Issue No. 166
£1.25
LINCOLNSHIRE ARMED FORCES COVENANT CONFERENCE 2018
HELD AT THE INTERNATIONAL BOMBER COMMAND CENTRE
see page 12 for details
Inside this issue:
Contact us: Lincolnshire Association of Local
Councils
Dunholme Old School
8 Market Rasen Road
Dunholme
Lincoln
Administered by a County Committee appointed at the
Annual General Meeting - the Association operates in
accordance with its constitution and also in the best in-
terests of the first tier of local government. Every member
of the County Committee is either a councillor or a clerk
from a member council in membership of the Association.
We also deliver an extensive training programme which is
designed and reviewed regularly to reflect the needs of
member councils.
County Executive Committee
Denis Glenn President
Tony Howard Chairman
Richard Cross Vice Chair
Mike Passfield Treasurer
Katrina Evans Chief Executive
LALC Team Katrina Evans (Chief Executive)
Office Manager; dealing with all Council enquiries
Including: HR queries, legal requests for advice.
Representation at local, county & national meetings;
Manages & delivers the training programme.
Lindsey Westman (Snr. Admin & Finance Assistant)
Provides admin support - deals with training bookings;
Clerk updates and vacancies; General financial enquiries
in relation to council invoices
Amy Bestwick (Training and Support Officer
& Information Governance Lead)
Co-manages and co-delivers the training programme;
Deals with Council Enquiries; Responsible for communica-
tion streams including the website updates & quarterly
newsletter. Please contact Amy to share your good news
stories or information of interest to our other member
councils.
Local Government Association
Resident Satisfaction Polling
NALC & LALC Upcoming Events
3
4
GDPR Updates & Audit
Requirements
5
Local councils in favour of single,
mandatory code of conduct
6
Communities working together to
help themselves in times of crisis
7-8
Community Housing Fund
10
The Armed Forces Covenant
Conference & Funding.
CILCA Awards, Annual Training
Scheme & Training Programme
2018
16
01673 866596 / 07422 963475
www.lalc.co.uk
2
About us
Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils (LALC) is a not-
for-profit membership organisation for parish and town
councils in Lincolnshire. As an unincorporated association
LALC is owned by its member councils who exercise
control through the Annual General Meeting.
Horncastle Town Council has
been delegated the power to
make decisions on minor plan-
ning applications
9
Employment Guidance—Council
workers unfairly dismissed for a first
offence that is not gross misconduct
11
12
Local Councillors and Clerks at-
tend The Queen’s Garden Party
at Buckingham Palace
13
Defibrilators, Volunteering
Opportunities, Websites and
Publications
14
Funding Opportunities
15
GOVERNMENT
3
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION
.
RESIDENT SATISFACTION POLLING—JUNE 2018
For the last six years, every four months, the Local Government Association has undertaken a
public poll on resident satisfaction with local councils. June 2018 marked the twentieth set of
results since the polling began and highlighted the lowest levels of resident satisfaction thus far
and a downward trend.
National polling complements councils’ local work by regularly looking at the national picture.
Tracking national changes in satisfaction with councils, alongside questions on other related issues
about residents’ local areas, can provide valuable information on what is driving resident perceptions
and, therefore, what councils can do to serve their local communities better.
The LGA’s polling with residents used six indicators to measure how satisfied they are with their local
area and council. The majority of respondents gave positive satisfaction ratings, with the exception of
value for money. Furthermore, in this round, the six indicators returned the smallest proportion of
positive replies across all 20 rounds. The following results were observed:
Satisfaction with local area: 79 per cent of respondents were satisfied overall with their local area
as a place to live – a strong level of satisfaction but the first time it has dropped below 80 per
cent.
Satisfaction with way council runs things: 61 per cent of respondents were satisfied overall with
the way their local council runs things. This represents the majority of respondents but is a
significantly lower proportion than 16 of the 19 previous rounds.
Feeling informed: 53 per cent of respondents said their council keeps residents informed about
the services and benefits it provides – a significantly lower proportion than all previous rounds.
Trust in council: 56 per cent of respondents said they trusted their council either ‘a great deal’ or
‘a fair amount’ – a significantly lower proportion than 10 previous rounds.
Responsiveness of council: 53 per cent of respondents replied positively when asked if their
council acts on the concerns of local residents – this is a significantly lower proportion than 16 of
the 19 previous rounds.
Perceived value for money: The proportion of respondents who ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘tended to
agree’ that their council provides value for money stands at 45 per cent in this round, with a
further 28 per cent giving a neutral response. Of the six indicators, value for money perception
has consistently received the lowest proportion of positive replies, and this is lowest level of
satisfaction for this indicator across all 20 rounds.
Many additional factors will influence resident views of councils at a local level, including local
demographics, economic factors and social circumstances. It is important, therefore, that polling
results are seen as complementary to a wider approach aimed at understanding and responding
To communities at a local level.
The Local Government Association will be using these results as part of their campaigning work
ahead of the Comprehensive Spending Review to highlight to central government the impact of
funding reductions to local government. Full details of this study can be found at
https://www.local.gov.uk/lga-resident-satisfaction-polling-june-2018
4
LALC & NALC
Upcoming Events...
