DRAFT
New Alresford Town
Council
Meeting of Town Council
Apologies: Cllr. Evans, Phillips
Press: 3
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Declarations
of Interest on Agenda Items - None Minutes
of the meeting held on 9th October, 2008 Resolution:
To approve the Minutes of 9th October 2009 as
true and accurate. Proposed:
Cllr. Cattle Seconded Cllr. Mansfield (AGREED) Actions
Carried Forward from 11th September, 2008 Busby
Builders
- Awaiting start date for repair of Flint Wall. Burial
Space - Investigation of Burial ground
sites/alternatives delegated to the Environment Committee. Alresford
Music Festival - A Presentation outlining a proposal
for holding a Music Festival at Arlebury Park in June. Council to review this request at an
informal meeting. Clerk to arrange
and report back to Mr. Vetch. District
and County Councillor’s Report Written
reports were received from Cllr. Porter, Cllr. E. Jeffs and Cllr. Cook. Cllr.
Beckett informed the Council that this was a
crucial time for the District. LDF
responses were to be reviewed and he felt that New Alresford may well get the
proposals they were putting forward. It was reported that WCC had not
received a good grant settlement and at the annual liaison with Parish and
Town Chairs he would be very interested in the views of the Towns and
Parishes. In answer to a question on key hubs
he explained that that terminology of the LDF had confused two
principles. WCC required Hubs to
filter information down to their clusters without any reduction of WCC
services to the cluster parishes. The
LDF concept used the terminology ‘Hub’ to identify large towns which were the
service providers for cluster parishes.
These hubs were seen as more sustainable and able to deliver more
houses. When asked if a change of
central government would give local government more powers, negating the LDF
policy. Cllr. Beckett stated that he
had requested clarity on this point as he was unable to envisage how
government could undo statutory and adopted policy. A paper would be produced on any devolution of powers to
sustainable communities. The Chair thanked Cllr. Beckett for
attending and answering the questions put to him by Council. Public
Participation (meeting
adjourned) Q. Mr. R.
Atkins made
presentation in respect of the two Town Trust grant requests. 1. Eel House - This was a cascading grant
that would require £1k contribution from NATC 2. Mini Bus - (a) The Mini Bus required
adequate garaging and works to extend the garage was due to commence early
2009. An NATC grant contribution was requested towards this £9k project. (b)
NATT required an annual NATC grant contribution to ensure funds were
available for a replacement bus. A.
NATC stated that at the end of
this financial year Council may be in a position to allocate unused grant
monies towards 09/10 applications and a small grant may be made available
from this source. Council would
review all grant candidates and make this decision at the close of the
financial year. It was acknowledged
that Council had award grant assistance for the Mini-bus in the passed but
the previous administration had stopped this policy. Additional money for grants could also
become available from the 2009/10 budget from the Central Administration’s
Election/Audit/Profession fees.
Council had been required to instigate this budget to cover these
costs but should this contingency not be called upon Council they may be
mindful to increase their grants budget.
Again all candidates would be considered. (meeting reconvened) Grants Farmers Grant Resolution: To approve a grant
of £50 to the Surrey and Hampshire Farming and Wildlife Group. Proposed Cllr. Power
Seconded Cllr. Cattle
(AGREED) Bereavement Grant Resolution: To approve a grant
of £100 to the Cruse Bereavement Care (South Hampshire Branch). Proposed Cllr. Gentry Seconded Cllr. Cattle (AGREED) Clerk
to verify the charity status of all/any grant applicants. Finance Payments - Resolution: To approve
payments for October, 2008 of
£21,942.42 Proposed:
Cllr. B. Jeffs Seconded Cllr. Power (AGREED) Clerk
to verify electricity payment period.
The electricity usage had been investigated and it was found that
cooler equipment accounted for the high usage. Floodlight usage was found to be relatively low. Committee Budgets - Resolution: To approve the following Committee
Budgets:- Recreation
Committee £31k; Environment Committee £11k; Tourism Committee £10k. Proposed:
Cllr. Gentry Seconded Cllr. B.
Jeffs (AGREED) Precept - Resolution: To approve a Precept of £247k for the
financial year 2009/10. Proposed:
Cllr. Gentry Seconded Cllr.
