28th June 2012
Andrew Weavers,
Monitoring Officer,
Colchester Borough Council,
Rowan House,
33 Sheepen Road
Colchester CO3 3WG
Dear Andrew
Reference – Code of Conduct and the Arrangements
Firstly may I thank you for the excellent presentation and information support provided to my Council and the other Councils within the borough. You have taken a very dry but important subject and made it much easier to digest, thereby allowing my Council to take an informed view of CBC’s Code of Conduct.
At our Parish Council meeting last night my Council formally recorded its acceptance of the Code of Conduct, however we are unable to fully accept the “Arrangements” as currently proposed as they appear prejudicial and discriminatory against our Parish and Town Council sector. Our main concern lies in the intended appointment of a single Parish Councillor to be part of these Arrangements and then only as a non-voting member.
It is hoped the Arrangement structure and voting rights can be reviewed in this regard and appropriately amended so that my Council can accept any revisions in full. My Council has been informed through the Essex Association of Local Councils that at least one Borough/District Council in Essex proposes to construct its “Arrangements Committee” so that all members have voting rights. This approach appears more in line with the freedoms and opportunities afforded by the Localism Act.
Please keep my Council informed if you believe that a review and change can be made allowing us to fully adopt all aspects. Thank you again for your assistance to date.
Yours sincerely,
John Gili-Ross
Chairman West Bergholt Parish Council.