1. Sealing of Documents

(a) A document shall not be sealed on behalf of the Council unless authority for the transaction giving rise to the need to affix the seal to a document or its sealing has been authorised by a resolution of the Council or a Councillor.

(b) The Council’s Common seal shall alone be used for sealing documents. It shall be applied by the proper officer in the presence of two members who shall sign the document as witnesses.

2. Appointment of Employees - Relation of Councillor or Officer

(a) If a candidate for any appointment under the Council is to his knowledge related to any member of or the holder of any office under the Council, he and the person to whom he is related shall disclose the relationship in writing to the Town Clerk. A candidate who fails so to do shall be disqualified for such appointment, and, if appointed, may be dismissed without notice. The Town Clerk shall report to the Council or to the appropriate committee any such disclosure. Where a relationship to a member is disclosed, Standing Order 58 in the Standing Orders as to Meetings shall apply as appropriate.

(b) The Town Clerk shall make known the purpose of Standing Order 2 to every candidate.

3. Canvassing of and Recommendations By Members on Appointment of Employees

(a) Canvassing of members of the Council or of any committee, directly or indirectly, for any appointment under the Council shall disqualify the candidate for such appointment. The Town Clerk shall make known the purport of this sub-paragraph of this Standing Order to every candidate.

(b) A member of the Council or of any committee shall not solicit for any person any appointment under the Council or recommend any person for such appointment or for promotion; but, nevertheless, any such member may give a written testimonial of a candidate’s ability, experience or character for submission to the Council with an application for appointment.

(c) Standing Order Nos. 2 & 3 shall apply to tenders as if the person making the tender were a candidate for an appointment.

4. Inspection of Documents

A member may for the purpose of his duty as such (but not otherwise), inspect any document in possession of the Council or a committee, and if copies are available shall, on request, be supplied for the like purpose with a copy.

5. Unauthorised Activities

No member of the Council or of any committee or sub-committee shall in the name of or on behalf of the Council:-

(a) Inspect any lands or premises which the Council has a right or duty to inspect;

or

(b) Issue orders, instructions or directions.

Unless authorised to do so by the Council or the relevant committee or sub-committee.

6. Planning Applications

(a) The Town Clerk shall, as soon as it is received, make details of every planning application notified to the Council available for public inspection.

(b) A copy of the list of planning applications received from the District Council and the National Park Authority shall be circulated to all members each week.

(c) The Town Clerk shall refer every planning application received to the next following meeting of the Planning Committee.

7. Code of Conduct on Complaints

The Council shall deal with complaints of maladministration allegedly committed by the Council or by any officer or member in such manner as adopted by the Council except for those complaints which should be properly directed to the Standards Board (England) or Commission (Wales) for consideration.

8. Terms of Reference and Delegations to Committees

The Terms of Reference of Committees of the Council and powers delegated to them shall be determined by Council, normally on a recommendation of the Policy & Finance Committee. Those Terms of Reference are attached to these Standing Orders as to General Procedures as appendices.

9. Variation, Revocation and Suspension of Standing Orders

Any or every part of the Standing Orders except those printed in bold type may be suspended by resolution in relation to any specific item of business.

A resolution permanently to add, vary or revoke a Standing Order shall when proposed and seconded, stand adjourned without discussion to the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

10. Standing Orders to be Given to Members

A copy of these Standing Orders shall be given to each member by the Town Clerk upon delivery to him of the member’s declaration of acceptance of office and written undertaking to observe the Code of Conduct adopted by the Council.