Power (AGREED) This
reduction in the Precept represents a 4% community reduction due to the
increase in households. A contingency for election costs together with the
possibility of high Audit Commission fees; resulting from a public audit
query plus associated professional costs led to a Central Administration
provision of £9k. it was anticipated
that the ARC would break even and that any profit would be reinvested in the
facility. West Street Design
Report The
West Street Design was on displayed at the Co-op. Public response to the proposals would be fed back to Council
at the January meeting. Alresford Parking
Update The
project was in abeyance awaiting Perins Trust status. Trust status involved a change in
landownership resulting in a delay in signing the lease. The commence of the Car Park Project would
coincide with the acquisition of Trust Status and the signing of the lease;
anticipated mid to end January. Committee
Reports Recreation
Committee (Minutes attached - No items for
council ratification) Environment
Committee Resolution: To approve
Variation of condition 11 of PP: 9902245HCS to extend the hours of operation
at New Alresford HWRC, Prospect Rd, New Alresford to 0800to1700: 1st
October – 31st March and 0800 to 1900: 1st April to 30th
September Resolution: To approve
Andrew Merry quotation to clear Brook Water Course at Spring Road Allotment
site at cost of £385 Resolution: To approve
Andrew Merry quotation to extend water supply at new allotment site at a cost
of £695 to be actioned in March 2009 Resolution: To purchase a ‘Lit speeding sign’ in the
Financial Year 2009/10 for use within the town boundaries and staff be
trained in how to re-locate it. Resolution: NATC to share a sign on a pro-rata basis
to their financial contribution up to a maximum of two parishes. Resolution: NATC will act as the co-ordination body
and re-location agent if more than two parishes wish to share a sign on their
behalf. Resolution: NATC pass
responsibility for the 23 streetlights in item 1 of the inventory to HCC with
effect from 1 April 2009. Resolution: To remove 2
streetlights in item 2 of the inventory after consultation with residents Resolution: NATC to
retain responsibility for the 8 street lights in item 3 of the inventory Resolution: NATC investigate the cost of adding
additional streetlights to those detailed in item 4 of the inventory with a
view to HCC taking over responsibility for existing and new lights after
installation. Resolution: To approve
the application for a WCC Capital Grant for West Street Project. Resolution: To
recommend NATC approve any proportional finding in respect of the WCC Capital
Grant. Ratification
of all the above Environment Resolutions Proposed: Cllr. Gentry Seconded
Cllr. Middleton (AGREED) Planning
Committee Resolution: To approve
the New Alresford Local Development Plan and forward to WCC. Proposed Cllr. B.
Jeffs Seconded Cllr. Gentry (AGREED) Thanks was given to Chris Jones for
encouraging the Industrial Sites to contribute to the LDF. Tourism
Committee Maintenance of the plants beneath the
Town Entry Signs needed to be considered.
It was reported that the Rotary would undertake the task if no other
volunteer group stepped forward. It
was stated that low level plants were required to ensure sign visibility was
not restrict by plant foliage. Thanks was again extended to the Wednesday
Volunteers for their work on the Millennium Trail. Alresford
Recreation Centre The Centre was meeting its financial
objectives and it was noted that the facility was being used by a wider
section of the community. Quotation
Approval Resolution: To approve to approve £470 for the supply
and installation of under sink storage in the lower female toilets. Proposed Cllr. Cattle Seconded Cllr. Power (AGREED) Reports
from Outside Bodies Town
Partnership -
Resolution: To approve the Memorandum of Understanding between NATC
and the Town Partnership. Proposed Cllr. Power Seconded
Cllr. B. Jeffs (AGREED) Alresford
Society - Resolution: To elect Cllr. Yeldham to replace Cllr.
Cattle as the NATC representative up until June 2009 and to elect Cllr. Power
as the NATC representative from June 2009 onwards. Proposed
Cllr.
B. Jeffs Seconded Cllr. Gentry (AGREED) Meeting
Dates and Items for next Agenda 2009/10
Meeting Schedule Clerk to schedule meetings for 2009/10. Full Town meetings to be scheduled, where
possible, for the 2nd Thursday of each month (excluding August and
December). Date of Next
Meeting Thursday, 7.30 15th January 2009 at Town Offices,
Upper Meeting Room, Arlebury Park The
Chairman closed the meeting at 8.45pm. Chairman’s
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