12.12.24 MERGED_pagenumber
This is the text of a council document, shown as a web page so it can be read with a screen reader, resized, or viewed comfortably on a phone. Download the original PDF
Interests Flowchart
The flowchart below gives a simple guide to declaring an interest under the code.
1
Table 1: Disclosable Pecuniary Interests
This table sets out the explanation of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests as set out in the
Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012.
Subject Description
Employment, office, trade, Any employment, office, trade,
profession or vocation profession or vocation carried on for
profit or gain.
Sponsorship Any payment or provision of any other
financial benefit (other than from the
council) made to the councillor during the
previous 12-month period for expenses
incurred by him/her in carrying out
his/her duties as a councillor, or towards
his/her election expenses.
This includes any payment or financial
benefit from a trade union within the
meaning of the Trade Union and Labour
Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Contracts Any contract made between the
councillor or his/her spouse or civil
partner or the person with whom the
councillor is living as if they were
spouses/civil partners (or a firm in
which such person is a partner, or an
incorporated body of which such person
is a director* or a body that such person
has a beneficial interest in the securities
of*) and the council
—
(a) under which goods or services are
to be provided or works are to be
executed; and
(b) which has not been fully discharged
Land and Property Any beneficial interest in land which is
within the area of the council.
‘Land’ excludes an easement,
servitude, interest or right in or over
land which does not give the councillor
or his/her spouse or civil partner or the
person with whom the councillor is
living as if they were spouses/ civil
partners (alone or jointly with another) a
right to occupy or to receive income.
Licenses Any licence (alone or jointly with others)
to occupy land in the area of the council
for a month or longer
2
Corporate tenancies Any tenancy where (to the councillor’s
knowledge)—
(a) the landlord is the council; and
(b) the tenant is a body that the councillor,
or his/her spouse or civil partner or the
person with whom the councillor is living
as if they were spouses/ civil partners is
a partner of or a director* of or has a
beneficial interest in the securities* of.
Securities Any beneficial interest in securities* of a
body where—
(a) that body (to the councillor’s
knowledge) has a place of
business or land in the area of the
council; and
(b) either—
(i) ) the total nominal value of the
securities* exceeds £25,000 or
one hundredth of the total issued
share capital of that body; or
(ii) If the share capital of that body is of
more than one class, the total nominal
value of the shares of any one class in
which the councillor, or his/ her spouse
or civil partner or the person with whom the
councillor is living as if they were
spouses/civil partners have a beneficial
interest exceeds one hundredth of the total
issued share capital of that class.
* ‘director’ includes a member of the committee of management of an industrial and
provident society.
* ‘securities’ means shares, debentures, debenture stock, loan stock, bonds, units of a collective
investment scheme within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and other
securities of any description, other than money deposited with a building society.
Table 2: Other Registrable Interests
You must register as an Other Registerable Interest :
a) any unpaid directorships
b) any body of which you are a member or are in a position of general control or
management and to which you are nominated or appointed by your authority
c) any body
(i) exercising functions of a public nature
(ii) directed to charitable purposes or
(iii) one of whose principal purposes includes the influence of public opinion or policy
(including any political party or trade union) of which you are a member or in a
position of general control or management
3
The Council Office, Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk email: clerk@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Minutes of the meeting of the Property, Policy & Resources Committee held on
Monday 29th April 2024 at 7pm at
Hellesdon Parish Council Offices, Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Woodview Road, Hellesdon
Present:
Cllr S Gurney (Chairman)
Cllr G Britton
Cllr R Forder
Cllr B Johnson
Also in Attendance:
F LeBon (Clerk)
The Chairman welcomed everyone and opened the meeting at 7pm.
1. Apologies and acceptance for absence
Apologies were received from Cllr Douglass and Cllr Maidstone. These were ACCEPTED.
2. Declarations of Interest and Dispensations
No interests declared or dispensations requested.
3. To Approve the Minutes of the Meeting Held on 11th December 2023
Minutes had been circulated from the meeting held on 11th December 2023. These were
AGREED as a true and accurate record of the meeting after a proposal from Cllr Britton and a
second from Cllr Johnson.
4. Public Participation
No public present at the meeting.
5. Fire Regulations
The Clerk explained that Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 came into force on 1st
October 2023, introducing legal provisions surrounding fire safety. These requirements apply
to all non-domestic premises, such as where people work, visit or stay, including workplaces.
a) To Agree Hellesdon Parish Council to be the Responsible Body under new Fire Regulations
The Clerk explained that the legislation refers to a ‘responsible person’ and their duties under
the act. Guidance states that ‘you are a Responsible Person if you are an employer, have
control of the premises, or the owner of a premises’. Clarification has been sought as to
whether a Responsible Person can be a corporate body and it can be. The employer is
Hellesdon Parish Council and so it is recommended that Hellesdon Parish Council is the
‘responsible person’ with the day to day works to ensure that the Parish Council complies with
the legislation delegated to the Clerk and the Facilities Manager. This recommendation was
ACCEPTED after a proposal from Cllr Gurney and a second from Cllr Johnson.
b) To Consider the Updating of the Fire Risk Assessments for All Council Buildings.
Approved…………………………………………………...…
Date………………………………………
HPC Property, Policy & Resources Committee Minutes
29th April 2024
4
The Clerk reported that the last Fire Risk Assessments were completed on behalf of the council
in 2019. As these are now 5 years old and the community centre has been much changed, it is
recommended that these are now updated. A price has been received of £150 per building to
complete these Risk Assessments. That is £450 for the Community Centre, Diamond Jubilee
Lodge and the Grounds Shed.
After establishing that the quote was in line with financial regulations, it was AGREED to
proceed with the updating of the Fire Risk Assessments for £450.
6. Policies Review
The following policies were reviewed:
a) Information Security – AGREED with an amendment to the Evaluation and Response
section to ensure that a report is made to Full Council as well as the Chairman.
b) Publication Scheme – AGREED with no amendments.
c) Retention of Documents – AGREED with amendment as detailed in the pack.
d) Management of Outdoor Surfaces - AGREED with amendment as detailed in the pack.
e) Social Media - AGREED with amendment as detailed in the pack.
f) Subject Access Request - AGREED with no amendments.
g) Equal Opportunities - AGREED with amendment as detailed in the pack.
h) Recruitment and Selection - AGREED with no amendments.
i) Training and Development - AGREED with no amendments.
j) Whistleblowing - AGREED with no amendments.
k) Prevention of Respiratory Infections - AGREED with amendment as detailed in the pack.
l) Safeguarding - AGREED with amendment as detailed in the pack.
m) Debt Management - AGREED with no amendments.
It was AGREED that councillors should have a hard copy of updated policies relevant to their
role, so these can be added to their councillor files. The Clerk is to arrange this.
7. To Review Risk Assessments
The risk assessments presented were ACCEPTED. It was noted that the risk assessment for the
community café was omitted. This is to be presented to the next full council meeting, ensuring
that it covers the café, foyer and the dog friendly area.
Risk assessments for other groups with buildings on the Parish Council’s land should be
appended to the Parish Council risk assessments. Assessments are already held for the HAHA
hut and the Family Hub. The Clerk is to request risk assessments for the bowls pavilion and
the Horticultural Association storage area.
8. Items for the Next Agenda and for Other Committees
Clarification of land owned by the Parish Council at the burial ground.
Rent for HHA storage area.
Large grants for community centre extension.
Heath Crescent Land
Formal Open Space on Hospital development site. The Clerk is to find out if this information is
available prior to the next meeting.
9. To confirm that date of the next meeting.
To be confirmed – after the meeting to be held on 21st May 2024.
The meeting closed at 8pm.
Approved…………………………………………………...…
Date………………………………………
HPC Property, Policy & Resources Committee Minutes
29th April 2024
5
Review of Hellesdon Street Furniture – Litter and Dog Bins
The parish office receives complaints about certain areas of the parish being untidy as a result
of street furniture required, or the current stock being insufficient. Some of the parish stock is
under the jurisdiction of Broadland Council, some is the Parish Council.
Hellesdon Parish Council has raised concerns with Broadland Council over an informal
arrangement over the maintenance of litter and dog bins which have been provided by Broadland
Council.
Broadland Council will be ‘writing to town and parish councils to clarify responsibility for
installation and maintenance of street bins’. [17th November 2022] This communication has yet
to be received. This has been chased as the environmental assets in the parish are looking to be
reviewed (are they sufficient / in the right place). A response was received by Broadland Council
on 11th September advising that ‘Unfortunately this is still in the process of being reviewed and
finalised’.
It's disappointing that this remains outstanding for over 18 months, but this has reached a stage
where the Parish Council perhaps needs to take control for the benefit of its parishioners.
Litter Bins
The current list of litter bins in Hellesdon, as collected by Broadland Council, is as follows:
6
The Parish Council also owns litter bins based in the Recreation Ground, Mountfield Park,
Cottinghams Park and Meadow Way. These are emptied by our caretakers on a weekly basis
and returned to the community centre for commercial collection.
Issues with litter bins
• There is often insufficient space in the commercial bins at the community centre to
cope with the increase in litter being generated from the parks and also the increased
waste generated from increased bookings at the community centre. The optimum bin
storage at the community centre should be one large 1100l waste bin and one large
1100l recycling bin. Consideration could be given to Broadland Council collecting
these bins as well.
• Other considerations for the bins at the parks could be to separate the recycling from
the general waste. This would alleviate the pressure on the general waste bins and
improve the sustainability of the parks.
• Some litter bins are often reported to the Parish Council as overflowing such as the bin
outside The Bull, the bin close to the Premier Store and the bin on the junction of
Drayton High Road and Middletons Lane. Consideration should be given to larger bins,
although how this would affect the responsibility between Broadland Council and the
Parish Council is unknown. The bins are currently 50l.
• Requests have also been made for bins next to the seating at Cottinghams Park.
• A high footfall area which the office receives complaints about is the top of Reepham
road where there is no litter bin:
7
There isn’t obvious space on the highway for a litter bin. Perhaps there could be a discussion
with the landowner to encourage a litter bin to service users from these shops.
The cost of emptying each litter bin is £4.60 per empty (£239.20 per annum). The following are
the bins that Broadland Council will permit
Swintex Osprey Melba Swintex Copperfield 90 litre litter bin (post or wall mounted) Floor mounted 40l capacity 90l capacity
Glasdon Topsy Jubilee Leafield Heritage 90 litre litter bin Floor Mounted Floor Mounted Capacity 110l
8
It is recommended that any new bin be of the largest capacity possible to prevent overflowing.
This would be the Glasdon Topsy, complete with concrete in anchors, at a cost of £327.88.
Dog Bins
The current plan of dog bins, as collected by Broadland Council, is as follows:
Issues with dog bins
There are concerns about the following dog bins regularly overflowing:
• Footpath by Meadow Way – this is a high footfall area with a very narrow space. When
the bin overflows (which is regularly) it is difficult for pedestrians. An extra bin outside
of the park has been requested.
• Drayton Wood Road – There is only one dog bin that services that whole of Drayton
Wood Road. Would it be sensible to have a second bin on the other side of Drayton
Wood Road, perhaps on the open space at the junction of Westwood Drive? The owner
of Bodyworks has also had issues with people leaving dog waste in their commercial
bins
9
• Mountfield Avenue Entrance – this area could benefit from a second bin as it regularly
overflows.
• A new bin should be considered for the alley way between Woodland Road and
Bernham Road. However, it is unsure where this can be sited as there is no grass verge,
unless it is site further along Bernham Road or Woodland Road:
Unless it could be installed on the highway post, without interfering with pedestrian access.
10
Again, the cost of emptying each bin is £4.60 per empty (£239.20 per annum). The following are
the dog bins that Broadland Council will permit:
Glasdon Fido 25 bin with metal liner.
Swintex Doggy model with Metal Glasdon Fido 35 bin Glasdon Fido 25 bin with metal metal liner (40 litre) Post or wall mounted liner. Post or wall mounted 35l capacity Post or Wall Mounted 40l capacity Capacity 25l
It is recommended that, should any bins be purchased, that the largest capacity ones be
obtained. In this case it is the Swintex at 40l and these are currently £149.10 per bin.
11
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Accessibility to Information Policy
This policy provides guidelines to make sure the Hellesdon Parish Council is accessible to
everyone. This includes:
• The Public
• Employees
• Elected Members
• Partner Organisations
The policy has been written both for staff and elected Members in the Council. The policy
has also been written so members of the public can access it. Finally the policy has been
written for partner organisations, with the aim of developing future protocols on
accessibility that would cut across organisations.
This policy provides an overall framework for people to access us through:
• Printed information
• Electronic information
• Face to face contact
• Telephone
We will cover all areas of access to information including:
• Alternative formats
• Translators
• Interpreters
• Other support for people at meetings
Our policy aims to make accessible services and information:
• Straightforward
• Part of the Council’s day to day work
1 Information is a right
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gives every member of the public a right to request
information on any aspect of our work. This means that people have a right to Parish
Council information in a language or format that suits them, where reasonable and
practicable.
Hellesdon Parish Council Accessibility to Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
12
1.1 How this will make a difference for the public
Our policy is committed to making information and services available:
• To individuals
• On request
• In alternative formats
• In alternative media
This applies to everything produced including, but not limited to website, letters, emails,
leaflets, minutes, social media posts and reports.
1.2 Accessibility and Council Policies
This policy is part of our approach to supporting equality and diversity. At Hellesdon Parish
Council, we do not discriminate when people want to access information and services.
1.3 Commitment to accessibility
Copies of council documents can be made available in different formats such as large print,
Braille, audio or in a different language, if requested.
Council documents should be checked for accessibility issues prior to publishing
electronically or being emailed, to ensure that they can be read by screen readers.
2 Accessing Interpreters and Translators
This part of the policy focuses on making services accessible to people whose first language
is not written or spoken English.
Interpreters are needed where a person finds that communicating in English is a barrier to
getting the information, advice or service they need.
The Council has the following responsibilities regarding interpreters:
• To provide them on request
• To only use them with a person’s consent
Due to the low level of request for this service, the Council does not have direct access to
interpreters, however if required, we will endeavour to respond within a reasonable
timescale to find a suitable person who can provide an adequate level of interpretation.
2.1 Translators
At any point in time someone may want a document translated into a language other than
English. The Council does not, as a matter of course, translate documents into other
languages. However, we will endeavour to respond within a reasonable time to find a
suitable person who can provide an adequate level of translation. There are also several
good websites that provide electronic translation but care must be taken as these
translations are not always completely accurate.
Hellesdon Parish Council Accessibility to Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
13
3 Accessible Information: Using Plain Language
Plain language is about making sure that everything we write is clear to read and be
understood.
The Plain English Campaign define Plain English as ‘something that the intended audience
can read, understand and act upon the first time they read it’.
The Plain English Campaign, as detailed on their website www.plainenglish.co.uk, list what
they consider plain language to be. This includes:
• Keep your sentences short
• Use 'you' and 'we'
• Use words that are appropriate for the reader
• Don't be afraid to give instructions
• Use lists where appropriate
Clear print is a design that takes into account a wider audience.
