TERMS OF REFERENCE (ToR)

STILLINGFLEET PARISH COUNCIL –

POLICY REVIEW COMMITTEE

 

Purpose

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into force on 25 May 2018. As a result all Parish Councils need to demonstrate and evidence that they are making progress towards achieving compliance.  In order to comply and protect the personal data the Council holds and processes Yorkshire Local Council’s Association (YLCA) and National Association of Local Councils (NALC) have recommended that each Council needs to review its existing policies and where necessary adopt new policies required to demonstrate that compliance.

In addition a number of findings emanating from the internal audit of the Council’s accountability and governance which took place in May 2018 indicate that some of the current policies adopted by the Council are out of date and inadequate to satisfy statutory and audit requirements.  As a result the Audit recommendations include the need to undertake a full review of all policies and re-draft in accordance with guidance and templates produced by YLCA and/or NALC.

Therefore the role of the Policy Review Committee is:

  • to review the various policies and procedures the Parish Council should have in place to govern its conduct and operation as defined by relevant statute including the new GDPR, by audit requirements and by best practice
  • to draft up to date policies for consideration and adoption by the full Council to ensure compliance with recommended model practices that satisfy the Council’s statutory and audit responsibilities.

Scope and Success Criteria

The Committee will achieve its objectives if, by 31 May 2019, the Council has, as a minimum, adopted compliant practices and policies covering the following statutory requirements (SR), audit requirements (AR) and Data protection requirements (GDPR):

  • Adopted new Financial Regulations (SR)
  • Adopted a new Code of Conduct (SR)
  • Adopted a Publication Scheme (SR)
  • Adopted new Standing Orders (AR)
  • Compiled an audit of the Council’s Assets (AR)
  • Undertaken a full data audit (GDPR)
  • Compiled and made progress under the GDPR Action Plan
  • Adopted new Privacy Notices where applicable (GDPR)
  • Adopted a Document Retention and Disposal Policy (GDPR)
  • Adopted a Security incident response policy (GDPR)
  • Adopted a Subject Access request policy (GDPR)

Term

As it is expected that the Council will undertake corrective action to address audit recommendations within 12 months, this ToR is effective from 1 June 2018 and continues until the 31 May 2019 when it is expected that the objectives of the Committee will have been achieved.

Membership

The Policy Review Committee will comprise:

Paul Elmhirst, Chairman

John Cook, Councillor

Michelle Dixon, Councillor

Ruth Swales, Clerk / RFO 

Roles and Responsibilities

The Committee is accountable for:

  • fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge and experience
  • maintaining at all times the focus of the Committee on the agreed scope, outcomes and benefits.
  • monitoring and managing the factors outside the Committee’s control that could be critical to its success.

The membership of the Committee will commit to:

  • attending all scheduled Committee meetings
  • sharing all communications and information across all Committee members
  • making timely recommendations and taking action so as to not hold up the project

Members of the Committee will expect:

  • to be provided with complete, accurate and meaningful information in a timely manner and given reasonable time to consider any drafts requiring a decision
  • to be alerted to potential risks and issues that could impact the project as they arise
  • to be involved in open and honest discussions, without resort to any misleading assertions
  • to be provided with ongoing ‘status updates’ to verify the Committee is on track to achieve its objectives.

Meetings

All meetings will be chaired by Councillor Elmhirst

A meeting quorum will be 3 members of the Committee

Decisions to be made by consensus (i.e. members are satisfied with the decision even though it may not be their first choice). If not possible, the Committee Chair makes the final decision.

Meeting agendas and minutes will be provided by Ruth Swales, this includes:

  • preparing agendas and supporting papers
  • preparing meeting notes and information

Meetings will be held every 2 months for 1.5 hours at Swallow House, The Green, Stillingfleet.

Amendment, Modification or Variation

This Terms of Reference may be amended, varied or modified in writing after consultation and agreement by the Policy Review Committee members.

 

Signed on behalf of Stillingfleet Parish Council

 

Paul Elmhirst                        Date 31 May 2018