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 25th April 2022, in the Day Centre, Commercial Road at 7.45 pm.
PRESENT: Cllr M Flashman, in the Chair
Cllr T Bisdee, D. Kent, A. Mackie, C. Williams
IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs N Reay, Town Clerk
APOLOGIES: Cllrs R Atkins & Hamilton
PPP 18 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
PPP19 MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 24th January 2022 & Monday 31st January 2022 were APPROVED.
PPP20 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. Members reviewed the documents with the following amendments
(a) Standing Orders – no amendments
(b) Terms of Reference – the Town Council has approved the Committees’ delegated powers at its meetings on 21st March & 19 April 2022. The committee NOTED the amended delegated powers for each committee and agreed that the quorum for each committee should be 50%.
Item 6 on the Finance Committee should read “Consider requests to vire, where necessary, within reserve budget headings, up to £5000. All sums above that figure to be referred to Full Council”
Estates Committee – operational documents such and Terms and Conditions and Cemetery rules to be ratified by Full Council.
(c) Financial Regulations –
6.20 – to allow the Estates Manager use of the Corporate Credit Card.
(d) Complaints Procedure – reviewed and approved by Full Council 21st February 2022
(e) Freedom of Information – Policy & Procedure for Handling Requests
Page 4 “Recommended that Councillors conducting the internal review should have completed a KALC training course on FoI.”
Data Retention and Disposal Policy – amend Clerk’s Office to Town Council Office in all instances.
Para 8 – should state “be securely shredded”
Para 10 & 12 – change senior assistant to deputy clerk.
(f) Health and Safety Policy – the council has just appointed Croner as its Health and Safety Consultant. It was therefore agreed that the policy should not be revised as they will be providing the Council with a new Policy.
(g) Risk Management policy – No amendments
(h) Press & Media Policy – no amendments
(i) Data Protection – this policy is provided by the Council’s Data Protection Officer.
Policies can be found on the council website.
PPP21 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. The Council’s Personnel Committee reviewed the Handbook at its meeting on the 31st January 2022. It was agreed at the council meeting held on the 19th April 2022 that these documents should be reviewed by the Personnel Committee.
(a) Disciplinary Procedure
(b) Equal Opportunities Policy
(c) Grievance Procedure
(d) Bullying and Harassment Policy
(e) Sickness and Absence Policy
(f) Retirement Policy
PPP22 OPERATION LONDON BRIDGE
Members noted the amendments to the protocol. This had been drawn up in consultation with St Andrews Church.
PPP23 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
To be confirmed
The meeting closed at 8.45 pm