Scheme of Delegation (Ordinary)
Ordinary Scheme of Delegation
1. Introduction
1.1 This scheme of delegation outlines the delegation of duties to officers of the council during ordinary periods. The scheme is in addition to the emergency scheme of delegation which is enacted in periods considered to be a temporary period of emergency. The activities included in this document are not exclusive and will be carried out in addition to any responsibilities and duties already conferred to the post of Clerk and RFO.
1.2 Delegated powers within this scheme may already be provided within existing policies of the council including but not limited to Standing Orders and Financial Regulations. The purpose of this scheme is to detail in a single document the delegated powers given to officers on a day-to-day basis.
1.3 The following provisions to this policy should be noted:
- The delegations in this scheme are subject to any limitations imposed by law, the budget and the Council’s policies including Standing Orders and Financial Regulations.
- The inclusion of examples in the scheme does not limit the generality of the wording to which the example relates.
- The reference to a legislative provision extends to any amendment or re-enactment or consolidation of that provision.
- In the exercise of any statutory function any words or phrases in the appropriate part of the scheme which are defined in the relevant legislation shall bear the same definition as in that legislation.
- Grant of a delegated power does not necessarily imply any budget provision for the exercise of that power or the consequences of such exercise.
- All delegated powers referred to in the scheme are given to the Clerk/RFO only. The Clerk may at his/her discretion authorise other members of staff to act on his/her behalf using the powers delegated in this scheme. During any period of absence affecting the Clerk, the delegated powers are extended to Deputy Clerk or Assistant Clerk as required.
2. Table of delegated authority
| Delegated authority | Related policies | Consultation and reporting processes | |
| Staffing | |||
| 1. Expenses, travel and reimbursements | Save for the Clerk’s expenses, the approval of financial allowances to staff for travelling, subsistence and eye tests. | Expenses policy | Included in the list of payments presented to Full Council or Finance and Policy. |
| 2. Absences and working time |
Agree all leave arrangements with employees and document absence due to sickness, holiday, bereavement, parental leave and care and compassionate leave To receive timesheets and arrange TOIL where necessary. |
Absence policy |
Ordinary leave arrangements such as annual leave, sickness or compassionate leave will not be reported to council. Additional leave arrangements beyond those listed in the policy for care and compassion or bereavement willbe considered by the committee responsible for staffing. |
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3. Management and disciplinary procedures |
To carry out appraisals for all staff and make recommendations for salary increments, training and performance development plans as appropriate. To carry out informal procedures for performance management. |
Staff support, Appraisal and Performance Policy Disciplinary policy |
Reported to Personnel committee |
| Corporate and Miscellaneous | |||
| 4. Representing council | To represent the authority at any conference or meeting to which the authority is invited unless the Council has indicated otherwise. | This delegation is not provided within an existing policy. | Reported to Full Council. |
| 5. Data protection | To respond to requests for information including requests made under Subject Access arrangements and Freedom of Information. |
Data Protection policy Subject Access procedure |
Request and response reported to Full Council at the next appropriate meeting |
| 6. Training | To arrange training for staff and councillors which falls under the Annual Training Scheme and any other training (with or without an additional cost) which covers the minimum training requirements as listed in the Training policy. Formal qualifications and any other training requests will be considered by the Council or appropriate committee. | Training policy |
Where there is ambiguity, the Clerk will make a decision in consultation with the Chairman of the committee responsible for personnel matters. Attendance at training reported to Personnel committee. |
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7. Planning |
To submit comments on behalf of the council for planning applications in consultation with the Chairman of the Council and any other members as the Clerk sees appropriate. The authority will be reserved for use only in the following circumstances: - Where a meeting of the council cannot be held prior to the consultation deadline - Where an extension to the consultation period has been refused |
This delegation is not provided within an existing policy. |
Reported to Full Council. |
|
8. Media |
To submit articles, news and information to local publications such as Heath Cliff View and Parish News. To maintain the Parish Council’s website and make decisions on the style and content of the webpages. To maintain the Council’s Facebook page and determine its content. |
Engagement and Communication Strategy 8.2 Policy for Online Interation section 4 |
No consultation required. Not reported. |
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Urgent situations In urgent situations, the clerk can issue a letter or press release with the agreement of the chairman of the council or relevant committee. |
Engagement & Communication Strategy 7.3 |