NALC ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2018
30/31 October 2018
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel, Milton Keynes
NALC’s Annual Conference 2018 is an essential event for councillors, council officers, county
association members and officers as local councils join with other parts of the public sector (including
the government and principal authorities), the private sector and voluntary sector to discuss the key
policy issues of the moment. The event will promote the NALC's vision that local councils will be the
focus of community effort, the natural locus of a range of public activity and service delivery; giving a
democratic voice to those communities working in partnership with other agencies. This will be a
brilliant opportunity for councillors, clerks, county officers and members, exhibitors and sponsors to
network, share good practice and gain solutions to local issues from a platform which puts local
LALC will hold their AGM and Conference on
Wednesday 17 October 2018 at The Venue, Grantham Rd, Navenby, LN5 0JJ
5pm - 9pm
Exhibition stands from 5pm, finger buffet at 6pm, AGM at 7pm
The keynote speaker at this year’s Conference – following conclusion of AGM business - will be Eve Fawcett-Moralee. Eve is the Economic & Commercial Growth Director at West Lindsey District Council and will give a briefing on
Harnessing the “South Agenda” to support Parish Council’s to regenerate their community.
AGM ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
& CONFERENCE
NALC SPRING CONFERENCE 2018
11th February 2019
Royal National Hotel, London
NALC’s Spring Conference 2019 is an essential event for councillors, council officers, county association
members and officers as local councils join with other parts of the public sector (including the govern-
ment and principal authorities), the private sector and voluntary sector to discuss the key policy issues of
the moment. The event will start to realise the future from the NALC vision that parishes will be the focus
of community effort, the natural locus of a range of public activity and service delivery; giving a
democratic voice to those communities working in partnership with other agencies. This will be a
brilliant opportunity for councillors, clerks, county officers and members, exhibitors and sponsors to net-
work, share good practice and be equipped with the best skills to face the future challenges of their
communities.
BOOK NOW… Local Councils Networking Day – 27th September 2018
The Bentley Hotel, Newark Road. South Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 9NH
LALC would like to inform member Councils that we have arranged for a Councillors and Clerks
networking day again this year.
Councillors Workshops – The Voice of a Councillor (delivered by De Montfort University); Presentation of
findings of the Councillor Commission; Lincolnshire Local Councils & Devolution.
Clerks Workshops – ‘Getting Funding Ready’ (delivered by LCC Funding Officer); Dealing with Conflict
(Lis Moore, SLCC)
All Attendees – Guest Speaker from The Alzheimer’s Society – Dementia Friends; Diversity and
Recruitment of Councillors in Preparation for 2019 Elections (LCC and LALC)
Cost for attendance at this event will be £10.00 for ATS (Annual Training Scheme 18/19) members &
£30.00 for non-ATS members. The booking form is available via the LALC website.
5
LEGAL & GOOD PRACTICE
Updated NALC GDPR Toolkit
As many of you will already be aware, throughout August there were two
updates to NALC’s GDPR Toolkit to reflect the new Data Protection Act
2018 and data protection regime. Below are details regarding the chang-
es and what it means for your Council
Data Protection Officers (DPO) and the Requirements for
Local Councils and Parish Meetings
The GDPR applies to all local councils and also to a parish meeting without a separate parish
council because a local council and a parish meeting are public authorities. The GDPR states
that organisations, including local councils and parish meetings will need to appoint a Data
Protection Officer (“DPO”) if they meet certain criteria. Local councils and parish meetings will
not fall into the definition of a ‘public authority’ for the purposes of the Data Protection Act
2018. The rationale for this according to the debates in Parliament is that local councils and
parish meetings will not normally be processing personal data ‘on a large scale’. However
larger local councils who do process personal data on a large scale may still have to appoint a
DPO (see paragraph 26 and Appendix 5 within the updated GDPR toolkit for more information
about DPOs. This information can be found by LALC members at http://www.lalc.co.uk/model-
documents-and-policies/attachment/a-gdpr-toolkit-for-local-councils-august-2018-2/).
The GDPR Toolkit provides a number of practical tools to assist councils with GDPR compliance,
in the form of a GDPR Action Plan Checklist and a Data Audit questionnaire, in addition to
templates for privacy notices and consent forms.
Information Commissioners Office - Data Protection Fee
It has been raised by a number of Councils that they have faced difficulty when trying to pay
their data protection fee online. In selecting the option of a ‘public authority’, the online pro-
cess asks for data protection officer details, which is not necessary for local councils. Thankfully
this is not a challenge for just Lincolnshire Council’s, and has been raised as an issue with the
ICO whom have confirmed that a request has been made to amend this.
In the meantime, there is a way around it - rather than selecting ‘public authority’ select ‘other’
which then asks for organisation type, the Council’s details can be added in there.
Audit Requirements
We have recently received correspondence from
PKF Littlejohn which has highlighted concerns that a
vast number of local councils and parish meetings in
Lincolnshire have not yet sent either their External
Audit Exemption Certificate or their Annual Govern-
ance and Accountability Return Part 3. All Councils
that this applies to will now have received formal
reminder letters at a charge of £40 each and will
receive a further letter if there is still no response. Any council which is unsure what they should do regard-
ing this can contact the LALC office on 01673 866596
6
https://www.nalc.gov.uk/news/entry/1062-local-councils-in-favour-of-single,-
mandatory-code-of-conduct
LEGAL & GOOD PRACTICE
Local councils in favour of single, mandatory code of conduct
Local (parish and town) councils would support a single code of conduct that could be to be used
by all local authorities, according to research conducted by the National Association of Local
Councils (NALC).
