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Minutes March 2007
BRIDGWATER TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF MEETING
HELD ON THURSDAY 1 MARCH 2007 AT 7.30PM
IN THE
MEMBERS' ROOM, TOWN HALL, BRIDGWATER
PRESENT: Cllr
PGH Parker (Mayor of Bridgwater - in the Chair) Cllrs MD Cresswell, BJ Gillard,
JG Granter, DP Loveridge, WJ Monteith, JR Munn, WH Munn, MD Needs, DL Preece,
KF Richards, Mrs GJ Slocombe, and P Smeed
Apologies: Cllrs Moore, M/s Pearce and Turner
66/06 CLLR JOHN TURNER JP:
Members reported that Cllr Turner was now at home following a knee replacement operation and was making a good recovery.
RESOLVED: That the best wishes of Bridgwater Town Council be extended to Cllr Turner, wishing him a speedy return to active duty.
67/06 MINUTES:
RESOLVED: That the
Minutes of the Meeting of Bridgwater Town Council held on 18 January 2007 be
confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record, subject to the
addition of a declaration of interest by Cllr Mrs Slocombe in respect of the
Arts Centre, attached to Minute 57/06.
68/06 MATTERS ARISING:
1. Remembrance Sunday (Min 54/06.3) - in addition to the letters sent to the Cadet Forces, Cllr Monteith confirmed that he had personally passed on the Town Council's congratulations to all those connected with the parades and services.
2. Parking at Valetta Place (Min 63/06.13) - Cllr Richards confirmed that the imposition of limited waiting restrictions was moving forward and awaiting formal advertisement.
3. CleanSweep Initiative (SDC) (Min 63/06.09) - the initiatives in Sydenham Ward and Victoria Ward had been completed. Members drew attention to some issues remaining in Victoria Ward, and to rubbish collected in the moat at basement level in front of the Town Hall, and amounts of rubbish and fly tipping at Friarn Avenue adjacent to the YMCA entrance. These issues had already been taken up and continued to be pursued by Ward Members.
69/06 THORNCOMBE
HOUSE PARKWAY:
The Chairman agreed to this item being brought
forward as urgent business.
Cllr Jim Munn explained the position with Thorncombe
House, which was presently home to local young single parent families otherwise
homeless. He had established that SDC
intended to spend some £30,000 on this building and to then pass it over to a
company based in Taunton for occupation by young males. Although it was claimed that this had been on
the books since 2004 and despite reports to the SDC Executive there had been no
consultation with local members, with the Town Council or County Council, nor
the local community. Whilst it was
understood that some of the foundation of the proposal and the change of user
could be seen as one effect of the needs of National Housing Standards
Improvements, he did not consider this a suitable use in the vicinity of
schools, and the types of services available in the local shops. Members felt strongly that the intention, if
carried through, would be to the detriment of the area and existing residents,
having regard to the location, in
particular the close proximity to local schools.
RESOLVED:
1. That BTC have grave concerns over the lack of consultation by SDC concerning the change of use at Thorncombe House Parkway and request this be addressed and the proposals re-considered with due consultation;
2. that the portfolio holder with responsibility for the housing service be invited to meet the Town Council to explain the position and an urgent special meeting be convened if necessary.
70/06 RECREATION CENTRE:
The Chairman agreed to take this item as urgent business.
The Town Clerk reported a letter from ReCreation Ltd requesting the Town Council to provide some support funding to help with immediate running costs, pending the outcome of bids for external funding to Children In Need (with a decision expected in April), and from the Safer Sedgemoor Partnership. They were also approaching various agencies within the partnership for short-term help to ensure that the centre could continue and that staff remained employed until future funding was secured. Members recognised the valuable contribution of the centre, but were concerned that the situation had arisen, questioning why a suitable business plan and exit strategy had not been in place to ensure the continuation of the centre beyond the original funding.
RESOLVED: That a grant of £1000 be made without prejudice to future funding and Re Creation be requested to submit detailed information on funding and a revised business plan to establish how future funding and continuation of service will be achieved.
(Cllr Parker declared an interest in this item and took no part in the decision).
71/06 REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE (14/02/07):
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 14/02/07 (attached as an appendix) had been circulated and were introduced by the Town Clerk. The reasoning behind the recommendations of the Committee were explained and questions answered. Susan Hillier, the recently appointed co-ordinator, was in attendance to assist with information on the Blake 350 Celebrations. A number of issues were dealt with, including the intentions for Blake Gardens, and action by Clean Surroundings (with an invitation for members to join a forthcoming meeting), the Plaque within the gardens, the Plaque on the Statue, the proposed DVDs, and recent grant funding, and the proposals for the 17th Century Street Fayre. This was also subject to a grant application to ""Awards for All", for which the Town Council had been asked to act as applicants. Links were also possible to HMS Somerset. It was also confirmed that the Carnival fireworks that the Town Council agreed to sponsor would be supporting the Blake 350 theme.
