MINUTES of the Meeting of Wivenhoe Town Council held in the Council Chamber on Monday 15 September 2014.

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Present: The Town Mayor, Cllr. K. Read (Chairman),

Cllrs: A. Aldis, I. Endean, P. Kraft, K. Hall, D. Henley, N. Lodge, R. Needham, F. Richards, A. Stinson, A. Vaughan and N. Tile.

Mrs. A. Stinson (Town Clerk)

County Cllr. J. Young

Borough Cllrs. J. Manning, M. Cory and R. Scott

Peter Kay

Roger Mainwood

Brian Sinclair

Margaret Medler from WAGA

Danny Gatehouse from Essex County Fire & Rescue

Michael Padmore

Claire Kelly

Eugene Kraft

Prior to commencement of business safety announcements were given.

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies for absence were received from Borough Cllr. C. Liddy.

2. MINUTES. RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 21 July 2014 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES.

a) Land at Tower Road: Town Clerk to forward email received from Andrew Weavers of CBC regarding information on adverse possession of this piece of land to Cllr. Needham.

4. POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

a) Danny Gatehouse, East Area Commander from Essex County Fire & Rescue gave a presentation on Parish Safety Agents/Volunteers. Members were all in support of this initiative and would work with Essex County Fire & Rescue to assist in identifying volunteers and information on the scheme would be put on the Town Council’s web-site.

b) Michael Padmore from Moving Image addressed the Town Council about the future of the Philip Road Centre and to appraise them of the situation and to ask for the Town Council’s support, even if it is just advice, in developing a business plan for the building working in partnership with other Community groups and the Wivenhoe Surgery. Members were in agreement to support the project by identifying the need for more community space within the town and also to request an update from Ashley House on the project. A link would be put on the Town Council’s website.

5. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY AND BOROUGH COUNCILS.
a) Essex County Council: Cllr. Young gave the following update: still no news on the bollards on The Quay; discussion had taken place on the cyclepath; a meeting was being held this Thursday concerning the Home to School Transport issue and to work out what can be done. Hedingham buses were a possibility and they had confirmed that they would be able to cope with the demand. It was also noted that there was concern amongst parents that Colchester Academy was being classed as inadequate compared to The Colne School and this would affect Wivenhoe children greatly.

b) Borough Council: Cllr. Cory reported that he had met with the contingent group concerning the Home to School Transport issue which had common links across the County; a drain had been repaired by Highways in Dixon Way after a 4 month wait; the overgrown verge in Colchester Road had finally received a cut by ECC Highways and it was hoped that this would now be added to their regular programme; fly-tipping was continuing at Broad Lane Football Ground; the Youth Club had re-opened with Tuesday being the most successful day; also Cllr. Cory was working with officers to find a route for a disabled access to the Lower Lodge Play area.

A written report from Cllr. Liddy was circulated and members wished him a speedy recovery; Cllr. Scott reported that an acknowledgement had been received from Network Rail, concerning the closure of the Paget Road crossing, assuring that the objections and comments lodged would be taken into consideration; concerning 58 Queens Road the application to construct a dwelling in rear garden was finally rejected by CBC Planning Committee; Car Park Public Conveniences - CBC has offered the management and control these facilities to the local parish councils, to date Tiptree PC has made some progress in this matter, CBC were asking the Town Council to update them on negotiations.

Cllr. Needham responded that the Town Council had reacted very positively to the officer concerned regarding the Car Park Public Conveniences and were waiting for a response from CBC.

Regarding disabled access to Platform 2 on Wivenhoe Station Cllr. Scott reported that confirmation had been received that a review of the access arrangements was going to be undertaken during this financial year.

Cllr. Manning reported on issues concerning disabled access along the riverbank public footpath FP13; an unkempt property in Vanessa Drive and the refusal terms for 58 Queens Road.

c) Public Transport: Peter Kay had circulated his report to members and briefed members on issues concerning the poor running of the number 87 bus and aggressive time-tabling.

6. COMMITTEE REPORTS.
6.1 Planning.
a) Minutes of the meeting held on 5 and 26 August 2014 were received and noted

b) Cooks’ Shipyard Working Group: Cllr. Read reported that a realistic offer had been received for the rental of the Fisherman’s Store but had unfortunately been lost due to the lengthy time involved between Town Council meetings. Cllr. Read proposed therefore that if another reasonable offer comes forward then the Working Group be given the authority to accept the offer immediately. This was Proposed and Agreed unanimously.

c) Slipway: Cllr. Read reported that a site meeting had been held with Sue Jackson, advice obtained and a start made on completion of the planning application forms.

d) Health Centre: Noted that an announcement should soon be made on the progress.

6.2 Personnel Committee.

a) The next meeting would be held on 24 September 2014 at. 8.00pm.

b) Casual Vacancy: Following the closure date of the Notice of Casual Vacancy, three candidates had put forward their names for consideration. Members would consider the applications shortly.

6.3 Finance and Administration Committee.

a) The date of the next meeting will be on 13 November 2014 at 7.30pm.

6.4 Estates Committee.
a) The Minutes of the meeting held on 8 September 2014 were received and noted.

b) WAGA – The proposal of WAGA for a Compost Toilet, rather than a plumbed-in toilet, was discussed at the Estates meeting. WAGA had indicated their preference for the Compost Toilet and this was the Recommendation from Estates. Grant funding had been secured. Documentation on the compost toilet was circulated to all members of the Town Council. The Proposal was put to members and a vote was taken which was all in favour with 1 against.