Currently, different codes of conduct are in use across local government, but 90% of those local
councils questioned would fully support a code of conduct that is the same and mandatory for all
local authorities.
The survey of England’s local councils – undertaken by NALC to inform its submission to a
parliamentary review on standards – also found that nearly 70% of local councils would like new
powers to impose additional sanctions. At the moment sanctions used by local councils include
apologies and training. However, around 60% of local councils believe these are neither sufficient
to punish breaches of the code of conduct or deter future breaches.
Additionally, when it came to training on codes of conduct, the survey uncovered gaps with
almost 40% of local councils stating that their members hadn't received any training and 20%
reported that most members did not understand the rules around declaring interests.
Cllr Sue Baxter, chairman of NALC, said: “NALC does not believe the current ethical standards
arrangements are working as well as they could and a review of the regime is something we have
long called for. We would like to see stronger sanctions available to local councils, including the
power of suspension and disqualification.
“In light of our research, we are also asking the government to invest £2m towards a national
training programme that would see all new councillors undertake training on ethical standards
and the code of conduct as part of their induction.”
The Committee on Standards in Public Life is currently undertaking a review into local government
ethical standards which is expected to report to the prime minister by the end of the year.
To read more of this article, subscribe to NALC’s LCR magazine.
PLANNING for an EMERGENCY
7
Communities working together to help themselves in times of crisis
As the nights draw in we are reminded that the seasons are rapidly changing and, as such,
so is the weather. October marks the traditional start of storm season in Lincolnshire which
runs through to March heralding some unfriendly weather from storm surges on the coast to
surface water flooding from heavy prolonged downpours across the rest of the county,
leading to heightened risk of further flooding from rivers and water courses. If that wasn’t
enough there are the freezing temperatures, snow and high winds to contend with all
bringing an array of disruptive forces to our lives making the simplest tasks that little bit more
complicated. I think we used to refer to this time as “winter”.
But what happens if something else were to happen? Maybe a major fire or an industrial
accident or something more sinister. What could we do to safeguard ourselves and
communities in situations such as these?
I have painted a picture of doom and gloom for the coming months which is a little unfair so
to make amends I would just like to say that it doesn’t have to be difficult to manage as it
may first seem. Having the right information to hand does make a massive difference in
bringing about a speedy recovery. Now is the perfect time to review your emergency
arrangements in the community, ensuring you have the correct contacts in place should you
need to contact people to help in times of uncertainty. The most effective means of
recording this information is in the form of a community emergency plan which sounds worse
than it actually is. A simple template is available from Lincolnshire County Council’
Emergency Planning Unit; details of which are at the end of this piece.
The template is easy to complete, just look out for the yellow highlighted areas and insert the
relevant information about your community and that’s it, you have a plan. The information it
contains can help you help your community help itself when it is needed the most until
emergency services arrive. If people are able to get the right information from a trusted
source at the right time, then they are better equipped to make their own choices. It can
and does save lives, livelihood and the environment and makes the process of recovery
much more straight forward. All we ask is that you remember to share a copy with us so that
we can support you through the process and the life of the plan.
When you send us a copy we will insert all maps you may require. We will also provide these
in large scale formats completely free. If your community would like to take this a stage
further we are happy to come along and support the development of the plan and a local
community action group looking at everything from plan activation to setting up and running
places of safety should your community ever be faced with an evacuation.
PLANNING for an EMERGENCY
8
As technology improves there are a number of very useful apps out there that you and your
community may find interesting. All are easy to use and most importantly contain information
that can really make a difference to your community in times of crisis.
British Red Cross Emergency App –
https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/free-emergency-apps
This app can help you deal with emergencies when they happen by giving you
the ability to set up emergency alerts for your area including severe weather
warnings, it allows you to add the locations of family and friends so you can let
them know of any warning issued. It also has personal alarms and strobe lights
useful for alerting people and a location finder so you will know where you are.
This app offers clear practical advice on what to do in emergency situations.
CitizenAid -
https://www.citizenaid.org/
This app can reduce the anxiety from difficult decision making in an unfamiliar
situation, just follow the logical steps to do the right things in the right order to
stay safe and help others to stay safe and to save lives.
MET Office App -
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/mobile-digital-services/weather-app
Stay one step ahead of the weather with this MET Office weather app
wherever you are, this app will bring you the latest weather data enabling you
to plan your day.
Finally please take advantage of the Environment Agency’s free flood alert and warning ser-
vice which can give you precious time to take actions to safeguard yourselves and commu-
nity in times of flood. It is important to remember that this service only covers flooding from
rivers and sea and not surface water. To register for the service please visit:
https://www.fws.environment-agency.gov.uk/app/olr/register - and don’t forget to encour-
age your community to do the same.
