Appendix 2 - Terms
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Terms of Reference and Membership of Groups Constituted by the
Executive to Assist in its Work
Community Partnership Group
Membership: 15 Members
Terms Of Reference
To consider and advise the Executive or the Council as
appropriate upon:
- Discussions with providers of public services by public
bodies, quasi public bodies or the voluntary sector within the
Borough, on issues of common concern pursuant to the Council’s role
in “Promoting Wellbeing” (Part I Local Government Act 2000)
including healthcare, policing, social services, library services,
infrastructure and associated transport services, education, youth
services, environmental services, economic development, health and
safety, community safety and social inclusion.
(Minute No. 53/6/08).
- To provide political input to all partnerships operating
within the Borough including those listed below by keeping their
activities under review by considering progress reports and seeking
views on emerging issues affecting:
(a) The operation and future plans of the Local Strategic
Partnership and in connection therewith to recommend the
adoption/rejection of the Borough Sustainable Community Strategy to
the Council.
(b) The proposals and outcomes of the Ashford Future
Partnership.
(c) The implications for Ashford
of the Kent Partnership, Kent Public Service Board and the Kent
Local Area Agreement.
NOTE: Amended by virtue of Minute No
601/5/08 and 546/5/09.
Delegations: None
Notes:
1. The main purpose of the Group is to be supportive of
other service providers by being a critical friend.
Quorum: One quarter of the total
membership.
Grants Gateway Panel
Grants Gateway Panel
Membership: 5 Members
including Portfolio Holder for Cultural Services and IT and 4
external representatives*
Terms of Reference
1. To consider
recommendations from the Head of Cultural & Project Services on
the allocation of revenue, capital, change/emergency grants, loans
and non-domestic discretionary rate relief over £1,000 and up to
£10,000, in line with the Council’s Policy for Funding and Support
of Voluntary and Community Organisations.
Each application to be assessed by the Panel
in terms of the Council’s funding priorities, budget position, the
stated benefits of the project, its social value, value for money
and taking account of the recommendation of the Head of Cultural
& Project Services.
The Head of Cultural and Project Services has
delegated powers to determine grants up to £1,000 subject to an
assessment of the application against assessment criteria and the
usual consultation with Ward Members and partner funders; any
disagreements arising should result in the relevant application
being referred to the next meeting of the Grants Gateway Panel for
decision.
2.
To consider recommendations from the Corporate Funding Team on the
allocation of Community Services Grants, in line with the Council’s
Policy for Funding and Support of Voluntary and Community
Organisations and Guidance for Applicants.
Each application to be assessed by the Panel
in terms of
·
the Council’s funding priorities and budget position
·
the direct benefits and any wider/social benefits of the project or
service
·
value for money and
·
the views and recommendations of the Corporate Funding Team.
The Executive committee has power to determine
such allocations as part of the Council’s annual budget setting
process.
Notes
1. All applications
submitted for the panel’s consideration will have already been
judged to meet the following eligibility criteria (and any
additional entry criteria for the specific scheme) in order to pass
through the gateway.
Eligibility Criteria for Single Grants
Gateway
- Not-for-profit organisations with either
charitable status OR a constitution with a formally appointed
management committee OR a parish council (not NNDR). No
individuals, public sector or private business.
- Operating in Ashford borough and/or serving
borough residents in accordance with the Council’s Corporate
Funding Priorities.
- Service or project open to any resident in
the borough (unless clear, non-financial justification for
targeting or prioritising client group).
- Not for projects already started or
completed, or to replace funds already spent.
- Not for mainstream public services e.g.
health, education provision; or religious instruction.
- Bank or Building Society account in the
organisation’s name.
- Accounts either audited or signed by Chair or
Treasurer OR if new organisation less than a year old, 12 month
cash flow forecast and balance sheet to date signed by Chair or
Treasurer.
- No more than 12 months’ running costs in
unrestricted/free reserves.
