Policy, Resources & Communications

Agenda

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

To:      All Members of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee (Ian Weir, Kate Bailey, Carolyn Barton, David Bunting, Dan Sewell, Don McBeth and Paul Shepherd) with copies to all other Councillors for information.

A meeting of the POLICY RESOURCES & COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE will be held on TUESDAY 5th September 2023 at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.

Parish Clerk 30 August 2023

1. TO ACCEPT APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

2. TO ACCEPT DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

3. ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR.

4. MINUTES to accept the Minutes of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee held on 18th July 2023. (Previously Circulated).

5. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

6. Communications

6.1 The consensus amongst members at the previous meeting in July was that a paper should be drafted setting out a number of bullet points/actions for discussion at the next Policy Resource & Communications Committee to enable members to determine how best to take this work stream forward. Members were keen to have further clarity over the potential elements of work. (Paper to follow).

Members felt that one of the areas to be considered was how the Annual Parish meeting could be developed as it was acknowledged that any planning should commence at an early stage.

Members AGREED that Cllr Sewell should produce a paper for consideration at the next PR&C Committee setting out options for members to consider how they may be taken forward.

 

6.2   Hassocks on Show event –October 28th October – Adastra Hall – members are requested to consider whether they wish the parish council to participate in this event

7. URGENT MATTERS at the discretion of the Chairman for noting and/or inclusion on a future agenda.

8. DATE OF NEXT MEETING. 17th October 2023

Exclusion of Public and Press In view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted Councillors will be referred to the Confidential agenda .If any members of the public or press are present they will be requested to withdraw from the meeting.

Confidential

9. Minutes to accept the confidential minutes of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee held on the 18th July 2023 (previously circulated).

10. Staffing matters (Appendix 1).

Please Note
All members of the public are welcome to attend meetings of the Parish Council and its Committees.
Item 5 – a period of 15 minutes will be set aside for the public statements and questions relating to the published non-confidential business of the Meeting.  It may be necessary to consider particular items in confidential session and where this arises, these items will be considered at the end of the agenda.

FILMING, RECORDING OF COUNCIL MEETINGS AND USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
During this meeting members of the public may film or record the Committee and officers from the public area only providing it does not disrupt the meeting. The Confidential section of the meeting may not be filmed or recorded. If a member of the public objects to being recorded, the person(s) filming must stop doing so until that member of the public has finished speaking. The use of social media is permitted but members of the public are requested to switch their mobile devices to silent for the duration of the meeting.

Minutes

HASSOCKS PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting of the Policy Resources & Communications Committee held on 5th September 2023 at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre, Adastra Park, Hassocks.

Attendees: Parish Councillors, Carolyn Barton, David Bunting, Ian Weir.

Parish Clerk: Ian Cumberworth

MINUTES

PRC23/27    APOLOGIES – Cllr Paul Shepherd and Cllr Don McBeth.

Absent without apologies Cllr Dan Sewell and Cllr Kate Bailey

PRC23/28    DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS

Disclosure by Councillors of personal interests in matters on the agenda, and whether the Councillor regards their interest as prejudicial under the terms of the Code of Conduct. – None.

PRC23/29    ELECTION VICE CHAIR

It was noted that a Chair had not yet been formerly appointed therefore members discussed the approach and it was agreed that Cllr Barton would chair this evening’s meeting. Cllr Barton indicated that going forward she would also be prepared to be considered as Chair for the Committee. Members agreed to consider and ratify this proposal on the next Policy Resources & Communications agenda when a larger number of members are present. It was also proposed that at that stage a Vice Chair would also be appointed.

PRC23/30    MINUTES

The minutes of the meeting held on the 18th July 2023 were accepted as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

PRC23/31    PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

No members of the public were present.

PRC23/32     Communications

The Clerk advised that at the last PR & C meeting it was agreed that Cllr Sewell would prepare a paper setting out a number of bullet points /actions for discussion in relation to communications. The intention was to circulate this prior to tonight’s meeting however unfortunately this had not been received and Cllr Sewell was absent from the meeting.

Cllr Weir indicated that in light of the recent workshops run by Cllr Sewell to improve internal communications he had reconvened the Chairs’ meeting to enable the exchange of ideas /initiatives and to update each other on initiatives being explored by their respective committees, but primarily to improve internal communications between members.

Cllr Weir stated that some of things that were covered included how to promote the Annual Parish meeting more effectively to encourage wider participation. Some examples of what other authorities did were shared with members of the PR & C Committee and members discussed how the parish might wish to take this forward. A wider discussion took place on how the parish council communicates generally and potential improvements that could be considered.

Members felt that to enable sufficient time to plan the Annual Parish meeting (needs to be held between 1st March – 1st June inclusive) a workshop meeting amongst members will be convened later this month to discuss ideas further. It was agreed that Cllr Barton would email all members inviting them to attend the session.

Members then discussed the proposal of attending the ‘Hassocks on show’ event being held at the Adastra Hall on Saturday 28th October which provides an opportunity for community groups to promote themselves and raise awareness of their activities within the village. Members were keen to participate in this initiative with potentially incorporating some elements of this type of event in future Annual Parish meetings.

Members acknowledged that the Council already had some promotional material that could be utilised but further ideas would be considered at the forthcoming meeting for the event in October, in addition volunteer members would be sought to participate in the event and represent the council.

PRC23/33    URGENT MATTERS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN – The Clerk advised members for noting that after 3 months of trying the Council has now received confirmation that two additional signatories have been added to the Council’s bank accounts which brings the number up to five including the Clerk.

PRC23/34    DATE OF NEXT MEETING

To note that the date of the next is Tuesday 17th October 2023 at 7.30pm