RESOLVED:
1. That the report be adopted and the decisions endorsed, subject to the following:
i. the approval of the schedule for the Blake 350 Celebrations, with the Town Council's agreement to act as applicants for the "Awards for All" grant application;
ii. a request to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance for a specific figure to be included in their application before this is considered;
iii. the grant of £2000 to the Bridgwater Unitarian Chapel, noting that an approach has also be made to the BHRP;
iv. deferment of the application by Road Lane Wanderers Football Club for clarification having regard to information that the twinning football visit to Homberg is not now on;
v. clarification of the duties and proportion of time spent on work in Bridgwater by the Town Centre Manager before the contribution of £2000 is passed over alongside further representations for early action to revive the Town Centre Partnership.
(Cllrs Creswell, Gillard, Parker, Richards, Mrs Slocombe and Smeed declared personal interests in the Blake 350 Celebrations, and Cllr Mrs Slocombe in the related matter of Bridgwater Library sited at Blake Gardens, Cllr Smeed in the Bridgwater Unitarian Chapel, and Cllrs Creswell, Gillard and Mrs Slocombe in the Carnival Committee Firework Display).
(Abstentions were recorded in votes on the Bridgwater Unitarian Chapel from Cllr Loveridge, and in respect of the Town Centre Management contribution for 2006/2007 from Cllrs Creswell, Gillard and Mrs Slocombe)
72/06 PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS:
RESOLVED: That the payments since the last meeting recorded in the Town Clerk's Report dated 22/02/07 be approved and confirmed.
73/06 REPORT ITEMS FOR NOTING:
The following were noted by members with invitation to comment:-
1. Trinity Hall - Town Council's offer to contribute to 2007/2008 and proposed meeting of users to take forward future arrangements;
2. Additional Street Lighting requests - scheme at Wye Avenue proceeding and continuing work to resolve lighting at garage areas in Saxon Green;
3. Bridgwater Parish Cluster Group Meeting 29/01/07 - request to be made at next meeting to consider evening or afternoon meetings;
4. Model Code of Conduct for Members - Consultation - members to respond as desired, welcoming simplification of code;
5. District and Parish Elections 03 May 2007 - notices of elections posted and nomination papers for Town Council issued.
74/06 TOWN HALL AND ISLAND SITE AND DONALDSON REPORT:
Copies of the Donaldson's report had been circulated. The Town Clerk had been advised that proposals were now being produced in-house, with the report expected to be completed by 16/03/07 for submission to the SDC Executive for 04 April. No information was yet available on projected timescales or programme for action on the options and marketing. Members remained concerned about the continuing delays and the impact on the fabric of the building and debate rehearsed the Town Council's involvement with the Town Hall and the Town Hall and Island Site and the efforts to move forward with a suitable scheme, which would ensure the retention of the Town Hall for community use. In certain scenarios this was likened to a recent agreement to dispose of the Princess Hall at Burnham-on-Sea. Although members accepted that the issues in relation to the Town Hall and the Town Hall and Island Site were vastly different, issues of best value and worth and well-being to the local community should be similar. The Clerk confirmed that he had requested that the Town Council be consulted on the report once prepared. After a full and detailed debate on all the issues the Town Council
RESOLVED: That the Town Council deplores the length of time and the money expended by SDC over the issue of the Town Hall, during which time the fabric of the building has decayed, and should a speedy resolution not be achieved, the Town Council will seek to apply for an emergency works order to ensure the protection of the Grade II Listed Building.
(Vote 10/2 with Cllr Mrs Slocombe abstaining)
75/06 SCC LOCAL AREA WORKING PANEL FOR THE SEDGEMOOR AREA:
The Town Clerk submitted a report on the first meeting of the Sedgemoor Area Working Panel held on 15 February 2007, at which County Councillor Ann Bown was elected Chairman. He gave details of the meeting which were contained in the report, although it was not clear exactly how the panels would operate. It was unclear how the budgets allocated to the working panels would be managed. Further work was also underway by SCC on the division of their 100 main activities to determine what would remain centrally and would be devolved to the panels.
The meeting had considered the relationship of the Sedgemoor priorities of the community strategy devised from the Sedgemoor in Somerset Partnership and sub-partnership, with delivery against targets in the Local Area Agreements. For the Sedgemoor LAWP priorities were identified as: a) conception rates, b) physical activity rates in adults, c) 16-18 year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET), and a fourth, d) safer communities - crime in the community : Town and Parish Councils were being asked whether they would support these topics. It was necessary to consider whether a realistic difference could be made or whether there were others that would fit the bill in terms of drawing down funding and delivery on both community strategy and LAA Targets.
Cllr Smeed suggested that the priorities identified fitted the main purposes of ReCreation and that this could be examined as a possible future resource.
RESOLVED: that the Town Council support the priorities identified and put forward the case for support for ReCreation through this.