4.1 Type size
The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) and Action for Blind People recommend
font size 14 as a minimum. The Council’s documents will be supplied in this font upon
request.
4.2 Type weight
Medium or bold weight fonts are more accessible than light ones.
4.3 Typeface
The Council uses Calibri minimum font size 11 for day to day use. Simulated handwriting and
elaborate typefaces are difficult to read and should not be used.
4.4 Contrast
Aim for a clear colour contrast. Black text on a white background and strong blue text on a
yellow background provide the best contrast. Inks which are of a darker tone of the same
colour as the paper should be avoided. People with colour blindness may have problems
distinguishing reds or greens. When using white type, make sure the background is dark to
provide good contrast.
4.5 Using paper
Avoid using glossy paper because the glare makes it difficult to read and choose uncoated
paper or matt. Thin paper should not be used when printing documents on both sides. If the
Hellesdon Parish Council Accessibility to Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
14
text is showing through from the reverse side, then the paper is too thin and bold and large
text is more likely to show through.
4.6 Type styles
Avoid sentences using CAPITAL LETTERS, italics or underlined text as these are generally
harder to read. Bold is more accessible but only in small amounts.
4.7 Page layout and word spacing
To make a document accessible:
• Keep the same space between each word
• Do not condense or s t r e t c h words
• Try not to write more than 60-70 letters per line
• Do not split words at the end of lines
• Align text to the left margin so it is easy to find the start and finish of each line
• Avoid justified text as it creates uneven spacing between words
• Break information down into sections with titles and sub titles.
4.8 Navigational aids
It is good practice to use numbered headings and paragraphs in long documents, also to use
a contents list or index to guide readers to relevant sections and pages. It is also helpful to
place clear page numbers in the same position on each page, and leaving a space between
paragraphs make reading easier.
4.9 Illustrations
Where possible try not to write letters over pictures. Use ‘Alt Text’ when pictures in a
document are to be placed online or emailed.
4.10 Watermarks
Watermarks can be confusing to a reader, although it is very useful tool especially for DRAFT
or CONFIDENTIAL documents. An alternative is to state DRAFT or CONFIDENTIAL in large
bold print at the beginning of the document and on top of each page.
4.11 Large print
Large print documents must be made available on request. The RNIB defines large print as a
minimum font size of Point 16. Action for Blind People recommend anything between Point
16 to Point 22. It is good practice to ask people what size they would like, as no single size
suits everyone. With long documents it is a good idea to ask the person whether they want
all or part of a document made available in large print. In some cases they may only want a
summary.
Hellesdon Parish Council Accessibility to Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
15
5 Accessible Information in alternative formats
The Council has a responsibility to make available materials in alternative formats.
5.1 Electronic information
Electronically held information can be adapted or translated before being sent out. In many
cases parishioners may have screen readers or translators.
5.2 Coloured paper
Printing material in a different colour or onto coloured paper can help some readers with
dyslexia. It is important to ask the individual reader what is best for them.
5.3 Braille
Some people prefer information in Braille. Before responding to requests for information in
Braille it is important to check that the person would rather have information in Braille than
on a document that is accessible via a screen reader.
5.4 Translation
Translation is a critical way to make documents accessible to people who read in other
languages. All requests for translation must be met in the language requested.
5.5 Using pictorial information
Many people may find information easier to understand if text is supported by illustrations.
These could include:
• Photos
• Flow charts
• Tables
• Diagrams
MENCAP provide helpful information on how to make printed information accessible for
people with learning difficulties and literacy difficulties – www.mencap.org.uk
Key points to remember when illustrating a printed text are to use bigger text and bullet
points, and to keep writing at a minimum. Too much colour can make reading harder for
someone as well.
6 Digital Information
The Council has a responsibility to make digital information accessible
Hellesdon Parish Council Accessibility to Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
16
6.1 Website
Since September 2020, all parish, town & borough councils must have a website that
complies with Website Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA rating so that it
meets Accessibility Guidelines as set in the Public Sector Bodies Accessibility regulations. A
policy statement must be place on the website detailing its accessibility.
6.2 Pictures
Pictures that are in digital format for the public to access, should have an alt. text or a
picture description so that they are accessible by screen readers.
6.3 Documents
Documents that are designed to be viewed digitally should be created with accessibility in
mind. All Microsoft documents should be created using the Accessibility Checker function
and the correctly ordered styles.
APPENDIX 1: Useful Information and Guidance
Learning disabilities : Mencap
www.mencap.org.uk
Visual impairments/blindness: Royal National Institute for the Blind
www.rnib.org.uk
The Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind
www.nnab.org.uk
Hearing impairments/deafness: Royal National Institute for the Deaf
www.rnid.org.uk
Plain English Campaign
www.plainenglish.co.uk
Norwich Citizens Advice Bureau
Tel: 01603 660857
Hellesdon Parish Council Accessibility to Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
17
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
CCTV Policy
Introduction
This policy is to control the management, operation, use and confidentiality of the CCTV system
located at Hellesdon Parish Council. The site is owned and managed by Hellesdon Parish Council.
The policy was prepared after taking due account of the General Data Protection
Regulations and the Data Protection Act 2018. This policy will be subject to periodic review
by the Council to ensure that it continues to reflect the public interest and that it and the
system meets all legislative requirements.
Statement of Purpose
To provide a safe and secure environment for the benefit of those who might visit, work or
live in the area. The system will not be used to invade the privacy of any individual, except
when carried out in accordance with the law. The scheme will be used for the following
purposes:
• to reduce the fear of crime by persons using facilities at Hellesdon Parish Council, so
they can enter and leave the buildings and facilities without fear of intimidation by
individuals or groups;
• to reduce the vandalism of property and to prevent, deter and detect crime and
disorder;
• to assist the police, the Council and other Law Enforcement Agencies with
identification, detection, apprehension and prosecution of offenders by examining
and using retrievable evidence relating to crime, public order or contravention of
bye-laws
• to deter potential offenders by publicly displaying the existence of CCTV, having
cameras clearly sited that are not hidden and signs on display in areas being
monitored. Signs should state that images are being recorded, for the purpose they
are being recorded, and who to contact for further information.
• To protect staff from intimidation and abuse whilst going about their duties of
employment.
• to assist all “emergency services” to carry out their lawful duties.
Responsibilities of the Owner of the Scheme
Hellesdon Parish Council retains overall responsibility for the scheme.
Hellesdon Parish Council CCTV Policy
Reviewed December 2024
2025/2026 M1
18
Management of the System
Day to day operational responsibility rests with the Clerk to the Council. Breaches of this
policy will be investigated by the Clerk to the Council and reported to the Council.
A CCTV system prevents crime largely by increasing the risk of detection and prosecution of
an offender. Any relevant tape or digital evidence must be in an acceptable format for use
at Court hearings. This policy must be read and understood by all persons involved in this
scheme and individual copies of this policy will therefore be issued for retention. A copy will
also be available for reference in the secure recording areas.
Control and Operation of the Cameras, Monitors and Systems
The following points must be understood and strictly observed by operators:
a) Trained operators must act with integrity and not abuse the equipment or change
the pre-set criteria to compromise the privacy of an individual.
b) No public access will be allowed to the monitors except for lawful, proper and
sufficient reason, with prior approval of the Clerk to the Council or the Chairman of
the Council. The Police are permitted access to tapes and prints if they have reason
to believe that such access is necessary to investigate, detect or prevent crime. The
Police are permitted to visit the Clerk to the Council to review and confirm the
Council’s operation of CCTV by arrangement. Any visit by the Police to view images
will be logged by the operators
c) Operators should regularly check the accuracy of the date/time displayed on the
system.
Storage and Retention of Images
Digital records should be securely stored to comply with data protection and should only be
handled by the essentially minimum number of persons. Digital images will be erased after a
period of 28 days.
Images will not normally be supplied to the media, except on the advice of the police if it is
deemed to be in the public interest. The Clerk to the Council would inform the Chairman of
the Council of any such matter.
As records may be required as evidence at Court, each person handling a digital record may
be required to make a statement to a police officer and sign an exhibit label. Any images
that are handed to a police officer should be signed for by the police officer and information
logged to identify the recording, and showing the officer’s name and police station. The log
should also show when such information is returned to the Council by the police and the
outcome of its use.
Hellesdon Parish Council CCTV Policy
Reviewed December 2024
2025/2026 M1
19
Any event that requires checking of recorded data should be clearly detailed in the log book
of incidents, including Crime Numbers, if appropriate, and the Council notified at the next
available opportunity.
Any damage to equipment or malfunction discovered by an operator should be reported
immediately to the Clerk to the Council and recorded in the log. When a repair has been
made, this should also be logged showing the date and time of completion.
Subject Access Requests
Any request by an individual member of the public for access to their own recorded image
must be made on an Access Request Form and may be subject to a fee. Forms are available
by contacting the Clerk to the Council considered in line with the Council’s privacy
statement and the General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 2018
Hellesdon Parish Council CCTV Policy
Reviewed December 2024
2025/2026 M1
20
Data Protection Policy
1. Introduction
Hellesdon Parish Council is fully committed to compliance with the requirements of the
General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (the
DPA). The Parish Council will, therefore, follow procedures which aim to ensure that all
personal data collected about council members, staff, visitors and other individuals is
processed fairly, lawfully and transparently.
The GDPR, the DPA and Article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998, stress that the processing of
personal data needs to strike a balance between the needs of the Parish Council to function
effectively and efficiently and respect for the rights and freedoms of the individual. This
policy sets out how the Parish Council intends to safeguard those rights and freedoms.
Obligations and responsibilities under the General Data Protection Regulation are not
optional; they are mandatory. There can be harsh penalties, up to €20 million or 4% of
global turnover for the preceding year (whichever is the greater) in relation to breaches of
rights and obligations and up to €10 million or 2% of global turnover for the preceding year
(whichever is the greater) imposed for non-compliance regarding Control and Mitigation.
The Parish Council will therefore, follow procedures that aim to ensure that all members,
staff, visitors and any other person working for the Parish Council who have access to any
personal data held by or on behalf of the Parish Council is fully aware of, and abides by their
duties and responsibilities under the General Data Protection Regulation and Data
Protection Act.
All individuals permitted to access personal data in line with their work duties must agree to
comply with this policy and agree to undertake any relevant training that may be
appropriate to the role being undertaken.
As well as the Parish Council, any individual who knowingly or recklessly processes data
without appropriate consent or proper authorisation, for purposes other than those for
which it is intended or is deliberately acting outside of their recognised responsibilities may
be subject to the Parish Council’s disciplinary procedures or reporting to the monitoring
officer, whichever is appropriate.
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
21
2. Scope
This policy applies to the collection and processing of all personal data held by the Parish
Council, falling within the scope of the GDPR and the DPA in all formats including paper,
electronic, audio and visual. It applies to all members, staff, volunteers and contractors.
3. Personal and special category personal data
The GDPR and DPA provides conditions for the collection and processing of any personal
data. It also makes a distinction between personal data and ‘special category’ personal data.
Personal data means any information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person
(‘data subject’); an identifiable natural person is one who can be identified, directly or
indirectly, in particular by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification
number, location data, an online identifier or to one or more factors specific to the physical,
physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural or social identity of that natural person.
Special category personal data is defined as personal data consisting of information as to:
• racial or ethnic origin; • political opinion; • religious or other beliefs; • trade union membership; • physical or mental health or condition; • sexual life or sexual orientation; • genetics • biometric data (where used for ID purposes) Although there are clear distinctions between personal and special category data for the purposes of this policy the term ‘personal data’ refers equally to ‘special category data’ unless otherwise stated. The GDPR and DPA rules for special category data do not apply to information about criminal allegations, proceedings, or convictions. Instead, there are separate safeguards for personal data relating to criminal convictions and offences, or related security measures.
4. Personal data processed by the parish council
The Parish Council processes personal data for a variety of Council purposes about our
employees, residents, suppliers and other individuals. A description of the types of personal
data processed and the purposes for processing are included in the Parish Council’s privacy
notices.
Personal data must be handled and dealt with in accordance with the GDPR and DPA and
this policy. There are safeguards within the GDPR and DPA to ensure personal information is
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
22
collected, recorded and used whether it is on paper, computer records or recorded by any
other means.
The obligations outlined in this policy apply to everyone who has access to, holds copies of
or processes personal data. This includes those who work at/from home or have remote or
flexible patterns of working.
5. The Data Controller
The Data Controller is the person who determines the purposes for which and the manner
in which any personal data are or are to be processed. The Parish Clerk has been appointed
the Data Controller for Hellesdon Parish Council.
All Staff are responsible for:
• Collecting, storing and processing any personal data in accordance with this policy;
• Informing the Parish Council of any changes to their personal data, such as a change
of address.
• Contacting the Clerk and Responsible Officer in the following circumstances:
o With any questions about the operation of this policy, data protection law,
retaining personal data or keeping personal data secure
o If you have concerns that this policy is not being followed
o If you are unsure whether or not you have a lawful basis to use personal data
in a particular way
o If there has been a data breach
o Whether you are engaging in a new activity that may affect the privacy rights
of individuals
o If you need help with any contracts or sharing personal data with third
parties
7. Data Protection Principles
Anyone processing personal data must comply with the principles of good practice. These
principles are legally enforceable and can be summarised as follows:
1) Processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to individuals;
2) Obtained for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes and not further processed in
a manner that is incompatible with those purposes; further processing for archiving
purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical
purposes shall not be considered to be incompatible with the initial purposes;
3) Adequate, relevant, and limited to what is necessary in relation to the purposes for
which they are processed;
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
23
4) Accurate and kept up to date; every reasonable step must be taken to ensure that
personal data that is inaccurate, having regard to the purposes for which they are
processed, are erased, or rectified without delay;
5) Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is
necessary for the purposes for which the personal data are processed; personal data
may be stored for longer periods insofar as the personal data will be processed
solely for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research
purposes or statistical purposes subject to implementation of the appropriate
technical and organisational measures required by the GDPR in order to safeguard
the rights and freedoms of individuals;
6) processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal data,
including protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against
accidental loss, destruction, or damage, using appropriate technical or organisational
measures. In accordance with the rights of data subjects under the GDPR and DPA.
8. Fair Processing
In meeting any obligation to ensure that processing of information is fair, due consideration
will be given to the adoption of any recognised standards or advice to provide individuals
with such information as is necessary to ensure that they are likely to understand: -
a) The purposes for which their personal data are to be processed;
b) The likely consequences of such processing and;
c) Whether particular disclosures can be reasonably envisaged
9. Notification
The national body for the supervision of GDPR is the Information Commissioners’ Office to
whom the Clerk and Responsible Officer notifies his/her purposes for processing personal
data.