- Must have relevant safeguards, insurances and
policies in place i.e. public liability insurance, health and
safety, child protection policy.
*2. The external
representatives shall be: -
2 from Ashford Community Network Board, 1 from
Active Ashford Board or its successor organisation, and 1 from
Ashford Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
3. Only
Members or substitute Members, and Council Officers are permitted
to attend meetings (except meetings to consider Community Services
Grants), together with appropriate Ward Members and applicants,
with the consent of the Chairman.
4. For revenue,
capital, change/emergency grants, loans and rate relief, to meet
three times per financial year in May, October and January to
consider shortlisted applications from rounds closing in March,
August and November respectively; or at the discretion of the
Chairman.
5. For Community
Services Grants, to meet once per financial year in September to
endorse applications recommended by the Corporate Funding Team for
the annual round closing in June; or at the discretion of the
Chairman.
Amended by Minute Number: 370/2/11
Joint Consultative Committee
Membership: 6 Members*, 6 Employee
Representatives and 2 Ashford Branch Unison Officials
Terms of Reference
To consider and advise the Executive or other
group of the Council as appropriate upon:-
- Consultation over new Personnel policies and proposals that
materially alter any existing policy.
- Consultation over service specific proposals that have staffing
implications of a material nature but where the issue is not
exclusively concerned with staffing matters.
- Consultation over material organisational structural change(s)
or any material amendments to staff terms and conditions of
service.
- All early retirement proposals that require Council's approval
to grant added years.
- Consultation over non-staffing specific corporate issues such
as the Corporate Strategy and the Budget.
Matters not normally to be referred to The Executive:
-
-
Consultation over minor amendments to Personnel policies.(Views
to be referred to the Head of Personnel and Development).
- Consultation over any matter referred from a Joint Working
Group on operational-wide or administrative matters of
service/directorate operational or administrative matters of
greater significance.
(Views to be referred to the Head of Personnel and
Development).
- Discussion of Information Items eg., Best Value Performance
Indicators relating to staffing issues, policy implementation
reports, matters arising from staff surveys not requiring executive
decisions, etc.
(Views to be referred to the Head of Personnel and Development or
Management Team as appropriate).
- Matters raised for debate by the staff-side.
(Views to be referred to Management Team, but if decisions are
required following discussions, the JCC will agree whether reports
should be produced for the Executive or other Groups as
appropriate)
Notes
- *To include the Leader of the Council and/or appropriate
Portfolio holder. This provision will not preclude both Members
from being members of the Group. The Employer's representatives
must be drawn from the Executive and non-Executive Members of the
Council. The Employer’s representation shall not exceed or be less
than the number of representatives of the Employees’ Side. The
Employers must not be represented in negotiations whether directly
or indirectly by members or officials of UNISON or by members who
are also employed by another Local Authority.
- A procedure note is available for inspection from the Proper
Officer detailing the manner in which the Consultative Committee is
constituted, the role of both Sides’ representatives and the
procedure for dealing with items placed before it.
- Appointed representatives of both sides may send substitutes to
attend meetings.
- Although a Chairman’s report of proceedings of the Consultative
Committee is prepared by the Proper Officer, this is not reported
to the Executive or other appropriate Committees of the Council.
Instead, outcomes from the Committee are incorporated
by report authors, in the reports submitted to the Executive or
other appropriate Committees.
Quorum: One quarter of the total
membership.
Local Development Framework Task Group
Membership: 7 Members*
Terms Of Reference
To consider and advise the Executive upon:-
- Emerging ideas and policies at appropriate stages during
the preparation of the Local Development Framework including public
consultation and the formulation of the Borough Council's response
to the Kent County Council upon that Council's review of the Kent
Structure Plan ensuring at all times that key links with the wider
Ashford's Future Work, the Local Strategic Partnership and the Area
Investment Framework are encompassed.
Quorum: One quarter of the total
membership.