Emergencies are thankfully rare but when they do happen having the right information at the
right time saves lives, livelihoods and the environment. Spending a few moments now to think
about what you or your community would do in the event of one happening is time well
spent.
To get hold of your copy of the latest community emergency plan template or if you would
like to know more about preparing for this winter or, would like us to come along and talk
with your community or parish please don’t hesitate to contact us at:
[email protected] or call 01522 582220 for a chat.
Please don’t forget to send us a copy of your community emergency plan so we can support
you in times of crisis because if we don’t know, we can’t help.
As always; Stay Safe
Steve Eason-Harris
LALC have organised an additional training event on developing Community Resilience Plans with an
aim to support Councils to establish, manage and operate a plan following a 5-stage process.
Stages1–5: Concept The Plan Response Training Recovery Training Test the Process
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE PLANNING WORKSHOP
29th November 2018
1.30-4.00pm
Mablethorpe & Sutton Town Council Offices, Stanley Avenue, Mablethorpe, LN12 1DP
Places for this event can be booked via the LALC booking system at http://www.lalc.co.uk/training/
9
PLANNING
Following the adoption of the Horncastle Neighbourhood Development Plan in 2016, the Town Council was
approached by East Lindsey District Council in April 2017 about being granted delegated powers to make
decisions on certain planning applications. The Town Council straight away jumped at the chance and set
about drawing up a timetable.
It has been a long process and a lot of work has been done by both the Town and District Council to finally
get to the stage where on 18th July 2018 East Lindsey District Council approved to give delegated authority
for Horncastle Town Council to make planning decisions on: All minor householder planning applications
All advertisements
Change of use applications
The Town Council will start making decisions in October.
In order for East Lindsey District Council to be able to reach this decision it had to amend its constitution to
delegate this power to the Town Council, and a memorandum of understanding between the District and
Town Council was drawn up and agreed by both parties. The Town Council has had to amend its Standing
Orders, Terms of Reference for the Planning and Development Committee, produce a written process for
making decisions and a document on speaker’s rights; and all members of the Town Council who sit on the
Planning and Development Committee have had to undergo planning training. Only councillors that have
attended this training can be a member of the Planning & Development Committee or be a substitute
member, so it is really important that as many Town Councillors are trained up as possible.
In previous years there have been approximately 40 applications per year which would have been
determined by the Town Council, so if the number remains at this level the Town Council will only be making
the decisions on 3 or 4 applications per month. The Town Council will be able to decide not to determine an
application if it feels that it would be best decided by the District Council, and it won’t be making decisions
on applications from Town Councillors or members of staff.
The delegated power has been granted for an initial period of 18 months and can be terminated at any
time by giving one month’s notice. At the end of the 18 month period the District Council will decide
whether the arrangement will continue and also if it has been a success to offer the opportunity to other
Town and Parish Councils in the District that have adopted Neighbourhood Development Plans. There is
also potential that if this trial is a success then the Town Council could be offered to make decisions on
larger applications with the support from the District Council.
Usually when Town and Parish Council are offered new powers or assets to take on it is usually to make cost
savings or make the process easier. This is not the case in this instance, as taking on this delegated power
will cause additional work for both Councils, as the applications that are being decided are likely to be the
ones which would have been delegated to a Planning Officer for a decision and not decided by the District
Council’s Planning Committee. However, the Town Council felt that this was such a good opportunity to
finally make some important decisions at a local level that it didn’t want to turn it down and it also felt proud
to be only the second Council nationally to do this. Amanda Bushell, Town Clerk, Horncastle Town Council
Horncastle Town Council has been delegated the power to make
decisions on minor planning applications
LALC have organised an additional training event: looking at the planning process, applications and
material considerations, S106 monies and local plans incorporating neighbourhood planning...
PLANNING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING
29th November 2018
6.00-9.00pm
Mablethorpe & Sutton Town Council Offices, Stanley Avenue, Mablethorpe, LN12 1DP
Places for this event can be booked via the LALC booking system at http://www.lalc.co.uk/training/
10
PLANNING
Community Housing Fund
A firm element of central government housing and planning policy is to maximise
the potential for local communities to develop new housing and to create their
own solutions to meet local need, thereby helping the delivery of much-needed
new homes and other home improvements.
Within the new prospectus for the Community Housing Fund launched on 2 July 2018, the
Government gives unequivocal support for how “the community-led approach to house
building galvanises local support and is driven by the commitment and energy of the very
individuals and communities that it will benefit”. It notes how such approaches have been
successful in delivering locally new homes “in places and on sites” not usually favoured by
more commercial and speculative house-builders. It also welcomes the support given to
smaller house building companies and local economies in projects commissioning homes
that are predicted on being affordable at local incomes to current and future households.
As detailed within the Fund’s Prospectus, grant funding is now being made available:
To eligible organisations to help cover the revenue costs of project-specific activities
that will support development of community-led housing proposals; To meet the capital costs of local infrastructure projects that will facilitate new housing
developments that meet the criteria for being community-led.
Other information will be forthcoming from Homes England on what funding could help meet
the subsequent capital costs of new projects.
