Essex Association of Local Councils
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE LARGER
LOCAL COUNCIL FORUM
Wednesday 11th June 2014
10.00 am – 12.30 noon
hosted by
Leigh-on-Sea Town Council
Present:
Cllr Keith Miles
S.W.Ferrers
Angie Balcombe
ECC
Cllr John Buchanan
Billericay TC
Cllr Alan Acott
Margaret Saunders
Danbury PC
Cllr Stuart Berlyn
Canvey Island TC
Danbury PC/
EALC Exec
Cllr David Wixley
Loughton TC
Cllr Patrick Horner
Witham TC
Jannetta Sosin
Gt Baddow PC
Cllr P Milne
Gt Dunmow TC
Paul Beckerson
Leigh-on-Sea TC
Cllr D Stevenson
Galleywood PC
Cllr Donald Fraser
Leigh-on-Sea TC
Cllr Carole Mulroney
Leigh-on-Sea TC
Mike Murkin
Halstead TC
Kerry Cumberland
Rayleigh TC
Cllr Sheila Jackman
Ongar TC/EALC
Exec
Cllr Larry Sampson
Hawkwell PC
Cllr Roy Martin
Hockley PC
Cllr Sue Martin
Hockley PC
Janice Rigby
Rochford PC
Cllr Don Avery
Rochford PC
Cllr T Gleadall
Hockley PC
Cllr ST Byrne-Lagrue
Springfield PC
In the Chair:
Chairman
Cllr Keith Miles
Staff
Kerry Rolf
Training Administrator
Speakers
Brian Farrington
Julie Stowers
Helen Massie
Gerry Richardson
Maldon Mud Race
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships
Emergency Planning
Also Present:
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Opening Introductions by the Chairman Cllr Keith Miles
The Chairman welcomed everyone and thanked them for attending.
Although a little bit smaller then recent meetings he told delegates
we still have 16 Parish and Town Councils here this morning.
He hoped everyone had found the pack of information on their seats
which Linda had sent down for you. She sends her apologies for not
being with us this morning and Kerry is here in her place.
The Chairman offered the meetings congratulations to Cllr Vivien
Chapman (who had sent her apologies this morning but is usually
with us) on becoming Mayor of Brightlingsea and to Cllr David
Stevenson from Galleywood on becoming Chairman.
He offered thanks to Leigh on Sea for hosting the meeting
Apologies for absence:
Cllr Tony
Shrimpton
Maldon TC
Vice-Chair LLCF
Linda Golding
EALC
Joy Darby
EALC
Laurie Wiebe
Heybridge PC
Enid Walsh
Loughton TC
Aimi Middlehurst
Ongar TC
Cllr Sue
Sullivan
Springfield PC
Kathryn Richmond
Waltham Abbey TC
Cllr Vivien
Chapman
Brightlingsea TC
Myrna Liles Clerk
Frinton & Walton TC
Derek Farr
Sth Woodham Ferrers TC
Deborah Tonkiss
Billericay TC
Cllr Marion
Wilson
Billericay T.C
Cllr Jim Devlin
Billericay TC
Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on the 13th February 2014 were agreed and
signed by the Chairman
Welcome from Leigh on Sea Town Council
Cllr Donald Fraser welcomed everyone to Leigh-on-Sea Town Council for the
meeting.
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The Chairman welcomed Brian Farrington to the meeting and thanked
him for being present and particularly for giving up an important
family arrangement to keep his appointment with us.
Presentation by Brian Farrington on the Maldon Mud Race
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Brian gave a very interesting talk and the meeting had the first showing
of the short film from the Maldon Mud Race which had just taken place
on the River Crouch.
25 thousand people attended this very popular annual event.
The race is 440 metres long and it has become a worldwide event
J’s Hospice is one of the main beneficiaries of this race this year
Air Ambulance was main beneficiary last year
Cost £20k – massive media coverage, world wide, made all national press
Explained who the Mud Race grew and became a registered charity,
limited company, non profit.
Thanks to ECC for supporting the Mud Race for the past 4 years
9 Volunteers do all the work
10% over subscribed
£50 entrance fee
Admin run electronically via website
Considering using events management company
2 chartered accountants deal with the money
Brian took questions from the floor:
How does the Town cope with parking
Charities to support?
Have presentation evening in September
The Chairman thanked Brian for his presentation.
Brian had kindly brought along some T shirts, badges, caps and bags for
delegates.
EALC Update by the Chairman of the EALC Cllr Sheila Jackman
Cllr Jackman gave details of the EALC 2014 AGM competitions. This year there
will be one main competition named the Vaughtons Council of the Year
Competition.
Buckingham Palace Garden Party nominations for Chairman and past Chairman.
She urged all Councils to participate in these and to send their entries in to the
EALC Offices.
Making the Links Update by Angie Balcombe from ECC
Angie reminded delegates of the CiLCA training Bursary which was available
from EALC on application
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Essex Equals 22 to start in September
Intensive Summer CiLCA in August
CIF funding available
Emergency Planning Presentation
Chelmsford City Council
by
Gerry
Richardson
from
The Chairman welcomed Gerry Richardson to the meeting who gave an
interesting presentation on a subject he is passionate about!
