WELCOME

Town & Parish Forum27 March 2014

AGENDA

• Financial Overview

• Communities

• Breckland Training Services

• Norfolk Association of Local Councils

• Town Council Liaison Arrangements

• Questions & Answers

2014-15 Financial Overview

Town & Parish Forum

March 2014

Introduction

Medium Term revenue budget position

2014-15 costs breakdown

Council tax level

Business Rates pool

Medium Term Budget (as at 12-13)Net Cost of Services V Total Income

Medium Term Budget (as at 14-15)Net Cost of Services V Total Income

Medium Term Budget (as at 14-15)

Outcomes:

2 years balanced budget

2 years freeze on Council Tax levels

Efficiency requirement in 2016-17 reduced to

£1.35m compared to £3.33m

Medium Term Budget (as at 14-15)

Sensitivities:

NNDR levels

Central Government funding

Economic growth

Contract inflation

Interest rates

Localised Council Tax Support (LCTS) scheme

Council Tax

2014-15 Cost Breakdown

2014-15 Cost Breakdown

2014-15 Income Breakdown

2014-15 Council Tax

£

Norfolk CC 1,145.07

Norfolk PCC 204.75

Breckland DC 69.03

Average Parish/Town Cncls 76.32

Total 1,495.17

2014-15 Council Tax

Business Rates Pool

2014-15 Breckland Joined Norfolk Pool

Tariff paid into Pool rather than to Central Government

This results in saving in tariff to Norfolk overall

Keeps funding within Norfolk rather than centralised

Funding to be used to promote economic development

within Norfolk

Communities

Steve James

Community Development

2013/14 Review…..

Community Development

FOTF 2013

Holiday Activities

Thetford Parkrun

Book Festival

Dereham 5kCycle Breckland

Community GrantsVillage Games

The year ahead….

26th July 2014 – Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse

festivalonthefarm.com

The year ahead….

Grants up to £500 for community projects which explore, share and conserve the heritage of the First World War in Breckland.

 The deadline for grant applications is Friday 9 May 2014

The year ahead….

22nd June at Northgate High School

The year ahead….

Volunteers recruited for 2014

Training weekend 29th & 30th March

The year ahead….

Fitness in Later Life launching April 2014

The year ahead….

2 x 10 week blocks of 12 courses

Such as Yoga, Golf, Indoor Bowls, Badminton targeted at inactive people

The year ahead….

Spring 2015

Author visits & workshops across the District

OurExpertise

&Knowledge

DevelopmentCourses

TeamBuilding

&AwayDays

Member Development

BrecklandTrainingServices

Breckland’s Member Development Journey

So how good is this status?

336 Local Authorities235 signed up to achieve the Charter

136 achieved the Charter13 achieved Charter Plus

22 signed up to achieve the Charter17achieved the Charter3 achieved Charter Plus

What does this mean for Councillors?

Dedicated Panel

Annual Self Assessment Questionnaires

Annual Personal Development interviews

6 month review

Tailor made Training programme

Town and Parish Councillors

5 Town Councils

92 Parish Councils

??? Councillors

Training Programme 2014-2015

Chairing Meeting Skills

Software training

Media Training

Community Champions

Managing your time

To book……

Through your Town/Parish Clerk

Directly to the Breckland Training Team

Leanne Neave – 01362 656225

leanne.neave@breckland.gov.uk

Thank you

Breckland Town & Parish Forum

27.03.14

Jane Scarrott –

Norfolk ALC

NorfolkALC

Membership Association serving the needs of Parishes throughout Norfolk

We have two main streams of funding Membership Subscriptions Norfolk County Council Grant

Parishes In Norfolk

Norfolkmembers

Non-members

Parish Councils

448 49

Town Councils

22 All in membership

Parish Meetings

59 4 in membership

Total 529

Non-Members in Breckland

Bradenham Sparham Cockley Cley SnettertonGarboldisham South Pickenham Gt. Cressingham WellinghamKenninghall Lt. CressinghamOxborough Rougham Shropham

What services do we offer ? 1

HR Advice Employment Service/Recruitment (chargeable) Meeting Procedure Advice Desk Top Legal Service Weekly e-mail Newsletter Website Lobbying via the National Association

What services do we offer ? 2

Quality Council Mentoring Seminars – either topic specific or

general Training Meeting Attendance Locum Clerk service Cafe Clusters 1-1 Meetings LET US KNOW!

Current Problems for Parish Councils Precept – concern regarding localisation

of Council Tax Support Scheme grant and possible future capping

‘Informed’ Public! Freedom of Information – social media Audit (proposed transparency code) Consultation overload – recent Local

Audit and Accountability Act

Norfolk ALC

Norfolk has a great number of Parishes but they are classed in National Terms as small-medium

But smaller councils tend to have bigger problems!

What are their problems? Apathy Too much Interest Inter weaving with other village

organisations Family Ties Clerks salary as a proportion of the

precept Too much to do!

What are their problems

Small Councils have big problems

Wind Farms Solar Farms Extraction Sites Second Homes Affordable Housing

Growth of the Multi-clerk

Many clerks now cover more than one Parish

Benefits:•Training Costs Shared

•Good Practice Extended

•Easy to cluster and consult

Growth of the Multi-clerk

Many clerks now cover more than one Parish

Pitfalls:•Can be anti-training

•Can ‘lead’ the council

•Can run out of time!

•Loss of clerk leaves no cover locally

Localism“My job as Secretary of State is not to sit in my

office, making all the decisions, pulling all the strings, coming up with more and more ways to annoy you. It’s to get out of your way: and to get everything else out of your way too. That’s what localism means. Pushing power out to

local government, and beyond into neighbourhoods and communities.”

Eric Pickles

July 2010

Localism Act 2011

Aim to assist councils and communities to make a difference locally through introduction of:

•General Power of Competence

•Community Right to Challenge

•Neighbourhood Planning

•Community Right to Bid

Localism Update

Where are we? According to DCLG localism means

“doing more for less” Eric Pickles has also said local councils

are “localism’s magic wand”Does this mean the Government want

parishes to deliver more for even less?

ConclusionThere are councils with problems and these are the ones we are aware of. However, the vast majority of Town and Parish Councils are undertaking services that meet the needs of their community in a professional and timely manner.

Hopefully, they are all embracing Localism too!

Town Council Liaison Arrangements

Michael Wassell

Leader of the Council

Question & Answers

Thank you

Have a safe journey