East Midlands Community-Led Housing (EMCLH) is keen to use this opportunity for local
community projects and for their supporters to benefit from the assistance now offered by the
Community Housing Fund. EMCLH is an independent not-for-profit organisation established in
2012 to support community-led housing opportunities across the East Midlands whereby
communities, community groups and other interested households can create the local
housing solutions to meet identified needs. It is a key regional member of the emerging
national community-led housing sector and has been steadily developing a successful set of
local community-led housing projects over a number of years.
EMCLH is aware that there are a variety of possibilities inherent in the community-led housing
sector to shape and deliver housing provisions that will meet identified local need. Some
community-led housing projects have partnered local housing associations / Registered
Providers to access affordable housing funds and development expertise, but others have
not. Some schemes have been developed on land that had been in the public sector, but
not all sites have been accessed from that source. Some projects have included new delivery
through self-build, custom-build, cohousing, co-operative and community land trust initiatives,
whilst other schemes have had a focus upon managing and renovating under-utilised or
abandoned existing housing stock. What has, however, been uniformly distinctive is the
support each has ultimately received from their retrospective local communities. In each
case the different housing solutions identified by local communities themselves have been
progressed through key support from public and community bodies.
A national series of conferences to promote opportunities to progress community-led housing
initiatives are being promoted through the Nationwide Foundation in partnership with ACRE
and Community Lincs. The East Midlands conference was held on 11 September 2018 in
Sleaford. EMCLH is itself working on plans to provide supplementary briefings within the region
and will be very keen to hear from parish councils and their communities interested in discuss-
ing how to promote community-led solutions to different housing issues at their local levels.
For more information contact John Mather / Martin Field, Community-Led Housing Facilitators,
East Midlands Community Led Housing.
Tel: 07598 176353 / 07976 546532. Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
11
EMPLOYMENT
Council Workers Unfairly Dismissed for Using Work Vans for Personal Use
An employment Tribunal recently ruled that two Council contractors were Unfairly Dismissed, because the
Employer’s Gross Misconduct policy was unclear in relation to the use of Council vans for personal use.
Both workers were employed by a Council contractor and were required to use vans to carry out property
repair work for the Council. The vehicle policy stated that the vans would only be used for carrying out work
duties, and under no circumstances used for private purposes other than ordinary commuting and
unauthorised use of a company vehicle is deemed to be gross misconduct and may result in dismissal.
All vehicles were fitted with tracking devices. Data from one of the vans showed that the van was used
numerous times to visit family on the way home. The other Employee had used the van for a variety of
reasons, including supermarket visits and taking his son to play football.
Both were invited to a disciplinary hearing at which they claimed that the vehicle policy was confusing. In
addition, one claimed that visiting his mother wasn’t taking advantage as her home was on his normal
commuting route, and he was visiting her following the recent death of his father. Fortem did not accept the
explanation and both were dismissed, which was upheld at Appeal. At the subsequent Employment Tribunal
the Judge accepted that the reason for dismissal was misconduct, which the Employer was able to prove
had occurred.
However, according to the Judge the company policy regarding the use of vans for business and private use
was unclear, as it failed to explain what actually constituted private use, and how it should be assessed. The
Judge criticised the Council for failing to explain what actually constituted ‘personal’ and ‘work’ use. Had
the policy contained details of what times of day and what days of the week would be considered to be
personal use, how the Employee could demonstrate they were travelling on business and how to check with
management as to what would be acceptable, the Employer may have been in a stronger position to
defend themselves.
In deciding the outcome, the Judge also took into account the fact that both Employees had over twenty
years continuous service, along with clean disciplinary records, and decided that the Employer’s decision fell
‘outside of a ban of reasonable responses’.
Can dismissal be Fair for a First Offence which is not Gross Misconduct?
Many councils, along with other employers, believe that only Gross Misconduct can justify dismissal without
prior formal and final written warnings. Most Council Disciplinary Procedures clearly set out what constitutes
an act of Gross Misconduct, and councillors/clerks believe that dismissal without prior formal disciplinary ac-
tion can only be justified for one of these offences.
However, this belief has recently been challenged in the Employment Appeal Tribunal (Quintiles Commercial
v Barongo), which resulted in the following guidance for Employers.
The law relating to dismissals (s98 Employment Rights Act 1996) makes no reference to Gross Misconduct. The
legislation describes employee conduct which, in the circumstances, the employer would reasonably treat
as sufficient reason for dismissal. Clearly, this widens the range of options to dismiss an employee, and is not
limited to a prescriptive list within the disciplinary procedure.
In the EAT’s opinion dismissal for a first offence can be fair, even if it is not listed under the Gross Misconduct
category, if the Employer believes that the conduct was sufficient to breach the trust and confidence an
Employer should be able to expect from their member of staff.
The test for the Council, as with any Employer, would be to prove that the dismissal would be a reasonable
response to the Employee’s misconduct.
Many councils, employers and employment tribunals are concerned with strictly adhering to their disciplinary
procedures. Whilst the ACAS Code of Practice does specifically identify Gross Misconduct as grounds for
dismissal without notice, if a council can demonstrate that the employee’s conduct was so serious that there
can be no “turning back” in terms of trust, the Barongo case does show that dismissal could be an option,
even if the nature of the misconduct is not included in the disciplinary procedure’s list of Gross Misconduct.
