Here to Stay – at Least for a While
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Cheshire Association of Local Councils Annual Report 2020 Park View Business Centre Combermere Whitchurch Shropshire SY13 4AL Tel: 01948 871314 www.ChALC.org.uk CONTENTS PAGE 3 President’s Foreword 4 Chairman’s Message 5 Executive Board Members 6 Introduction 7 Training 8 Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS) 9 National Association of Local Councils (NALC) Report 10-13 Annual Meeting 2019 Minutes 14 Update on 2019 Motions 15 Financial Statements 16-17 Income and Expenditure Account 18 Summary of Income and Expenditure 19-20 Balance Sheet 21 Notes to Balance Sheet 22 5-Year Comparison Graphs 23 Notes Page 2 PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD It cannot go unsaid that 2020 has proved to be the most challenging year so far for so many of us personally but also for those of us involved in the Town and Parish Council Sector. Although not related to the virus, this year we lost our friend and colleague Frank Thomas. Frank had been a stalwart supporter of the town and parish council movement as an active councillor for Helsby Parish Council and also served for many years on the ChALC Board. I know he will be missed. Despite the many difficulties we have faced, I am proud of the way in which so many of our members have stepped up to the challenges that Coronavirus has created in our communities. Our local councils have risen to the challenge of supporting the most vulnerable people in their communities and have also maintained a level of cheer and optimism that we would all hope to experience. These are just some of the ways they have got involved: Making grants and donations to all sorts of groups and activities; Supporting volunteer groups as they in turn support shielding or vulnerable people Engaging with young people isolated without their schools Keeping the community informed and keeping the virtual flag flying ChALC has produced an interesting report on this work ‘Cheshire Parish and Town Councils Respond to the Challenges of Covid-19’ which is available with this Annual Report – I do hope you will read it. Sharon Angus-Crawshaw has done an excellent job in capturing the sense of camaraderie – an important positive in this very negative situation. In addition our members have faced the most dramatic changes in their way of working ever. They have embraced the Government Regulations that at one point seemed to change on a weekly basis and have helped to spread the messages to their local communities. They have had to get to grips with the new technology involved in holding virtual meetings and have risen to the challenge of keeping democracy alive. Perhaps this will also add impetus to those rural councils who have been trying to get improvements to their broadband connectivity – it seems as if this new world is here to stay – at least for a while. Brian Kerr OBE President 3 CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE Hello to all our members. It does not seem that long since we had our last AGM at Middlewich Town Hall, but sadly a lot have things have happened since then due to COVID 19. Local councils have had to alter the way they operate and conduct their business and some councils will have lost revenue due to the closure of facilities they operate but which still have to be maintained and insured. Most councils are operating virtually for most of their day to day running as well as holding virtual council meetings for the safety of staff and members. These are testing times for all of us and resilience is the buzz word at the moment. Thanks go out to all councils for the stalwart work they are doing to support their residents in whichever way they can and a great thanks goes out to you all. So what has Chalc done this year and what have I been up to in the last 12 months you may ask. As you are all aware Stuart Hulse was elected for another 12 month term as Chairman at last year’s AGM but due to personal circumstances he resigned as a member of Helsby PC and therefore from ChALC. At the December meeting of the Executive Board I was appointed as Chairman for the ensuing year, and I would like to thank the board members for their support. As you were aware Hazel Merrill retired from ChALC after the AGM due to her relocating and the December Board meeting gave approval for Jackie and I to interview several candidates for the post. I was soon able to advise the Board that Sharon Angus-Crawshaw was duly appointed to fill the vacant post. Her previous experience with Cheshire East Borough Council was sure to bring valuable knowledge and experience to the post. I have written to Grant Shapps over the delay in the governments final funding for the A500 upgrade and to the MP for the area and also to the LEP. I can now say that CEBC have been advised that approval has been given for the release of the final funding when they request it. Prior to lock down I attend the HS2b information meetings and have since been updated as to progress on the ground investigation work which has progressed along the route north of Crewe. I commented in a generic response to the commission looking at the HS2b route and asked how it would fit in with Cross northern transport route HS3, requesting that the communities it passed through were consulted and that the effects on their community were considered at all stages. I have had several virtual meetings during lock down with Philip Cox CEO of the Cheshire & Warrington LEP, where he advised me that they had been given funding for drainage works in Chester, Bus Station in Warrington and work to strengthen the canal bank at Calverley by the side of the A51. The whole of the LEP area had been given a grant fund to bid for to provide walking and cycling routes in their area. I would like at this point to thank Terry O’Neill (new Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Finance Committee) for the excellent work keeping our finances healthy. Finally to Jackie at the county office who along with Nikki and Sharon have kept us all supported throughout these hard times and are still doing so from either the office or home - thanks from us all. Philip Jackson Chairman 4 EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS - October 2020 PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENTS Brian Kerr OBE Frank Walton Lesley Smetham CHAIRMAN VICE-CHAIRMAN Philip Jackson Terry O’Neill ELECTED BOARD REPRESENTATIVES: Alan Bailey Lillian Burns Peter Bulmer John Cornell Judith Critchley Stephen Jones David Rowlands Colin Todd Francis Tunney CHESHIRE EAST REPRESENTATIVE Cllr Steven Edgar CHESHIRE WEST & CHESTER REPRESENTATIVE Cllr Mike Jones CHESHIRE COMMUNITY ACTION REPRESENTATIVE John Heselwood SOCIETY OF LOCAL COUNCIL CLERKS REPRESENTATIVE Adam Keppel-Green FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS Terry O’Neill (Chair) Judith Critchley David Rowlands Frank Walton Philip Jackson (ex officio) PREPARATION OF MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTS J D H Business Services Ltd 94a Wrexham Road Mold Flintshire CH7 1HG 5 INTRODUCTION General Overview The year under review was mainly positive although it was with some sadness the staff team said farewell to a long serving colleague but later were able to welcome Sharon Angus- Crawshaw as a valuable addition to our support team. As others have alluded to earlier in this report the year ended on a very different note with the team largely working from home and discovering new ways of working on an unprecedented scale. As this report is being written we are all eagerly anticipating the ‘new normal’ which we have not yet achieved. There has been a heavy turnover of Clerks during the year which in turn also affects the amount of support that is needed to be delivered. Some of this can be addressed by training (details of which come later in this report) but some of this can only be delivered on a one to one basis as the new incumbent gets familiar with the role. A key part of the work of the ChALC officer team remains the day to day support for local councils both the councillors and the clerks. Oftentimes the advice sought is procedural where clear advice on what is legally possible and required is needed but increasingly the advice and support required is in regard to employment issues. This is accessed in a number of different ways: Telephone - the office is usually manned Monday to Friday 9-5 and if the phone is not answered there is a answering machine offering a return call or an alternative mobile number. Calls outside normal working hours are not unusual and are usually answered or returned quickly as we recognise that our members do not always work ‘office hours’; E-mail - each staff member has a personal e-mail address and is able to access this in and out of the office. We aim to answer every e-mail with 48 hours but most are responded to within the day; By post - each year the amount of contact by post (in either direction) diminishes but there are still a few councillors (and a couple of clerks) that prefer not to use electronic means of communication. In person - there will always be some matters that are better dealt with face to face. Either because of the sensitivity of the subject or perhaps because of the complexity. This year we have seen a larger number than ever wanting to access our support in this way sometimes by visiting the office and other times by going out to meet the council itself.