(Cllrs Loveridge and Parker declared an interest as County Councillors on the LAWP).
76/06 BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE - STAKEHOLDER BOARD:
The Town Council had been invited in a letter to the Mayor to nominate a member to the Stakeholder Board of 25 nominees/organisation representatives. The Board would hold termly meetings and guide and advise, whilst a strategic board of 13 would meet monthly to drive the project. This was welcomed after pressure from the Town Council and others to be involved, having previously been ignored at the submission stage. Any appointment would be for the period until the new council was elected and all outside appointments re-considered.
RESOLVED: That Cllr Pat Parker be nominated to the Stakeholder Board to represent BTC
77/06 LA CIOTAT LINK 50TH ANNIVERSARY
The Town Clerk submitted a report reminding members that this was the 50th anniversary of the twinning. He reported a request following a meeting with the La Ciotat Link Society for the Town Council to underwrite as guarantors costs of up to £6000 to ensure that hospitality appropriate to the occasion was arranged. The Society were seeking funding from other agencies, including an application to the EU, although the outcome would not be known for some time. He reminded members that an additional sum of £1500 had been included in the estimates to support possible events to mark the occasion in addition to the standard core grant of £300. Cllr Creswell in his capacity with the Link Society amplified, as far as he was able, their intentions although they were still firming up their proposed programme.
Members considered this sum excessive and questioned what other arrangements had been considered in line with other twinning operations, although recognising that the 50th anniversary was special.
RESOLVED: That the Town Council will support and consider specific functions within their budget, subject to review of the proposed programme, but that on the basis of the information available are not prepared to sanction the £6000 as guarantor.
(Cllrs Creswell and Richards declared interests and took no part in the decision).
78/06 MAYOR ITEMS:
1. Mayoral Engagements - no list was available but would be circulated;
2. Friends of Sedgemoor Citizens Advice Bureau - invitation to the official launch on Friday 25 March 2007 at 12 noon at the Masonic Hall - open to all members;
3. Mayor's Medieval Banquet - thanks to all members who had attended the event;
4. HAMP Ward Grant - Shazoos Community Group - application for grant of £400 to purchase equipment, materials and advertising - Approved.
79/06 PUBLICATIONS AND CORRESPONDENCE:
The Town Clerk reported on correspondence and papers received and those included in the report.
RESOLVED: That the following items be noted and
actioned as appropriate:-
1. Eastover and St John Street - further meetings of traders planned for March 2007 and current issues including CCTV camera location and parking campaign;
2. Land at Friarn Avenue adjacent to No. 13 - pursuing possible children's play area (LAP) and location of Civic Society Plaque;
3. Allotments Tenant Association - fencing of Friarn Lawn and Flower Show Hut - work commissioned expected to be carried out in April;
4. Allotment Transfer and Registration of Ownership - continuing correspondence particularly in relation to Bristol Road and Chilton 2, with SDC;
5. Bridgwater Heritage Regeneration Partnership - progress made at meeting held on 27 February 2007, including report on Concrete Castle;
6. Sedgemoor Arts Forum - report on meeting of 26 February 2007;
7. Clean Sweep Initiative (SDC) - following work in Sydenham emerging proposal to replace original planting areas at Parkway shops with paving to improve visual aspect and possible request to Town Council for support funding;
8. Review of Quality Town & Parish Councils Scheme - deferment;
9. Rights of Way - Annual Newsletter 2006;
10. Somerset Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund;
11. Dog Control - Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 - control areas in Bridgwater;
12. Somerset Primary Care Trust meeting - 21 February 2007 - going forward with new Bridgwater Community Hospital;
13. Bridgwater/Marsa Twinning Association - Minutes of 05 February 2007;
14. Sedgemoor District Play Strategy - Forum;
15. SLCC Larger Councils Conference 26/27 April 2007;
16. Bridgwater and District Credit Union Ltd - launch of Sedgemoor Savings;
17. Regional Spatial Strategy - Update;
18. Bridgwater College - annual report 2005/2006 and working with sector skills councils document;
19. Western Power Distribution - quality of supply report 2006;
20. Somerset Playing Fields - Newsletter.
80/06 ANNUAL TOWN MEETING - FIRST MEETING AFTER ELECTION, ANNUAL MEETING AND MAYOR MAKING:
Members were invited to determine the dates for these meetings.
RESOLVED:
1. That the Annual Town Meeting be held at 7.30pm on 12 April 2007 at the Charter Hall, with an invitation for a 'Building Schools for the Future' presentation;
2. that the next ordinary Town Council meeting be as planned on 19 April 2007 in the Members Room;
3. that the first meeting after the election be held on Tuesday 8 May 2007 at 7.30pm in the Members Room;
4. that the Annual Meeting and Mayor Making be held on
11 May 2007 with the usual arrangements at the Sedgemoor Room and Town Hall.
The meeting finished at 9.55pm
.............................................
Signed
Chairman