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4 November 2024
I think I’ve resolved one of the conundrums of Hughenden Parish Council.
I've frequently been asked why some things get done at HPC, like contracting out work on site management plans, or planting hedges and bulbs at Cockpit Hole, or commissioning new playgrounds - and spending lots of money.
And yet other things don’t get done, like not repairing streetlights, not getting hedges cut which encroach on pavements, not safeguarding the safety of children - and not monitoring where the money has gone.
And now I have the answer.
Cllr Jones, the Chair of HPC, wrote to Council last week. copied to the locum Clerk and deputy Clerk, saying: -
“My understanding is that Council instructs staff to carry out their duties, and within that framework staff set priorities and execute actions.”
Just think about that for a moment.
The duties of staff are set out in their job descriptions. For example, the latest version of the job description of the Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer is at the end of this blog.
According to Cllr Jones, all Council needs to do is instruct staff to carry out the duties in their job descriptions and then leave staff to set their own priorities and decide what to do.
As you can see, the job description of the Clerk/RFO would then give the job holder very considerable scope for setting priorities and deciding what actions to execute.
I have had my suspicions that this was Council’s way of working for a long time but it is alarming to have it confirmed.
According to Cllr Jones, there’s no need for Council to set objectives or priorities for the Council and certainly no need to set objectives and priorities for staff. No need for plans or deadlines.
According to Cllr Jones, there’s not even a need for staff to inform Council what actions they have executed. No need for reports on what they have been doing.
Not so much a light touch management style as completely laissez faire.
Don’t you wish you had a job like that?
And according to Cllr Jones, there’s no need for Council to get involved in Council business or know what is going on or communicate with residents – or actually take any decisions. Council can leave it all to the staff.
So, there’s no real need for Council meetings – just have them every 2 months, and roll up and rubber stamp proposals.
As far as I know, no-one has responded to Cllr Jones’ e-mail setting out his understanding of how the Council works – so I assume everyone agrees with him.
Except, of course: -
- It is Council which is ultimately responsible for the management of the Council, including its financial management. It is Council which is responsible for the actions of the Council; if something goes wrong, it is Council which is responsible, not staff; and
- The Clerk/RFO is accountable to the Council; and
- HPC’s Human Resources Committee should be supervising and managing the Clerk’s performance.
You might be interested in what the Council said 5 years ago (when Peter Wetherman was Clerk): -
“The Clerk is employed by the Council..... to provide administrative support for the Council's activities.
The Clerk’s primary responsibility is to advise the Council on whether its decisions are lawful and to recommend ways in which decisions can be implemented. To help with this, the Clerk can be asked to research topics of concern to the Council and provide unbiased information to help the Council to make appropriate choices….
The Clerk must recognise that the Council is responsible for all decisions and that he/she takes instructions from the Council as a body. The Clerk is not answerable to any individual Councillor - not even the Chairman. (my bold).
The Council must be confident that the Clerk is, at all times, independent, objective and professional.”
How times change.
Now Council apparently believes that it should just let staff do their own thing.
And democracy – what’s that?
Current job description of Clerk/Proper Officer/RFO (I think)
JOB PURPOSE
The Clerk to the Council will be the Proper Officer of the Council and as such is under a statutory duty to carry out all the functions, and to serve or issue all the notifications required by law of a local authority's Proper Officer. The Clerk will be responsible for ensuring that the instructions of the Council in connection with its function as a Local Authority are carried out.
The Clerk will advise the Council on, and assist elected council members in the formation of, overall policy, strategy and operations to be followed in respect of the Authority's activities and to produce the information required for making effective decisions. The Clerk will work collaboratively, with external bodies and staff to implement the Council’s policies and decisions.
The person appointed will be accountable to the Council for the effective management of all its resources and will report to them as and when required. The Clerk will be the Responsible Financial Officer and responsible for all financial records of the Council and the careful administration of its finances in accordance with legal requirements and best practice. (my bold)
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
· To exercise financial control over the Council’s activities, including the administration of purchase orders, invoices, payments, payroll and ensuring that the Council's accounts are monitored and balanced and records for audit purposes and VAT are prepared.
· To ensure that statutory and other provisions governing or affecting the running of the Council are observed.
· To prepare, in consultation with appropriate members, agendas for meetings of the Council, Committees and Working Groups. To attend such meetings and prepare minutes for approval other than where such duties have been delegated to another Officer.
· To prepare, in consultation with the Chairman, updates to the website and noticeboards, and news releases about the activities of, or decisions of, the Council.
· To manage the procurement process and all 3rd party contracts.
· To be accountable to the Council for the effective management of its personnel, operations, assets, finances and other resources, and in particular to supervise other members of staff, undertaking the management of salaries, appraisals, conditions of employment and personal development in keeping with the policies of the Council.
· To issue notices and prepare agendas and minutes for the Annual Parish Meeting. To attend such meetings and to implement the decisions made at the assemblies that are agreed by the Council.
· To deal with correspondence and documents on behalf of the Council and bring such items to the attention of the Council.
· To oversee or plan for the management of any Council projects undertaken or any functions or services that the Council is committed to provide for the community.
· To ensure that the Council's obligations for Risk Assessment, Health and Safety and General Data Protection Regulations are fully met.
· To liaise with community associations, Buckinghamshire Councillors and Officers, associations of Clerks and other partners, representing the Council as required.
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