Nature Conservation Forum
Membership: 6 Members* and Appropriate
External Representatives+
Terms Of Reference
To consider and advise the Executive or the Head of
Cultural and Project Services as appropriate upon:-
- Matters arising from the management of Nature
Conservation Sites within the Borough, i.e. Bybrook Nature Reserve,
Green Corridors, Heaths, Countryside Corridors, Hoads Wood,
Hothfield Common, Joy Wood/Bridewell Plantation, Singleton
Millennium Woodland; The Dene - St. Michaels, The Warren, Tudor
Road - Kennington.
- To identify other Nature Conservation Sites
in the Borough.
- To assist with the management of other
Nature Conservation Projects in the Borough
Delegations: None
.
Notes:
- * To include the appropriate Portfolio
holder.
- +To be local users, conservationists and those
involved in the educational use of the Nature Conservation Sites
referred to above. The list of the current membership is
retained by the Proper Officer (+ British Trust for
Conservation Volunteers; English Nature, Kent Team; Forest
Enterprise, SE England Forest District; Kent Wildlife Trust;
Kentish Stour Countryside Project).
- The Forum’s aims are to ensure that the sites referred to
above are conserved and managed properly and to act as a Forum and
focal point for those with an interest and involvement in their
preservation and enhancement.
- Public attendance pursuant to the Access to Information
Procedure Rules as contained in Part 4 of this Constitution will only be
permitted if agreed in advance of the meeting between the external
representative and the Chairman of the Forum.
- Travel expenses of the external representatives when
attending meetings of the Forum will be met by the Council subject
to payment being limited to the equivalent of the journey from the
person's home within the Borough to the Civic Centre and
return..
- The views of the Forum are to be reported via a
Chairman's report which will be prepared by the Proper Officer to
the Executive or the Head of Cultural and Project Services as
appropriate.
Quorum: One quarter of the Ashford Borough
Council elected Members on the Forum.
Parish Forum
Membership: The Leader of the
Council together with the Leaders of Groups upon the Council and 2
Representatives each from Parish Councils within the Borough and
the Tenterden Town Council.
Terms Of Reference
To consider and advise the Executive upon:-
- Discussions with Parish Council representatives upon
issues of common concern with a view to achieving a better
understanding of shared aspirations and, to identify ways in which
joint working may be introduced for the betterment of communities
as a whole.
Delegations: None
Notes:
- To include the Leader of the Council and
appropriate Portfolio holders.
- Public attendance pursuant to the Access to Information
Procedure Rules as contained in Part 4 of this Constitution will only be
permitted if agreed in advance of the meeting between the external
representatives and the Chairman of the Forum.
- The views of the Forum are to be reported via a
Chairman's report, which will be prepared by the Proper Officer, to
the Executive and/or Service Manager.
- The Forum will meet 4 times a year.
Procurement Advisory Board (Minute No 460/3/09)
Membership: 2
Members*, Deputy Chief Executive, Head of Environmental Services,
Representatives from Legal Section and the Performance and
Improvement Team +
Terms of Reference
The Procurement Advisory Board
(“Board”) will effectively strengthen governance arrangements for
procurement (defined here as contracting for goods, works and
services). It will provide a means to gain a stronger
corporate focus on the importance of maintaining and developing
good procurement practices. The Board will also
help:
- to develop forward
procurement planning;
- to develop a corporate focus
on sustainable procurement policies;
- to generate discussion and
evaluation of new approaches to
procurement.
The Board
will:
- Help to ensure effective corporate contract
planning and timetabling (over a rolling three year period),
thereby improving contract co-ordination.
- Provide a means for constructive challenge at
the start of a procurement process, through consideration, where
appropriate, of business cases or tender strategies, operational
options and resource implications all prior to tendering.
- Provide a means to explore new approaches to
contracting, including collaboration opportunities and the use of
electronic tendering.
- Provide a mechanism to consider options for
packaging of services.
- Provide networking opportunities (through the
involvement of non-specialists and the occasional use of external
expertise), allowing ideas, problems and solutions to be shared and
discussed with help and support.
