DEVOLVEMENT OF SERVICES

Question

Our District Council is starting to sound out our PCs about taking on certain services.  They asked that our PCs to  contribute pro rata to one PROW FTE post .  My PC are saying that they did not contribute as they had been advised by their County Association that the request was illegal  .  Is anyone aware of this argument being put forward elsewhere and the reasoning for it.  Is there a difference between taking on a  service (like clearing of waste bins) and contributing to the DCs expenses?

Answer 1

On what basis were you told that this is illegal? Was it the principle of contributing to the DC or the nature of the specific role?

Answer 2

Parish councils can contribute to the cost of local authority staff if it's for the betterment of the parish and proportionate. A Rights of Way Officer is not a statutory post but the local authority has a legal obligation to maintain and keep open PROWs so even if no parish council funded a dedicated officer, the job would still need to be done by someone. The long and short of it is, the local authority have to provide the service a Rights of Way Officer carries out in your parish whether you pay for it or not so whether there's value in contributing depends whether you think having a dedicated officer is for the betterment of your parish or if there are additional services they will offer if you chip in.