Lake Management Committee - Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference

Purpose

The purpose of the LMC is to manage all activities concerned with the Eric East Memorial Lake on behalf of the Parish Council (PC), and the parishioners of Thorpe on the Hill.

Scope

The LMC will:

1.    Manage all Health and Safety arrangements at the lake and ensure these are given the highest priority. This will include, but is not restricted to:

•           ensuring all Risk Assessments are maintained and kept up to date

•           conducting Lake Inspections at agreed intervals

•           maintaining a suitable accident and near miss reporting regime

2.    Ensure the appropriate insurance arrangements are in place for the Lake and surrounding land.

3.    Operate within a budgetary framework agreed with the PC as a whole.

4.    Seek approval from the PC for any policy or budgetary changes.

5.    In consultation with parishioners and leaseholders develop a Development Plan, for approval by the PC, based upon:

•           The Lake Policy

•           The priorities expressed by parishioners

•           Relevant legislation and regulations

•           Relevant covenants/restrictions

•           Best practice guidance

6.    Implement the Development Plan.

7.    Promote the use of the lake in accordance with the Development Plan and Lake Policy.

8.    Keep the PC informed of progress with the use of the lake, implementation of the Development Plan, and issues arising at the lake.

9.    Review, and where appropriate, update the development plan at suitable intervals.  

10.  The PC will nominate two councillor members from the committee to negotiate license agreements with relevant parties where these are compatible with the lake priorities and development plans. This process will run independently of the LMC. These licenses to be ratified by the full PC.

11.  Promote a cordial relationship and balance between all the lake users.

12.  Resolve conflicts that may arise between lake users and/or other interested parties

13.  Be responsible for awarding maintenance contracts for the lake in accordance with the Development Plan and agreed priorities. This might typically include:

a. Landscape maintenance

                        b. Pest management – where appropriate

                c. Tree and hedge maintenance

                d. Inspections of water quality and recording visits

                e. developing and implementing a routine annual maintenance plan

14. Be responsible for:

a. Arranging litter picking, if and when required

                        b. Maintenance or upgrade of signage, as required

                        c. Security of gates and fences where applicable

15. Plan and manage any additional activities on the site e.g.

•            Parish Picnic,

•           Love your Parish activities like community tidy up / litter picking etc.

16. Manage volunteering activities to ensure these comply with latest H&S requirements and the PC’s volunteering policy.

17. Ensure that the management of the lake takes account of relevant legislations, regulations and where possible best practice.

18. Explore any opportunities for grant funding for environmental and general improvements to the lake and grounds.

19. Deal with all matters relating to the Lake. In the event of an urgent matter being reported to the Parish Clerk, which cannot wait until the next formal meeting, the Parish Clerk will refer the matter to the Chair, or in their absence the Vice-Chair, for action as required.

Constitution

1.    The LMC will meet at least three times per year, typically early spring, summer, and late autumn, with dates set in the preceding calendar year.

2.    Agendas will be circulated three days in advance of meetings.

3.    Meetings will be held in the ORPMR with an open forum section of the meeting for members of the public to attend.

4.    Minutes will be circulated and available to members of the public.

5.    The Lake Management Committee will comprise of:

•           Four Parish Councillors

•           Four members of the public made up of  Two Parishioners who are independent of any licence holders and one from each licence holders

6.    Only Parish Councillors have voting rights.

7.    Quorum is three Cllrs plus any two other members present.

8.    If the Council Chair is a member of the committee, they will chair the committee. If the Chair is not a member but the Vice Chair is, they will chair the committee. If neither is a member, the councillor members of the committee will elect a chair.

9.    In cases of equal votes, the Chair (or other person presiding) will have a second or casting vote.

10.  Invitations will be extended to Parishioners to put their name forward for selection to the committee for a 2 year term appointments will be based upon skills, experience, interests and levels of commitment. In the case of more than 2 parishioners coming forward, deputies maybe elected from that those applying.

11.  Representatives from license holders must have full authority to speak on behalf of that group. In preference this should either be the chair/leader or deputy of that group. Substitutes, in the event that a representative cannot attend a meeting, are allowed, but the expectation is that any substitute who attends a meeting will also have this delegated authority.

12.  All LMC members agree to abide by Parish Council rules on:

•           Conduct at meetings

•           Respecting the confidentiality of matters discussed at meetings in closed session

13.  Failure to abide by the rules of the committee may result in disqualification from the LMC.

14.  Membership of the LMC will be reviewed at the Annual Meeting of the PC.