- Facilitate development of new procurement
policy including the updating of processes such as contract
standing orders and to oversee generally progress against the
Procurement Strategy and its associated Code of Practice.
- Provide a means to risk assess contract
procurements and to provide further means to strengthen legal,
financial and other professional input to the contracting
process.
- Provide a means to ensure equalities aspects
are considered as part of the contracting cycle.
- Provide a means to consider contractors’ and
customers’ feedback.
- Help in the drive for further efficiency from
the Council’s contracting processes.
Notes
- The Board will be advisory and have the
ability to recommend its views on individual procurements to
Officers with delegated responsibilities and, when appropriate, to
the Executive.
- * One Member to be the Member Champion
for Procurement who shall be Chairman of the Board, and one other
Member.
- + When considering
individual contract procurement proposals (renewing a contract or a
new contract) the relevant service would also be represented at
Board meetings.
- The Board will meet between four to six times
a year and provide an annual report of progress for information to
all Members.
Tenants Forum
Membership: 2 Members* and Tenants' Forum
Representatives
Terms Of Reference
To consider and advise the Executive and the Head of Housing
upon:-
- Discussions held with Tenant Representatives relating to
the Council’s functions as a Housing Authority and to examine ways
in which the services provided by the Authority pursuant to its
powers may be improved.
Delegations: None
Notes:
- * To include the appropriate Portfolio
holder.
- Public attendance pursuant to the Access to Information
Procedure Rules as contained in Part 4 of this Constitution will only be
permitted if agreed in advance of the meeting between the external
representatives and the Chairman of the Forum.
- The views of the Forum are to be reported via a
Chairman's report, which will be prepared by the Proper Officer, to
the Executive and/or The Head of Housing.
- Travel expenses of the tenant representatives when
attending meetings of the Forum will be met by the Council subject
to payment being limited to the equivalent of the journey from the
persons home within the Borough to the Civic Centre and
return.
Transport Forum
Membership: 7 Members*, Transport
Companies and Other Representatives+
Terms Of Reference
- To receive reports from Council Officers, consultants and
transport operators on transport issues in the Borough and provide
input into the development and implementation of a sustainable
transport strategy for Ashford.
- To advise the Joint Transportation Board (ABC/KCC) on
transport strategy.
Delegations: None
Notes:
- * To include the appropriate Portfolio
Holder.
- +The list of current representatives is
retained by the Proper Officer. (+Set out below for
information) membership to be reviewed and widened as and when
necessary, to accept representatives from all modes of travel and
local interest groups.
- Public attendance pursuant to the Access to Information
Procedure Rules as contained in Part 4 of this Constitution will only be
permitted if agreed in advance of the meeting between the external
representatives and the Chairman of the Forum.
- The final Agenda will be set 10 working days in advance
of the Forum meeting dates by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman and
other elected Members at a pre-meeting. The Agenda will
contain structural updates from all transport providers and
authorities with the option of receiving specialist presentations
when relevant (Minute No. 189/9/09 refers).
- The views of the Forum are to be reported via a
Chairman's report, which will be prepared by the Proper Officer, to
the next available meeting of the Joint Transportation
Board.
- The Forum will meet twice a year (Minute No. 189/9/09
refers).
- + Ashford Access Group
- Ashford Chamber of Commerce,
Industry and Enterprise
- Ashford Police
- Ashford Town Centre
Partnership
- County Square
- Eurostar
- Independent Taxi Drivers
Association
- KCC Passenger and Transport
Services
- Kent Highway Services
- Marshlink Community Rail
Partnership
- Network Rail
- Passenger Focus
- South Eastern Railways
- Southern Railway
- Stagecoach East Kent
Quorum: One quarter of the Ashford Borough
Council elected Members of the Forum.
Next - Appendix 3 - Functions Not to be the
Responsibility of the Executive
This webpage was updated on
10/24/2011