Powerpoint Slides:
• Roles of responding agencies in an emergency
• How we plan for and respond to Incidents
• Provide an overview of our work in partnership
 Emergency Response Who does what … when
 Risk register and Planning
 Contingency Plans – they include
Major incident
River and Coastal Flooding
Fuel Restrictions
Assistance Centres
Recent Incidents:
Most cases have resulted in evacuations and the provision of temporary shelter
Resilience Awareness – we provide:
 Training
• Parish/Community Emergency team
• Assistance centre management
• Staff volunteer training
• Community resilience workshops
Presentations:
• Community groups
• Residential/Care homes
• Parish and Town Councils
• School programmes
• Public facing events
The presentation is available in full from EALC
He told the meeting South Woodham Ferrers Town Council had a brilliant
team/plan.
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Gerry told the meeting there was to be a Community Resillience Workshop Pilot
to be held at Hullbridge on the 22nd July from 9.30 – 1. Any Council would be
welcome to attend. Contact EALC to add for details.
Question: Who has the authority to call military – NO one has
Sandbags do not work
Apprenticeships – Presentation by Julie Stowers with Helen Massie
also in attendance from Adult Community Learning VTC
Apprenticeships and Training
Julie gave her presentation with supporting Power point slides. Main features
as follows (this full presentation is available from EALC on request)
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Provider delivering in workplaces and local ACL centres in Essex
Young people and adults (post 16 provision)
Vocational qualifications, apprenticeships, traineeships, Maths and English
Continually developing provision in constantly changing landscape
Apprentice Offer:- To work with public and private sector employers
Intermediate, advanced and high level apprenticeships
Offer includes, Business and Admin, Custom Service and Management
Other frameworks available
All apprentices recruited under ECC
Apprentices must have A contract of employment, work minimum of 30
hours per week, be paid minimum apprenticeship wage for 1st year
Information available on ECC website, Facebook and Twitter
www.apprenticeships.org.uk
Traineeships
For young people not work read
Can last up to 6 months
A work placement for 6 weeks to 5 months with an employer
Contact: 01376 534775 email:trainingforbusiness@essex.gov.uk
Julie took questions from the floor covering:* Is there a queue of people wanting to train in local government
* Quantity of hours to put in training of an apprentice
* Town and Parish Councils much wider role than just admin, i.e. groundsman
how would they go through process - could use Writtle college. Funding could
be either age grant of ECC grant
* Is the employer obliged to offer full time position – no, Traintree Provider will
look at the next step
NALC Update by Cllr John Buchanan
John gave the following information to the delegates
The new Chief Executive, Dr Jonathan Owen took up his post on 1st April, which
was also the date of the most recent NALC Council meeting.
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The Chief Executive also attended the NALC Policy Committee on 13th May at
which he confirmed that his main focus will be to deliver on the almost agreed
NALC Strategy with its 3 key objectives:
 Delivering quality services to County Associations and member councils
 Creating new local councils and aiding membership growth
 Promotion and representation
Top issues discussed at NALC Council or Policy Committee recently:
 Council Tax Support Grant. About 37 principal authorities are not passing
any of this grant on to Local Councils in their areas. NALC is submitting
details of these authorities to the appropriate government Minister for
further action. Large numbers of principal authorities, including several in
Essex, applied a percentage reduction to the grant in line with the
reduction in block grant received from central government, even though
the CTSG component was supposedly not reduced.
 Legislative Reform Order on electronic payments. This has now been
completed through all bureaucratic stages and is available for use. Note
that the use of electronic means of payment does not remove the need
for proper internal controls on authorisation of payments. A two signature
authority still applies in accordance with financial regulations, but it
means that based on those signatories a Parish Clerk may make a
payment electronically on his/her own single authority. Each Local Council
should consider whether to adopt electronic payments, and if so, how to
implement them while keeping proper controls.
 Sustainable Communities Act. NALC is still desperate for Local Councils to
submit their “barrier-busting” proposals to the DCLG so that unnecessary
red tape can be cut and services be delivered more efficiently. The
nearest thing heard of in Essex was the requirement for Parish Councils
to obtain Environment Agency Licenses for the transportation of dog
waste.
 Creation of new Local Councils, in particular in urban areas. NALC is very
proud that the first ever Local Council has been formed in Greater
London, in Queen’s Park. Others are in the pipeline. There is central
government grant available for any groups campaigning to create new
Local Councils. We have two entirely unparished principal authority areas
in the County, Harlow and Thurrock, and two authorities with only one
Parish Council, respectively Castle Point and Southend-On-Sea. Thanks to
Leigh-on-Sea Town Council for flying the flag, and hosting us here today.
Delegates put questions to John on:Quality Status
Cheque Signatories
Open Forum Time – Topics discussed
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Paul Beckerson – Clerk to Leigh-on-Sea Town Council raised a question
about NALC
Cllr Carole Mulroney raised a question about Standing Orders and access
to personnel files
Vine HR
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Janice Rigby – Clerk to Rochford Parish Council raised a question about
the contributions to mending potholes.
Next Meeting date
14th October 2014 hosted by Halstead Town Council when the Tour de
France will be the main presentation.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 12.30
Signed……………………………………………. Date …………………………….
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