This notification process serves to provide transparency and openness about the processing
of personal data. It is a fundamental principle of the GDPR that the public should know or be
able to find out who is carrying out the processing of personal data and for what purpose.
A copy of the Parish Council’s notification details is available on the Information
Commissioner’s website www.ico.org.uk The parish council ICO registration Z5665642.
10. Individuals’ Rights
The Parish Council recognises that access to personal data held about an individual is a
fundamental right provided in the Act. These rights include: -
• The right to be informed
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
24
• The right of access to personal information
• The right to request rectification
• The right to request erasure
• The right to restrict processing in certain circumstances
• The right to data portability
• The right to object to processing
• Rights related to automated decision-making including profiling
The Parish Council will ensure that all requests from individuals to access their information
is responded to within one calendar month which is the time allowed in the legislation.
However the one month timescale will not commence until after receipt of all identity or
clarification of information sought is received. To minimise delays and unnecessary work all
requests from data subjects must:
• Be made in writing to clerk@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk.gov.uk or to;
The Clerk to the Council
Diamond Jubilee Lodge
Wood View Road
Hellesdon
NR5 6QB
• Be accompanied by adequate proof of the identity of the data subject where
required and, where applicable, the written authorisation of the data subject (if the
request is being made on their behalf by a legal or lawfully appointed representative
or, authorised agent).
• Specify clearly and simply the information required.
• Give adequate information to enable the requested data to be located
• Make it clear where the response should be sent.
The Clerk and Responsible Officer must be informed of any request to action against one or
more of these rights.
The Act allows exemptions from providing information to individuals making a subject
access request, and non-disclosure of information, in specific and limited circumstances.
When the Parish Council collects personal data, the Parish Council does not need to provide
the individual with any information they may already have.
When obtaining personal data from other sources, the Parish Council do not need to
provide individuals with privacy information if:
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
25
• The individual already has the information;
• Providing the information to the individual would be impossible;
• Providing the information to the individual would involve disproportionate effort;
• Providing the information to the individual would render impossible or seriously
impair the achievement of the objectives of the processing; or
• The Parish Council is subject to an obligation of professional secrecy regulated by law
that covers personal data
If a data subject remains dissatisfied with a response received, they may ask for the matter
to be reviewed, or, in the case of an employee a resolution may be sought using the Parish
Council’s complaints process.
Ultimately if a data subject continues to be dissatisfied, she/he has the right to ask the
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) to carry out an assessment of their case and/or
pursue a legal remedy.
11. Legal Requirements
The Parish Council may be required to disclose personal data by a court order, or to comply
with other legal requirements including the prevention or detection of crime, apprehension
of an offender or gathering of taxation.
External agencies or companies contracted to undertake processing of personal data on
behalf of the Parish Council must demonstrate, via a written agreement, that personal
information belonging to the Parish Council will be handled in compliance with the GDPR
and DPA and that it has the necessary technical and organisational security measures in
place to ensure this.
Any sharing of the Parish Council data with external partners for the purpose of service
provision must comply with all statutory requirements.
The Parish Council will follow relevant guidance issued by the Government and the ICO for
users of CCTV and similar surveillance equipment monitoring spaces to which the public,
residents, service users and employees have access and will also strive to ensure that
partner organisations involved in joint or multi-agency initiatives seek to do the same. The
Parish Council reserves the right to monitor telephone calls, email and internet access in
compliance with relevant legislation.
This will be handled in line with guidance issued by the ICO.
The legal basis for this policy is the GDPR and DPA which provides the legal parameters for
the processing of personal data. However, compliance with other legislation, Codes of
Practice, policies and guidance also has relevance, such as;-
• The Freedom of Information Act 2000
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
26
• The Computer Misuse Ace 1990
• The Crime and Disorder Act 1998
• Human Rights Act 1998
12. Data Security
The Parish Council will process personal data in accordance with its Information Security
Policy. To ensure the security of personal data, the Parish Council has appropriate physical,
technical and organisational measures in place. All members and employees are required to
comply with the Information Security Policy.
The GDPR and DPA requires that appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be
taken to protect data against:
• Unauthorised access; • Unauthorised or unlawful processing; • Accidental loss, destruction, or damage Appropriate technical and organisational security measures will include:
• using and developing technological solutions to ensure compliance with the data
protection principles
• using and developing physical measures to protect Parish Council assets
• ensuring the reliability of any persons who have access to Parish Council information
• reporting and investigating security breaches
These obligations include the need to consider the nature of the data to be protected and
the harm that might arise from such unauthorised or unlawful processing or accidental loss,
destruction, or damage.
All printout material, magnetic tape, diskettes, CD’s or DVD’s, manual files, hand written
notes etc, which contain personal data and are no longer required, will be treated as
confidential waste, and disposed of securely.
Where processing of Parish Council data is to be carried out by a third party on behalf of the
Parish Council, the Clerk and Responsible Officer must ensure that the third party provides
sufficient guarantees in respect of the technical and organisation measures governing the
processing to be undertaken.
13. Sharing Personal Data
The Parish Council will not normally share personal data with anyone else, but may do so
where:
• There is an issue that puts the safety of our staff at risk
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
27
• The Parish Council need to liaise with other agencies – the Parish Council will seek
consent as necessary before doing this
• Our suppliers or contractors need data to enable the Parish Council to provide
services to staff and residents, for example, IT companies. When doing this, the
Parish Council will:
o Only appoint suppliers or contractors which can provide sufficient guarantees
that they comply with data protection law
o Establish a data sharing agreement with the supplier or contractor, either in
the contract or as a standalone agreement, to ensure the fair and lawful
processing of any personal data the Parish Council share
o Only share data that the supplier or contractor needs to carry out their
service, and information necessary to keep them safe while working with the
Parish Council
The Parish Council will also share personal data with law enforcement and government
bodies where the Parish Council are legally required to do so, including for:
• The prevention or detection of crime and/or fraud
• The apprehension or prosecution of offenders
• The assessment or collection of tax owed to HMRC
• In connection with legal proceedings
• Where the disclosure is required to satisfy our safeguarding obligations
• Research and statistical purposes, as long as personal data is sufficiently
anonymised, or consent has been provided
The Parish Council may also share personal data with emergency services and local
authorities to help them to respond to an emergency situation that affects any of our
members or staff.
14. CCTV
The Parish Council uses CCTV in various locations around the Parish Council sites to ensure it
remains safe. The Parish Council will adhere to the ICO’s code of practice for the use of
CCTV.
The Parish Council does not need to ask individuals’ permission to use CCTV, but the Parish
Council makes it clear where individuals are being recorded. Security cameras are clearly
visible and accompanied by prominent signs explaining that CCTV is in use the reason why it
is being used, and who to contact about the CCTV.
15. Personal data breaches
The Parish Council will make all reasonable endeavours to ensure that there are no personal
data breaches.
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
28
In the unlikely event of a suspected data breach, the Parish Council will follow the
procedure set out in our Security Incident and Data Breach Policy.
When appropriate, the Parish Council will report the data breach to the ICO within 72 hours.
Such breaches in a Parish Council context may include, but are not limited to:
• The theft of a Parish Council or personal electronic device containing nonencrypted
personal data about members/employees and/or residents
• Accidental disclosure of personal data to another person or organisation
• Inappropriate access to or use of personal data
• The theft of personal information, either paper based or electronic
• Accidental loss of personal data
• Information that has not arrived at its destination
• Fraudulent acquisition of personal data (Blaggers)
16. Governing Body
The governing body for Data protection is the Information Commissioner.
The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
www.ico.org.uk
Hellesdon Parish Council – Data Protection Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review Date 2025/2026 M1
29
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Accessibility and Disability Policy
1. Introduction
Hellesdon Parish Council is committed to improving access to all Council owned buildings
and in relation to all information which it manages. This policy statement sets out the
principles that will guide our work with regards to disability access, and outlines principal
areas of responsibility.
2. Definitions
Disability is defined as a loss or reduction of functional ability that results from a physical,
cognitive or other impairment, and includes physical, intellectual, sensory and psychiatric
disabilities.
Access means physical access to buildings, intellectual access to ideas and information, and
access to services by a wide variety of means. We understand that not all disabilities are
invisible.
3. Policy
Hellesdon Parish Council seeks to ensure that its services and activities are accessible to
everyone wherever practicable and reasonable. It aims to provide easy, dignified and
supportive access to its own properties whenever this can reasonably be done.
4. Policy Objectives
In pursuance of this policy, Hellesdon Parish Council will improve and enhance, as far as
is reasonable, all forms of access to its properties and services and will conform to the
requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
5. Access
Hellesdon Parish Council will explore all reasonable methods of providing and improving
access to its properties and services for people with disabilities. Where physical access
remains difficult or impossible it will introduce alternative forms in order to extend access as
far as is practicable. Interpretive resources will also be used to meet the needs of visitors
with cognitive and sensory impairments. Due to the level of demand in this area, Hellesdon
Parish Council will not retain these services in house, or through a contractor, but will
source them when required.
30
6. Employment
All staff are employed on the basis they meet the agreed acceptable criteria for the post.
Hellesdon Parish Council believes that disablement is no bar to recruitment or advancement
and wherever possible reasonable adjustments will be made both as part of the recruitment
process and whilst in employment.
7. Training
Hellesdon Parish Council is committed to providing training for all staff, councillors and
volunteers who may from time to time provide services for people with disabilities.
8. Communications
Wherever practicable Hellesdon Parish Council will endeavour to ensure that its printed
communications are presented are clear and able to be read. Digital communications will
be in such a format that they are able to be read by screen readers.
9. Ensuring Objectives are Met
Where it is deemed necessary, a full disability audit of the council’s services will be
instructed by an external agency to ensure the council is meeting it’s obligations to those
with disabilities.
Accessibility and Disability Access Policy
Last reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M1
31
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Policy for filming, recording and photography at council
and committee meetings
General
(1) The Council supports the principle of transparency and encourages the filming,
recording, photographing of meetings open to the public. In order to balance the
wishes of those who want to record the meeting and those attending the following
principles will apply:
(a) At the start of the meeting the Chairman will ask those present whether they
wish to film, record or take photographs at a meeting.
(b) Any filming / recording / photography must take place from positions in the
meeting room agreed by the Council to ensure the view of members, officers,
public and media representatives is not obstructed. Those intending to bring
large equipment, or wishing to discuss any special requirements, are advised to
contact the Council Officers in advance of the meeting to seek advice and
guidance.
(c) There shall be no use of flash photography or additional lighting at any time.
(d) If any person present feels the filming / recording / photography is disrupting
the meeting in any way and indicates this to the Chairman then, subject to a
majority decision of the Council, the operator of the equipment will be required
to stop. Anyone undertaking filming / recording / photography must comply
with any requests made by the Chairman of the meeting.
(e) The person recording proceedings must agree to ensure the film / record /
photographs will not be edited in a way that could lead to misinterpretation of
the proceedings. This includes refraining from editing the views being expressed
in a way that may ridicule or show a lack of respect towards those being filmed /
recorded / photographed.
(f) The responsibility for how any film or recording or photography is used rests
with the person doing it, not the Council. Those filming proceedings should
make themselves aware of their responsibilities under current legislation,
particularly in the area of publication and seeking consent.
32
(g) All the provisions within this Policy also refer to the use of mobile phones and
similar types of devices in meetings and any other equipment that could be used
for the purposes of filming, recording or taking photographs.
(h) Any appliance used for filming / recording /photographing to be powered at the
users own expense.
(2) The Council Officers will ensure signs are put in place before the meeting starts to
remind attendees that filming / recording / photography may take place. Meeting
agendas will also carry this message as will the Agenda page of the Council’s website.
During the meeting
(1) The Chairman shall announce at the commencement of the meeting that filming,
recording or the taking of photographs may be taking place. Anyone seated in the
public area or anyone attending the meeting to speak will have the opportunity to
express his or her wish not to be filmed / recorded / photographed and to be guided
to seating areas away from the area being filmed / recorded / photographed. If a
member of the public is attending to speak at the meeting and prefers not to be
filmed/ recorded/ photographed their wish will take precedence.
(2) If any person present feels the filming / recording / photography is disrupting the
meeting in any way and indicates this to the Chairman, or if the Chairman feels any
pre-meeting agreement has been breached then, subject to a majority decision of
the Council, the operator of the equipment will be required to stop.
(3) If someone refuses to stop recording when requested to do so, the Chairman will ask
the person to leave the meeting. If the person recording refuses to leave then the
Chairman may adjourn the meeting or make other appropriate arrangements for the
meeting to continue without disruption. These will be in line with disorderly conduct
procedures set out in Standing Orders.
Filming, Recording & Photography Policy
Last reviewed December 2024
To be reviewed 2025/2026 M1
33
Freedom of Information Policy
1. Introduction
Hellesdon Parish Council is committed to the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI), to the
principles of accountability and to the general right of access to information held by the
Parish Council, subject to the exemptions contained within the relevant legislation.
The FOI Act was introduced to promote greater openness and accountability across the
public sector.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is responsible for regulating and enforcing the
Act. The ICO is an independent authority which has legal powers to ensure Parish Councils
comply with the Act.
This policy outlines the Parish Council’s responsibilities to the Act and provides a framework
for managing requests.
2. Background
The FOI Act provides the public with a statutory right of access to recorded information held
by the Parish Council, subject to certain exemptions, within 20 working days. The Act is fully
retrospective and applies to all information that falls within the scope of the Act. Section 19
of the Act also obliges the Parish Council to make information pro-actively available in the
form of an approved ‘publication scheme’.
In addition, individuals currently have a statutory right of access to their own personal data
under the Data Protection Act. Individuals access rights to personal data are extended by
the FOI Act through amendments to the access provisions of the Data Protection Act.
The Environmental Information Regulation (EIR) provides a statutory right of access to
‘environmental information’, as defined in these regulations. The EIR are also fully
retrospective.
The Information Commissioner enforces these three information regimes. Each regime
contains certain categories of exempt information, where information can be withheld. Any
decision to withhold information under an exemption can be referred by the applicant to
the Information Commissioner, who can overturn any decision to withhold information. For
the purposes of this policy, the ‘public’ is defined as any individual or organisation anywhere
in the world and an ‘information request’ refers to any request for recorded information
made under the FOI ACT, EIR or DPA.
3. Scope
This policy applies to all recorded information held by the Parish Council that relates to the
business of the Parish Council. This includes:
• Information created and held by the Parish Council
Hellesdon Parish Council – Freedom of Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1
34
• Information created by the Parish Council and held by another organisation on the
Parish Council’s behalf
• Information held by the Parish Council provided by third parties, where this relates
to a function or business of the Parish Council (such as contractual information) and;
• Information held by the Parish Council relating to the functions or business of the
Parish Council.
This policy informs recipients of Parish Council services, members of the public and external
parties to the processes the Parish Council has established for complying with the FOI Act.
This policy operationally applies to all employees of the Parish Council, contractors, agents
and temporary staff working for or on behalf of the Parish Council.
