Deputy clerk

Question

Who can ask someone to deputise for a clerk who is on holiday?

Answer 1

Council can appoint a member of the council to take minutes in the absence of the clerk. To ensure that legal advice is available during a meeting it would be advisable for the council to employ a locum clerk to cover what should be planned for by the employment committee for statutory holidays cover

Answer 2

What % of councils would even notice if the clerk was absent.
What is the % of wholly unqualified, inexperienced and incapable clerks at the PC level?

I’d suggest there would be very little impact (aside from the cost saving) if a clerks absence was simply ignored.
Might even IMPROVE efficiency….

Comments

Like everything in life there are good and bad Clerks just as there are good and bad Councillors

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It has to be remembered that the clerk, good or bad, is not there just to take minutes but to supply guidance to the council on matters relating to the agenda . It could be that an agenda item has to be postponed to another meeting if there arises a question on the validity of procedures during the meeting. This only adds to the workload of the council and disrupts its efficiency.

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It IS remembered that a clerk is there to provide VALID, ACCURATE and APPROPRIATE advice and guidance.
The PROBLEM arises when the clerk isn’t capable Oi equipped to do so.
So the question stands what % are the good, the bad and the in between?

With NALC using that dreadful woman as a poster girl I would say there is an obvious difference in opinion between what constitutes good and not so good.