Specific information for Parish and Town Councils

Last updated: 18/04/2013 Add to My Bookmarks Subscribe

Parish and town councils are key players and critical to the success of the localism agenda given their local knowledge and experience. Cornwall Council now needs to build on this experience and take it forward through the localism service.

The following initiatives/projects have begun:-

Civil Parking Enforcement : Town and Parish Council Partnership Working

St Somewhere? Example of a Neighbourhood Development Plan

A number of local councils have asked what a neighbourhood development plan might actually look like. Whilst there is no definitive example of a neighbourhood plan Planning and Regeneration have produced the St. Somewhere Neighbourhood Plan as an example of what a plan might be like, purely as a general guide.

It is hoped that this example will be of assistance and will promote debate. Any comments, questions and useful pointers are welcome. Further guidance will be issued if required. It is important to note that new national guidance is regularly being issued and that the regulations associated with the Localism Act are not due to be published until early next year. It may well be the case that the published regulations will therefore necessitate an update of the St. Somewhere neighbourhood plan example, which will come to you via future newsletters.

Active Partnering framework (A model for joint service delivery)

Building on the existing Active Partnering framework which was developed in September 2008 to include more services and encourage more local council participation. Initially the focus will be on rolling out a successful pilot scheme covering services and assets.

The framework forms the basis of the service delivery partnership arrangements between the unitary authority and parish and town councils at various levels of engagement, from straightforward service monitoring through to the full devolvement of services. The key facet of Active Partnering is that agreed outcomes are delivered, and these will include greater local influence and an enhanced level of service.

Community Emergency Plans

It’s hard to imagine the horror of flood, severe weather or another emergency without our blue light services, but at the very beginning of an emergency, communities are alone. The local people at the scene of an incident will always be there first and may have to cope until help arrives.

After the emergency services arrive, various community resources can help them deal with the problem and its aftermath.

And sometimes there are events that don’t seem like an emergency, such as winter snowfall, that can put vulnerable members of the community at risk.

A Community Emergency Plan (CEP) can help a community prepare for an emergency and reduce its impact.

The CEP is designed as a first point of reference for help and should assist the community in helping themselves until the emergency services arrive. The information they contain can also be useful in responding to smaller scale problems relating, for example, to the local impacts of snow and ice.

Usually it’s a local town or parish council that will take the lead in preparing a CEP and overseeing its use in an emergency.

Putting together a plan will help local councils take basic steps to identify:

What resources they have in their community, such as 4x4 vehicles, people with useful skills and local knowledge.
Where to go to if there is an immediate need to evacuate and take shelter;
How to mobilise those resources and who to contact.

‘Preparing for an Emergency in the Community: Guidance on Developing a Community Emergency Plan’

Template for a Community Emergency Plan (CEP).

Further guidance and assistance in putting together a CEP can be obtained from your local Community Network Manager.

Equality & Diversity Toolkit

We recognise that our communities and the people that receive services from us all come from different backgrounds and are all individuals, each with differing needs. So we try hard to take that into account in the policies we adopt and the services we provide. We aim to make sure that everyone gets treated fairly.

As a Town or Parish Council, by understanding local differences and encouraging others to do the same, you can make your town or parish a great place for our communities to live and work in. Everyone can feel included and fairly treated.

It’s also a duty under the Equalities Act that everyone works to create a way of doing things that recognizes, respects, values and harnesses difference for the benefit of our communities.

For guidance please read the Community Impact Assessment Toolkit or to view a completed assessment, Rememberance Day Parade by St Austell Town Council.

Event management and town and parish councils

Town and parish councils can play a key role in supporting local events. Find out more on our event management and town and parish councils page or see our guidance on organising events.

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