NDP Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference

Background

The Parish Council has agreed the process of updating the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP) be commenced.

The process will be managed by a group of volunteers within the parish and will report to the Parish Council. A working title for the group is NDP Steering Group.

This document sets out the Terms of Reference for the group.

The Brief

The current NDP needs to be expanded and revised to take account of changes proposed by Herefordshire Council in their new county Local Plan. The Steering Group will be responsible for delivering the new NDP to the parish.

The group will operate separately from the Parish Council but will report progress to it and will look to the Parish Council to assist with managing resources, publicity and advertising as required by the process.

When the new NDP is adopted, the group will be dissolved, and the task of monitoring effectiveness and policing planning applications will devolve to the Parish Council.

Responsibilities

  • To acquaint itself with the legal requirements for updating/revising NDP’s. Including public notification and consultation periods.
  • To identify priorities and produce an action plan to deliver the revised NDP.
  • To define the resources required to fulfil the brief and consult with the Parish Council, Herefordshire Council, and/or Central Government as appropriate, to obtain those resources.
  • To review the status of the existing NDP in compliance and alignment with the new Local Plan proposed by Herefordshire Council.
  • To review the status of the existing NDP in compliance and alignment with changes in legislation that have occurred since the existing plan was adopted.
  • To review the status of the existing NDP in compliance and alignment with recent environmental and climate change studies carried out by the Parish Council.
  • To consult with the public and gather the views and opinions of as many groups and individuals as possible given the resources available.
  • To suggest policy change options that deal with the foregoing that should be written into the new NDP.
  • To publicise the options and get approval of the changes from parishioners and the Parish Council.
  • To convert the approved options into policy and write the new NDP.
  • To manage and oversee the process of writing, publishing, and adoption of the document to achieve legal status.
  • To deliver the newly adopted NDP to the Parish Council as soon as practicable after the new Herefordshire -Local Plan has been adopted.

Membership

To be drawn from a cross section of the community.

Will normally be limited to 8 but can be increased by agreement of the group.
A record of the membership will be maintained and published through the minutes of meetings.

Members will expect to be active participants in the process and commit to fulfilling the brief set by the Parish Council.

Roles and Responsibilities

The Steering Group will report to the Parish Council.

In the event of non-performance or non-compliance with these terms of reference the Parish Council may intercede and require the Steering Group to be reconstituted or dissolved.

At the first meeting the Steering Group will elect the following:

  • Chair
  • Deputy Chair
  • Secretary
  • Finance Co-ordinator
  • Parish Council Liaison

Other roles that are expected to be allocated to volunteers include Communications Lead and Management of volunteers not on the steering group.

Parish Council Co-ordinator will be responsible for providing timely and accurate information to the Parish Council which may include requests for funds and volunteer recruitment.

All members of the Steering Group will be required to abide by the Parish Council Code of Conduct and will be provided with a copy at the first meeting.

Meetings

The Steering Group will normally meet monthly or more frequently as may be required. A programme of meetings will be published on local notice Board. The Parish Council website and The Weston News.

All meetings of the Steering Group will be open and must be held in a place accessible to the public. Minutes and report will be public documents.

At the discretion of the Chair meetings may be held online.

At the discretion of the Chair, it may be necessary to discuss a particular issue in camera. Minutes of these meetings will be confidential.

In the event of a vote being required each member will have one vote. A simple majority will be sufficient to decide the matter. The Chair will have the casting vote.

The definition of the quorum for the Steering Group will be decided at the first meeting.

Working Groups

Such working groups as may be necessary shall be established. They can be made up of volunteers not on the Steering Group. Each working group shall have a lead who is a member of the Steering Group.

Finance

All grants and funding received will be held by the Parish Council, who will hold such funds on behalf of the Steering Group and for the sole purpose of producing the revised Neighbourhood Development Plan.

The Steering Group will produce for the Parish Council a Financial Report. The Parish Council will formally note the report.

The Finance Co-ordinator will produce an operating budget plan. The plan will be reviewed at each meeting and amended as appropriate to accord with actual expenditure and timing.

The Finance Co-ordinator will design, with the Parish Clerk, a process for paying out of pocket expenses that may be incurred by members of the Steering Group. Such expenses to be agreed beforehand by the Steering Group.

Invoices from third parties and suppliers will be made out to The Clerk, Weston under Penyard Parish Council. Payment will be made as soon as practicable after the next Parish Council meeting.

Dissolution of the Group

Either after the new NDP has been successfully adopted into law, the Steering Group will be dissolved. Minutes of meeting will be archived with the Parish Council. Or by order of the Parish Council.