Policy & Resource Committee

Policy & Resource Committee


Terms of Reference:

  1. To develop and review the Town Council’s Strategic Plan (Town Plan)
  2. To review and monitor the effectiveness of the Town Council’s strategies, policies and procedures in accordance with statutory and legislative requirements. Including Standing Orders, Scheme of Delegations and Financial Regulations.
  3. To review the Town Council’s financial and treasury management activities and supervise the investment of funds.
  4. To oversee the performance process and regularly review policies and resources of the Town Council and make recommendations to Full Council when necessary.
  5. To review the Risk Assessment Management Plan and Corporate Risk Assessments.
  6. To make recommendations to the Town Council on matters which do not fall within the powers of any other Committee.
  7. Annually establish a Budget Working Group which shall comprise of the RFO, Town Clerk, Deputy Town Clerk, Mayor and Deputy Mayor and the Chair & Vice Chair of Policy & Resources Committee. The BWG will meet during the first week in November at least 7 days before the November Finance meeting. The RFO will provide detailed estimates of all income and expenditure on base activities (including Committee budgets) for the year. These figures will form the draft Budget.
  8. The Budget Working Group shall review the estimates and budgets put forward by Committees and propose a budget and precept to Policies & Resources Committee based on the figures provided by all Committees and other financial commitments of the Council for the next financial year.
  9. No later than January the Committee will consider the Budget Working Group’s recommendations in accordance with Financial Regulation number 3.
  10. The Committee shall ensure the Budget is complete no later than the 31 January each year and shall recommend the Precept to be levied for the ensuing financial year. At this time the RFO shall supply each member with a copy of the recommended Budget.
  11. To consider and determine applications for financial assistance in accordance with the Council’s grant applications criteria up to £10,000.
  12. To make recommendations to Full Council for any grants over £10,000.
  13. To review and ratify the Council’s monthly schedule of payments and ensure compliance of regulations.
  14. To appoint to Councillors monthly to undertake the financial spot checks.
  15. To be responsible for any budget delegated to it by the Council.
  16. To consider all requests from committees for additional budget over and above their annually agreed budget and make recommendations to Council for consideration.
  17. To approve the appointment of the Internal Auditor and oversee the work of internal audit which shall be reported to the Council.
  18. To oversee the work of an external audit which shall be reported to the Council.
  19. To be responsible for all budgets not allocated to Committees, or delegated Officers.
  20. To consider the implications of relevant legislation and to keep the Town Council and its Committees informed of the implications.
  21. To encourage members of the Council to attend conferences and training courses where it is considered to be of value to the Council to do so.
  22. To investigate, take advice on and initiate negotiations on such issues as devolution, local area agreements, taking into consideration the Parish Charter and any relevant legislation.
  23. To have responsibility for the Town Magazine and to encourage all Councillors and other Committees to contribute on a regular basis.
  24. To be responsible for the implementation of any actions allocated to the committee in the Town Plan 2023-2027.