PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL
The Podmore Building, St Andrews Field, St Andrews Road
Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6HT
Telephone: 01892 837373
www.paddockwood-tc.gov.uk
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE HELD ON Monday 24th April 2023, in the Day Centre, Commercial Road at 7.00 pm.
PRESENT: Cllr H Atkins, in the chair
Cllr T Bisdee, R Atkins, D. Kent (after item 38b)
IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs N Reay, Town Clerk
APOLOGY: Cllr S Hamilton
GOV 36 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
GOV37 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 21st January 2023 &Tuesday 11th April 2023 were APPROVED.
GOV38 EXISTING POLICY REVIEW
The following policies and documents are required to be reviewed and approved at the Annual Meeting of the Town Council in May.
(a) Standing Orders – no amendments
(b) Terms of Reference – The following amendments were agreed
- Estates Committee – Membership (2) committee does not meet in May during election year.
Include the following sentence – Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Committee to be authorised key holders for all council property, along with the Estates Manager
- Governance Committee – the Chairman of the Committee will consider all Freedom of Information appeals.
- Five Year Plan Working Group – should be changed to 4-year plan.
The following sentence to be included – A recognised Project Management reporting structure should be adopted. This replaces the existing rating system.
(c) Financial Regulations– the following amendment was agreed
1.8 – remove reference to the Clerk be Responsible Financial Officer, PWTC has a separate one
(d) Complaints Procedure – no amendments
(e) Freedom of Information – no amendments
(f) Health and Safety Policy – no amendments
(g) Risk Management policy – there were no amendments but members asked for it to be referred to the next Governance Meeting for further review.
(h) Data Protection Policy – note the Town Council retains the services of GDPR INFO Ltd as its data protection officer. They provide all the data protection paperwork.
There were no amendments
(i) Press and Media Policy – no amendments
GOV39 EMPLOYMENT POLICIES
The following employment policies and documents are required to be reviewed and approved at the Annual Meeting of the Town Council in May. These policies are included in the new Staff Handbook which has been drawn up by Croner the Council’s HR consultant and should not be changed without seeking Croner’s advice.
(a) Disciplinary Procedure
(b) Equal Opportunities Policy
(c) Grievance Procedure
(d) Bullying and Harassment Policy
(e) Sickness and Absence Policy
(f) Retirement Policy
There were no amendments.
The Chairman proposed, from the chair that all the above documents should be recommended for approval.
CARRIED unanimously.
PPP40 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
To be confirmed
The meeting closed at 9 pm.
