Communication, engagement, and consultation
Communication
3.1 Rotherham Council and Local Councils are committed to improving the quality and flow of information between the two tiers of local government.
3.2 Wherever possible Local Councils are asked to use the Rotherham Council website to find information about services and news updates including road and footpath closures, temporary traffic lights and diversions. The website home page has a search facility and provides quick links to popular services. Alternatively a chat bot (virtual assistant) appears on all web pages allowing the user to ask a specific question. There is also an A-Z of list of web forms which can be used to request a service and report issues. Using the webforms enables more effective tracking of the cases.
3.3 Local Councils will notify Parish Council Liaison of any changes to published contact details.
3.4 Local Councils will notify Rotherham Council if a Parish Council or Meeting becomes inactive.
3.5 Rotherham Council will notify Local Councils of programmed maintenance and improvement schemes due to be undertaken within a parish.
3.6 Rotherham Council and the Local Councils will acknowledge letters sent by the other party and provide substantive answers to letters/emails that need a reply.
3.7 A full substantive reply or an acknowledgement will be sent by Rotherham Council or the Local Council within 10 working days. If an acknowledgement is sent, Rotherham Council will send a full substantive reply within 28 days unless there are reasons for a longer period; to take into account that Local Councils have a monthly meeting cycle at which decisions are made, a full substantive reply will be received from them within 35 days.
3.8 To ensure that communications are channelled effectively, contact between Rotherham Council and any Local Council will be focused through the Parish Clerk, or Parish Chairperson in the case of Parish Meetings.
3.9 In the event that a response to a request for information or a council enquiry has not been received within the stipulated timescales, a parish or town council can complete a ‘Contact Us’ online form, choosing the option ‘existing enquiry’, which is available on the Council website.
Engagement and Consultation
4.1 Rotherham Council will support the local councils’ liaison function. A Cabinet Member will be nominated every year to act as the champion for Local Councils and Parish Meetings and will have parish liaison as part of their portfolio. A senior manager from Rotherham Council will be nominated to act as the Responsible Officer, this currently being the Head of Service for Neighbourhoods and is supported by the Parish Council Liaison Officer. Local Councils will be notified of any post holder changes.
4.2 Rotherham Council asks that Ward Members and Officers be invited to attend Local Council meetings where appropriate. Rotherham Council supports such attendance, subject to availability.
4.4 Rotherham Council and Local Councils recognise that improving consultation between them is a core function of this Agreement. Whilst most day to day operations by Rotherham Council will continue to be undertaken for the benefit of the borough, it is recognised that there are a number of key areas where prior consultation with Local Councils is necessary and with the input of their local knowledge, may be beneficial. To this end, Rotherham Council and Local Councils will identify specific areas of concern and put in place procedures to ensure local consultation takes place in these agreed areas as part of the decision-making process.
4.5 When Rotherham Council consults a Local Council, it will provide it with sufficient information to enable it to reach an informed view on the matter and give it adequate time to respond in accordance with the statutory requirements where applicable.
4.6 Rotherham Council’s Consultation and Engagement Policy is available online.
4.7 Rotherham Council will support those communities who wish to create a Parish, Town, or Community Council. For further information on this see the National Association of Local Council’s guidance on creating a council.
