Minutes:
The Town Council policies can be found on the below link.
Please click here to view and download the Town Council Policies.
The Town Clerk provided Members with an overview of the background to the policies being reviewed at the meeting and the procedure that will be put in place to streamline the process going forward.
All policies have been reviewed with amendments made to some but not all documents. Advice has been taken where appropriate from external advisers. Policies approved at this meeting (with any amendments) will be recommended to Full Town Council to be held on 7th March 2024 with all polices then being readopted at the Annual Meeting of the Town Council in May.
In future, the review of policies will be taken throughout the calendar year with the Policy and Finance Committee receiving a number of policies at each committee meeting.
Members considered and reviewed each individual policy, section by section.
a. Employees
1. NJC Green Book
2. Data Protection – Criminal Records Information Policy
3. Data Protection Policy (Employees)
4. Disability Employment Policy
5. Employee Handbook 2023
6. Protocol for Member Officer Relations
7. Provision of IT and Acceptable Use Policy
8. Recruitment and Selection Policy
The Town Clerk advised that the NJC Green Book forms part of the staff contract and was not for amendment or discussion at this meeting.
It was RESOLVED to note.
It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor P Samuels and resolved to RECOMMEND the Employees policies and amendments (as attached) to Full Council to be held on 7th March 2024.
b. Finance:
1. Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015
2. Annual Business Continuity Plan
3. Annual Internal Audit and Business Risk Assessment
4. Annual Reserves Policy 2024-25
5. Annual Statement on Internal Control 2024-25
6. Annual Treasury Management Strategy
7. Anti-Bribery Policy Statement and Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy 2024-25
8. Local Government Pension Scheme
9. Receipting of Income and Banking Procedures
10. Risk Management Plan Statement 2024-25
11. Risk Management Strategy 2024-25
12. Scheme of Delegation
13. Financial Regulations 2024-25
The Town Clerk advised that the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 is a regulation that the Town Council complies with and is not for amendment or discussion at this meeting.
It was RESOLVED to note.
It was proposed by Councillor Foster, seconded by Councillor Stoyel and resolved to RECOMMEND the Finance policies and amendments (as attached) to Full Council to be held on 7th March 2024.
c. General:
1. Acquisition or Sale of Land and Property
2. Allotments
3. Complaint Handling and Customer Behaviour Policies
4. Communications Policy and Strategy
5. Data Retention and Disposal Policy
6. Equality and Diversity Policy
7. Events and Hire of Town Council Premises
8. FOI Model Publication Scheme 2024-25
9. Freedom of Information Policy
10. Grants Policy
11. Match Funding Policy
12. Planning – a Guide for Councillors
13. Public Loudspeaker Policy
14. Receiving Public Questions, Representations and Evidence at Meetings
Councillor Foster left the meeting and then re-joined the meeting during discussion of this item.
15. Safeguarding Policy
16. Social Media Policy
17. Standing Orders
18. STC Seals and Logo
19. Terms of Reference – Committees and Sub-Committees
20. Training and Development Policy
It was proposed by Councillor Foster, seconded by Councillor Dent and resolved to RECOMMEND to remove the restrictions on Chairmanship from all Terms of Reference to Full Council on 7th March 2024.
It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Foster and RESOLVED to:
i. defer the Match Funding for Festivals Policy to a future Policy and Finance meeting;
ii. defer the Events and Hire of Town Council Premises Policy to the Policy and Finance Committee meeting to be held on 12th March 2024;
iii. refer the Social Media Policy to the Communications and Engagement Working Group to review, reporting back to the Policy and Finance meeting to be held on 14th May 2024.
iv. RECOMMEND to Full Council to be held on 7th March 2024 the remaining General policies and amendments (as attached).
d. Health and Safety
1. Health and Safety Manual
e. Library
1. Home Library Service
2. Library Stock Management Policy
It was proposed by Councillor Foster, seconded by Councillor Bullock and resolved to RECOMMEND the Health and Safety and Library policies (as attached) to Full Council to be held on 7th March 2024.
f. Members
1. Advisory Dress Code (Councillors)
2. Co-option Policy
3. Code of Conduct
It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Dent and RESOLVED to withdraw the Advisory Dress Code (Councillors) from the Town Council library of policies.
The motion was defeated.
It was proposed by Councillor Lennox-Boyd, seconded by Councillor Stoyel and resolved to RECOMMEND the Members policies (as attached) to Full Council to be held on 7th March 2024.
g. Civic
1. Awarding the Honorary Freedom of Saltash
2. Civic Awards
3. Civic Handbook
4. Election of Mayor and Deputy Mayor
It was proposed by Councillor Stoyel, seconded by Councillor B Samuels and resolved to RECOMMEND the Civic policies and amendments (as attached) to Full Council to be held on 7th March 2024.