This policy does not cover personal written communications (such as personal emails sent
by staff). The Parish Council’s Data Protection Policy establishes the standards regarding the
use of ‘personal data’ (as defined in the DPA and General Data Protection Regulation). These
requests are exempt from the FOI under section 40 and shall be processed in accordance
with the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).
4. Roles and Responsibilities
Overall responsibility for ensuring that the Parish Council meets the statutory requirements
of the FOI Act, EIR and DPA lies with the full council. They have delegated the day-to-day
responsibility of implementation to the Clerk and Responsible Officer.
The Clerk and Responsible Officer is required to ensure that the Parish Council has in place
adequate guidance on FOI and effective measures to comply with this policy.
All employees are responsible for ensuring that any request for information they receive is
dealt with in line with the requirements of the FOI Act and in compliance with this policy
and the prevailing procedures. All staff and councillors must recognise that all recorded
information may be provided to the public, and that the law requires that there will be full
and unconditional disclosure to every case unless an exemption applies.
The Clerk and Responsible Officer has responsibility for ensuring compliance with the FOI
Act, EIR and DPA.
All requests for information should be sent to:
clerk@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk or;
For the attention of the Clerk
Hellesdon Parish Council
Diamond Jubilee Lodge
Woodview Road
Hellesdon
NR6 5QB
Third parties who are users of information supplied by the Parish Council will be required to
confirm that they will abide by the requirements of the FOI ACT and indemnify the Parish
Hellesdon Parish Council – Freedom of Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1
35
Council against any prosecutions, claims, proceedings, actions or payment of compensation
or damages, without limitation.
The Parish Council will ensure that:
• Everyone managing, and handling information understands that they are responsible
for following good information management practice;
• Staff who handle information are appropriately trained;
• Methods of handling information are regularly assessed and evaluated;
• Any disclosure of data will be in compliance with approved procedures;
• All necessary steps will be taken to ensure that data is kept secure at all times
against unauthorised or unlawful loss or disclosure;
• All contractors who are users of information supplied by the Parish Council will be
required to confirm that they will comply with the requirements of the Act with
regard to information supplied by the Parish Council; and
• The Parish Council will take account of any guidance which is issued by the
Information Commissioner to promote good practice.
5. Principles
The following principles shall apply:
• The Act covers any recorded information held by the Parish Council (staff and
councillors). Recorded information includes printed documents, computer files,
letters, emails, photographs, and sound or video recordings.
• People shall have a right to know about the activities of the Parish Council, unless
there is a good reason for them not to.
• An applicant (requester) shall not be required to provide a reason for requesting
information. The Parish Council shall however justify refusing a request.
• The Parish Council shall treat all requests for information equally, except under some
circumstances relating to vexatious requests and personal data.
6. Requesting information under the Freedom of Information Act
Any written request for information shall be regarded as a request for recorded information
under the FOI Act unless:
• It forms a request for personal data relating to the individual requesting the
information. This shall be dealt with under the General Data Protection Regulation
(GDPR), and consequently shall be processed in line with the Parish Councils Subject
Access Request Policy.
• If an individual is asking for ‘environmental information’, the request shall be
considered under the Environmental Information Regulation 2004.
• A freedom of information request shall only be accepted if made in writing, (online
forms, letters, emails and social media).
Hellesdon Parish Council – Freedom of Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1
36
• Requests for information shall be met within 20 working days of receipt. If more
information is needed the 20 days will not start until this information has been
received.
• A request for information shall not be refused because the recorded information is
out of date, incomplete or inaccurate.
• The Parish Council shall not make any changes or deletions to records as a result of a
request.
7. Refusing a Request
The Freedom of Information Act contains 23 exemptions whereby information can be
withheld. There are two categories; absolute and non-absolute. The Parish Council will only
withhold information if it falls within the scope of one or more of these exemptions.
Where an absolute exemption applies, the Parish Council can automatically withhold the
information. However, where the exemption is non-absolute the information can only be
withheld where the Parish Council decides that the public interest is best served by
withholding the information. Certain exemptions also contain a “prejudice test”, which
means that the exemption can only be claimed if disclosing the information would prejudice
the interest protected by the exemption.
The Parish Council will only withhold information covered by the exemption. Complete files
or documents will not be withheld just because part of the information is covered by an
exemption.
The Parish Council will only apply an exemption where it has reason to believe that
prejudice might occur to the interest protected by the exemption. In addition, wherever a
“public interest” exemption is being considered, the Parish Council will only withhold that
information which it can demonstrate that the public interest will be best served by
withholding. When considering withholding information under a non-absolute exemption
the Parish Council will consider whether the release of the information would:
• Promote further understanding of current issues of public debate
• Promote the accountability of decisions taken by the Parish Council and the spending
and allocation of public money
• Bring to light matters of public safety
• Allows the public to understand and challenge decisions made by the Parish Council
• Be otherwise in the public interest
Where information is withheld under an exemption in most cases the reason behind the
decision will be made clear to the applicant, citing the exemption under which the
information is being withheld. The applicant will also be given details of the right to
challenge the decision the Parish Council and the right of appeal to the Information
Commissioner’s Office.
Hellesdon Parish Council – Freedom of Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1
37
The Parish Council will also refuse to supply information under the FOI Act, where the
request is considered “vexatious” or “repeated” and under the EIR, where the request is
considered ‘manifestly unreasonable’.
8. Third Party Information
The release of third-party information will be considered carefully to prevent actions for
breach of confidence or, in the case of living individuals, breaches of the DPA and/or GDPR.
Both the EIR and FOI Act permit information to be withheld when its release would breach
the provisions of the DPA and/or GDPR.
When the requested information relates to a living individual’s personal data as defined in
the DPA/GDPR, its disclosure could breach. Therefore, the release of third-party personal
information relating to living individuals will be considered in accordance with the data
protection principles and, in particular, the “third party” provisions of the DPA/GDPR.
The Parish Council will endeavour to inform individuals and organisations submitting
information that the information might be released following an information request and,
where appropriate, will provide the supplier of the information opportunity to request
confidentiality or supply reasons as to why the information should be treated confidentially.
9. Information held within contracts with the parish council
Any contractual information, or information obtained from organisations during the
tendering process, held by the Parish Council are subject to the provisions of the FOI Act and
EIR. Whenever the Parish Council enters into contracts, it will seek to exclude contractual
terms forbidding the disclosure of information beyond the restrictions contained in the
legislation. A standard form of wording will be included in contracts to cover the impact of
FOI ACT and EIR in relation to the provision of information held in contracts.
The Parish Council can withhold contractual information where its disclosure under either
the FOI Act or EIR could be treated as actionable breach of confidence. Where the Parish
Council intends to include non-disclosure provisions in a contract, it will agree with the
contractor a schedule of the contract that clearly states which information should not be
disclosed.
The Parish Council will only agree to enter into confidentiality clauses where the information
is confidential in nature and that it is confident that the decision to restrict access to the
information could be justified to the Information Commissioner.
Where information is not covered by the exemption relating to information accepted in
confidence, a further exemption specifically under FOI Act may be relevant, relating to
commercial interests. This exemption is subject to a “public interest” test. Whenever the
Parish Council has to consider the release of such information, it will contact the relevant
Hellesdon Parish Council – Freedom of Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1
38
organisation to obtain its opinions on the release of the information and any exemptions
they may think relevant. However, the Parish Council will make the final decision relating to
the disclosure of the information.
The Parish Council can also withhold information contained in contracts where any of the
other exemptions listed in the FOI Act or EIR are appropriate. All future contracts should
contain a clause obliging contractors to co-operate fully and in a timely manner where
assistance is requested in responding to an FOI Act or EIR request.
10. How information will be published
The Parish Council will reply directly to the requester of information.
The Parish Council’s information will be published on the Parish Council’s website via a
publication scheme. It is the responsibility of the Clerk and Responsible Officer to ensure
that the information covered by this scheme is routinely available.
In exceptional circumstances some information may be available only by viewing in person.
An appointment to view the information will be arranged within a reasonable timescale.
The Parish Council shall make a disclosure log available on the Parish Council website that
sets out responses to previous FOI requests.
11. Charges
The Parish Council will make no initial charges for making an FOI request. We are entitled to
make a charge for photocopying or other direct costs, but will endeavour to keep this to a
minimum by making everything available electronically.
If a charge is to be made, confirmation of the payment due will be given before the
information is provided. Payment may be requested prior to provision of the information.
If we estimate that the cost of the request will be in excess of £450 (2.5 days work) to
retrieve the information, we are entitled to refuse your request.
12. Request for a review
The Parish Council shall carry out a review of a request whenever the requestor expresses
dissatisfaction with the outcome. This request should be made within 20 working days of
receipt to the Parish Council’s response and the requester should set out what they are not
satisfied with. The Parish Council shall conduct a review within 20 working days.
If the requester is not happy with the outcome of the review, they have the right to apply
directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can
be contacted at:
Hellesdon Parish Council – Freedom of Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1
39
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
www.ico.org.uk
Hellesdon Parish Council – Freedom of Information Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1
40
General Data Protection Regulation Policy
Purpose of the policy and background to the General Data Protection Regulation
This policy explains to councillors, staff and the public about GDPR. Personal data must be
processed lawfully, fairly and transparently; collected for specified, explicit and legitimate
purposes; be adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for processing; be
accurate and kept up to date; be kept only for as long as is necessary for processing and be
processed in a manner that ensures its security. This policy updates any previous data
protection policy and procedures to include the additional requirements of GDPR which
apply in the UK from May 2018. The Government have confirmed that despite the UK
leaving the EU, GDPR will still be a legal requirement. This policy explains the duties and
responsibilities of the council and it identifies the means by which the council will meet its
obligations.
Identifying the roles and minimising risk
GDPR requires that everyone within the council must understand the implications of GDPR
and that roles and duties must be assigned. The Council is the data controller and the clerk
is the Data Protection Officer (DPO). (All members of staff are data processors working
under the DPO.) It is the DPO’s duty to undertake an information audit and to manage the
information collected by the council, the issuing of privacy statements, dealing with
requests and complaints raised and also the safe disposal of information. This will be
included in the Job Description of the clerk.
Appointing the Clerk as the DPO must avoid a conflict of interests.
GDPR requires continued care by everyone within the council, councillors and staff, in the
sharing of information about individuals, whether as a hard copy or electronically. A breach
of the regulations could result in the council facing a fine from the Information
Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for the breach itself and also to compensate the individual(s)
who could be adversely affected. Therefore, the handling of information is seen as high /
medium risk to the council (both financially and reputationally) and one which must be
included in the Risk Management Policy of the council. Such risk can be minimised by
undertaking an information audit, issuing privacy statements, maintaining privacy impact
assessments (an audit of potential data protection risks with new projects), minimising who
holds data protected information and the council undertaking training in data protection
awareness.
Data breaches
One of the duties assigned to the DPO is the investigation of any breaches. Personal data
breaches should be reported to the DPO for investigation. The DPO will conduct this with
the support of the Property, Policy and Resources Committee. Investigations must be
undertaken within one month of the report of a breach. Procedures are in place to detect,
report and investigate a personal data breach. The ICO will be advised of a breach (within 3
41
days) where it is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals – if, for
example, it could result in discrimination, damage to reputation, financial loss, loss of
confidentiality, or any other significant economic or social disadvantage. Where a breach is
likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals, the DPO will also have
to notify those concerned directly.
It is unacceptable for non-authorised users to access IT using employees’ log-in passwords
or to use equipment while logged on. It is unacceptable for employees, volunteers and
members to use IT in any way that may cause problems for the Council, for example the
discussion of internal council matters on social media sites could result in reputational
damage for the Council and to individuals.
Privacy Notices
Being transparent and providing accessible information to individuals about how the Council
uses personal data is a key element of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and the EU
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The most common way to provide this
information is in a privacy notice. This is a notice to inform individuals about what a council
does with their personal information. A privacy notice will contain the name and contact
details of the data controller and Data Protection Officer, the purpose for which the
information is to be used and the length of time for its use. It should be written clearly and
should advise the individual that they can, at any time, withdraw their agreement for the
use of this information. Issuing of a privacy notice must be detailed on the Information Audit
kept by the council. The council will adopt a privacy notice to use, although some changes
could be needed depending on the situation, for example where children are involved. All
privacy notices must be verifiable.
Information Audit
The DPO must undertake an information audit which details the personal data held, where
it came from, the purpose for holding that information and with whom the council will share
that information. This will include information held electronically or as a hard copy.
Information held could change from year to year with different activities, and so the
information audit will be reviewed at least annually or when the council undertakes a new
activity. The information audit review should be conducted ahead of the review of this
policy and the reviews should be minuted.
Individuals’ Rights
GDPR gives individuals rights with some enhancements to those rights already in place:
• the right to be informed
• the right of access
• the right to rectification
• the right to erasure
• the right to restrict processing
• right to data portability
• the right to object
• the right not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling.
Hellesdon Parish Council GDPR Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1 Page 2 of 3
42
The two enhancements of GDPR are that individuals now have a right to have their personal
data erased (sometime known as the ‘right to be forgotten’) where their personal data is no
longer necessary in relation to the purpose for which it was originally collected and data
portability must be done free of charge. Data portability refers to the ability to move, copy
or transfer data easily between different computers.
If a request is received to delete information, then the DPO must respond to this request
within a month. The DPO has the delegated authority from the Council to delete
information.
If a request is considered to be manifestly unfounded then the request could be refused or a
charge may apply. The charge will be as detailed in the Council’s Freedom of Information
Publication Scheme. The Parish Council will be informed of such requests.
Children
There is special protection for the personal data of a child. The age when a child can give
their own consent is 13. If the council requires consent from young people under 13, the
council must obtain a parent or guardian’s consent in order to process the personal data
lawfully. Consent forms for children age 13 plus, must be written in language that they will
understand.
Summary
The main actions arising from this policy are:
• The Council must be registered with the ICO.
• A copy of this policy will be available on the Council’s website. The policy will be
considered as a core policy for the Council.
• The Clerk’s Contract and Job Description will be amended to include additional
responsibilities relating to data protection.
• An information audit will be conducted and reviewed at least annually or when
projects and services change.
• Privacy notices must be issued.
• Data Protection will be included on the Council’s Risk Management Policy.
This policy document is written with current information and advice. It will be reviewed at
least annually or when further advice is issued by the ICO.
All employees, volunteers and councillors are expected to comply with this policy at all
times to protect privacy, confidentiality and the interests of the Council.
Hellesdon Parish Council GDPR Policy
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M1 Page 3 of 3
43
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Graffiti Policy
Policy Statement
• This policy covers graffiti on Hellesdon Parish Council property
• Hellesdon Parish Council promotes respect for the environment and will strive for a
Cleaner, Greener, Sustainable and Safer Environment.
• This policy seeks to improve the street scene and reduce the fear of crime, for the
benefit of all those who live in, work and visit Hellesdon.
• The target will be to remove racist and/or offensive graffiti on Parish Council
property within one working day of the report being made.