However, if a council wished to consider this option, it would need to make the employee aware that it was
considering dismissal when it invited them to a disciplinary hearing. The council would also be obliged to pay
notice pay in lieu following the dismissal, as only Gross Misconduct can result in dismissal without notice.
PROFILE: Chris Moses is Managing Director of Personnel Advice and Solutions Ltd and also a Chartered Fellow of the Char-
tered Institute of Personnel and Development. He also and holds a Masters Degree in Employment Law from Leicester Uni-
versity, and has over twenty years front line HR experience. Further information and advice for Councils can be found by
visiting www.personneladviceandsolutions.co.uk/factsheets
12
COMMUNITY
The Lincolnshire Annual Armed Forces Covenant
Conference 2018
The final round of the Armistice and Armed Forces Communities programme opens on 3rd September
2018. Hundreds of awards have already been made to schools, community organisations and places of
worship across the UK.
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust is running a programme to fund the costs of up to 10 silhouettes
for schools, community groups, places of worship and local charities. To apply; your organisation will
need to fill in a short form; and will need to commit to holding a community event in November 2018. This
event does not need to be complex. It could involve local veterans from your community; young people
or perhaps a local military base. The event will need to provide an opportunity to reflect on the
Armistice; but also to think about the Armed Forces today. If awarded; the evocative silhouettes will
belong to your organisation; and you can use them in future years.
Please follow this link for more information and how to apply: http://www.covenantfund.org.uk/the-armistice-and-
armed-forces-communities-programme-remembering-and-supporting-their-contribution/
The Lincolnshire Annual Armed Forces Covenant Conference was held this year at the
International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln. The Centre held its official opening
earlier in the year and the Conference was a fantastic opportunity for delegates to see
this impressive venue in person.
Nearly 80 delegates attended the conference making the most of the valuable
opportunity to network with organisations from all sectors, including the Armed Forces,
Veterans, Reservists and the Voluntary and Charitable Sector.
Speakers on the day included Nicky Barr of the International Bomber Command Centre and John Shivas
from the Armed Forces Covenant Trust Team in London. Catherine Foster from the Jon Egging Trust
gave a presentation about community and military integration via local schools and serving personnel.
Sue Clark and Karen Seddon from the Cranwell Community Hub who had been recipients of funding,
also gave a presentation. John Wilson OBE DL also spoke about the reservist and employer relationship
and Cllr Jackie Kirk from City of Lincoln gave an emotive account of herself and the reservist
experience. Paul Drury from Lincolnshire County Council led a workshop, who is himself a veteran.
Following a delicious lunch served in the IBBC restaurant which is open to the general public, delegates
were able to tour the spire, walls and gardens.
If you have any queries about the Covenant or the Covenant Funding, you can contact Liz Dockerty,
Covenant Development Officer at Lincolnshire County Council.
Tel: 01522 552446
E-mail: [email protected]
The Covenant Fund: The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust makes grants to support members of the
Armed Forces community.
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund has 4 broad funding themes now and in future years.
removing barriers to family life;
extra support after service for those that need help;
measures to integrate military and civilian communities and allow the armed forces community to
participate as citizens;
non-core healthcare services for veterans
The Armed Forces Covenant: local grants and digital development programme which makes grants of
up to £20,000 for local projects is open for applications. Find out more on this programme on the Armed
Forces Covenant Trust website. http://www.covenantfund.org.uk/grant-application/
You are welcome to submit your application at any time. Decisions will be made four times in every 12
month period, so no one should have to wait more than 20 weeks for a decision - and in most cases it
will be far sooner. If you have fixed dates for when your project must take place - such as commemora-
tive occasions or school term times you will need to note the following: Applications submitted by mid-
day 30 Sept 2018 will be decided before the end of November 2018.Applications submitted by midday
17 Dec 2018 will be decided before the end of February 2019.
13
COMMUNITY
Local Councillors and Clerks attend The Queen’s Garden Party
at Buckingham Palace
Each year, NALC are requested by the Lord Chamberlain’s office to inform member councils
that Her Majesty will be hosting a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, with Lincolnshire
being allocated a select number of places. For the last two years LALC have requested that
Councils nominate the Councillors, Chairman or Clerk they feel deserves recognition for their
continued commitment, hard work and service to the Council. Invitations are in recognition
of past service, therefore it is appropriate that outgoing members, rather than those newly
elected, should be invited to attend.
Mablethorpe Town Council nominated Councillor Dobbs and his
wife Pauline in recognition of Councillor Dobbs having been a
member of the Town Council since 1982.
“Cllr Dobbs has worked tirelessly within the community during this
time and alongside his wife Pauline, has worked with many
charities and organisations within the parish raising funds,
awareness and offered support. This would be an honour for
both the parish to be represented and personally for Cllr & Mrs
Dobbs to receive some recognition for the hard and tireless work
and dedication to the community over the years”.
The final recipient of the invitation for Lincolnshire was Councillor Yvette Green, Chairman
of Langworth Parish Council in recognition of her work with the community and continued
enthusiasm despite her ill-health. Yvette attended the Garden Party with her mother and
described the day as ‘overwhelming’ having been lucky enough to speak with The Queen!
