How the Council Works
Penrith Town Council is a statutory organisation and the most local level of government for community of Penrith. The Council comprises 15 councillors who are elected every four years to represent the residents of the town and are unpaid.
The Council operates within a legal framework with powers conferred by Acts of Parliament and has adopted the ‘General Power of Competence’ which provides additional powers to do anything that an individual may generally do.
Council delegates most of its decision-making powers to three standing committees. The committee system allows for more focused meetings and for councillors to focus on the areas in which they have the greatest skills, experience or interest. Committees may also establish sub-committees.
The Council also has two sub-committees to for assets acquisition and for matters related to staff.
Use this link to view the Council’s Committee structure
The Council may also establish working groups or task and finish groups to research and develop ideas, oversee projects, meet to discuss issues, explore options and develop proposals to report back to committee.
There is an opportunity for members of the public to join such groups and this will be promoted via social media or on the Council’s noticeboard and website or by invitation. The Working Group will manage this and ultimately appoint members of the public. It will be for the Working Group to decide whether it does appoint, and if it does, it does not have to appoint to the maximum number of vacancies.
These groups are governed by a term of reference but are informal meetings. These groups can make recommendations by the parent committee or to Full Council however, they cannot make decisions or spend money.
The operations of the Council are explained within the Scheme of Delegation.
Making Decisions
Town Councillors make decisions at meetings and arrive at a resolution as a corporate body. The council holds the following meetings:
Full Council
Comprises 15 members of the Council who will meet as a comittee on a bi-monthly basis and consider matters such as:
Show More/Less
- Setting the precept and approval of the Council’s Budget.
- Approving of the Annual Accounts.
- Making, amending, or revoking of Standing Orders, Council’s code of conduct, Financial Regulations, and the Scheme of Delegation.
- Confirming that the Council has satisfied the statutory criteria to exercise the General power of Competence.
- Reviewing policies and procedures
- Nominating or appointing representatives of the Council to outside bodies.
- Monitoring of join agreements with other authorities.
- Making, amending, or revoking of byelaws,
- Authorising terms and purpose for any application for Borrowing Approval.
- Approving of purchase, acquisition by other means, lease, sale or disposal of land and property.
- Matters of public interest and responding to consultations.
Communities Committee
Comprises six members of the Council who meet as a committee on a bi-monthly basis dealing with all matters relating to:
Show More/Less
- Developing and implementing strategies, policies, and projects aimed at improving life at a local level in the context of the priorities identified by the community, the Council Business Plan and other corporate strategies.
- Communications, engagement marketing and promotion.
- Environmental Action Plan and associated matters which includes the monitoring and delivery of any Green/Sustainability plans.
- Council Events including Health and Safety and signing off Event Plans.
- The Mayoral role and other Civic Matters.
- Arts and Culture.
- Emergency Planning.
- Awards and Freedom of the Town
- Armed services Projects.
Finance Committee
Comprises six members of the Council who will meet as a committee on a bi-monthly basis and informally as the Budget Working Group. The committee is responsible for the oversight of all personnel related matters and deals with all matters relating to:
Show More/Less
- Managing all matters related to the Council finances and making recommendations to Full Council.
- Recommending the approval of the Year End Accounts and approval of the Annual Return (Statement of Accounts) to Full Council.
- Approving of unplanned expenditure.
- Agreeing the approach to Internal Audit including their appointment.
- Recommending to Full Council the proposed Capital and Revenue Budget of all Council services and activities.
- Monitoring Health and Safety to ensure a safe working environment for staff, service users and visitors,
- Running of the Council’s businesses operations including the Council Office, allotments, and public domain assets such as Fairhill recreation ground, benches, bus shelters, the bandstand and the Musgrave Monument.
- Overseeing corporate governance, business coniunuity, Cyber Essentials and risk management.
- Reviewing and approving the policies and policy statements of the Council.
- Approving Leases and Licenses.
- Ensuring that the organisation complies with its responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 2018 as the Councils Data Controller.
- Setting of Fees for Council Services.
Planning Committee
Comprises 8 members of the Council who meet as a committee often enough to provide an effective response to planning applications or at least monthly as required. The Committee deals with matters such as:
Show More/Less
- Commenting and responding to planning applications received from the local planning authority, Westmorland and Furness Council.
- Commenting on behalf of the Council on Local Plans, Structure Plans, Mineral Plans, Waste Plans, Regional Plans, relevant consultations and any other Plan or Studies as considered appropriate.
- Commenting on Licensing matters received from the local licensing authority.
- Street naming when requested,
- Making recommendations regarding waiting restrictions within the Town,
- Neighbourhood Development Plan updates.
- Economic Development, promotion, development of the Town, including initiatives and improvements.
- Regeneration projects
PLANNING APPLICATIONS
We would remind residents that the Town Council is only a consultee in the planning process and would strongly recommend residents write to the planning authority, Westmorland and Furness Council, with any comments on current or pending planning applications. You may also wish to make your views known to the Town Councils clerk to our Planning Committee or your ward Town Councillor.
Members of the public should submit their views via the Westmorland & Furness Council’s website by clicking the underlined following link:
Annual Town Meeting
Under the Local Government Act 1972 S9 all parishes/towns in England must hold an Annual Parish/Town Meeting between 1st March and 1st June every year.
Show More/Less
This is not a Council meeting but a meeting of registered local government electors in the parish. Section 9 of the Local Government Act 1972 states that “for every parish there shall be a parish meeting for the purpose of discussing parish affairs and exercising any functions conferred on such meetings by any enactment…”
Such a meeting may be convened by the Chair of the Town Council, two Councillors on the electoral role or six local government electors in the parish.
The meeting is open to the public and all residents who are on the electoral role of the parish are entitled to raise an issue of their choice and vote at the meeting. Any Councillors attending do so as members of the public. If the Chair is not a registered elector of the parish, the Local Government Act 1972, Schedule 12, Paragraph 16 states
‘The chairman of a parish council shall be entitled to attend a parish meeting for the parish (or, where a grouping order is in force, for any of the parishes comprised in the group) whether or not he is a local government elector for the parish, but if he is not such an elector he shall not be entitled to give any vote at the meeting other than any casting vote which he may have by virtue of paragraph 18(3) below’.
The agenda is issued and displayed on this website and on the noticeboard(s) at least 7 clear days before the meeting. Information regarding how to submit a question is provided on the meeting agenda.
The Mayor and Town Council Officers aim to address electors questions and any resident wishing to raise a specific matter which requires a detailed answer are asked to give prior notice with details in writing, in order that a full and complete response may be provided at the meeting.