• The target for removing other graffiti from Parish Council property will be to remove
it within 10 working days of the reported date.
• The Council will work with Agencies and Utility Companies to reduce graffiti on
street furniture and other apparatus.
• The Council will work with the Police and other organisations to reduce the
occurrence of graffiti.
1. Definition of Graffiti
Graffiti can include drawings, scribbles, messages or ‘tags’ that are painted, written, sprayed
or etched on walls and other surfaces.
2. Definition of Offensive Graffiti
• Offensive Graffiti is illegal and unauthorised and may contain some or all of the
following elements:
• Offensive language
• Language of a political, radical, religiously insulting or inciting nature
• A graphically explicit image
• Any statement declaring hatred of any person or group, particularly those with a
protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010
Hellesdon Parish Council - Graffiti Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review 2025/2026 M1
44
3. Principles of the Policy
Hellesdon Parish Council is committed to making Hellesdon Safer, Cleaner and Greener as
detailed in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 and the Clean Neighbourhoods and
Environment Act 2005.
There are three main principles to the Policy:
a. Eradication
Reducing unacceptable levels of litter, detritus, fly posting and graffiti forms a key part of
Government’s ‘Cleaner Safer Greener Communities’ Strategy.
Hellesdon Parish Council has a responsibility to remove graffiti from its own property, just as
the maintenance of privately owned items of street furniture is the responsibility of the
respective owners.
b. Education
The Council will publish this policy on the Council’s website and will work with other
agencies to reduce graffiti in Hellesdon.
When asked to do so, the Parish Council will advise members of the public on whom to
contact regarding graffiti removal from private property.
c. Enforcement
Under certain circumstances, Graffiti is classified as a criminal offence under the Criminal
Damage Act 1971. The Police Service is the only enforcement agency with the legislative
powers to prosecute an offence of Criminal Damage.
Hellesdon Parish Council - Graffiti Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Next Review 2025/2026 M1
45
Lone Working Policy
1. Introduction
1.1. Hellesdon Parish Council recognises that staff are sometime required to work by
themselves in the community without close or direct supervision, sometimes in
isolated work areas or out of office hours.
1.2. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and
Safety at Work Regulations 1999 Hellesdon Parish Council has a legal obligation to
look after the health, safety and welfare of their employees and contractors.
However, employees have responsibilities to take reasonable care of themselves and
other people affected by their work.
2. Scope of the Policy
2.1. This policy applies to all situations involving lone working arising in connection with
the duties and activities of Hellesdon Parish Council staff.
2.2. Lone workers include:
• Those working at their main place of work where only one person is working on the
premises
• People working separately from each other, eg in different locations.
• People working outside normal office hours
• Those working away from their fixed base where a worker is visiting another
premises or meeting venue, or where a worker is making a home visit to an
individual;
• One worker is working from their own home.
3. Aims of the Policy
The aim of the policy is to:
• Increase employee awareness of safety issues relating to lone working.
• Ensure that the risk of lone working is assessed in a systematic and ongoing way, and
that safe systems and methods of work are put in place to reduce the risk so far as is
reasonably practicable.
• Ensure that appropriate training is available so that employees are able to recognise
risk and to provide practical advice of safety when working alone.
Hellesdon Parish Council Lone Worker Policy
Last Reviewed Review Date December 2024
Next Review Date 20252026 M1
46
• Encourage full reporting and recording of any incidents relating to lone working
• Reduce the number of incidents and injuries to staff related to lone working
4. Responsibilities
4.1. Hellesdon Parish Council is responsible for:
• Ensuring that there are arrangements for identifying, evaluating and managing risk
associated with lone working.
• Providing resources for putting the policy into practice
• Ensuring that there are arrangements for monitoring incidents linked to lone
working and that they regularly review the effectiveness of the policy.
• Ensuring that all employees are aware of this policy.
• Ensuring that risk assessments are carried out and reviewed regularly, putting
procedures and safe systems into practice which are designed to eliminate or reduce
risks associated with working alone.
• Managing the effectiveness of preventative measures through an effective system of
reporting, investigating and recording incidents.
• Ensuring that appropriate support and equipment is given to staff involved in any
incident.
4.2. Employees are responsible for:
• Taking reasonable care of themselves and others affected by their actions.
• Following guidance and procedures designed for safe working.
• Reporting all incidents that may affect the health and safety of themselves or others
and asking for guidance as appropriate.
• Taking part in any training designed to meet the requirements of the policy.
• Reporting any dangers or potential dangers they identify or any concerns they might
have in respect of working alone.
5. Guidance for Risk Assessment of Lone Working
• Is the person fit and suitable to work alone?
• Are there adequate channels of communication?
• Does the workplace or task present a special risk to the lone worker?
• Is there a risk of violence?
• Travelling to site or meetings - what procedures are in place? Is the equipment safe
for individual use?
6. Good Practice for Lone Workers
6.1. During work hours, all staff leaving the workplace (or home) should leave the details
of where they are going and their estimated time of arrival back with the Parish
Council office.
Hellesdon Parish Council Lone Worker Policy
Last Reviewed Review Date December 2024
Next Review Date 20252026 M1
47
6.2. If, during the trip away, any plans change significantly this should be communicated
back to the office.
6.3. When meeting with contractors arrangements must be made to meet in a public
place and not in their home.
6.4. If a visit is being made to a member of the public in their home the office must be
informed of the visit and the approximate times.
6.5. Lone workers should have access to adequate first aid facilities and mobile workers
should carry a first aid kit suitable for treating minor injuries with them. This kit
should be available in the Parish Council van at all times.
6.6. Lone workers should have a mobile phone and other personal safety equipment
where this is necessary.
6.7. All incidents must be reported to the Council. Employees / Members should ensure
that all incidents, where they feel threatened or unsafe, are reported. This includes
incidents of verbal abuse. If emergency assistance is required whilst out and about
all employees should dial 999.
6.8. A Member of Staff is at liberty to refuse to meet with a Council Member, Contractor,
Member of the Public alone, if they feel threatened or feel it would be
inappropriate.
6.9. The Parish Council office should always be manned by at least two members. If the
number of staff falls below this the office should be closed to visitors.
6.10. Whilst undertaking late evening caretaking the member of staff should use the
Parish Council staff What’s App group to advise when they start work and when they
finish.
Hellesdon Parish Council Lone Worker Policy
Last Reviewed Review Date December 2024
Next Review Date 20252026 M1
48
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Complaints and Compliments Policy
Compliments or complaints
Whether you have a compliment or a complaint about Hellesdon Parish Council, or you simply
want to comment about our meetings, facilities, services or staff, we would like to hear from
you. Feed-back from the people of Hellesdon whom we aim to serve efficiently and effectively,
is the only way we can continually improve our services.
We aim:
• to make it easy for anyone to make a complaint
• to solve problems as quickly as possible
• to prevent problems from happening again, and
• to encourage good practice
How to contact us with your compliment or complaint
You can contact Hellesdon Parish Council by telephone, in writing, over the internet or by
visiting us in person. A form is included with this leaflet which you can fill in and send back to
us.
What we will do when we hear from you
We will deal with any comments about Hellesdon Parish Council as soon as possible. We will
make sure that your comments are directed to the right person. We may be able to give you an
answer straight away, or we may need more time to investigate what you have told us. We will
contact you within 10 working days of us hearing from you and either provide you with a full
answer or a progress report and explain why we need more time to investigate further. We will
also tell you when you can expect a full answer.
Confidentiality
We will treat your complaint in confidence. Details will only be given to those members of staff
directly concerned. If you have a complaint, we hope we will be able to find out what went wrong
and take steps to make sure it does not happen again. However, please note that as a public body we
are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Complaints & Compliments Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
49
How to Contact Us
Telephone: (01603) 301751
Write to: The Parish Clerk
Hellesdon Parish Council
Diamond Jubilee Lodge
Wood View Road
Hellesdon, NORWICH NR6 5QB
Email: clerk@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Other useful contacts:
Head of Corporate Services & Monitoring Officer
Broadland District Council
The Horizon Centre,
Broadland Business Park,
Peachman Way,
Norwich
NR7 0WF
1. Hellesdon Parish Council is committed to providing a quality service for the benefit of
the people who live or work in its area or are visitors to the locality. If you are
dissatisfied with the standard of service you have received from this council, or are
unhappy about an action or lack of action by this council, this Complaints Procedure sets
out how you may complain to the council and how we shall try to resolve your
complaint.
2. This Complaints Procedure applies to complaints about council administration and
procedures and may include complaints about how council employees have dealt with
your concerns.
3. This Complaints Procedure does not apply to:
a. complaints by one council employee against another council employee, or
between a council employee and the council as employer. These matters are
dealt with under the council’s disciplinary and grievance procedures.
b. complaints against councillors. Complaints against councillors are covered by the
Code of Conduct for Members adopted by the Council and, if a complaint against
a councillor is received by the council, it will be referred to the Standards
Monitoring Officer of Broadland Council. Further information on the process of
dealing with complaints against councillors may be obtained from the
Monitoring Officer of Broadland Council.
4. The appropriate time for influencing Council decision-making is by raising your concerns
before the Council debates and votes on a matter. You may do this by writing to the
Complaints & Compliments Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
50
Council in advance of the meeting at which the item is to be discussed. There is also the
opportunity to raise your concerns in the public participation section of Council
meetings. If you are unhappy with a Council decision, you may raise your concerns with
the Council, but Standing Orders prevent the Council from re-opening issues for six
months from the date of the decision, unless there are exceptional grounds to consider
this necessary and the special process set out in the Standing Orders is followed.
5. You may make your complaint about the council’s procedures or administration to the
Clerk. You may do this in person, by phone, or by writing to or emailing the Clerk. The
addresses and numbers are set out below.
6. Wherever possible, the Clerk will try to resolve your complaint immediately. If this is not
possible, the Clerk will normally try to acknowledge your complaint within five working
days.
7. If you do not wish to report your complaint to the Clerk, you may make your complaint
directly to the Chairman of the Council who will delegate your complaint to the
appropriate committee.
8. The Clerk or the appropriate Committee of the Council or the Council (as appropriate)
will investigate each complaint, obtaining further information as necessary from you
and/or from staff or members of the Council.
9. The Clerk or the Chairman of the Council will notify you within 20 working days of the
outcome of your complaint and of what action (if any) the Council proposes to take as a
result of your complaint. (In exceptional cases the twenty working days timescale may
have to be extended. If it is, you will be kept informed.)
10. If you are dissatisfied with the response to your complaint, you may ask for your
complaint to be referred to the Complaints Panel of the Parish Council (as appropriate)
and you will be notified in writing of the outcome of the review of your original
complaint.
Complaints & Compliments Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
51
Guidance to the Complaints Panel
When enquiring into a complaint the Panel must consider the following:
▪ That the person(s) subject of the complaint must be given the opportunity of responding
in answer to the complaint verbally or in writing or both. The person(s) subject of the
complaint is given the right to have a colleague present at any hearing if they choose to
do so.
▪ Where the complaint concerns a member of staff, then the Grievance & Disciplinary
Policy Procedure should be followed.
▪ Any person(s) who may be able to provide information to substantiate the complaint or
otherwise should be interviewed and asked for their recollection. Such information may
be verbal or in writing.
▪ The Panel may wish to illicit further information from the complainant and may offer
the complainant the opportunity of further discussion on the content of the complaint.
▪ The members of the Panel must record the time and date when the complainant, the
person(s) complained of or witnesses were asked to comment.
Complaints & Compliments Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
52 Hellesdon Parish Council CONFIDENTIAL Compliments and Complaints Form Date Received _______ Ref No ________ Your Name
How do you want to be contacted? Email Letter Phone
Your contact details –
If you would prefer to be contacted by telephone, please tell us the best
time to contact you
Please give details of your compliment or complaint –
If necessary, please continue over the page
Have you spoken to, emailed or written to anyone at the Council? Yes / No
If yes, please give their name -
What happened as a result of this contact?
What outcome are you looking for (i.e. what would be the best way for the Council to
resolve your complaint)?
Please note that complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence where possible, but as a public
body we are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. The names of those making a complaint
and details of the complaint will only be disclosed to those members of staff needing to know for the
purposes of the investigation. The Parish Clerk may also inform the Chairman and / or the Vice-Chairman
and, in the case of a staff related complaint the Staffing Committee may be informed.
Please return this form to the Parish Clerk, Hellesdon Parish Council, Diamond Jubilee Lodge,
Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB or email clerk@hellesdon-pc.org.uk
Complaints & Compliments Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
53
Planning Protocol
Policy for Dealing with Planning Applications for Hellesdon Parish Council
Introduction
This procedure sets out how Hellesdon Parish Council considers planning matters on which it is
consulted by Broadland District Council. It takes into account that:
The consultation period for planning applications is 21 days, which means that all planning
applications can be considered by the Parish Council planning committee at its scheduled meetings.
The Parish Council believes that its residents are best served by the Parish Council responding to
applications in a timely fashion. This should be done at scheduled Planning Committee meetings, to
which members of the public have been invited by public notice. Planning is also a standing item on
all ordinary meetings of the Parish Council.
An additional meeting will always be called to comment on potentially contentious planning
applications. By agreement of the Chair of the Council and the Chair of the Planning Committee, full
council may consider a response on a major application which is likely to be contentious to the
community.
This protocol will be used for all planning applications
Standard Process
1. On the receipt of any planning application the Parish Council staff will record the application
in the planning log kept especially for the purpose.
2. The planning application will be added to the next planning committee agenda with a copy
for the Parish Clerk.
3. If needed, Parish Council administrative officer will apply to Broadland District Council for an
extension to the period in which a response is required
4. The application will be taken to the next Planning Committee meeting
5. The response to the application will be sent by e-mail to Broadland Council the day following
the Planning Committee meeting
6. The response will be noted in the planning log
7. The decision recorded in the minutes and which will be taken to the next planning
committee for agreement, and to full council for information.
Hellesdon Parish Council Planning Protocol
Last Reviewed December 2024
Next Review 2025/2026 M1
54
Non-Standard Process
Should any meeting need to be cancelled due to either the meeting being inquorate or other
unforeseen circumstances.
1. On the receipt of any planning application the Parish Council staff will record the application
in planning log especially for the purpose.
2. The planning application will be added to the next planning committee agenda with a copy
for the Parish Clerk.
3. The Parish Council administrator will apply to Broadland District Council for an extension to
the period in which a response is required
4. If no extension is possible a notification of the receipt of a planning application will be e-
mailed to all councillors on the planning committee with a copy for the Parish Clerk. The
Parish Councillors will be asked to comment their view by email to the Parish Clerk.
5. The Parish Clerk will assemble the views and respond to Broadland with the majority view. If
there is a distinct division in views then the Parish Clerk can e-mail for further guidance from
councillors
6. The response will be noted in the planning log and recorded on the planning documents and
placed on the next agenda
7. The decision will be recorded placed on the next Parish Council agenda following the
decision being reached
Summary
One of the following options shall apply when notice of a planning application on which the Parish
Council is invited to comment is received.