We are extremely sad to announce that Cllr Green passed away in August and would like
to offer our heart-felt condolences to those who knew and loved her.
Another nomination was for Yvonne Genever, in recognition of 40
years as Parish Clerk to Uffington Parish Council. Yvonne attended
with her husband Paul and informed LALC “it was an excellent
day, a great experience….we did see the Queen at a distance
which was very exciting. We visited the gardens, about 40 acres, it
doesn’t seem possible all that amount of greenery in the middle of
London. The abundant food was excellent and very well
prepared. A Garden Party invitation, for possibly a once in a
lifetime experience should be readily accepted as it is worth every
minute of the day. Thanks again LALC”.
COMMUNITY
14
Free websites .... are still available for parish and town councils, from the County Council.
Having a website can help smaller councils to comply with the mandatory Transparency Code. The
site, once completed, is hosted on the County Council’s server - free of charge - and support is pro-
vided to train the administrator of the site.
For further details please contact Gemma Mond Digital Communications Officer at Lincolnshire County
Council by sending an email to: [email protected]
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BY NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNERS
This guide answers the most common questions asked by those not familiar with the
planning system. It helps explain how the planning system operates, where neighbourhood
planning fits in, and the neighbourhood planning process itself.
PUBLICATIONS
The Jon Egging Trust was set up in memory of
Red Arrows pilot Jon Egging who tragically lost
his life at the Bournemouth Air Festival. Jon
was passionate about inspiring young people
through his love of flying. The Jon Egging Trust
realises his dream of supporting young people
to reach their full potential. JET’s team of
volunteers are invaluable and we are always
looking to welcome new people to our
enthusiastic and supportive team of
volunteers.
So, if you have any spare time, please con-
tact [email protected]
JET Volunteers do something different:
they inspire, motivate and help change
young lives.
YOU TOO CAN #JETINVOLVED AND HELP US
REACH OUT TO 10,000 YOUNG
PEOPLE EVERY YEAR
CAN YOU VOLUNTEER TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE
TO YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS THE UK...
Now in its eleventh edition, 'the yellow book' remains the key text for Parish Councils, Local
Authorities and solicitors practising in local government law and public/administration law.
What's new? Coverage of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 in relation to
public spaces, protection orders and the control of dogs; The new General Data Protection
Regulation; The Data Protection Act 2018; Discussion of the differences between England and
Wales, as the divergence between the laws of the two countries continues to grow
Would you like to reserve a copy? Please contact [email protected]
Member price: £103.99 + £7.00 p+p
FUNDING
15
Community Asset Fund Sports clubs and community organisations can now apply to the Community Asset Fund – Sport
England’s new capital fund dedicated to enhancing the spaces in your local community including for
a hall for doing classes, a park or a pitch Bids between £1k and £150k. The Scheme opened Feb 2017
Community Centres and Village Hall Grants—Trusthouse Charitable Foundation
Trusthouse is interested in applications for capital projects at community centres in the most deprived
urban areas and village halls in remote and economically deprived rural areas. The Foundation wants
to support community centres and village halls which are at the heart of small, deprived communities.
They expect that you will be providing a range of activities for all ages and abilities which help to
promote community cohesion and address local problems of isolation, poverty, lack of local facilities ,
transport and other issues of relevance in your area. The Foundation will consider applications for new
buildings; upgrading, renovating or extending buildings; improving or creating outside space (but not
car parks). You will need to have secured a minimum of 50% of the costs of the project before you start
an application. http://trusthousecharitablefoundation.org.uk/grants/community-centres-and-village-
halls/
Tesco Bags of Help With grants of up to £4,000 available - ‘Bags of help’ funds local projects that benefit their
community. The scheme is administered by Ground Works and the type of projects can be
very broad and will cover direct costs needed to deliver the project. Examples could in-
clude: buying new equipment, training coaches or volunteers physical improvements of
open spaces, community events and sports and leisure activities. For further details go to:
www.groundwork.org.uk/Sites/tescocommunityscheme
WiFi4EU - European Commission - The EC seeks to promote free Wi-Fi connectivity in public spaces
such as parks, public buildings, libraries, health centres and museums between 2017/19. Open to local
authorities, funding will cover equipment and installation costs. Go to:
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/policies/wifi4eu-free-wi-fi-europeans
Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund - Football Foundation Grants for building or refurbishing grassroots facilities such as changing pavilions and playing surfaces
fro community benefit, with money provided by the Premier League, Government & the FA. Available
to football clubs, schools, councils and local sports associations. Grants available for between £10K
and £500K. For further details go to: www.footballfoundation.org.uk/funding-schemes/premier-league-
the-fa-facilities-fund/
Ringrose Law — ‘A Grand Idea’ provides grants of £1000 each to 6 local community volunteer
groups, sports clubs or charities per year. Previous recipients include Branston village skate park. For
further information go to: www.ringroselaw.co.uk/grand-idea
Building Connections Fund On 18 June 2018, the Prime Minister announced that “charities and community groups will get £20
million of new funding to help isolated people and those suffering from loneliness”. The funding will go
to support and expend programmes that bring people together and are proving to benefit
communities. This includes a new £11 million ‘Building Connections Fund’ that will be distributed to
successful applicants that can help bring communities together. This will help make the most of local
spaces, opening them up for community use, as well as help business and local services combat
isolation. It will also fund projects that use technology to link those in remote areas and help improve
transport connections to make fact-to-face contact easier. Funding applications opened in July 2018
with grants available until December 2020. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/20-million-
investment-to-help-tackle-loneliness
Centenary Fields Fields in Trust are engaging landowners across the UK encouraging them to dedicate land to honour the memory of the millions of people who lost their lives in World War I. A centenary field must have a significant link to world war I and used principally for outdoor recreation, accessible to the public, af-fordable for the local community. Deadline - 11 November 2018
For further details contact:
Jamie Leeson, Development Manager
Tel: 020 7427 2124 or go to: http://www.fieldsintrust.org.
