The notice board is a traditional means of communication although it is sometimes abused and often neglected. With modern materials and careful location, notice boards provide an effective mouthpiece and updated image for the council.
The notice board should display:
- The full title of the parish council;
- The name, address, telephone number and email address of the clerk;
- The council’s website address;
- A list of Members of the council with contact details (address, telephone number, email) and their political group, if this is relevant locally;
- Venues, dates and times of meetings for the year;
- Agenda for forthcoming meetings;
- If practicable, minutes of meetings or a summary of recent decisions and;
- Where the minutes, the code of conduct and other public documents may be inspected.
It is essential that notice boards are kept up to date and notices replaced regularly. There should be a clear responsibility (generally the Clerk’s) for this task.
This is what is on the Biggleswade Town Council notice board (outside of their offices) as of Sunday 6th March 2011.
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Free swimming for the under 16 and over 60 year olds - I thought the Coalition Government withdrew funding for this on 1st August 2010 and CBC confirmed they could not fund it.
Biggleswade SNT (Safer Neighbourhood Team) has combined with the Sandy Team some time ago a number of the personnel have changed. The poster is dated November 2009.
Central Bedfordshire's "Got Talent" - the final was held on the 29th January 2011.
Skills & Enterprise Fair - held 3rd, 19th & 25th November 2010.
Farmers Markets dates for 2010.
BTC Community Grants - applications should be returned by no later than Friday 25th February 2011.
After you have taken all of the out of date notices down, what are you left with ?
Farmers Markets dates for 2010.
BTC Community Grants - applications should be returned by no later than Friday 25th February 2011.
After you have taken all of the out of date notices down, what are you left with ?
The name, address, telephone number and email address of the clerk - NO
The council’s website address - NO
A list of Members of the council with contact details (address, telephone number, email) and their political group, if this is relevant locally - NO
Venues, dates and times of meetings for the year - NO
There is no point having the Biggleswade Town Council’s website address as it is rubbish; a disgrace in fact.
ReplyDeleteI think you may be expecting too much - here's a list of Town and Parish Councils in Bedfordshire that have achieved 'Quality Council' status as listed on the NALC website:
ReplyDeleteAmpthill
Bolnhurst & Keysoe
Brickhill
Caddington
Dunstable
Great Barford
Henlow
Houghton Regis
Kensworth
Leighton-Linslade
Northill
Oakley
Pertenhall & Swineshead
Potton
Sandy
Stotfold
Studham
You didn't expect to see Biggleswade listed did you...?
I am once again disgusted by the noise made and the mess left by under age drinkers at the 'Black Spot' (by Stratton School). Where are they buying the alcohol from?
ReplyDeleteAnother shameful side of Biggleswade youth culture that nobody seems to care about.
A slightly different BTC 'noticeboard' but one that is also not as helpful as it could be is printed on the inside cover of the monthly Biggleswade Bulletin. This is delivered free to all households in Biggleswade and so potentially is an ideal vehicle for the Town Council to get essential information out.
ReplyDeleteBut...
Here's an example of information that doesn't go far enough: Biggleswade Town Councillors are listed under the 'Know your Councillors' banner - but first stumbling block is that not everyone knows their ward - Holme, Ivel or Stratton. Perhaps an address lookup could be incorporated into the website?
Even if you do know your ward, you can go know further as neither telephone number or email address is listed.
Room for improvement here?
Have a look at the Sandy Town Council page in the Bulletin.They list Councillors asdresses, telephone numbers (home & work,day/evening) and email adresses.
ReplyDelete