Option 1:
If there is a scheduled Planning Committee meeting before the end of the consultation
period (including any agreed extension) then the Clerk will place the matter on the Agenda for
that meeting and any decision will be taken at that meeting.
Option 2 :
If there is no scheduled meeting before the end of the consultation period, but the Parish
Clerk in consultation with the Chairman of the Planning Committee that the application
should be considered by the full Parish Council then a special meeting will be called for this
purpose and any decision taken at that meeting.
Option 3:
In other cases any response by the Council shall be delegated to the Clerk who shall seek views
frommembers
Hellesdon Parish Council Planning Protocol
Last Reviewed December 2024
Next Review 2025/2026 M1
55
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Customer Service Policy
1.0 Aims
• Hellesdon Parish Council is committed to the provision of quality services in
accordance with the needs and expectations of its customers.
• The Council recognises the value of customer feedback and its contribution to the
processes of policy formulation and service delivery.
• Customers are persons who contact us for any reason or are affected by anything we
do.
2.0 Guiding Principles
When customers contact the Council, we will:
• Be helpful and courteous
• Be professional and positive
• Be well informed, so that we are able to help. If we are unable to assist at the point
of contact, advise the customer as such.
• Be effective in listening and responding
• Be fair and support individual needs
3.0 Objectives
The Customer Service objectives for Hellesdon Parish Council are summarised below;
• We will respond to all telephone enquiries through the first point of contact where
possible.
• We will respond to all email correspondence within 3 working days.
• We will respond to all letter correspondence within 10 working days of receipt.
• We will use plain language in all communications.
• We will contact customers where we cannot resolve a query straight away providing
a named contact, phone number, email address and target date for response.
• We will keep customers informed if we cannot reply within the target timescale.
• We will provide details of our complaints policy to a customer if they are dissatisfied
with our response.
4.0 Customers
Our customers are all the people we come into contact with in connection with the Council’s
work; this includes people who live in, work in or visit the area, and people acting on behalf
of people who live in the area.
56
4.1 What Customers Want
Customers access Council services through various channels including digital (e.g. website,
e-mail, social media) telephone, face to face, letter, etc. Whatever the channel, customers
want accessible, efficient and responsive services and the Council must strive to meet these
demands.
The Council will respond to the needs of customers in terms of access and recognise
that one method will not suit everyone.
Customers want their dealings with the council to be efficient and that they receive their
desired outcome. To meet this the Council must attempt to deal with customer enquiries at
the first point of contact.
4.2 What We Expect from our Customers
In times of trouble or distress, some people may act out of character when accessing
Council services. There may have been upsetting or distressing circumstances leading up to
a customer contacting the Council.
The Council believes that all customers have the right to be heard, understood and
respected. However, the Council also believes that employees have the same rights. We,
therefore, expect customers to be polite and courteous in all dealings with the Council.
The Council will not tolerate aggressive or abusive behaviour, unreasonable demands or
unreasonable persistence; this includes any threat, abuse or harassment towards employees
(and councillors acting on behalf of the council) on social media (e.g. Facebook) which will
be reported to the police. Any threat of physical violence will always be reported to the
police.
5.0 Contacting Hellesdon Parish Council
5.1 Customer Service and its Importance
Improving customer service is a key priority for the Council and means:
• Providing quality services in a friendly, efficient and helpful way; we will continually
strive to improve services by ensuring excellent communication and a positive
attitude towards customers
• Treating each person as an individual – respect for diversity and, in turn, having the
flexibility to adapt behaviour and actions in a way that is appropriate for the
individual
• Treating people with dignity, respect and courtesy
• Giving information about what is available and providing an explanation if a service is
not available
5.2 General Principles when Dealing with Customers
When dealing with customers, whether using the telephone, digital services (e.g. email or,
Facebook), face to face or via letter:
• Identify and address any specific requirements with sensitivity, tact and diplomacy
• Record customer contact details accurately
• Ensure that the nature of the customer’s enquiry is understood clearly
• Resolve enquiries at first contact where possible
Customer Service Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
57
• Where enquiry cannot be resolved at first contact, agree a schedule with the
customer for resolution and any interim progress reporting
• Keep the lines of communication open with customers and keep them informed
5.3 Digital
We will:
• Acknowledge digital correspondence (e.g. e-mails, website enquiries and Facebook)
within 72 hours (Monday – Friday)
• Respond to digital correspondence as soon as possible but no longer than 10
working days of receipt
• E-mail ‘Out of Office’ messages will be enabled at times of absence giving return
dates and alternative contact details
5.4 Telephone
We will:
• Greet the customer in a polite and courteous manner
• Give your full attention to the customer
• Take ownership of the call, resolving the customer’s enquiry wherever possible
• When taking a call for a colleague, use an effective message taking system and make
sure the customer is called back
• End the call with a thank you and confirm with the customer the outcome.
5.5 Face to Face Contact
This covers personal callers with or without appointments, contact with customers at
events, meetings out and about and site visits. We will:
• When making appointments, give clear instructions about the location of the face to
face contact
• Greet the customer in a polite and courteous manner
• Give your full attention to the customer
• Keep the customer informed of the length of time they are likely to wait to see the
person they need, if that person is unavailable
• Offer an appointment where this may be more appropriate, responsive or efficient
• When a customer has specific requirements, find out what they need and aim to
provide it
• When discussing personal information, always arrange to do so in a confidential
environment
5.6 Written Communication
We will:
• Respond to all written communication within 10 working days of receipt
• There may be occasions when a full response cannot be given within the timescale.
This is unavoidable but there is still a requirement to keep the customer informed by
making contact or sending a holding response. This can give an expected date for a
full response or give the reason why a full response cannot be given
Customer Service Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
58
• Ensure the presentation of all written correspondence is easy to understand (plain
English), professional and accurate
• Include a contact name and telephone number, together with any other information
needed to assist the customer
5.7 Compliments, concerns and complaints
We will:
• Be open to receiving feedback from customers and where appropriate use this
feedback to improve services
• Pass comments and suggestions on to your manager if they may improve the service
• Ensure compliments are recorded and shared with colleagues
• Be aware of the Council’s procedure for dealing with complaints
• Aim to resolve all concerns raised by customers immediately and informally
wherever possible
• If informal resolution is not successful, tell the customer they can make a formal
complaint, and help them to do so
• In the case of a serious complaint, ensure this is escalated.
How to contact us:
By telephone: 01603 301751
By e-mail: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
In person: The Council Office is open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4pm
Diamond Jubilee Lodge
Woodview Road
Hellesdon
NR6 5QB
Customer Service Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
59
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 email: contact@hellesdon-pc-gov.uk www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Grant Awarding Policy
General Principles
Hellesdon Parish Council is primarily funded by the local residents of Hellesdon and therefore
has only limited funds available to assist community organisations located and working in
Hellesdon for the benefit of Hellesdon residents.
Subject to funding being available, Hellesdon Parish Council is committed to providing assistance
and support to local community groups which are set up to promote community life for
Hellesdon residents. The Council’s financial support is provided by way of grants which are
decided against criteria set by, and which can be amended from time to time by, Hellesdon
Parish Council.
In order for this Council to be able to rationally and objectively assess applications, many of
which will inevitably be totally dissimilar in content, it is both necessary and helpful to assess all
applications received against a range of criteria. These are designed to be a general indication of
need but are not exclusive and can be flexibly applied.
This policy is based on the principle of promoting the development of partnerships which
encourage and enable local community organisations to deliver local projects to the residents of
Hellesdon. In general, the following principles apply:
• Assistance will be given on the basis need, merit and contribution to the local
community.
• Applicants must clearly show how any assistance given will benefit the people living in
Hellesdon or will benefit the environment of Hellesdon.
• Any assistance awarded will be awarded dependant on the council’s budget allocation
and may be subject to constraint.
• Any assistance given will be subject to monitoring and evaluation of the outcome of the
grant.
• Organisations should not make a presumption that funding will continue on a year to
year basis.
The Aims of the Council’s Grant Making Policy
• To enable local people to participate in voluntary groups and activities
• To help the Parish’s voluntary groups to improve effectiveness
60
• To ensure the provision of services, needed by the Parish’s residents, via the voluntary
sector.
• To support organisations which meet the needs of people experiencing social and
economic difficulties.
• To ensure that there is equality of access and opportunity for all Hellesdon Parish
residents to the services it provides and funds.
(The Parish Council defines a voluntary group as a non-profit making organisation, set up and
run by a voluntary, unpaid management committee).
General Conditions
• All projects must acknowledge Hellesdon Parish Council’s financial contribution.
• There is no general revenue funding for projects – Grants will only be awarded for
specific capital costs and funding will only be paid on receipt of an official invoice.
• The maximum amount of any single grant will not exceed £500.
• No funding is available to contribute to a surplus for charitable distribution or to
increase an organisations reserves.
• Organisations are required to provide a report on how previous monies awarded by the
Parish Council have been spent before they receive a further grant.
• The not for profit organisation must have clearly stated aims and objectives.
• Activities of the organisation and in particular the project being considered for funding
must be readily available to the community of Hellesdon in general.
• No award will be made where spending has taken place prior to approval.
• At least 50% matched funding will be required for any level of grant funding.
• Costs for general routine maintenance of buildings and equipment are not eligible.
• Grants will not be awarded for organisations to pass on money.
• Grants will not be awarded to organisations who already hold surplus funds which are
not being used for the general operation of the organisation or delivery of the project
and are not earmarked reserves.
What are grants available for?
Hellesdon Parish Council’s Community Grants are available all year round. Small grants are
available to assist local organisations and groups who work with or for residents of Hellesdon.
Who can apply to the Hellesdon Parish Council Community Grant Scheme?
Groups who:
• Are voluntary or community groups based in Hellesdon
• Have a constitution or set of rules or equivalent
• Have a bank or building society account
Grant Awarding Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed M2 2025/2026
61
• Have independently approved annual accounts
• Directly benefit the well-being of the Hellesdon people or the environment of Hellesdon
What type of projects will be considered for Community Grant Scheme?
• Youth facilities, schemes and projects
• Cultural and arts schemes
• Heritage projects
• Leisure sports and play facilities
• Community buildings
• Village halls
• Community transport
• Elderly and disabled
• Sustainable community environmental projects
Who cannot apply to the Hellesdon Parish Council Community Grant Scheme?
• Individuals
• Organisations involved in party political activities
• Companies who aim to make a profit
• Statutory bodies
• Religious groups (except where the activity requiring a grant will benefit the wider
community)
• Bodies which pass on grant funding to others
How to apply to Hellesdon Parish Council for a Community Grant
Application forms are available from Hellesdon Parish Council.
Write to:
Hellesdon Parish Council
Hellesdon Community Centre
Wood View Lane
Hellesdon
NR6 5QB
Telephone: 01603 301751
Or email clerk@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
If you need any help or assistance with your application please contact the Parish Clerk via the
above address or telephone number.
What happens after I apply to Hellesdon Parish Council for a Community Grant?
The Parish Clerk will check your application form and enclosed documents to see if it is
complete. If your application is not complete you will be asked for the missing information.
Incomplete forms or failure to produce additional information will result in your application
Grant Awarding Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed M2 2025/2026
62
Application Form
Your organisation’s contact details
Name of Organisation
Contact Name
Position in Organisation
Address for Correspondence
Telephone Number (day)
Email Address
Details of organisation
Brief description of your organisation’s aims
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
How long has it been in
existence
Is it run by a committee?
Can anyone join the group?
If not, what are the
restrictions
How often does the group
meet?
Where does the group meet?
Are the meetings public?
How many members do you
have?
What percentage of members
live in Hellesdon?
Grant Awarding Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed M2 2025/2026
63
Organisation’s purpose
Please give a summary of the activities of your organisation during the last year. (If
you are a new organisation, give an idea of the activities you wish to undertake).
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Describe how the local community will benefit from your organisation.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
Are there any individual groups or societies that are members of your organisation, if
so please mention.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
About the project
Please give brief details of your proposed project; what you wish to use any grant
awarded for; and what amount you are requesting from the Council.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________
What is the total project cost?
______________________________________________________________
How much are you applying to Hellesdon Parish Council for (max £500)?
______________________________________________________________
Grant Awarding Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed M2 2025/2026
64
Have you received or applied for funding from any other source for this project?
Please give details.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Financial details
Have you, or do you receive funding from other sources and if so who?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
Please supply accounts, budget and constitution or terms of reference, as per
guidance notes.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
If you have previously received a grant from the Hellesdon Parish Council, please
give details.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________
Grant Awarding Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed M2 2025/2026
65
Please complete the following declaration
I declare that the information given is correct and agree to adhere to the conditions
laid out in the Hellesdon Parish Council’s Community Grants Policy.
On behalf of____________________________________________________
I accept the conditions in the Hellesdon Parish Council’s Grants Policy
Signed_______________________________ Date_____________________
Position in organisation___________________________________________
If the person signing this form is under 18, an adult organisation member must
countersign it
Signed_______________________________ Date_____________________
______________________________________________________________
Please note completion of this form does not necessarily mean that a grant
application will be successful in part or whole
Please return to clerk@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Or post to Hellesdon Parish Council, Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Woodview Road,
Hellesdon, NR6 5QB
Grant Awarding Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed M2 2025/2026
66
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Media Relations Policy
1. Introduction
1.1 Hellesdon Parish Council’s relationship with the community is vital to its work and
the decisions it takes. An open and constructive dialogue is a key requirement for
influencing and developing services, identifying attitudes and measuring satisfaction
1.2 Effective media relations are an important factor in establishing a good relationship
between the Parish Council and the community. Since members of the public
generally rely on the media for local information and news, it is important for the
Parish Council to present information about its activities and aspirations in a
consistent way.
1.3 This document sets out the frame work for Parish Council members and employees
to follow in contacting the media and informing the public about the Parish Council’s
activities, the decisions it take and the services it provides.
1.4 This policy excludes social media (please see separate Social Media Policy).
2. Making Contact with the Media
2.1 The general principle is that the Parish Council office will act as the Press Office. Any
official contact with the media concerning the Parish Council’s policies, the decisions
it takes and the services it provides, are to be initiated through the Parish Council
office.
2.2 Press releases and statements will be prepared by the Clerk and/or Chairman in
association with other Members as required, and will normally be restricted to
matters that have been debated and agreed by the Parish Council.
2.3 Other Members of the Parish Council and employees who identify a media
opportunity should refer to the Parish Council Office so as to ensure accuracy and
consistency in any subsequent press release or contact with the media.
2.4 If a Member or employee receives an approach or enquiry from the media about any
matter relating to the Parish Council, it should be referred to the Parish Council
Office. A decision will then be made by the Clerk and/or Chairman, in consultation
67
with other Members where necessary, about the format and content of any
response.
