Constitution

Granby cum Sutton Parish Plan Steering Group (SG)

Draft constitution

Purpose

The purpose of the SG will be to work in partnership with the Parish Council to:

  1. Investigate and identify support for the Parish Plan
  2. Identify sources of funding.
  3. Take responsibility for planning, budgeting and monitoring expenditure on the plan and report back to the Parish Council on these matters.
  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. Determine the types of survey and information gathering to be used.
  7. Be responsible for the analysis of the survey, the production and distribution of the final report.
  8. Identify priorities and timescale for local action in the action plan including lead organisations and potential sources of project funding.
  9. To report back to the Parish Council on progress, issues arising and outcomes from the exercise.

Membership

  • The SG will include up to 18 members (one extra from Sutton if a volunteer comes forward)
  • No more than two members will be members of the Parish Council
  • The SG may co-opt up to five additional members
  • A person shall cease to be a member of the SG having notified the chair or secretary in writing of his or her wish to resign.

Officers

At the first full meeting the SG will elect: a chairperson, a secretary, a treasurer, a communications officer and a volunteer coordinator. All other members should have specific role to be agreed by the SG.

Meetings

  • The SG will meet every two months as a minimum, or as required
  • The next meeting date will be agreed where possible at the preceding meeting otherwise five clear days notice of a meeting date will be given by notice or e-mail.
  • A meeting agenda will be ideally decided at the end of the preceding meeting or issued at least 3 full days before the meeting.
  • A quorum shall be a minimum of 10 members
  • The secretary shall keep a record of meetings and circulate minutes to members of the SG not more than 14 days after each meeting.

Working groups

  • The SG may appoint such working groups, as it considers necessary. Each group should have a nominated chair.
  • Working groups do not have the authority to authorise expenditure on behalf of the SG
  • Working groups will be bund by the terms of reference set out for them by the SG

Finance

  • The treasurer shall keep a clear record of expenditure, where necessary supported by receipted invoices.
  • Members of the community who are involved with any working groups may claim back any expenditure that was necessarily incurred during the process of producing the Parish Plan.
  • The treasurer will draw up and agree with the SG procedures for volunteers who wish to claim expenses and the rates they may claim.
  • The treasurer will report back to the SG and the Parish Council on planned and actual expenditure for the project and liaise with the parish clerk to set up a petty cash system and enable cash withdrawals and payment of invoices to be made as required.

Changes to the constitution

  • This constitution may be altered and additional clauses added with the consent of two-thirds of the SG present

Dissolution of the SG

  • Upon dissolution of the SG any remaining funds shall be returned to the Parish Council.
  • The return of any unused funding given as grants to the SG may need to be considered if this was part of the condition of the grant

pls/23/01/08