County Durham Association of Local Councils Annual Report 2018-2019
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
County Durham Association of Local Councils Annual Report 2018-2019 Horden Welfare Park—Courtesy of Horden Parish Council Report of CDALC Chair 2018-2019 The main impact on parish councils during This was the result of a 2018/19 was the introduction of the Data year long review and Protection Act 2018 and General Data wide consultation Protection Regulations (GDPR) which process. were introduced on the 29 May 2018. The report reviews the This issue was a major concern for parish current framework councils not just in County Durham but governing the behaviour across the country. of local government It was pleasing to eventually read, very councillors and executives in England and close to the Act receiving royal assent, makes a number of recommendations to that clause 7.3 of the Act exempted promote and maintain the standards parish councils from the requirement to expected by the public. Members could appoint a Data Protection Officer. be pleased to hear the following suggestions In some respects this provided, especially our larger councils, the opportunity to a new power for local authorities to overhaul their data systems. Most carried suspend councillors without allowances out a data audit of their current data for up to six months and systems which resulted in councils revised rules on declaring interests, gifts moving away from paper based systems and hospitality to cloud based systems which have local authorities retain ownership of added security built in. their own Codes of Conduct Smaller councils were also impacted by a right of appeal for suspended this legislation too, albeit where data councillors to the Local Government information is concerned, on a smaller Ombudsman scale. a strengthened role for the Having said that all councils, regardless of Independent Person their size, needed to introduce correct policies and procedures as a result of this greater transparency about the Act. number and nature of Code complaints. I trust everyone is up to speed now, has the appropriate policies in place and has Much of the above will require legislation taken the appropriate action to stop any to implement and the CSPL is to revisit data breaches from occurring. their document within a year to see what action Government has taken regarding On the 21 January 2019, The Committee their recommendations. on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) published its long awaited review on local There were also a number of Best Practice government ethical standards. recommendations made which do not require legislation. These can be implemented as soon as The newly created council has become a practicable. member of the Association. I look forward Some best practise recommendations are to seeing this new council exerting its already in use in County Durham. We are influence and becoming a major force in working with DCC’s Monitoring Officer to the City of Durham area. see these changes introduced. 2018/19 saw the first year of Mazars Llp, The Association continues to have an (our new external auditors) undertaking influence on the NALC Larger Councils audits for those councils that required Committee with three of our Larger them. All councils with an annual income Council members being elected to the or expenditure of less than £25,000 were NALC Larger Councils Committee. These exempted from this requirement. This positions are for two years lasting until accounted for over 50% of the councils in December 2020. County Durham. Association balances continue to decline Mazars are locally based in Durham City in line with the previously determined which is useful. Early in the process they policy arrangement agreed by our provided a useful training session for members. This years reduction is in the parish councils. During this they explained region of £7,000. As you will see from the the revised audit process and Annual financial report our balances are still in a Governance and Audit Return (AGAR) healthy position with around £91,500 forms and the pitfalls to avoid a qualified retained in reserves. audit process. This is in line with expectations as we are From the feedback I have heard it would now wholly reliant on membership appear that the service provided by subscriptions. Your Executive Committee Mazars was an improvement on previous will monitor the situation to ensure the audits. Association remains financially sound. We continue to send a representative to As instructed by members, we have NALC National Assembly meetings to transferred £50,000 of our reserves into a keep in touch with national parish council CCLA account which will provide affairs. increased interest receipts. This will also Looking forward to next year, the VE Day help with the financial protection of our 75 anniversary takes place on the 8-10 money as previously, all of our reserves May 2020. Government has moved the where held with one