ICO FOI Resources, Unmetered Services, BMKALC AGM Tickets, National Insurance
Dear Colleagues
The Information Commissioners Office have published new FOI resources to help smaller public authorities with their obligations under the law. We’ve created a checklist to help with internal searches in response to requests, provided real-world examples to explain how to refuse vexatious requests and empowered the public to look for information prior to submitting a request.
You will recall that in my last View, we mentioned unmetered supplies and the proposed changes, I’ve attached a useful article for you (circulated under separate email cover).
The NALC AGM took place earlier this week and BMKALC was represented by Cllr Sue Smith (voting) and Mel Woof (observing), Cllr Paul Harvey is our nominated representative to NALC but as he is also a committee member on the larger councils network, he was wearing two hats. The AGM reviews events of the last year 23-24, observes and comments on our current year 24-25,and laid out plans for the year 25-26 ahead. Minutes will be circulated shortly by NALC.
Our AGM is open for booking! Please reserve your seat through our website. This year we meet as guests of Haddenham Parish Council, a wonderful opportunity to witness what you can achieve with developer funding, tenacity and a little cheek. I hope you will be able to join us. The meeting will be hybrid. Next year our meeting will be in Milton Keynes, getting ahead on our plans for the year ahead.
A further call to remind you of the governments consultation paper on remote meetings. Since temporary COVID-19 powers ended in May 2021, NALC and all CALCS have been at the forefront of a national campaign to allow parish and town councils to decide to hold remote council meetings. The government is committed to allowing councils to hold remote council meetings and published a consultation paper, which closes on 19 December 2024. Please take part.
I have thus far ignored the very significant elephant in the room, National Insurance. The double whammy of the change in threshold alongside the increase in Employers contribution has an impact on all of us and the cries of frustration as in progress budgets are torn to shreds is echoing around Councils everywhere. We had hoped to receive a financial buffer as we are local councils funded by public money, but alas because we don’t receive central funding it’s not perceived as public money! I’m not sure if that means that MKCC and BC will only receive relief on the proportion of central funds they receive…. We need this to be addressed as a matter of urgency, NALC and the SLCC are on the war path and have received confirmation as above, they are now setting out their challenge to this. Realistically however, you must plan to mee this extra overhead, if the matter changes it will be little short of miraculous and make take them a while to work out how to put mitigation in place. I will of course keep you informed of any progress on this matter.
I’m delighted to say the team is back to full strength from Monday and Lorraine and I will be spending some time on final preparations for the AGM but also planning out next years training diary. If you have any topics which you believe are of wide appeal and we haven’t covered them, please let us know. Apart from that, we wish you a fabulous weekend and look forward to speaking with you next week.
Kind Regards
Lorraine and Mel