Buckinghamshire County Council Parish Devolution Update Green Park, Aston Clinton 4 th December 2014

Buckinghamshire County Council

Parish Devolution Update

Green Park, Aston Clinton4th December 2014



Welcome:

Mark Shaw and Neil GibsonBuckinghamshire County CouncilDeputy Cabinet Member for Transport and Strategic Director, Communities & Built Environment

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BCC Update (Donna Boardman & Joe Nethercoat)• Why are we here today?

– To review the devolution offer.

– To update Parish colleagues on the progress of devolving a range of Transport Services to them.

– To present the next steps and how we envisage the scheme working.

– The give Parish colleagues the opportunity to ‘ask the technical experts’.




BCC Update:• The Devolution Offer:

– The total Parish budget is an exact mirror of the money Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC) presently spend with Transport for Buckinghamshire (TfB) for the same services.

– The BCC budget is fixed.– The budget per parish is based on the amount of work (e.g. grass

cutting is calculated by area), although there is a de-minimus of £500.

– BCC operates a rolling four year budget and initial agreements will be for four years.

– There are minimum standards to ensure safety on the highway but, beyond that, how Parishes spend the money is their choice.

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BCC Update (cont’d):– Formal devolution agreements (between BCC and Parish Councils)

are being drawn up, confirming the transfer of responsibility and associated funding.

– Parishes will take responsibility to arrange for that service to be carried out on their own behalf.

– We would prefer towns and parishes to form clusters.– There will be pump priming funding available to help with set-up

costs.• Thing that have changed:

– A full stakeholder review of Tranche 1 will take place in December 2015.

– Existing devolution agreements for non-Tranche 1 Parishes will be extended and will cease by April 2016 at the latest.

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BCC Update:• Tranche 1, Decisions– We have finalised the budgets for Parishes wishing to

participate in Tranche 1.

– The Cabinet Member for Transportation has agreed to proceed with the devolution offer and ‘go live’.

– Our Legal team have been engaged and are preparing the new agreements.



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BCC Update:• Tranche 1, Next Steps

– Share final Tranche 1 budgets with Parishes (there will be no surprises!)

– Issue final Parish Maps and Agreements for Tranche 1 Parishes.

– Tranche 1 Parishes to complete the Registration Form.

– Share current TfB Risk Assessments and Method Statements.

– All Tranche 1 Agreements to be completed, signed and returned.

– Tranche 1 goes live.

• Questions and Answers




Department of Communities and Local Government:(John Connell)

• Perspective on parish devolution and related issues

• Questions and Answers

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Meet the Technical Experts:(Simon Dando, Joe Goldies, Dave Stewart, Joanne Taylor)

• Your opportunity to speak to the technical experts and ask questions concerning the technicalities of the delivery of the devolved activities

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Questions and Answers:

Chair: Martin PhillipsCabinet Member, Communities & Engagement

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Documents

Buckinghamshire County Council Parish Devolution Update Green Park, Aston Clinton 4 th December 2014