bank. May Day bank holiday from the Monday On 3 May 2018 elections were held to to the Friday to accommodate this elect the 15 representatives for a newly anniversary. It would be good to see all created City of Durham Parish Council. parish councils making arrangements for their Our Executive Officer acted as Interim community to get involved. Clerk for the new parish council from May until December when a permanent clerk Thank you for your was appointed. continued support. Councillor David Bell Parish Council & Parish Meeting Association Membership at 31 March 2019 Only 1 of 104 parish councils in County Durham are not members of the Association (1%). Non member councils and meetings are marked (NM). Details of individual councils are shown i.e. CiLCA, Direct Access (DA), Foundation Award Council (F) Quality (Q), Quality Gold (QG) and General Power of Competence (GPC). County Durham Lartington PC Wingate PC Barnard Castle TC Little Lumley PC Winston PC (CiLCA, F, GPC) Bearpark PC Lunedale PC Witton Gilbert PC Belmont PC (DA) Lynesack & Softley PC Witton Le Wear PC Bishop Auckland TC (DA, F) Marwood PC Wolsingham PC Bishop Middleham PC Mickleton PC Woodland PC Bournmoor PC Middleton in Teesdale & New- Bowes PC biggin PC Parish Meetings - County Durham Brancepeth PC (CiLCA) Middridge PC Barforth (NM) Brandon/Byshottles PC (CiLCA) Monk Hesleden PC (CiLCA/DA) Barningham Burnhope PC Muggleswick PC Bolam, Cassop Cum Quar. PC (CiLCA) Murton PC (CiLCA/DA) Boldron Castle Eden PC North Lodge PC Bradbury and the Isle Chilton TC Ouston PC Cleatlam (NM) City of Durham PC Ovington PC Edmundbyers (NM) Cockfield PC Pelton PC Forest & Frith (NM) Cornforth PC (CiLCA/GPC) Peterlee TC (DA) Gilmonby (NM) Cornsay PC Pittington PC Headlam (NM) Cotherstone PC Rokeby, Brignall & Egglestone Hitton (NM) Coxhoe PC (CiLCA, F) Abbey PC Holwick (NM) Croxdale & Hett PC Romaldkirk PC Hope (NM) Dalton le Dale PC Sacriston PC Hunstanworth (NM) Dene Valley PC Satley PC Hutton Magna Easington Colliery PC (DA) Seaham TC (CilCA /DA) Langledale & Shotton (NM) Easington Village PC Seaton with Slingley PC Mordon Edmondsley PC (CiLCA) Sedgefield TC(CiLCA, FS, DA, GPC) Morton Tinmouth (NM) Eggleston PC Shadforth PC Nesbitt (NM) Eldon PC Sherburn Village PC Raby & Keverstone (NM) Esh PC Shildon TC (CiLCA/DA/GPC) Scargill (NM) Etherley PC Shincliffe PC (CiLCA/F,Q) Sheraton with Hulam (NM) Evenwood & Barony PC (CiLCA) Shotton PC Wackerfeiled (NM) Ferryhill TC (CILCA/DA) South Bedburn PC Wycliffe with Thorpe (NM) Fishburn PC South Hetton PC Framwellgate Moor PC Spennymoor TC (CiLCA, DA) Areas outside of County Durham Gainford & Langton PC (CiLCA) Staindrop PC Darlington Borough Council area Great Aycliffe TC (CiLCA/DA/GPC) Stainton & Streatlam PC Heighington PC Greater Willington TC (CiLCA) Stanhope PC High Coniscliffe PC Great Lumley PC Stanley TC (DA) Hurworth PC (CiLCA/QG) Greencroft PC Startforth PC Low Conniscliffe & Merrybent PC Hamsterley PC Thornley PC Middleton St George PC Haswell PC Tow Law TC (CiLCA) Whessoe PC Hawthorn PC (F,Q,QG) Trimdon PC Healeyfield PC Trimdon Foundry PC Gateshead MBC area Hedleyhope PC Urpeth PC Lamesley PC Horden PC (CiLCA/DA) Waldridge PC (CiLCA/F) Hunderthwaite PC (NM) West Auckland PC (CiLCA/F/ Sunderland CC area Hutton Henry PC GPC) Hetton TC (DA) West Rainton PC Ingleton PC Kelloe PC Wheatley Hill PC Kimblesworth & Plawsworth PC Whorlton & Westwick PC Windlestone PC Lanchester PC (CiLCA) Executive Committee at 31 March 2019 President Mr G Morris MP Vice Presidents (3) Cllr D Bell (Chairman ) Cllr R Harrison (Vice Chairman) Cllr A Blakemore Honorary Treasurer Cllr A Blakemore Honorary Auditor Mr D Austin CDALC Area Committees Bishop Auckland & Shildon Cllr D Fleming Chester le Street & District Cllr S Hann Durham City Vacant East Durham Cllr I Roberts East Durham Rural Corridor Cllr A Hedley Four Together Cllr H Neve Great Aycliffe and Middridge Cllr W Mellors Mid Durham Rural Cllr J Turnbull Spennymoor/Croxdale & Hett Cllr R Highley Stanley Cllr A Clegg Three Towns Cllr T Batson Teesdale Cllr D Kinch Weardale Cllr D Ellwood Areas outside of County Durham Darlington Cllr P Foster Gateshead Vacant Sunderland Cllr D Geddes Executive Committee members continue Our National Assembly representative (Cllr to meet on a quarterly basis to discuss T Batson) has his travel and subsistence items of national and local interest to our allowances reimbursed by NALC. members. CDALC pays for any regional Members attend meetings on a voluntary representation expenses, for example basis and are paid no fees. Northern Group Meetings. Executive Officers Report 2018–19 For those of you offering toilet facilities in Revised Model Standing Orders were also your area you will be pleased to hear that introduced and a recent update has the Government has agreed to exempt been made to Financial Regulations. the payment of Business Rates on such premises. Members should ensure that their policies are kept up to date and remain fit for After a long and eventually successful purpose.