The Parish Plan - Committees

Name
The name of the organisation shall be the Duffield Parish Plan Steering Committee , hereafter referred to as the Committee.  Purpose The purpose of the Committee shall be to act on behalf of the Parish Council and the Community to carry out the following tasks:

  1. Investigate and identify support for the Parish Plan
  2. Identify sources of funding in addition to the Countryside Agency Grant
  3. Take responsibility for planning, budgeting and monitoring expenditure on the Plan and to report back to Parish Council
  4. Liaise with relevant authorities and organisations to make the Plan as effective as possible
  5. Identify ways of involving the whole community and gather the views and opinions of as many groups and organisations in the community as possible
  6. Agree the types of surveys and information gathering to be used.
  7. Be responsible for the analysis of the surveys, the production and distribution of the final report.
  8. To report back to the Parish Council on progress, issues arising and outcomes from the exercise.
  9. Identify priorities and timescales arising from the Parish Plan for local Action Plan including lead organisations and potential sources of project funding.
  10. Where required the Committee will reconvene to establish working groups to implement the Plan, publicising achievements and review progress

Membership

  • The Committee will include up to 20 members ?of which at least 2 must be under 21yrs of age.
  • No more than two of these members will be members of the Parish Council
  • The Committee may co-opt additional members at its discretion
  • A person shall cease to be a member of the Committee having notified the Chair or Secretary in writing of his or her wish to resign
  • Members are expected to proffer apologies for non-attendance ? anyone not attending 3 meetings in a row without apologies will be deemed to have resigned and will be so informed by the Chair via the Secretary  Officers
  • At the first meeting the Committee will elect: A Chairperson A Vice-Chair A Secretary A Treasurer  
  • All other Committee members will have specific roles, to be agreed by the Committee  Meetings
  • The Committee shall meet every 2 months as a minimum ? or as may be required.
  • Quorum ? the Committee will be quorate only when there is a minimum of 5 members present. No financial decision will be made without at least 2 of the Officers present
  • At least 7 days clear notice of meetings shall be given to members and must detail matters to be discussed. ·       Matters shall be determined by a majority of those members present, with a casting vote available to the Chair in case of equality of votes.
  • The Secretary will keep minutes of the meetings and circulate them to members of the Committee not later than 14 days after each meeting.  

Working groups

  • The Committee may appoint working groups such as considered necessary to carry out the functions specified by the Committee.
  • Each group should have a nominated Chair but this person does not have to be member of the Committee.
  • Working groups do not have the power to authorise expenditure on behalf of the Committee
  • Working groups will be bound by the terms of reference set out for them by the Committee.  

Finance

  • The Treasurer shall maintain a clear record of expenditure ? supported by receipted invoices where appropriate
  • Community volunteers on working groups may claim expenses incurred in the process of producing the Parish Plan.  The agreed rates, items to be covered, the procedures for claiming and the supporting paperwork will form the basis of an agreement drawn up by the Treasurer with the committee.
  • Timesheets for volunteers on the working groups will be used
  • The Treasurer will set up systems for reporting planned and expected expenditure
  • Finance statements will be prepared and presented to the Committee and the Parish Council on a regular basis as determined by the Committee.  

Changes to the Constitution
This constitution may be altered and additional clauses may be added with the consent of two-thirds of the committee present.  Dissolution of the Committee  Upon the dissolution of the Committee, any remaining funds / assets shall be disposed of by the Committee in accordance with the decisions reached at an extraordinary meeting open to the public in the area of benefit called for that purpose. No individual member of the Committee shall benefit from the dispersal.  

June 2003