There are certain responsibilities that are handled by individual Parish Councillors or by a Working Group of Councillors, but in all these duties they report to and are responsible to the Parish Council as a whole. The roles currently assigned to particular councillors are listed in the ‘Your Councillors’ page.
Rep. to the Reading Room Management Committee
The Reading Room has two sets of trustees:
- the holding or custodian trustees – this is the Parish Council as a body (and thus each Parish Councillor has a responsibility)
- the managing charity trustees – this is the Management Committee
The Reading Room Management Committee is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Reading Room. The Management Committee meets at least twice a year and the AGM is normally held in February. The Councillor Representative on the Management Committee acts as the liaison between the two sets of trustees, and attends the committee meetings so as to have a full knowledge of committee business, the financial situation, major developments. The Representative may choose to have an active role in the day-to-day business of the Committee. This role affords you the opportunity to express your thoughts and ideas on how we can continue to successfully manage this vital village asset.
Transport
Members of the Transport working group will:
- Organise speed watch sessions and the use of the MVAS sign
- Analyse and data collected
- Collate any traffic information that is collected for planning applications or other purposes
- Attend A428 and East West Rail consultation meetings
Playing Field Manager
The Playing Field behind the Reading Room is an important village asset, and is home to a children’s playground and to the new Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA). The Playing Field must
- Draw up monthly rota for emptying of bins on the Playing Field; and,
- Ensure that all Councillors on rota check play equipment.
Tree warden
Some trees in the village are on land belonging to the Parish Council, and we have to keep an eye on them. We also offer advice to others. So the duty of the Tree manager include being:
- The point of contact for parishioners to obtain advice regarding procedures and permissions required for tree work in the Parish, especially in the conservation area of the village.
- The liaison with contractors who perform the annual inspection of Parish trees.
- The liaison with tree surgeons providing quotations or carrying out work on Parish trees.
- The in-house expert when planning applications involving tree works come before the Parish Council.
Cemetery manager
The Parish Council owns the village cemetery, which actually lies just beyond the churchyard in the neighbouring village of Little Gransden. The work of the Cemetery Manage includes:
- Emptying the council-provided bin in the cemetery.
- Monitoring the status of the cemetery and its boundaries.
- Performing minor remedial work and arranging for other remedial work as needed.
- Discussions with a nearby landowner regarding the gift of additional land.
Communications officer
The Communications Officer is:
- Responsible for the website, which by law must contain copies of various financial documents, announcements of meetings, minutes of meetings etc.
- Responsible for ensuring that personal information on the website is protected, likewise the information gathered by forms on the website.
- Responsible for ensuring the whole website is accessible to the standards drawn up by the Data Protection Officer and agreed in Council.
Data Protection Officer
The DPO is responsible for setting the policies for which all data handled by the Parish Council – not just the website, but also information such as personnel data held on employees, communications with parishioners and suppliers and information gathered in surveys – is held, processed and archived in an appropriate manner.
Safeguarding Officer
Parish Council is committed to ensuring that children and vulnerable adults are protected and kept safe from harm whilst they are engaged in any activity associated with the Parish Council.
(The Parish Council owns land and maintains playgrounds throughout the Parish. These land assets are open to the public, including children, at all times. The Parish Council has public liability insurance but people use the facilities at their own risk. Parents and carers are
expected to supervise their children at all times. The Parish Council does not currently organise events for children.)
While all Parish Councillors and employees are required to abide by the Council’s Safeguarding Policy, the specific responsibilities of the Parish Councillor that is appointed as Safeguarding Officer will include:
- Ensuring that before any Parish Council organised event with children or vulnerable persons, the Child Protection Officer briefs participants appropriately.
- Ensuring that members are aware of the risk they may face in certain circumstances whilst carrying out their duties.
- Ensuring that whilst Council members are unlikely to be involved with children during the performance of their duties they are mindful of the risk they face.
- Ensuring that before any volunteers or paid members of staff are recruited to work with children and vulnerable persons they are interviewed and two references taken up.
Poor’s Land Charity trustee
Poor’s Land Charity is a registered charity, charity number 209623, set up in the 17th century for the benefit of the poor of Great Gransden (through a gift of £15 by Elizabeth Clifton in 1660 and a further gift of £40 by William Disher of £40 in 1661). By tradition, the trustees are all chairmen or past-chairmen of the Parish Council, and the charity reports on its activities at the Annual Parish Meeting, taking care to preserve the anonymity of individual recipients. Any parishioner can apply for assistance via the Correspondent (see below), and local organisations that contribute to the welfare of those living in The Gransdens can also apply for grants.
The Correspondent to the charity can be contacted via ggpoorsland@gmail.com or by phone: 01767 677995.