2.5 Nothing in these guidelines is to be interpreted as preventing, or attempting to
prevent, a Member from expressing an personal opinion through the media, for
example by writing to a newspaper or posting an item on an internet site. Members
must make it clear that any views expressed are their own personal views. However,
Members should take care not to misrepresent and/or bring the Parish Council into
disrepute, and must bear in mind their responsibilities under the Local Government
Code of Conduct.
2.6 Employees (other than the Clerk) should not contact the media on any matter
relating to the Parish Council unless specifically authorised by the Clerk and/or
Chairman of the Council.
2.7 All press releases and other materials are to be kept for reference.
3. Talking to the Media
3.1 In response to a Parish Council press release:
a) Any enquiry from the media is to be referred to the Parish Council office.
b) No-one else should offer any comment without prior discussion, except to
confirm basic matters of fact (dates of events, spelling of names etc.)
3.2 In response to an unsolicited approach from a journalist or reported (this includes
enquiries about press releases issued by other organisations).
(a) The views of the Parish Council may be expressed subject to the guidelines
above.
(b) The Parish Council office should be informed so that facts can be checked and
appropriate actions taken.
Media Relations Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
68
Operation Menai Bridge
Introduction
Operation Menai Bridge is the codename of the plan for what will happen in the days following
the death of HM King Charles III or another senior national figure.
Following the official announcement from Buckingham Palace, 10 days of state mourning will fol-
low. D day is death day and D10 is the date of the full state funeral in Westminster Abbey, unless
D10 falls on a Sunday in which case the funeral will be held on D11 Monday.
This protocol document had been drawn up to prepare Hellesdon Parish Council (HPC) for the
death of a senior national figure. It applies to:
H.M. The King (The Sovereign)
H.M. The Queen Consort (Camilla)
H.R.H. The Prince of Wales (William)
H.R.H. The Princess of Wales (Kate)
H.R.H. Prince George of Wales
H.R.H. Princess Charlotte of Wales
H.R.H. Prince Louis of Wales
H.R.H. The Earl of Wessex (Edward)
H.R.H. The Princess Royal (Anne)
The following appendices are included:
Appendix 1 - Guide for Flying Flags at Half-mast
Appendix 2 - Chairman’s Statement
Guidance should always be sought from official sources in the event of the death of The King or
another senior figure, to ensure there are no changes to this protocol
Implementation of the Protocol
Plans to mark a death should be implemented only when a formal announcement has been made.
So, for instance, if news agencies are saying that “reports are coming in of the death of ...” it must
be treated with caution. If possible, wait for a more definite announcement (perhaps along the
lines that “it has been announced by Buckingham Palace / Downing Street that…”
This protocol for HPC identifies those who are authorised to implement the plans. For the Sover-
eign or another senior member of the Royal Family the decision will be delegated to the Parish
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
69
Clerk or duly authorised Deputy, in consultation with the Chairman. For other figures, there may
need to be consultation at the time on the appropriate ways in which the death should be marked.
The day of the death of the Sovereigns will be known as D-Day, then D+1, D+2 etc. through the ten
days of national Mourning. The state funeral will be held on D+10, except if this date falls on a
Sunday, when the funeral will be on D+11.
Following the Death of the Sovereign
Day National HPC National and HPC
Flags
D (Day of Formal Announcement HPC website homepage up- Flag lowered to half
death) dated (SA). mast
Chairman’s Statement pub-
lished on website and social
media (Clerk/SA).
Grounds staff to ensure war
memorial is clean and tidy for
flower laying (Grounds).
Flowers ordered and to be laid
by Chairman at the earliest op-
portunity (Chair).
D+1 Books of condolence Book of Condolence opened at Flag returned to full
opened HCC (Clerk). mast at 11am and
Online book of Condolence throughout D+1 until
Proclamation Day, St James’ opened (SA) 1pm on D+2
Palace
HPC to liaise with church to
11am (2pm if Sunday) and ensure details of services can
noon at the Royal Exchange be publicised (Clerk).
Check war memorial in the
morning and afternoon
(grounds)
Check book of condolence at
the end of each day (caretak-
ers)
D+2 Regional Proclamations If HPC is to make a proclama- Flag returned to half
take place (Cardiff, Edin- tion it should be done at 4pm mast at 1pm
burgh and Belfast at noon) Check war memorial in the
morning and afternoon
Second reading in Edin- (grounds)
burgh at 12.30pm
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
70
Proclamation by the High Check book of condolence at
Sheriff at County Hall be- the end of each day (caretak-
tween 12.30 and 12.45pm ers)
(Borough/District Councils
at 12.50)
D+5 Lying-in-State at the Palace Check war memorial in the Flag remains at half
of Westminster morning and afternoon mast
(grounds)
Check book of condolence at
the end of each day (caretak-
ers)
D+6 County Service of Com- Check war memorial in the
memoration at Norwich Ca- morning and afternoon
thedral (grounds)
Check book of condolence at
the end of each day (caretak-
ers)
D+7 Local Services of Commem- Check war memorial in the
oration morning and afternoon
(grounds)
Check book of condolence at
the end of each day (caretak-
ers)
D+10 Lying-in-State concludes, Check war memorial in the
Procession to Westminster morning and afternoon
Abbey (grounds)
Two-minute silence at Check book of condolence at
11am the end of each day (caretak-
ers)
State Funeral Service (if
Sunday, this is deferred to
Monday)
State Procession to Windsor
via Wellington Arch
Private burial in King
George VI Memorial Chapel
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
71
D+11 Books of Condolence close Book of condolence closes. Flag returned to nor-
at 5pm Flowers are collected for com- mal at 8am
posting
Following the Death of a Senior Member of the Royal Family
Day National HPC National and HPC Flags
D (Day of Formal Announce- HPC website homepage Flag lowered to half mast
death ment updated (SA).
Chairman’s Statement
published on website and
social media (Clerk/SA).
Grounds staff to ensure
war memorial is clean and
tidy for flower laying
(Grounds).
Flowers ordered and to be
laid by Chairman at the
earliest opportunity
(Chair).
D+1 Books of condolence Book of Condolence
opened opened at HCC (Clerk).
Online book of Condo-
lence opened (SA)
HPC to liaise with church
to ensure details of ser-
vices can be publicised
(Clerk).
Check war memorial in
the morning and after-
noon (grounds)
Check book of condolence
at the end of each day
(caretakers)
D+6 Local Services of Com- Check war memorial in
memoration take the morning and after-
place noon (grounds)
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
72
Check book of condolence
at the end of each day
(caretakers)
D+8 Funeral at St George’s Check war memorial in
Chapel, Windsor the morning and after-
noon (grounds)
Check book of condolence
at the end of each day
(caretakers)
D+9 Books of Condolence Book of condolence Flag returned to normal at
close at 5pm closes. 8am
Flowers are collected for
composting
Flag Flying
Flag flying will adhere to national guidance.
Proclamation Day Schedule
In the case of the death of the Sovereign, the day following the death D+1 will be Proclamation
Day, which is the day the new Sovereign is proclaimed.
D+1 - The Proclamation will be made at St James’s Palace at 1100hrs (or 1400hrs if it is a Sunday).
The Proclamation will then be ‘cascaded’. At noon on Proclamation Day it will be read at the Royal
Exchange in the City of London.
D+2 – At noon on D+2, it will be read: in Edinburgh by Lord Lyon King of Arms at Mercat Cross and
at the drawbridge to Edinburgh Castle; in Cardiff by Wales Herald Extraordinary at Cardiff Castle
and in Belfast by Norroy and Ulster King of Arms.
Once these Proclamations have been made it is appropriate for the Proclamation to be read at
County, City, Borough and then at Parish level. High Sheriffs will read the Proclamation at County
level along with Lord-Lieutenants. Most High Sheriffs are expected to make their readings at
1400hrs on D+2. It is suggested that local civic leaders should therefore make their readings at or
after 1600hrs.
Proclamation Day
On Proclamation Day flags will, at the start of the day, be flying at half-mast.
All flags will then be flown from the mast-head from 1100hrs on Proclamation Day (D+1) to coin-
cide with the reading of the Principal Proclamation, until 1630hrs the following day, (D+2). This is
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
73
due to the official schedule of the Proclamation (see below for more details), it will be read in Lon-
don on Proclamation Day (D+1), then read at noon in Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff on the day fol-
lowing Proclamation Day (D+2). Once those Proclamations have been made at 1400 hrs on D+2,
High Sheriffs will then read the Proclamation at County level and Lord-Lieutenants will be along-
side them.
Proclamation Day Protocol
Having flown at half-mast since the announcement of the death of the Sovereign, all flags will be
raised to full-mast at 1100hrs on D+1 (the day after death), when the Proclamation is read at St
James’s Palace in London. They will continue to fly at half-mast until 1300hrs on D+2 to allow for
the Accession Proclamation to be read out in Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh. These times are fixed
as part of the National plan for mourning and should not be interpreted locally. It is important that
all flags are raised to full-mast at 1100hrs on D+1 and are returned to half-mast following the High
Sheriffs Proclamation reading on D+2.
Books of Condolence
Books of Condolence will be opened on the first working day after the day of death D+1.
All books will be placed in an easily accessible location Hellesdon Community Centre (room to be
confirmed) though it is important the place is quiet enough to enable those signing the books a
moment of privacy and quiet reflection.
Books will be placed on a good-sized table, covered with a suitable cloth, a chair, a supply of pens
along with a suitable framed photograph on the table and a small arrangement of flowers.
A good supply of paper, hole-punched to fit in a loose-leaf binder will be provided and kept well
stocked. A loose-leaf folder offers an opportunity to act if the book is defaced or offensive com-
ments included. Pages including any questionable comments should be quietly removed until such
time as a decision can be taken by the Chairman, on whether they should be permanently ex-
cluded.
The Chairman may wish to agree a form of words for a message, expressing sorrow at the news of
the death. This may be the form of words included in a press release, Twitter or Facebook mes-
sage or on the home page of the website.
Dependent on local circumstances it is suggested that Books of Condolence should be closed at
the end of the day following the day of the funeral (i.e. if the funeral falls on a Thursday, Books
should close at 1600hrs on the Friday). Books of Condolence are essentially a local record of the
sentiments expressed by local people on the death of a national figure. As such, they should form
part of the Parish Council archive, so that future generations are able to gain access to them easily
and find out the way in which national events were marked in the area.
It is simply not feasible for every book from all sad occasions to form part of the Royal Archives.
However, in a letter of condolence from the Chairman reference should be made to the Book of
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
74
Condolence and its existence in the local archives. The letter will then be stored in the Royal Ar-
chives and act as an effective cross reference.
On-Line Book of Condolence
HPC will be accepting online submissions for the Book of Condolence through a link on our web-
site: www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk The submissions will then be collated and included in the Book of
Condolence. Alternatively, a link to the Buckingham Palace e-Book of Condolence will be included
on the website: www.royal.gov.uk
Events During the Period of Mourning
From the day of the death until the day after the funeral, careful thought will be given to the types
of events and activities which the Chairman should host or attend. Scheduled Parish Council meet-
ings will be reviewed for postponement or rescheduling. Also, any Civic Lunches, dinners, recep-
tions and so forth, may not fit with the mood of the nation and as a mark of respect may need to
be cancelled or postponed. This is a local decision and one which need to be reached with great
sensitivity.
Church Services
Hellesdon Parish Councillors will be sent details of all Church services being held in the Parish. (The
Clerk will liaise with Rev Alder)
Flowers
The War Memorial will be the designated area allocated as a place for residents and visitors to lay
flowers during the period of mourning.
Should residents wish to lay flowers during this time, they may do so. It is important to note that
all of the plastic wrap should be removed before laying them. At the end of the mourning period,
at 9am the day following the funeral, there will be a ceremonial removal of the flowers. Any mes-
sage cards will be kept with the Condolence Books as part of the local archive. The flowers will be
taken away to compost. The compost produced will then be used to plant a memorial tree.
Dress Code
A view will be taken locally on what is the correct dress in the event of the death of a senior na-
tional figure. Whilst flags are at half-mast, it will be appropriate for black ties, ribbons and arms
bands to be worn by Council members. A supply of armbands for councillors and staff on duty will
be held by the Clerk.
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
75
Marking a Silence
On the death of the Sovereign there will be a two-minute silence at 1100hrs on the day of the fu-
neral (D+10). Which will be a public holiday (unless D+10 is a Saturday).
It may be that silence will be kept for other member of the Royal Family, perhaps on the day of the
funeral as part of the funeral service. However, action on a silence for members of the Royal Fam-
ily other than the Sovereign should await an announcement from Buckingham Palace.
Website
After the official announcement from Buckingham Palace HPC will activate a website holding page
with a black background featuring: a photograph of the deceased, the year of birth to the year of
death, and links to the following information: Council Services, Condolence Books, Church Ser-
vices, Flowers and Flying of Flags. The holding page can be closed, for visitors to then access the
main homepage. Each of the links will lead to a website page with the relevant information.
The page will be activated as soon as an official announcement is made.
Public Holiday
On the day of death workers can be sent home early.
The day of the state funeral will be a public holiday unless it falls on a Saturday.
Letters of Condolence
It is usual, in the case of the death of a member of the Royal Family, for letters to be sent to the
Private Secretary of the deceased, asking that condolences be passed to the next of kin and other
members of the Royal Family. Except in the case of the Sovereign’s death, in which case they
should be sent to the new Sovereign’s Private Secretary asking that condolences be passed to the
new Sovereign. In each case, other than exceptional local circumstances, one letter of condolence
only should be sent.
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
76
Appendix 1 - Flying Flags at Half-Mast
Authoritative information on flag flying can be found on the website of the Department for Cul-
ture, Media and Sport.
Half-mast means the flag is flown two-thirds of the way up the flagpole, with at least the height of
the flag between the top of the flag and the top of the flagpole. Flags cannot be flown at half-mast
on poles that are more than 45° from the vertical, but a mourning cravat can be used instead (see
the Flag Institute’s website for further details).
When a flag is to be flown at half-mast, it should first be raised all the way to the top of the mast,
allowed to remain there for a second and then be lowered to the half-mast position. When it is be-
ing lowered from half-mast, it should again be raised to the top of the mast for a second before
being fully lowered.
When a British national flag is at half-mast, other flags on the same stand of poles should also be
at half-mast or should not be flown at all. Flags of foreign nations should not be flown, unless their
country is also observing mourning.
Appendix 2 - The Chairman’s Statement
A statement will be issued by the Chairman on the announcement of the death of a senior na-
tional figure or other prominent figure.
The statement should begin with a suitable expression of the sadness of Hellesdon Parish Council
on hearing the announcement.
Suggested statement:
Chairman's Message Of Sympathy:
It is with great sadness that Hellesdon Parish Council and the residents of the parish mourn the
passing of [title], much loved servant of our great nation. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies
are with family members at this sad time.
A book of condolence will be available at the parish office between the hours of [9.30am – 4pm
Monday to Friday] until [date].
