Working Groups - Terms of Reference

1. The Council shall be free to create working groups for specific purposes comprising of members of the Council and others (subject to approval by Council) by virtue of their knowledge, experience or professional qualifications
2. The Council shall assign and outline the task(s) or project(s) to be undertaken by the Working Group. No powers or duties shall be delegated to a Working Group – the Working Group is to act as an advisory body and/or to complete tasks assigned for completion by the Council.
3. Any member of the Council can head or be deputy head of a group. It must be made clear to the working group and Council who is the head of any working group and the head shall be responsible for all arrangements pertaining to meetings including agendas, note-taking and the submission of reports and proposals to the Council – it should be noted that the Council cannot, and will not, make a decision without a report and proposal from the Working Group.
4. The responsibility for notifying the Clerk of an agenda item, supplying a report and proposal to the Council is the responsibility of the Head of the Working Group.
5. The head of a Working Group must provide a monthly report of substantive activity by the Working Group and outline the Group’s proposed next steps for review by the Council (and any member of the public). There is no need for a report to Council where there has been no activity by a Working Group.
6. Any working group must include a minimum of two Council members
7. Any member of the Council, and the Clerk, can join or participate in the activities of a Working Group.
8. Working Groups shall be dissolved by the Council when their work is completed.
9. These terms of reference refer to working groups and not to any kind of Committee (other terms of reference will apply to those bodies as well as sub-committees)

Notes:
These Terms of Reference do not alter or supersede the Council’s Standing Orders which remain the prevailing document at all times.

May 2021