A civil parish is an independent local democratic unit for villages and smaller towns and is part of the local administration and should not to be confused with an ecclesiastical parish centred on an Anglican church. The Parish Council therefore is a small local authority. Its councillors, who are voluntary, are elected by the local residents for four years at a time, the next year being 2003. Each year the councillors choose a chairman from amongst their number. The Council has formal powers to do many things around the village, e.g. provide allotments, look after recreation grounds, burial grounds, light the streets,
comment on planning applications, provide financial assistance to local organisations, provide local amenities and liaise and communicate effectively on behalf of residents with the Borough Council. In order to accomplish all this the councillors sit on committees which meet once a month and then report back to the Council monthly. All meetings are open to the public.
1. Full Council Meetings
These take place at 7.45pm usually on the third Tuesday of each month, except August. The May meeting is the Annual Meeting, at which the Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected and appointments to Committees etc. are made.
The agenda of meetings begin with Public Questions, which allows any member of the public to raise any matter of concern to them.
The meeting includes: Minutes of the last meeting - Liaison with Ruscombe Council - Borough Council Matters - Reports of the Committees- Councillors' Questions- Correspondence and Cheques Signed.
2. Planning and Amenities Committee
The main job of this Committee is to examine all the planning applications made in the Parish and just outside it. The Council has a statutory right to be consulted by the Planning Authority (WBC) but can only make recommendations - the Council has no power to amend or reject applications. The Borough Council do listen and sometimes, but not always, accept our recommendations.
Another major function of this committee is to oversee the "footway lighting" of the Parish. This means nearly all the street lights except those on the four main roads and newer residential areas. The Council provides and maintains various other amenities, such as seats and bus shelters. It also keeps an eye on WBC, to make sure it is carrying out its duties as Highway Authority, especially in respect of repairs.
The Committee is responsible for the twice yearly production of Twyford News in April and October.
3. Parish Lands Committee
This Committee is responsible for the upkeep and supervision of the land and property owned by the Council:
King George's Field (The Recreation Ground), its tennis courts, shed and playground.
Stanlake Meadow and its Pavilion
London Road allotments
Hurst Road allotments
Burial Ground and Millennium Garden (to the rear of the Church)
Jubilee Corner (at the entrance to The Grove)
Twycombe Lodge (the house next to Loddon Hall)
To manage its property the Council employs, on a part-time basis, a Village Ranger (handyman and groundsman) and a Park Warden.
The Council is not responsible for Loddon Hall, which is managed by the Twyford and Ruscombe Community Association.
4. Finance and General Purposes Committee
The main job of this Committee is to draw up the annual budget for approval by the Council in January. Unlike other forms of local authority Parish Councils are not subject to Government rate capping and can precept (i.e. tax) their residents for as much as they like. However, they are very limited as to the purposes for which this money can be raised.
In recent years the Council's annual precept has been around £58,000. This money, together with income from rents and some other sources, defrays the annual cost of the Council's activities.
From time to time the Committee deals with requests from local organisations for grants. Before recommending these grants to the full Council the Committee likes to ensure that the organisation is genuinely charitable (i.e. not commercial) and that its services are actually used by a significant number of Twyford residents.
5. The Annual Parish Meeting
This meeting is held once a year and is for the residents of the Parish to attend and hear the report of the Council and its Committees on the activities carried out in the year. It is usually held in May.
6. Meet the Public.
The Council runs an open session every two months to enable the public to meet with Councillors and discuss any relevant local topic or concerns. The meeting is held at the United Reformed Church Rooms on a Saturday from 1030 am till 1130
am.Dates of meetings are on this website or can be found on the Parish Council notice boards situated at the rear of Waitrose and in Amberley Drive.
7. Role of the Clerk
The Clerk is the Council's Executive Officer, responsible for carrying out the instructions of the Council. She works from home, where the Council's office is technically situated The usual channel of communication is via the phone, using the Council's own number 934 5444,mobile 07186 569552 or e-mail twyfordpc@btconnect.com
8. Obtaining Information about the Council
Twyford Parish Council has adopted the Freedom of Information Model Publication Scheme. Under this Scheme a range of information about the operation of the Parish Council is available to members of the public to examine. Full details of the information available are given below and the Clerk holds a list. This list can be viewed upon application to the Clerk during office working hours 9am to 1pm Monday to Friday.
