Environment & Highways Committee – Terms of Reference

Environment & Highways Committee

Purpose/Role of the Group:

The Environment Committee is responsible for the following:

• Maintenance activities for Trust or Parish Council managed land – Lorkin Daniell Field, Poor’s Land, Village Green, Allotments
• Mowing and hedge-cutting of Parish managed land.
• Maintenance of field markings on Lorkin Daniell Field and Poor’s Land
• Maintenance of children’s play areas and equipment.
• Litter-picking within village envelope.
• Supervise village handyman work schedules.
• Monitor highways and report problems and where appropriate draw in views from the parish to determine possible solutions.
• Liaise with ECC and CBC with respect to their village responsibilities.
• Maintain and keep bus shelters tidy.
• Management of ponds at Queens Road, Lexden Road, and Hall Road.
• Monitor dog bins and salt bins. Liaise with dog warden.
• Maintain and keep clean village sign, village entry signs and Jubilee beacon.
• Monitor village Footpaths (Public Rights of Way)
• Tree preservation orders for trees on Parish land.
• Environment financial expenditure, forecasting and budget.
• Liaise with allotment sub-committee.
• Environment related health and safety issues and informing Parish Clerk of concerns.
• Produce an action plan of issues arising from any of the above items and monitor progress and completion.
• The Environment Committee chair is the environment H&S officer

Membership:

• The Committee is open to members of the Parish Council including lay members not elected or co-opted.
• The Committee will normally be made up of a minimum of four people at least three of whom must be full PC members; the Chairman of the Parish Council is by default an ex-officio member.
• Membership of the Committee is for a nominal 12 months extendable through the auspices of the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council.
• A Chairman and Vice Chairman are to be elected annually by its membership.

Accountability:

• The Committee is accountable to the PC and will make reports to it monthly
• An annual report on its activity will be published through the Annual Parish meeting

Working Methods/ways of working:

• The Committee will order and manage its work in the following ways
  • At least 6 meetings per year will be held at which proposals will be made to take to the full Parish Council
  • The Chairman or Vice Chairman may call ad hoc site meetings to be undertaken
  • The Committee may through the Clerk make general and specific queries to Colchester Borough Council or Essex County Council officers
  • The Committee may liaise with elected District or County Council members
  • Methods of communication may include written reports or email correspondence either through the Chairman or the Clerk.
  • Recommendation outcomes to go to the PC will be taken by majority vote.
  • A quorum will comprise of at least three PC members

Meetings of the Committee:

• The Environment and Highways Committee will arrange its meetings as follows:
  • At least 6 meetings will be held per annum. Meetings will be held on the 2nd Thursday of the month unless advertised differently
  • Meetings will be presided over by the Environment Chairman or if unavailable the Vice Chairman.
  • Meetings will be advertised on the village web site
  • An agenda will be published at least 3 clear working agreed prior to the meeting taking place.
  • The meeting will be open to the public and press under “have your say” standards of practice.
  • Minutes of the meeting will be recorded and sent to the Parish Clerk for distribution to Parish Council members at least 1 week prior to the Parish Council meeting.

Sharing of information and resources (including confidential materials):

• All copies of agendas and decisions, recommendations, letters, reports and correspondence will be held by the Clerk.
• An area of the village web site will be devoted to Environment-related matters.

Review: These terms of reference will be reviewed annually.