steering group consisted of Councillors Bassinette, Lewis & Winyard and first met in February 2020. Tbe initial task was to register the intent to produce a Neighbourhood Plan and to designate the area to be covered (Walberswick parish boundaries) - this was done and confirmed by ESDC in March 2020. In May 2021 WPC made the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group an advisory group and it was resolved to both meet with ESDC planners to agree a way forward and to widen the membership of the Group to include members of the wider Walberswick community

Terms Of Reference: The NDP Steering Group brief to to prepare a Neighbourhood Development Plan for submission to East Suffolk District Council on behalf of the Parish Council and the residents/businesses of Walberswick

The NDP Steering Group operates under the following rules:

1) The NDP Steering Group shall determine its own membership and may include members of the public, and shall determine its own Chair, but the Chair shall be a serving Parish Councillor

2) The NDP is prepared on behalf of the Parish Council and the Parish Council shall have the final decision on what is submitted as the NDP

3) The deliberations of the group are confidential but all output/advice issed to the Parish Council will be posted on the WPC website with other meeting papers

----------------------------------------

4) EMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE

At their Annual meeting on 13th May 2019, the Parish Council resolved to set up an Employment Committee. Subsequently, on 10 June 2019, the following Constitution, Terms of Reference & delegated Powers were approved:

CONSTITUTION

(i) The Committee shall be named The Employment Committee

(ii) Membership of the Committee shall be 3 councillors, one of whom shall be the Chairman of the Council along with two other councillors selected by the Council at its Annual meeting

(iii) The Committee shall consider all matters relating to Parish Council employees, including leading the recruitment process and making recommendations for the hiring of new employees to the Council. The Committee may consider representations from members of the public and may consult with the Police, District and County Council, SALC and other authorities on matters within its delegated powers. The Committee will make appropriate recommendations to the Parish Council.

(iv) If the Employment Committee is required to address an urgent issue but is not quorate and no other councillors are available to make it quorate, an extraordinary Council meeting shall be called as soon as practicable to consider the issue

TERMS OF REFERENCE

(i) To keep under review the safety and well-being of Parish Council employees and to ensure that the appropriate policies with regard to employment are adhered to

(ii) To oversee the employment, complaints and disciplinary processes and policies as they relate to Parish Council employees and to ensure that any recommendations arising are brought to the Parish Council for approval as necessary in line with the appropriate policies, Standing Orders and Financial Regulations of the Council

(iii) To ensure that an annual performance appraisal process of employees of the Council is carried out

(iv) To keep under review the Council’s policies and practicesrelated to employment and to recommend amendments, if necessary, to the Council

DELEGATED POWERS

(i) Power to request information from any statutory organisation and to consider representations from Parishioners.

----------------------------------------

5) SAFETY COMMITTEE

At their Annual meeting on 14th May 2018, the Parish Council resolved to set up a Safety Committee with the following Constitution, Terms of Reference & delegated Powers:

CONSTITUTION

(i) The Committee shall be named The Safety Committee

(ii) Membership of the Committee shall be 3 councillors

(iii) The Committee shall consider all matters relating to the safety of people and for those assets for which the Parish Council has specific responsibilities The Committee may consider representations from members of the public, and may consult with the police, District and County Council and other authorities on matters within its delegated powers. The Committee will make appropriate recommendations to Parish Council.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

(i) To keep under review the safety of Parish assets. In particular the Committee will ensure that annual safety reports are commissioned as required, reviewed and that any recommendations for action resolved by Parish Council are implemented by the agreed timescales

(ii) To oversee Health & safety risk assessments for Parish Council employees and to ensure that any recommendations arising are brought to the Parish Council for approval

DELEGATED POWERS

(i) Power to request information from any statutory organisation and to consider representations from Parishioners.

(ii) Power for any member of the Safety Committee to recommend to the Clerk an emergency spend of up to £300, for urgent action on safety related issues that cannot wait until the next scheduled Parish Council meeting. Clerk to authorise and produce relevant purchase order(s) after consultation with the Chairman. Any spend will be explained at the next Parish Council meeting following the spend, proof of spend provided and an appropriate annual budget provision made. All councillors will be advised by email as soon as practicable of any spend made using delegated powers