Reference the letter from Colin James which you published last week. I fully concur with his letter, I agree I did not prepare too much for my proposal. This was to introduce 'Printed unconfirmed minutes' of the Council meetings. Currently the Council relies on hand written minutes which are only read out at the next meeting. The value of my proposal is that the minutes would be circulated with the Agenda one week before a meeting thus ensuring Councillors are fully prepared before a meeting, thus time is saved and the minutes are fully and accurately understood.
In my investigations with many other Parish Councils I have not found one yet which have not been carrying out this practice, in fact in some cases for as long as 10 years or more. This practice is recommended in the "Clerks' Manual" which is issued by the Society of Local Council Clerks'. My copy that recommends this is now 12 years old. I felt that as we were going into the 21st Century the proposal would have been welcomed by modern thinking people.
There is also a book published that is entitled 'Local Council Administration' by Charles Arnold-Baker' this too recommends best practices and sets down how Parish Councils must operate within the law, it is I believe 'The Bible' of Parish Councils. Landulph Parish Council does not have a copy in spite of my suggestion that one should be purchased. The only copy (5th and latest edition) that I have recently read is in Plymouth Reference Library. There is also a 3rd edition in Truro Lending Library.
R RICE
Cargreen.