Flowers, without cellophane coverings, can be laid at the war memorial.
The Parish Council will continue to offer services as usual and conduct its business and meetings
during the period of mourning. Please check this page for further information which will be
posted when arrangements for commemoration events have been confirmed.
[Name] Chairman of Hellesdon Parish Council
Hellesdon Parish Council – Operation Menai Bridge Protocol
Reviewed December 2024
To be Reviewed 2025/2026 M2
77
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
Unreasonably Persistent, Abusive or Vexatious Behaviour Policy
1. Dealing with a communication or complaint is usually a straightforward process.
However, in a minority of cases people pursue matters in a way that can impede the
investigation of their concern or complaint or can have significant resource implications
for the Parish Council. This policy has been formulated to deal with the small number
of complaints, or communications by individuals, which makes it necessary for special
arrangements to be taken. Unreasonable complainant behaviour may include one or
two isolated incidents, as well as ‘unreasonably persistent behaviour’, which is usually
a build-up of incidents or behaviour over a longer period.
2. Before implementing the provisions in this Policy, councillors must consider whether
the Parish Council’s procedures have been followed correctly, whether full and
reasonable responses have already been given and whether an individual is now acting
in a way which the Council considers unreasonable. The Parish Council has a duty to
provide a safe working environment and system of work for staff and Councillors.
Regardless of this Policy, abusive, offensive or threatening conduct may be referred to
the Police to take action as appropriate, in addition to any action the Parish Council may
take.
Unreasonable Behaviour
1. This policy has been formulated in accordance with guidance from the Local
Government Ombudsman (LGO) in relation to the definition of “unreasonable
complaint behaviour” and “unreasonable persistent complaints”.
2. Hellesdon Parish Council defines unreasonable and unreasonably persistent behaviour
as contact from persons who, because of the frequency or nature of their contacts with
the Council, hinder our consideration of their or other people’s complaints and impacts
on the day to day business of the organisation. Examples include the way (or frequency)
in which an individual may raise Council related issues with staff or how complainants
may respond to our dealing with the complaint.
3. Features of unreasonable contacts and behaviour include the following (the list is not
exhaustive, nor does one single feature on its own necessary imply that the complaint
will be considered as being unreasonable) and such persons may:
Unreasonably Persistent, Abusive or Vexatious Contacts or Behaviour Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
78
• Have insufficient or no grounds for their complaint and be making the complaint only
to annoy (or inconvenience the Council) or for reasons that he or she does not admit
or make obvious.
• Refuse to specify the grounds of a complaint despite offers of assistance from the
Parish Clerk or other staff.
• Refuse to co-operate with our complaints process while still wishing their complaint
to be resolved.
• Refuse to accept that issues are not within the power of the Council to investigate,
change or influence - for example something that is the responsibility of another
organisation.
• Make an unreasonable number of contacts with Hellesdon Parish Council, by any
means in relation to a specific complaint or complaints.
• Make persistent and unreasonable demands or expectations of staff and/or the
complaints process after the unreasonableness has been explained to the
complainant (an example of this could be a complainant who insists on immediate
responses to numerous, frequent and/or complex letters, telephone calls or emails)
• Harass or verbally abuse or otherwise seek to intimidate staff while dealing with their
concerns by use of foul or inappropriate language or by the use of offensive or
discriminatory language.
• Raise subsidiary or new issues whilst a matter is being addressed that were not part
of the original inquiry or complaint.
• Introduce trivial or irrelevant new information at a later stage, whilst the original
inquiry is still being investigated, and expect this to be taken into account and
commented on.
• Raise many detailed but unimportant questions, and insisting they are all answered.
• Change the substance or basis of an inquiry without reasonable justification whilst the
matter is still being addressed.
• Deny statements he or she made at an earlier stage in the process.
• Electronically record meetings and conversations without the prior knowledge and
consent of the other person involved. This excludes the recording of public meetings.
• Adopt an excessively ‘scattergun’ approach, for instance, pursuing a complaint or
investigations not only with the Council, but at the same time with a Member of
Parliament, other councils, members of the Parish Council and other councils, the
council’s internal auditor, the police, solicitors and the Local Government
Ombudsman.
• Make excessive demands on the time and resources of the Parish Clerk and other staff
with lengthy phone calls, emails or detailed letters every few days, and expect
immediate responses.
• Refuse to accept the outcome of an investigation or complaint after its conclusion,
repeatedly arguing the point, complaining about the outcome, and/or denying that an
adequate response has been given.
Unreasonably Persistent, Abusive or Vexatious Contacts or Behaviour Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
79
• Make the same point repeatedly, perhaps with minor differences after a full response
to information sought has been provided and insist that the minor differences make
these ‘new’ complaints or requests for information which should be followed up in
detail.
• Refuse to accept documented evidence as factual.
• Refuse to accept the decision; repeatedly arguing points with no new evidence.
• Complain about or challenge an issue based on an historic, irreversible decision or
incident.
• Behave in an abusive, offensive or threatening manner towards the Clerk and other
staff, Council members or their families.
4. A written record shall be kept of why the individual, contact or communication is
believed to be unreasonable, what information has been considered and the decision
which is made. The Parish Council shall act in a proportionate, fair and objective way.
5. When an unreasonable persistent complaint/complainant has been identified, the
unacceptable behaviour should be explained to the individual concerned, usually by
email or letter. An explanation of the action by Hellesdon Parish Council will be given
and the complainant will be advised of the content of this Policy.
Options for dealing with an unreasonably persistent complainant
1. The options which the Parish Council may consider taking include:
• Refusing to accept a request for information, investigation or complaint or to amend
the terms of an existing inquiry;
• Refusing to accept or process further inquiries or complaints about the same matter
• Requesting contact to be in a particular format (e.g. letters only);
• Restricting telephone calls to specified/times/day/duration;
• Requiring any personal contact to take place in the presence of an appropriate
witness;
• Letting the individual concerned know that the Parish Council will not reply or
acknowledge any further contact with them on the specific topic at issue or at all.
2. In deciding on an appropriate action, care must be taken:
• not to interfere with a complainant’s statutory rights, e.g. to attend Parish Council
meetings or view papers, when making such restriction; and
• to ensure that the Council takes appropriate action in response to a matter, included
within a complaint or inquiry, where necessary.
3. These actions above are not exhaustive and other factors individual may be relevant in
deciding on an appropriate course of action. Any arrangements for restricting contact
by a persistent or vexatious person must take into account the individual’s
circumstances such as age, disability, literacy levels, race etc.
Unreasonably Persistent, Abusive or Vexatious Contacts or Behaviour Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
80
4. If none of the actions listed above offer the protection that the staff and Councillors of
Hellesdon Parish Council are entitled to, other actions may be available, such as
involving the Police.
Reviewing decisions to restrict access
1. When imposing a restriction on access, the Council will include a specified review date
which addresses when to lift imposed time limits, resume relations with the Council to
normal or other such considerations.
2. The complainant should be informed of the outcome of the review at the appropriate
time or informed if limits are to continue, with details explaining reasoning and when
the limits will next be reviewed.
Unreasonably Persistent, Abusive or Vexatious Contacts or Behaviour Policy
Last Reviewed December 2024
Due to be reviewed 2025/2026 M2
81
The Council Office, Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 5QB
Tel: 01603 301751 www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk email: contact@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
BIODIVERSITY POLICY
BACKGROUND
In accordance with the duty imposed on town and parish councils by Section 40 of the
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, updated by Section 102 of the
Environment Act 2021, Hellesdon Parish Council, (hereinafter referred to as the Council)
which has any functions exercisable in relation to England must from time to time consider
what action the authority can properly take, consistently with the proper exercise of its
functions, to further the general biodiversity objective.
This duty also means that town and parish councils can spend funds in conserving
biodiversity.
DEFINITION
According to Defra (Biodiversity 2020), biodiversity is the variety of all life on Earth. It
includes all species of animals and plants – everything that is alive on our planet.
Biodiversity is important for its own sake and has its own intrinsic value. A number of
studies have shown this value also goes further. Biodiversity is the building block of our
‘ecosystems’ that in turn provide us with a wide range of goods and services that support
our economic and social wellbeing. These include essentials such as food, fresh water and
clean air, but also less obvious services such as protection from natural disasters, regulation
of our climate, and purification of our water or pollination of our crops. Biodiversity also
provides important cultural services, enriching our lives.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The object of this policy is to work towards conserving and enhancing the biodiversity of the
Council’s area.
The Full Council and any committees of the Council will consider sustainability,
environmental impact and biodiversity when making decisions and will develop and
implement policies and strategies as required.
In particular, the Council will aim to improve the biodiversity of the area in the following
ways:
• consider the potential impact on biodiversity when making representation on planning
applications.
Hellesdon Parish Council Biodiversity Policy
Reviewed December 2024
Due for Review 2025/2026 M2
82
• manage its land and property using environmentally friendly practices that will promote
biodiversity.
• adopt low impact / nature positive practices in its operations.
• encourage other organisations within the parish / town to manage their areas of
responsibility with biodiversity in mind.
• encourage residents and local organisation activities to enhance and promote biodiversity.
ACTIONS
Planning applications
The Council will:
• when commenting on planning applications, support site and building design that benefits
biodiversity through the conservation and integration of existing habitats or provision of
new habitats.
• support protection of sensitive habitats from development and will consider whether the
development would mean the loss of important habitats for wildlife in respect of all
applications.
• consider what each proposed development might make in terms of biodiversity net gain.
• include policies in support of biodiversity within the neighbourhood plan.
Land and property management
The Council will:
• consider the carrying out of a biodiversity audit of its landholdings.
• create an action plan for each of the areas of land under the council’s responsibility.
• consider the conservation and promotion of local biodiversity with regard to the
management of its open spaces. This will include adopting beneficial practices with
regarding to cutting and removal of vegetation, application of chemicals and timing of
maintenance work, paying attention to the Government’s regulations for plant protection
products.
• take special care in the specification of grounds maintenance contracts to ensure that the
work, whilst reaching acceptable standards, does not harm the natural environment.
• source sustainable materials when procuring supplies for the Council’s use
• consider biodiversity issues and the implementation of changes when managing its
buildings.
Local community
The Council will:
• raise public awareness of biodiversity issues, including through its website, social media
and newsletters.
• where practical, engage with local businesses and residents regarding biodiversity in the
community and how members of the community can assist and make a difference.
83
• where feasible, involve the community in biodiversity projects on its land including for
example tree planting, wildflower meadows, birdbox making.
Partners
Where practical. the Council will work in partnership with other organisations to protect,
promote and enhance biodiversity within the council area.
It will review any local nature recovery strategies, species conservation strategies, or
protected site strategies in respect of local Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and
consider how it may become more involved in implementing the strategies’
recommendations.
MONITORING
This policy was adopted on 12th December 2023 and will be reviewed as part of the Council’s
Policy Review Schedule
84
Hellesdon Parish Council - Clerk
From: < @gatewayvineyard.church> Sent: 14 November 2024 09:28 To: Hellesdon Parish Council - Clerk Subject: Re: CIL Funding
Follow Up Flag: Follow up Flag Status: Flagged
Hi Faye,
Thanks for getting back to me. I had approached Norwich City Council who directed me to the parish
team. £8,784 isn't very much considering there's 1000 homes being built in the parish.
We're looking at funding options for a larger project to replace and add insulation to the roof of the
chapel at the end of chapel court where we run a range of groups and projects for the community -
but the £500 limit of the parish grant policy probably isn't going to make much of a dent to what we
think is a £40k project from the quotes we've had. We went through a government grant process and
had an independent energy assessment and invitation to bid for up to £150k of capital works to
improve the energy efficiency and resilience of the building (Solar, LED lights, upgrading heating and
the roof insulation), but unfortunately we were unsuccessful, so I'm breaking that larger project into
smaller sections and the roof is the key priority as the felt is at the end of its lifespan with signs of
degradation which risks water ingress and then we will be impacted as to what groups can function in
the building.
I would be grateful if there is a route back to the larger pot of CIL funding that we can look at
developing an application to try and access some?
Thanks
On Wed, 13 Nov 2024 at 16:54, Hellesdon Parish Council - Clerk <clerk@hellesdon-pc.gov.uk>
wrote:
Dear ,
I have been passed your email from our support officer about an enquiry for CIL funding.
Hellesdon Parish Council does hold a small amount of CIL (£8,784) but does not usually offer this as
grant funding. We do have a community grant scheme of up to £500 (details attached), however if
you did have a larger project please let me know and this can be passed to the council for further
consideration in the community interest.
Kind Regards
1
85
Faye
Faye LeBon
FdA (Community Governance)
Clerk and RFO to Hellesdon Parish Council
Diamond Jubilee Lodge, Wood View Road, Hellesdon
Norwich, NR6 5QB
www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk
T: 01603 301751 M: 07388 074332
Find us on Facebook under Hellesdon Parish Council
This email, and any files, transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the
individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify me
immediately. If you are not the intended recipient you should not copy it for any purpose or disclose its
contents to any other person. While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information given
in this email Hellesdon Parish Council does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage sustained
from acting on the information.
http://www.hellesdon-pc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/GDPR-Policy.pdf
--
2
86
Site Pastor at The Chapel Site
Assistant Pastor for Gateway Vineyard
Deputy Safeguarding Officer
@gatewayvineyard.church | www.gatewayvineyard.church
To help protect y ou r priv acy , Microsoft Office prev ented automatic download of this picture from the Internet.
A Private Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No. 7165537
Registered Charity No: 1135206. Registered Address: Trowse Sports Hall, The Street, Trowse, NR14
8SP
DISCLAIMER:
This message is for the intended recipient only. It may contain confidential or proprietary information.
If you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it, destroy all copies of it and notify the
sender. You must not use or disclose any part of this message if you are not the intended recipient.
We may monitor all email communication through our networks. If you contact us by email, we may
store your name and address to facilitate communication. Any views expressed in this message are
those of the individual sender, except where the message states otherwise. We take reasonable
precautions to ensure our emails are virus free, however, we cannot accept responsibility for any
virus transmitted by us and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own virus
checking procedures
A Private Company Limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No. 7165537
Registered Charity No: 1135206. Registered Address: Trowse Sports Hall, The Street, Trowse, NR14
8SP
DISCLAIMER:
This message is for the intended recipient only. It may contain confidential or proprietary information.
If you receive this message in error, please immediately delete it, destroy all copies of it and notify the
sender. You must not use or disclose any part of this message if you are not the intended recipient.
We may monitor all email communication through our networks. If you contact us by email, we may
store your name and address to facilitate communication. Any views expressed in this message are
those of the individual sender, except where the message states otherwise. We take reasonable
precautions to ensure our emails are virus free, however, we cannot accept responsibility for any
3
87
virus transmitted by us and recommend that you subject any incoming email to your own virus
checking procedures.
4
88
This text was taken from the document automatically, so its layout may differ from the original and tables appear as plain text. If you need this document in another format, please contact the Parish Clerk.