Parish Council meetings

With the exception of August and December, the Parish Council meets on third Tuesday of every month.  The agenda is published on our website under the meetings pages, displayed on the Parish Council office window and the noticeboard by the public toilets.

Parish Council meeting attendance register

Jan 2020 to Dec 2020

Jan 2021 to April 2021

May 2023 to Sept 2023

Oct 2023 to April 2024

May 2024 to Sept 2025

Oct 2024 to Apr 2025

Delegation / decision making processes -
Committees and Working Groups

General Power of Competence

1. The intention of the legislation is that eligible local authorities will no longer have to identify specific powers to undertake an activity. As a result, the risk of legal challenge will be reduced. It is stated in the above Statutory Instrument that:
   “The Government’s intention in providing eligible parish councils with the general power of competency is to better enable them to take on their enhanced role and allow them to do things they have previously been unable to do under existing powers”.
2. .Under the new legislation, eligible town councils have “the power to do anything that individuals generally may do” as long as they do not break other laws. It is intended to be the power of first, not last resort. The eligible council has to ask itself if an individual is allowed to do it. If the answer is “yes”, then a town or parish council is normally permitted to act in the same way.

Further information:

• The Local Government Association: The General Power of Competence: Empowering councils to make a difference.
• The House of Commons Library: The General Power of Competence

Having met the conditions of eligibility, as defined in the Localism Act 2011 and SI 965 ‘The Parish Council’s (General Power of Competence) (Prescribed Conditions) Order 2012:

• The number of Councillors elected at the last ordinary election (May 2021), or at a subsequent by-election, equals or exceeds two thirds of its total number of Councillors
• The Parish Clerk holds at least one of the sector specific qualifications and has passed CILCA Unit 7 General Power of Competence

during the Parish Council meeting held on 16th November 2021, the Parish Council voted to adopt the General Power of Competence.

At Annual Parish Council meeting held on 24th May 2022, a resolution was passed "having met the prescribed conditions to adopt the General Power of  Competence the Council reaffirms its eligibility." - Minute 9i 

Millbrook Parish Council's Standing Order 5jxi, states "In an election year, to make arrangements with a view to the Council becoming eligible to exercise the general power of competence in the future".

During the Parish Council meeting held on 16th May 2023, The Council reaffirmed its eligibility to exercise General Power of
Competence (i) the number of Councillors elected at the last ordinary election (May 2021), or at its subsequent by-election, equals or exceeds two thirds of its total number of Councillors. (ii) The Parish Clerk holds at least one of the sector specific qualifications,.

During the Parish Council meeting held on 20th May 2025 - The Council reaffirmed the resolution passed on 16th November 2021, that Millbrook Parish Council continues to meet the criteria for General Power of Competence. The Cornwall Association of Local Councils document, ‘The General Power of Competence – an introduction to key facts for Local Councils’, and a copy of the Clerk’s CiLCA qualification certificate were presented to the Council. Councils with GPC no longer need to ask whether they have a specific power to act. The GPC (LA 2011 s1(1)) gives local authorities, including eligible local councils, “the power to do anything that individuals generally may do” as long as they do not break other laws. 

Data Protection

Data Protection Registration Certificate

Funding

Community groups may apply to the Parish Council for grant funding.  Applications can be filled in using the online form.
Alternatively, if you would prefer a copy to be emailed to you please email the Parish Clerk.  theclerk@millbrook-pc.gov.uk.

Financial Control

Financial regulations are standing orders to regulate and control the financial affairs and accounting procedures of a local council. The financial regulations, as opposed to the standing orders of a council, include most of the requirements relevant to the council’s Responsible Financial Officer.

• MPC Financial Regulations
• Financial Risk Management Scheme 2024_Approved 18/03/2025 Minute, 181.6
• MPC Statement of Internal Control, reaffirmed 17/02/2025, Minute 169.1 
• MPC Asset Register

The Council's budget and annual reports can be viewed by clicking the relevant year under the Finance tab:

• Finance Reports 2022-23
• Finance Reports 2021-22
• Finance Reports 2020-21
• Finance Reports 2019-20

Millbrook Parish Council's core documents

MPC Standing Orders

Millbrook Parish Council has adopted the template from Cornwall Association of Local Councils.  Amendments are shown on page 1.

• Standing orders are the written rules of a local council.
• Standing orders are essential to regulate the proceedings of a meeting.
• A council may also use standing orders to confirm or refer to various internal organisational and administrative arrangements.
• The standing orders of a council are not the same as the policies of a council but standing orders may refer to them.

Local councils operate within a wide statutory framework. NALC model standing orders incorporate and reference many statutory requirements to which councils are subject. It is not possible for the model standing orders to contain or reference all the statutory or legal requirements which apply to local councils. For example, it is not practical for model standing orders to document all obligations under data protection legislation. The statutory requirements to which a council is subject apply whether or not they are incorporated in a council’s standing orders.

MPC Financial Regulations

The model standing orders do not include model financial regulations. Financial regulations are standing orders to regulate and control the financial affairs and accounting procedures of a local council. The financial regulations, as opposed to the standing orders of a council, include most of the requirements relevant to the council’s Responsible Financial Officer. Model financial regulations are available to councils in membership of NALC

Millbrook Parish Council's policies and terms of reference

Policy review procedures

During the Council meeting held on 18th May 2021, it was agreed that the Council reviews all Policies and Terms of Reference as part of a rolling programme throughout the year. Minute 13.

Dog fouling