Consultation with the Chairman of the Council Where possible, members of the Council or committee should have the opportunity to comment on a draft copy beforehand. |
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9. Meetings and Council Members |
Receive and hold declarations of acceptance of office for Councillors Receive and record notices disclosing interests at meetings Sign and issue summonses to attend meetings of the Council Notify the NKDC of any casual vacancies and liaise with him/her regarding elections. |
Standing Order 15b
Councillor vacancies policy |
No consultation required. Not reported. |
| Financial | |||
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10. Authority to spend |
To authorise expenditure within agreed budgets:
Emergency or urgent situations In cases of serious risk to the delivery of council services or to public safety on council premises, the clerk may authorise expenditure of up to £2,000 excluding VAT on repair, replacement or other work that in their judgement is necessary, whether or not there is any budget for such expenditure. The Clerk shall report such action to the Chair as soon as possible and to the council as soon as practicable thereafter. No expenditure may be authorised that will exceed the budget for that type of expenditure other than by resolution of the council except in an emergency. |
Financial Regulation 5.15
Financial Regulation 5.18
Financial Regulation 5.17 |
Reported in the list of payments submitted for approval at Full Council. For large and infrequent items purchased this will also be reported separately under an item ‘to receive a report on the use of delegated authority’. |
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11. Banking and Payments |
To authorise payments: a. If a payment is necessary to avoid a charge to interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, and the due date for payment is before the next scheduled meeting of council, where the clerk and RFO certify that there is no dispute or other reason to delay payment. |
Financial Regulation 5.5 and 5.6 |
A list of such payments shall be submitted to the next appropriate meeting of council or Finance and Policy committee. |
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The Clerk and RFO shall have delegated authority to authorise payments in the following circumstances:
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Financial Regulation 6.9 |
A list of such payments shall be submitted to the next appropriate meeting of council as ‘ Payment’s made between meetings’.
All payments made will be carried out in accordance with Financial Regulations ( 2 signatories shall check and approve before payments are released from the council’s account). . |
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12. Income |
To collect all income due to the Council including appropriate interest and costs. |
Financial Regulation 13.1 |
No consultation required. Statements of income presented to Full Council. |
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13. Grants |
To apply for grants on the Council’s behalf which cannot reasonably wait to be considered until the next meeting. |
This delegation is not provided within an existing policy. |
In consultation with the Council Chair. |
| Leisure, recreation, sport and other services | |||
| 14. Recreation spaces and hire | To grant permissions for the use of recreational open space in accordance with Council policy (if any) and statutory requirements. |
This delegation is not provided within an existing policy. |
No consultation required. Not reported. |
| 15. Events | To grant use of the Council’s land such as the Woodland Walk to local groups and organisations for annual events such as ‘Woolly Woodlands’ and the Events group trails. | This delegation is not provided within an existing policy. |
No consultation required. Not reported. |
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16. Hire or facilities |
To exercise control and management of the facilities, including control of access, security, lettings, hire of facilities, negotiation of charges not otherwise fixed by the Council. To negotiate hire charges in special circumstances for example giving use free of charge for a charity event. |
This delegation is not provided within an existing policy. |
No consultation required. Not reported. |
| 17. Inspections | Carry out routine inspections of the Council’s facilities, buildings and services | This delegation is not provided within an existing policy. | No consultation required. Reported to Full Council or relevant committee where appropriate and /or where action is needed. |
3. Review arrangements
3.1 This policy will be reviewed annually by the Full Council.
3.2 This policy may be reviewed more frequently in response to changes in leislation or guidance.
4. Version control and amendment history
|
Date approved |
Version Number |
Revision / amendments made |
Review date |
|
May 2022 |
1.0 |
New policy |
May 2023 |
| April 2023 | 1.1 | Removed references to Finance and Policy committee. Changed review arrangements. | April 2024 |
| April 2024 | 1.2 |
Changed council header. Reference to specific policies may need to be altered should Communication policy be withdrawn and Engagement and Communication Strategy be adopted. |
April 2025 |
| October 2024 | 1.3 | Addition of authority to incur expenditure for upgrading streetlights to LED when required. | April 2025 |
| April 2025 | 1.4 | Updated Financial section in respect of new Financial Regulations adopted. References to the Communication policy updated following adoption of the Engagement and Communication Strategy. | April 2026 |