TRAINING
16
LALC TRAINING – 2018 VENUE DATE TIME
NEW COUNCILLOR TRAINING
An introductory session for new councillors explaining the role of local council, powers and duties, policies and procedures or a refresher for more experienced
councillors
Fosdyke Village Hall Old Main Road
Fosdyke Boston PE20 2BU
Weds 3rd Oct
18.30 – 21.00
IT SKILLS - BASIC EXCEL 2010 Basic Microsoft Excel 2010 - A full day workshop
Tutored by John Ritchie BEM
LALC Office Dunholme Old School 8 Market Rasen Road Dunholme LN2 3QR
Thursday 11th Oct
10.00 –16.00
COUNCIL FINANCES & BUDGETS Dealing with day to day aspects of keeping the book, effective budgeting, finan-
cial risk assessment & an explanation of internal and external audit requirements
LALC Office Dunholme Old School 8 Market Rasen Road Dunholme LN2 3QR
Thursday 1st Nov
18.30 – 21.00
CILCA x 2 DAY COURSE A two day training course for anyone who wishes to obtain their
Certificate in Local Council Administration
LALC Office Dunholme Old School 8 Market Rasen Road Dunholme LN2 3QR
Weds 7th & 21st Nov
09.30 – 16.30
COUNCILLORS’ TRAINING DAY In-depth all day course for councillors covering such topics as powers & duties, policy & procedure, financial management, employment, meeting procedures &
planning
LALC Office Dunholme Old School 8 Market Rasen Road Dunholme LN2 3QR
Thursday 8th Nov
10.00 – 16.00
AGENDAS / NOTETAKING/ MINUTES Hear how to create a good agenda, take notes effectively
and produce clear and concise minutes
LALC Office Dunholme Old School 8 Market Rasen Road Dunholme LN2 3QR
Tuesday 13th Nov
18.30 – 21.00
IT SKILLS - BEYOND THE BASIC EXCEL 2010 Beyond the Basic Microsoft Excel 2010 - A full day workshop
Tutored by John Ritchie BEM Please note: Delegates should ideally attend the init ial session (Basic Ex-
cel) before attending this session
LALC Office Dunholme Old School 8 Market Rasen Road
Dunholme LN2 3QR
Thursday 15th Nov
10.00 – 16.00
NEW CLERKS DAY For new clerks or those that have become a clerk in the last two years
An opportunity to learn or build on the basics
Branston Village Hall Lincoln Rd, Branston LN4 1NS
Weds 28th Nov
10.00 – 16.00
Annual Training Scheme - runs from April to March each year and a subscription fee is payable, in addition to the LALC
membership fee. As members of the training scheme - councils can book any number of training sessions for their Coun-
cillors and Clerk(s), at no further cost, other than for the provision of lunch, where applicable. CILCA training is not includ-
ed in the annual training scheme.
Non Members – councils that do not subscribe to the Annual Training Scheme will be charged the following rates per
training delegate:
* £12 per delegate for any morning/afternoon/evening session (incl. refreshments);
* £27.50 per delegate for an all day event (incl. lunch & refreshments).
Bookings - should be made via the Clerk using the online booking form located on the LALC website under the Training
Tab. Having difficulties? Please contact Lindsey.
Refreshments - light refreshments e.g. tea/coffee are provided and member Councils will be invoiced £8.50 per delegate
to cover lunch costs for full day events.
Special Dietary Requirements – the Clerk should advise us, as soon as possible if a delegate is attending an all day event
and has any special dietary requirements.
Cancellations Policy - please ensure that we receive:
* For part day courses - cancellation at least 24 hours in advance, at this office;
* For full day events - at least 5 working days cancellation notice. This is because we need to pre-order and pay for
CILCA AWARDS
LALC are delighted to report that Nicola Marshall from Market Rasen Town Council and Wendy Skelton from Heighington
Parish Council have both passed their CILCA. Congratulations & Well Done Nicola and Wendy - from all of the team.
CILCA Training - a foundation qualification at NVQ level 3 or BTEC National and is suitable for all officers working with local
councils; although Councillors and officers of advisory bodies have the qualification. CILCA consists of five units with
between 3 to 9 learning outcomes in each. Candidates need to demonstrate that they meet the assessment criteria to
an expected standard and this is evidenced by way of a portfolio for submission and assessment by SLCC. However,
candidates can also access ongoing support, from a nominated LALC mentor, for a period of 6 months, following
attendance at the CILCA training days.