Legal Department:
The Legal and Democratic Services Unit, in addition to providing a comprehensive legal and administrative support service across a wide range of areas of Council activity, is responsible for direct services provision in relation to a number of Council functions. These include all aspects of Committee administration and Member support, elections and electoral administration, local land charges, local licensing, emergency planning, community safety, press and publicity, reception services and supporting the Civic Party.
DEMOCRATIC SERVICES SECTION
The Democratic Services Section is part of the Council’s Legal and Democratic Services Unit which is headed by Liam Henry, Borough Solicitor.
The Section is managed by David Cook, Borough Secretary, and comprises 11 full and part-time staff:
Joyce Benton, Sergeant-at-Mace
Gerald Connor, Community Safety Officer, 01289 301766, gc@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
David Cook, Borough Secretary, 01289 301716, dc@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
Linda Cowe , Mayor’s Secretary, 01289 301731, lc@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
Stephen Cozens, Clerical Assistant, 01289 301890, sdc@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
Linda Davison, Secretary, 01289 301717, lcd@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
Sue Finch, Senior Democratic Services Officer, 01289 301721, svf@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
Paul Morgan, Halberdier
Caroline Morrell, Community Safety Assistant, 01289 301803, cm@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
William Purves, Halberdier
Judith Turnbull, Administrative and Committee Services Officer, 01289 301720, jat@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
The Borough Secretary and his Democratic Services Section is responsible for the following :
(a) Committee Administration
The team provides a range of services in support of all the Council’s policy and regulatory Committees, full Council, and sub-committees. These include the preparation of meetings calendars, booking of venues and provision of equipment, agenda organisation, report writing, minute taking, publication of decisions, publicity for meetings and provision of procedural advice and guidance to Councillors, other officers and members of the public.
This service supports the Council's decision making arrangements.
(b) Support for Councillors
This includes general and daily advice and assistance to elected Members to enable them to carry out their role as Councillors.
With the introduction of the Standards Board and the code of conduct for Parish Councils, advice given on behalf of the Council’s Monitoring Officer (the Borough Solicitor) also extends to Parish Councils. This is a statutory function.
Training for Councillors includes the provision of courses on relevant issues both in-house and by external providers, and basic induction training for newly-elected Councillors.
Section Contents :
Links :
www.standardsboard.co.uk
(c) Electoral Registration
This includes the conduct of the annual canvass and the production of the Register of Electors for the Borough of Berwick-upon-Tweed. Again, this is a statutory function.
Select this link for more information
To Register to vote select this link, (pdf) or view the notes.
Also visit the following related links:
(d) Election Administration
This includes organising all forms of elections. The European Elections held in June 2004 and the Referendum for a Regional Assembly for the North East/Review of Local Government on 4th November 2004 have both been conducted as a full postal ballot, whereas General, County Council, Borough Council and Parish Council elections are run on traditional methods which involves organising polling stations and appointing the staff to run them, and managing the count. This is also a statutory function.
For more information on how to vote, including voting bypost or by proxy, contact the helpline numbers 01289 301720 and 01289 301722 email jat@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk or jb@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk.
To view Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council election results, select this link
Postal voting. If you wish to apply for a postal vote select this link.
Related information: www.electoralcommission.org.uk
Any Queries
If you have any queries please contact us by:
E-mail jat@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
Phone: 01289 301720
Post:
Electoral Services
Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council
Council Offices
Wallace Green
Berwick-upon-Tweed
TD15 1ED
Fax: 01289 330540
(e) Community Safety
This includes the administrative servicing of the Borough’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership. However, officers in the section also fulfill a lead role with that Partnership by working with the Police and other statutory organisations including the Fire and Rescue Service, County Council, Health and Probation Services to develop, resource and implement strategies and projects aimed at reducing the incidence of crime and disorder, and fear of crime in line with set targets and objectives. Examples of successful projects have included the installation of CCTV systems in Berwick town centre and at the railway station; the ‘Enough’ alcohol campaign; and the provision of skate parks for young people. The CDRP has consistently achieved a high success rate against Government targets for crime reduction.
The Community Safety Team comprises of Gerald Connor, Community Safety Officer, (01289) 301766, email gc@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk, Caroline Morrell, Community Safety Assistant, (01289) 301803, email cm@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk and David Cook, Borough Secretary, (01289) 301716, email dc@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk.
CDRP web site (external link)
www.go-ne.gov.uk
(f) Emergency Planning and Business Continuity
David Cook, Borough Secretary is responsible for producing an emergency plan which sets out the way in which the Council responds to an emergency or disaster within the Borough by marshalling its resources and working with other organisations to overcome the effects of any such event.
To contact David Cook call (01289) 301716 or email dc@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk
You can also visit the follwing website for more information www.ukresilience.info
(g) The Mayoralty and the Civic Party
Mayor's current diary
This includes the provision of administrative support to the Mayor, Sheriff, Deputy Mayor and their respective partners. The Mayor’s Secretary organises the diaries of the Civic Party and assists with the organisation of events, including visits to/from twin towns in conjunction with the Administrative and Committee Services Officer.
For more twin towns information select this link
The Mayor’s Secretary is Miss Linda Cowe. Contact her on (01289) 301731, email lc@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk or call into the Council Offices.
(h) Support Services
The Section provides support services to the whole organisation. These include mailroom services, photocopying and printing services, stationery and equipment ordering and management. Additionally, the Section provides administrative support to a range of other working groups such as the Safety Advisory Committee, Improvement Board, and Local Strategic Partnership.
(i) Parish Councils and the Tripartite Meeting
Officers in the Section act as designated contacts for named Parish Councils, and provide administrative support to the quarterly Tripartite Meeting at which the Borough Council, Parish Councils and County Council are represented.
Section Info :
Other services that are currently on our website are:
Emergency planning
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