As the first tier of local government, Tysoe Parish Council is an elected body, with legal duties, discretionary powers and rights laid down by Parliament. Its purpose is to represent the community, provide services, improve quality of life and well-being and protect the environment.
Parish councils, including Tysoe Parish Council, were established in their current form by the Local Government Act 1894. Their governance and structure were later consolidated by the Local Government Act 1972. The number of councillors is fixed by Stratford District Council and Tysoe currently has eight councillors. Councillors are elected by the parish electorate and the councillors must elect a chair. The council is a corporate body with perpetual succession and its own separate legal identity apart from the individual councillors who serve on it. The parish council’s lawful acts, assets and liabilities are its own and not those of its councillors or any other council.
A parish council has the unfettered right to raise money by precept (a mandatory demand) on the higher authority, Stratford District Council, which then collects it as part of the Council Tax. A parish council must act within the law. It can only spend, raise, or use money if it has a statutory power to do so, otherwise it acts ultra vires (beyond its powers).
Many of the council’s decisions involve public money, therefore it is essential that business is conducted in a correct and transparent manner. To guide councillors to achieve open, consistent and legal decision-making, the policies and procedures below are followed. These are reviewed regularly, updated when necessary and may be added to as appropriate.
| INTRODUCTIONS | ||
| Welcome to Members of the Public | What to expect at our meetings | |
| Civility and Respect Pledge | Our commitment to supporting civil and respectful conduct. | |
| GOVERNANCE | ||
| Standing Orders | A rule book for the routine conduct of our meetings and business | |
| Financial Regulations | How we manage our financial affairs and accounting procedures | |
| Scheme of Delegation | How and when decisions are delegated to our Clerk/RFO, committees and working groups. | |
| Powers and Duties | An indicative list of what the council must do, and what we can choose to do. | |
| Code of Conduct | Promotes high standards of behaviour by Councillors | |
| Gifts and Hospitality | Guidance for Councillors on accepting and registering gifts and hospitality | |
| Allowances and Expenses | Rules for when and how expenses can be claimed | |
| INFORMATION AND DATA | ||
| Data Protection Policy | A statement of how we protect personal data | |
| Privacy Notice | How the council uses your personal data | |
| Model Publication Scheme | The Model Publication Scheme, prepared and approved by the Information Commissioner which we have adopted without modification Our Publication Scheme below is based on this |
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| Publication Scheme | How we make information readily available to the public, as we are required to do under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, based on the Model Scheme above | |
| Freedom of Information Procedure | How to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 | |
| Information Technology Policy | Guidelines for responsible use of IT. | |
| RISK MANAGEMENT | ||
| Health & Safety Policy | Our procedures to help keep everyone safe. | |
| Risk Management Policy | An overview of how we identify, evaluate and reduce the impact of risks | |
| Public Liability Insurance | Current Public Liability Insurance Certificate | |
| Employers Liability Insurance | Current Employers Liability Insurance Certificate | |
| EMPLOYMENT | ||
| Dignity at Work Policy | How we aim for a workplace where there is zero tolerance for harassment and bullying. | |
| Disciplinary Procedure | Disciplinary and grievance procedures | |
| COMMUNITY | ||
| Equality and Diversity Policy | Our commitment to avoid unlawful discrimination. | |
| Grants and Donations Policy and Grant Application Form | How to apply for a grant from the Parish Council | |
| Social Media Policy | A guide to our relationship with social media | |
| Emergency Plan | Information on how we have prepared to help in emergencies | |
| Biodiversity Policy | How we plan to meet our duty to preserve and enhance biodiversity | |
| Wildlife Friendly Mowing Strategy | How we manage communal land for biodiversity | |
| Complaints Procedure | What to do when things go wrong. | |
| Vexatious Communications and Complaints Policy | Our position on vexatious or abusive complaints | |