Applications for hard copies of information should be made in writing to the Clerk at the address below. |
| |
Clerk to the Council: |
| Address: |
58 Wargrave Rd Twyford, Berkshire, RG10 9PH |
| Telephone Numbers: |
0118 9345444 or 07816 569552 |
| E-mail address: |
twyfordpc@btconnect.com |
| Information to be published |
How the information can be obtained |
Class1 - Who we are and what we do
(Organisational information, structures, locations and contacts)
This will be current information only |
(hard copy and/or website) |
| Who’s who on the Council and its Committees |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Contact details for Parish Clerk and Council members (named contacts where possible with telephone number and email address (if used)) |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Location of main Council office and accessibility details |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Staffing structure |
Hard copy |
Class 2 – What we spend and how we spend it
(Financial information relating to projected and actual income and expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audit)
Current and previous financial year as a minimum |
(hard copy) |
| Annual return form and report by auditor |
Hard copy |
| Finalised budget |
Hard Copy |
| Precept |
Hard Copy |
| Borrowing Approval letter |
N/A |
| Financial Standing Orders and Regulations |
Hard copy |
| Grants given and received |
Hard copy |
| List of current contracts awarded and value of contract |
Hard copy |
| Members’ allowances and expenses |
Hard copy |
Class 3 – What our priorities are and how we are doing
(Strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews) |
|
| Parish Plan (current and previous year as a minimum) |
N/A |
| Annual Report to Parish or Community Meeting (current and previous year as a minimum) |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Quality status |
N/A |
| Local charters drawn up in accordance with DCLG guidelines |
N/A |
Class 4 – How we make decisions
(Decision making processes and records of decisions)
Current and previous council year as a minimum |
|
| Timetable of meetings (Council, any committee/sub-committee meetings and parish meetings) |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Agendas of meetings (as above) |
Hard copy |
| Minutes of meetings (as above) – NB this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting. |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Reports presented to council meetings - NB this will exclude information that is properly regarded as private to the meeting. |
Hard copy |
| Responses to consultation papers |
Hard copy |
| Responses to planning applications |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Bye-laws |
Hard copy |
Class 5 – Our policies and procedures
(Current written protocols, policies and procedures for delivering our services and responsibilities)
Current information only |
|
Policies and procedures for the conduct of council business:
Procedural standing orders
Committee and sub-committee terms of reference
Delegated authority in respect of officers
Code of Conduct
Policy statements
|
Hard copy
Hard copy
Hard copy
Hard copy
Hard copy
|
Policies and procedures for the provision of services
Health and safety policy
Policies and procedures for handling requests for information. Complaints procedures (including those covering requests for information and operating the publication scheme)
|
Hard copy |
| Information security policy |
Hard copy |
| Records management policies (records retention, destruction and archive) |
Hard copy |
| Data protection policies |
Hard copy |
| Schedule of charges )for the publication of information) |
See schedule |
Class 6 – Lists and Registers
Currently maintained lists and registers only |
|
| Assets Register |
Hard copy |
| Disclosure log (indicating the information that has been provided in response to requests; recommended as good practice, but may not be held by parish councils) |
N/A |
| Register of members’ interests |
Hard copy |
| Register of gifts and hospitality |
Hard copy |
Class 7 – The services we offer
(Information about the services we offer, including leaflets, guidance and newsletters produced for the public and businesses)
Current information only |
|
| Allotments |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Burial grounds and closed churchyards |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Community centres and village halls |
N/A |
| Parks, playing fields and recreational facilities |
Web site
Hard copy |
| Seating, litter bins, clocks, memorials and lighting |
Hard copy |
| Bus shelters |
Hard copy |
| Markets |
N/A |
| Public conveniences |
N/A |
| Agency agreements |
N/A |
| A summary of services for which the council is entitled to recover a fee, together with those fees (e.g. burial fees) |
Hard copy |
Contact details:
Parish Clerk 0118 9345444, 07816 569 552 or twyfordpc@btconnect.com
Schedule of Charges
| TYPE OF CHARGE |
DESCRIPTION |
BASIS OF CHARGE |
| Disbursement cost |
Photocopying @ 25.p per sheet (black & white) |
Actual cost |
| |
Postage |
Actual cost of Royal Mail standard 2nd class |
| Statutory Fee |
|
In accordance with the relevant legislation (quote the actual statute) |
|
