To achieve a Foundation Award a council demonstrates that it has the minimum documentation and information in place for operating lawfully and according to standard practice.

1

Standing orders and financial regulations

Standing orders, financial regulations, the Code of Conduct, publication scheme and complaints procedure are public documents tailored to the specific council.  Standing orders or financial regulations explain procedures for contracts and internal controls.

Criteria Met: Link?

2

Code of Conduct and a link to councillors’ registers of interests

A working link to the complete register of all councillors’ interests on the principal authority’s website.

Code of Conduct information together with a link to view the Councillors Register of Interests can be viewed by clicking on the link below:

Code of Conduct and Register of Interests

Criteria Met: Link?

3

Publication scheme

Tailored to the Council

Town Council’s Publication Scheme can be viewed by clicking on the lnk below:

Publication Scheme

Criteria Met: Link?

4

Last annual return

The council posts up a scanned copy of the last annual return.  The panel checks that the council has a limited assurance (unqualified) opinion from the external auditor; the opinion may contain recommendations for consideration as long as a qualified opinion is not given.  The panel checks the arrangements for internal audit and internal controls.

Criteria Met: Link?

5

Transparent information about council payments

Information on all payments must be transparent and in accordance with financial regulations and statutory proper practices. The panel will check the minutes of meetings, financial regulations, the annual return (if relevant) and compliance with the Local Government Transparency Code.

Criteria Met: Link?

6

Calendar of all meetings including the annual meeting of electors

The calendar (in any format) includes the Annual Meeting of the Council and the Annual Parish/Town Meeting and both meetings must be held during the correct statutory period. The calendar also shows that the council has at least four full council meetings a year.

Criteria Met: Link?

7

Minutes for at least one year of full council meetings and (if relevant) all committee and sub-committee meetings

The minutes for full council meetings over the last year include the Annual Meeting of the Council.  If relevant, the council also posts up the minutes of its Finance Committee to demonstrate transparency according to statutory regulations and of its Planning Committee showing that procedures for reviewing planning applications are correct.

Criteria Met: Link?

8

Current agendas

The panel checks that minutes and agendas demonstrate the lawful convening of meetings and decision making and that all meetings allow the public to make representations to the council.

Criteria Met: Link?

9

The budget and precept information for the current or next financial year

The council can post up the current or next year’s budget (or both). Budget documents would normally show columns comparing the year in question with the two previous years; they include information on income and expenditure (or receipts and payments) and show how the precept was calculated.

Criteria Met: Link?

10

Complaints procedure

Criteria Met: Link?

11

Council contact details and councillor information in line with the Transparency Code

The council’s website should include the name of the clerk and contact details (address, phone, e-mail) for the council as a corporate body. It should also publish the names of councillors and councillors’ responsibilities in compliance with the Local Government Transparency Code.

Criteria Met: Link?

12

Action plan for the current year

The council must publish an action plan; as a minimum this is a one-page document listing the council’s objectives for the current year. It is not a parish plan which is a plan for the future of the community; the council can extract objectives for action from the parish plan depending on its areas of responsibility.

Criteria Met: Link?

13

Evidence of consulting the community

Any form of consultation is suitable including surveys, online polls, focus groups or public meetings.

Criteria Met: Link?

14

Publicity advertising council activities

The panel seeks at least one piece of evidence from council publicity that it consults and actively serves its community.  Publicity might include an annual report, web material or news bulletins.  The information gives a flavour of any council activity such as lobbying principal authorities, giving grants to community groups, the provision of a service or helping with community events.

Criteria Met: Link?

15

Evidence of participating in town and country planning

Council documents demonstrate that the council participates in the planning system by, for example, commenting on planning applications or working on a neighbourhood plan.  Decisions on planning matters must be made in properly convened meetings and, if required, by delegation to a committee.

Criteria Met: Link?