Horndean Neighbourhood Improvement Plan

Project Board Terms of Reference

Purpose

The purpose of the Horndean Neighbourhood Improvement Plan (the Plan) is to help to make Horndean centre and its surrounding areas look less neglected. The areas include privately owned, District Council and County Council areas. This will include promoting façade improvements, renovating neglected areas, addressing litter and graffiti, revitalising dilapidated structures, repainting, or repairing buildings and implementing a regular maintenance schedule for public spaces such as public footpaths and public verges.

View the Neighbourhood Planning and the Horndean Village Design Statement here. (opens in a new tab)

Scope

The scope of the Project Board shall be:

To define the boundaries of the project
To identify priorities
To identify stakeholders, including:
- Local Authorities
- Local interest Groups
- Businesses
- Public Agencies
To agree approaches to be made to stakeholders.
To identify sources of funding and in-kind support.
To propose approaches to be made to those who may offer funding or in-kind support.
To Identify ways of involving the whole community.
To gather the views and opinions of as many groups and organisations in the community as possible.
To determine the types of survey and information gathering to be used.
To be responsible for the analysis of surveys and consultation and the production of report(s) of these in accordance with the principles of the General Data Protection Regulations.
To regularly liaise with the Parish Council on progress, issues arising and outcomes from the Project.
The Project Board is not an Advisory Committee as defined in the Local Government Act 1972.

Membership:

The Project Board will be made up from a cross-section of the community, ideally including:
- 2 Parish Councillors nominated by the Parish Council
- 2 District Councillors
- 2 from Residents/Local Interest Groups
- 2 representatives of businesses
- 2 representatives of contributing partners (funding or in kind)

Reporting Structures

Horndean Parish Council will appoint the initial Chairman and will retain the right of veto over future appointments.
Horndean Parish Council will monitor the work of the Project Board, via formal reports from the Project Board and intermediate reports directly from Horndean Parish Councillors appointed to the Project Board.
The Project Board via its Horndean Parish Council members will provide a regular report to the Parish Council, for endorsement.
Horndean Parish Council will provide the opportunity for the endorsement of regular reports via its meeting agenda.
All Project Board members will abide by the principles and practice of the Horndean Parish Council Code of Conduct including declarations of interest.
Any conflict within the Project Board shall be referred to the Parish Council for resolution.

Risk Assessment

Each task undertaken will be risk assessed in a proportionate way using a template that will identify hazards, evaluate the likelihood of the risk, measures to control the risk, a regular review of the risks and a written record kept of the risk assessment process.

Meetings

The Project Board will initially meet nominally every month to establish a plan of action and to determine how best to evaluate results.
Subsequent meetings will be called as required.
The Project Board will meet at a venue determined by Horndean Parish Council.
At least 4 working days’ notice of meetings shall be sent to members (cc to the Horndean Parish Council Chief Officer), generally by e-mail.
Notices of meetings should detail the matters to be discussed.
The Project Board meeting will require at least four members, at least one of whom must be a Horndean Parish Councillor, to be present to proceed.
The Project Board will select a secretary, who shall keep a record of meetings and circulate notes to Project Board members and the Horndean Parish Council in a timely fashion.
Meetings of the Project Board will be private. Horndean Parish Councillors not on the Project Board are welcome to attend as observers.
All agendas, minutes etc shall be copied to the Horndean Parish Council Chief Officer for record keeping.

Working Groups

The Project Board may establish such working groups as necessary to carry out the functions specified by the Project Board.
Each working group must have a lead person, who will be responsible for coordinating the work of the Group and reporting on it.
Working Groups will operate under the banner of the Horndean Neighbourhood Improvement Plan and only carry out duties specified by the full Project Board.
The make-up and purpose of working groups (including volunteers) will be regularly reviewed by the full Project Board.

External Communication

The Project Board (and its working groups) will only issue external communications approved by Horndean Parish Council.

Finance

Any grants and funding will be applied for and held by Horndean Parish Council, who will ring-fence the funds for Neighbourhood Improvement Plan purposes only.
Any expenditure will be approved in line with council standing orders.
Substantial decisions, such as contracting a third party, must have the prior approval of the full Horndean Parish Council. The full Horndean Parish Council will also need to approve the terms and conditions of any contract.
Any commissioning of funds from other bodies must be undertaken by Horndean Parish Council.
The Responsible Financial Officer of Horndean Parish Council shall keep a clear record of expenditure.
Invoices will be made out in the name of Horndean Parish Council who will pay them in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

Annual Review

The composition of the Project Board will be reviewed annually to coincide with Horndean Parish Council’s financial year ending 31 March.
A report of its findings will be produced and presented at Horndean Parish Council’s AGM (in April).

Dissolution of the Project Board

At the conclusion of the Horndean Neighbourhood Improvement Plan, Horndean Parish Council and the Project Board should discuss any future working of the Project Board
Horndean Parish Council reserves the right to dissolve the Project Board by a resolution of the full Parish Council.