Foreshore Committee Terms of Reference

Constitution and Authority

The Foreshore Committee is constituted as a Standing Committee of Charmouth Parish Council.

The Committee is authorised by the Council to manage any activity within its Terms of Reference.

The Committee’s Terms of Reference will be reviewed at the first meeting after the Annual Meeting of the Council or when necessary and make appropriate recommendations to Full Council. The Council may also amend the Committee’s Terms of Reference at any time.

The Committee may from time to time investigate, discuss, or review matters outside its Terms of Reference if required to do so by the Council.

The Committee is authorised by the Council to obtain external legal and other professional advice and to secure attendance of anyone it considers has the relevant experience, expertise or knowledge with the agreement of the Council Chairman and Chairman of the Foreshore Committee.

All external correspondence shall be conducted by the Clerk of the Parish Council and then copied by email to the Chair of the Committee.

Agenda and Minutes of all meetings shall be prepared, published, posted and kept by the Clerk. The unconfirmed minutes of each Committee meeting will be circulated to all members of the Council, published on the Council website, and considered for approval at the next meeting of the Committee.

The Council delegates the roles to the Committee on the basis that the resultant work is being undertaken by the Council as a whole.

Membership & Voting

The Committee shall be appointed at the Annual Council Meeting, or at a full Council meeting during the year if necessary.

The Committee will consist of not less than three and not more than five Councillors. In addition, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Council shall have the opportunity to sit on the Committee as ex officio members and be entitled to vote. The Footpath Liaison Officer is also entitled to attend without voting rights.

The Committee shall elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman (if appropriate) annually at its first meeting following the Annual Council Meeting, or do so after the post is vacated.

Three members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.

Voting shall be by a show of hands, or, if at least two members so request, by ballot. The Chair of the Committee shall have a second or casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.

Other Council members shall have the right to attend the Committee meetings, and with the right to speak if invited to do so by the Chairman. There is no right to vote.

Members of the public may attend the Committee meetings and make verbal representation. A member of the public shall not speak for more than three minutes and no group of speakers shall speak on the same or a similar subject for a combined total of more than fifteen minutes.

Responsibilities and Principal Objectives

Effectively to manage and maintain holdings owned by the Council for the benefit of the public for their pleasure, ease and safety. Such holdings include the reed bed, Evans Green, beach, green, beach huts, The Lookout and the Old Cement Factory Building.

To identify requirements for the repair/replacement of items or areas. Any proposals for expenditure outside the budget shall be submitted to the Finance Committee.

The Committee will have delegated authority to manage all contracts for work in connection with the specified areas.

The Committee shall prepare the annual estimates for the Foreshore and submit them to the Finance Committee in time for its budget meeting.

To ensure external funding opportunities are utilised to fulfil objectives. The Committee shall oversee the submission (in agreement with the Finance Committee) of any application for funding by external bodies and agree any resultant contract or conditions.

To make proposals to the Council for the improvement of existing, or the development of new Council infrastructure, assets, facilities, amenities, services provided.

To instruct the clerk to prepare any response or request to appropriate bodies, and to organise any meeting between various bodies.

To prepare any ‘working party’ reports, as appropriate, to present to Full Council.

To manage the annual Beach Hut Residents’ Draw.

The Committee shall oversee all legal matters pertaining leases and rentals and make recommendations to the Full Council. Any proposals for changes in the rents shall be submitted to the Finance Committee.