Agenda

The committee are asked to note the following membership and terms of reference for the Ashington & Blyth Local Area Council which were agreed by Council on 4 May 2022.

The membership is made up of the county councillors who represent the 16 electoral divisions in the Ashington & Blyth area:

Chair: L Grimshaw

Vice-Chair: D Carr

Vice-Chair (Planning): B Gallacher

Quorum - 4

Terms of reference  

(1)       To enhance good governance in the area and ensure that the  

Council’s policies take account of the needs and aspirations of local communities and do not discriminate unfairly between the different Areas. 

(2)       To advise the Cabinet on budget priorities and expenditure within the  

Area. 

(3)      To consider, develop and influence policy and strategy development of 

the Council, its arms-length organisations, and other relevant bodies, to ensure that they meet local requirements and facilitate efficient and transparent decision making.    

(4)     To receive information, consider and comment on matters associated  

with service delivery including those undertaken in partnership agencies, affecting the local area to ensure that they meet local requirements, including matters relating to community safety, anti- social behaviour and environmental crime. 

(5)     To consider and refer to Cabinet any issues from a local community  

perspective with emerging Neighbourhood Plans within their area, and consider local planning applications as per the planning delegation scheme  

(6)      To consider and recommend adjustments to budget priorities in  

relation to Local Transport Plan issues within their area, and to make decisions in relation to devolved capital highway maintenance allocations. 

(7)     To engage, through the appropriate networks, with all key stakeholders 

from the public, private, voluntary and community sectors to facilitate the delivery of area priorities. This will include undertaking regular liaison with parish and town councils. 

(8)     To inform, consult and engage local communities in accordance  

with Council policy and guidance, through the appropriate networks.   

(9)      To, as appropriate, respond or refer with recommendations to  

local petitions and councillor calls for action. 

(10)    To make certain appointments to outside bodies as agreed by Council. 

(11)    To determine applications for grant aid from the Community Chest, either through Panels for individual Local Area Councils, or through the Panel of Local Area Council Chairs for countywide applications. 

(12)    To refer and receive appropriate issues for consideration to or from  

other Council Committees, and as appropriate invite Portfolio Holders to attend a meeting if an item in their area of responsibility is to be discussed. 

(13)   To exercise the following functions within their area:- 

(a)      the Council’s functions in relation to the survey, definition,  

maintenance, diversion, stopping up and creation of public rights of way. 

(b)      the Council’s functions as the Commons Registration Authority for common land and town/village greens in Northumberland. 

(c)       the Council’s functions in relation to the  ...  view the full agenda text for item 1.

Minutes of the meetings of Ashington and Blyth Local Area Council held on Wednesday 11^th May 2022 as circulated, to be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chair.

Unless already entered in the Council’s Register of Members’ interests, members are required?where a matter arises at a meeting;?? 

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1. Which?directly relates to?Disclosable Pecuniary Interest (‘DPI’) as set out in Appendix B, Table 1 of the Code of Conduct, to disclose the interest, not participate in any discussion or vote and not to remain in room. Where members have a DPI or if the matter concerns an executive function and is being considered by a Cabinet Member with a DPI they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with the matter.? 

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2. Which?directly relates to?the financial interest or well being of a Other Registrable Interest as set out in Appendix B, Table 2 of the Code of Conduct to disclose the interest and only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak at the meeting but otherwise must not take part in any discussion? or vote on the matter and must not remain the room.? 

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3. Which?directly relates to?their financial interest or well-being? (and is not? DPI) or the financial well being of a relative or close associate, to declare the interest and members may only speak on the matter if members of the public are also allowed to speak. Otherwise, the member must not take part in discussion or vote on the matter and must leave the room.? 

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4. Which?affects?the financial well-being of the member, a relative or close associate or a body included under the Other Registrable Interests column in Table 2, to disclose the interest and apply the test set out at paragraph 9 of Appendix B before deciding whether they may remain in the meeting.? 

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5. Where Members have or a Cabinet Member has an Other Registerable Interest or Non Registerable Interest in a matter being considered in exercise of their executive function, they must notify the Monitoring Officer and arrange for somebody else to deal with it.?? 

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NB Any member needing clarification must contact?monitoringofficer@northumberland.gov.uk. ?Members are referred to the Code of Conduct which contains the matters above in full.?Please refer to the guidance on disclosures at the rear of this agenda letter.

To reply to any questions received from members of the public which have been submitted in writing in advance of the meeting. Questions can be asked about issues for which the Council has a responsibility. (Public question times take place on a bimonthly basis at Local Area Council meetings: in January, March, May, July, September and November each year.) 

As agreed by the County Council in February 2012, the management of local public question times is at the discretion of the chair of the committee.  

Please note however that a question may possibly be rejected if it requires the disclosure of any categories of confidential or exempt information, namely information: 
 

1. relating to any individual; 

2. which is likely to reveal the identity of an individual; 

3. relating to the financial or business affairs of any particular person 

4. relating to any labour relations matters/negotiations; 

5. restricted to legal proceedings 

6. about enforcement/enacting legal orders 

7. relating to the prevention, investigation of prosecution of crime. 
    

And/or: 
 

• is defamatory, frivolous or offensive;  
• it is substantially the same as a question which has been put at a meeting of this or another County Council committee in the past six months;  
• the request repeats an identical or very similar question from the same person; 

• the cost of providing an answer is disproportionate;  
• it is being separately addressed through the Council's complaints process; 
• it is not about a matter for which the Council has a responsibility or which affects the county; 
• it relates to planning, licensing and/or other regulatory applications 
• it is a question that town/parish councils would normally be expected to raise through other channels. 

If the Chair is of the opinion that a question is one which for whatever reason, cannot properly be asked in an area meeting, he/she will disallow it and inform the resident of his/her decision.  

Copies of any written answers (without individuals' personal contact details) will be provided for members after the meeting and also be publicly available. 

Democratic Services will confirm the status of the progress on any previously requested written answers and follow up any related actions requested by the Local Area Council.

This item is to:? 

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(a) Receive any new petitions:?to receive any new petitions. The lead petitioner?is?entitled?to briefly introduce their petition?by providing a statement in writing, and a response to any petitions received will then be organised for a future?meeting; 
 

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(b) Consider reports on petitions previously received:? 

(c)? Receive any updates on petitions for which a report was previously?? considered:?any updates will be verbally reported at the meeting.? 

To receive a verbal update from the Area Managers from Technical Services and Neighbourhood Services in attendance about any key recent, ongoing and/or future planned Local Services work for the attention of members of the Local Area Council, who will also then?have the opportunity to?raise issues with the Area Managers.? 

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The Area Managers have principal responsibility for highway services and environmental services, such as refuse collection, street cleansing and grounds maintenance, within the geographic boundaries of the Local Area Council.

Details of the Ashington & Blyth Members Local Improvement Schemes for the period 2021-22 are provided for information only.

To note the latest version of agreed items for future Local Area Council meetings (any suggestions for new agenda items will require confirmation by the Business Chair after the meeting)?.

The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, 10^th August 2022 (planning only).

To consider such other business, as in the opinion of the Chair, should, by reason of special circumstances, be considered as a matter of urgency.