The Proper Officer shall be either (i) the clerk or (ii) other staff member(s) nominated by the Council to undertake the work of the Proper Officer when the Proper Officer is absent.
The Proper Officer shall:
at least three clear days before a meeting of the Council, serve on councillors by delivery or post at their residences or by email authenticated in such manner as the Proper Officer thinks fit, a signed summons confirming the time, place and the agenda (provided the councillor has consented to service by email), and provide, in a conspicuous place, public notice of the time, place and agenda (provided that the public notice with agenda of an extraordinary meeting of the Council convened by councillors is signed by them).
[Note: See SO3.2 for the meaning of clear days for a meeting of a full Council and SO3.3 for the meaning of clear days for a meeting of a committee.]
subject to SO9, include on the agenda all motions in the order received unless a councillor has given written notice at least four days before the meeting confirming his withdrawal of it;
convene a meeting of the Council for the election of a new Chair of the Council, occasioned by a casual vacancy in his office;
facilitate inspection of the minute book by local government electors;
receive and retain copies of byelaws made by other local authorities;
hold acceptance of office forms from councillors;
hold a copy of every councillor's register of interests;
assist with responding to requests made under freedom of information legislation and rights exercisable under data protection legislation, in accordance with the Council's relevant policies and procedures;
liaise, as appropriate, with the Council's Data Protection Officer;
receive and send general correspondence and notices on behalf of the Council except where there is a resolution to the contrary;
assist in the organisation of, storage of, access to, security of and destruction of information held by the Council in paper and electronic form subject to the requirements of data protection and freedom of information legislation and other legitimate requirements (e.g. the Limitation Act 1980);
arrange for legal deeds to be executed;
[Note: see also SO23.]
arrange or manage the prompt authorisation, approval, and instruction regarding any payments to be made by the Council in accordance with its financial regulations;
record every planning application notified to the Council and the Council's response to the local planning authority in a book for such purpose;
refer a planning application received by the Council to the Chair or in his absence the Vice-Chair of the Council within two working days of receipt to facilitate an extraordinary meeting if the nature of a planning application requires consideration before the next ordinary meeting of the Council.
manage access to information about the Council via the publication scheme; and
retain custody of the seal of the Council, if any, which shall not be used
without a resolution to that effect.
[Note: see also SO23.]