RESOLVED therefore that the Proposal from WAGA for a Compost Toilet to be sited on plots 19 and 20 be Agreed. Mrs. Medler, who was present at the meeting thanked the Town Council for their support on the project.

c) Chapel Museum: Cllr. Needham updated members on the Chapel Museum. There was a delay the security bars at the moment but this should be in hand soon.

d) One Stop project: Cllr. Henley reported that the funding was in place for the landscaping of the One Stop area and once the groundwork had been completed Wivenhoe In Bloom would be ready to start planting.

7. WORKING PARTY REPORTS.
7.1 William Loveless Hall Working Party

a) Report of the meeting held on Thursday 11 September was received.

b) CIF Grant: Cllr. Kraft reported that the Town Council had been successful in obtaining

a grant from the CIF for a cooker hood and this work would be scheduled in as soon as

possible. Cllr. Vaughan added that she had spoken with the Fire Officer who was present

at the meeting about the fire alarm system and was not convinced that the cooker hood

would solve the problem of the fire alarm going off.

Cllr. Kraft would obtain the advice of a Fire Officer.

7.2 Wivenhoe Wood Working Party: No report received.

7.3. Minibus Working Group:

Noted that the next meeting would be on 30 October 2014 at 12 noon.

7.4 Youth Facilities Working Party.

Group in suspension at the moment.

7.5 Community Opportunities Group.

Group in suspension at the moment.

7.6 Jubilee Gardens Working Group.

Cllr. Read reported that he was still awaiting the third quotation for the work and he would chase up the builder on this. Cllr. Vaughan said that a quote would be obtained for the planting up of 10 areas.

Rose Legacy background: The Town Clerk had been asked to clarify the background of the Rose Legacy. After research, dating back to 2002, the Town Council’s solicitors confirmed that the Legacy of Mrs. Blair was for £1000 to be spent on trees and roses around the town. This amount was placed in Town Council’s Reserves in 2002 with the heading Rose Legacy. Over subsequent years residual funds from the Town Council’s tub planting scheme and other landscaping reserves had been put into the budget to round the total to £3000. The heading was then changed to Landscaping Reserve (Legacy).

The proposal from the Jubilee Gardens Working Group was for approval to use all of the £2000 Landscaping reserve on one project. Cllr. Henley said that there were other landscaping projects, such as One Stop and Wivenhoe in Bloom, around the town which would also need funds, and that the amount should therefore be spread around, particularly as the £2000 included the residue of the Tub Planting scheme. Cllr. Aldis stated that the Jubilee Garden project had been ongoing now for two years and needed to be completed. He therefore proposed that the whole of the £2000 should be spent on the Jubilee Gardens to complete the project. Further discussion ensued with the majority of members concurring that the Jubilee Garden needed to be completed.

A vote was taken on the proposal of using all of the £2000 in Landscaping Reserve on the Jubilee Gardens which resulted in 9 votes for and 2 against (Cllrs. Stinson and Lodge) and 1 abstention.

The Proposed was therefore CARRIED.

Further to this Cllr. Vaughan requested confirmation that additional funding of £2500 had been added to the budget. Cllr. Lodge, as Chair of Finance, confirmed that the Finance Committee had already agreed that, if needed, an additional amount of £2500 could be vired from other budgets.

A vote was taken on this which resulted in 9 votes for, 2 against and 1 abstention.

AGREED therefore that, if needed, a further amount of £2500 be vired from other budgets and returned if not used.

7.7 Pavilion, Offices, Yard and Police Houses Working Group.
Notes of the meeting held on 24 July 2014 were circulated. Cllr. Henley reported that matters were moving forward.

7.8 Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group.

Minutes of the meeting held on 6 August were circulated. Cllr. Needham reported that a further grant had been received which would now enable professional assistance to be sought for the final stages of the project.

7.9 Members' Individual Proposals or Reports:
a) Mayoral Activities: Cllr. Read reported on attendances at: (report awaited)

Total of events.

b) Wivenhoe Community Safety and Neighbourhood Watch report:

Nothing to report.

d) Cllr. Needham: Wivenhoe Housing Trust

ousCllr. Needham gave a report on the latest meeting of the Trust. The prospect of Smith’s Corner had been raised and Cllr. Needham requested the Town Clerk to research the Deeds to this piece of ground in Ernest Road, which was in the Town Council’s ownership, to see what the covenant contained.

Cllr. Needham also spoke about the Relief In Need Fund which needed promoting again and this would be put on the Town Council’s website.

8. TOWN CLERK'S REPORT.
8.1 Burial Grants and approval of memorials.
The Town Clerk reported that Three Burial Grants had been issued and one memorial had been approved since the last meeting. Two burials had taken place and two interments of ashes.

8.2 NALC/EALC Communications. July/August DIS had been circulated electronically and Making the Links communications were being circulated electronically when received.

8.3 Work Management.

a) General: The Town Clerk reported that the main hall of the William Loveless Hall had been re-painted during August; grass-cutting and footpath clearing was continuing in all areas. Overgrown hedges had been cut back. The skate-park had been re-treated with Gravitex; new swing seats had been put on and the Betty Bee springer installed. The Rocking Horse had been re-painted as well. The path in the Wildlife Garden had been completed by the groundsmen and the fence at the allotments mended. Allotment rents were in the process of being prepared for delivery.

The number of visitors to the Council Offices for the month of July totalled 248 and for August 255.

9. FINANCE.
9.1 Current Financial Report
a) The July and August spending and income report was received and noted.

9.2 List of cheques numbered 504203 - 504230 drawn since the last Town Council Meeting was approved and signed.
9.3 List of Payments made from the Imprest Account since the last Town Council Meeting was approved.

9.4 Motions Under Standing Orders Recommending Expenditure. None.

9.5 Appeals for Financial Support. None.

10.1 Correspondence.

a) RBL Remembrance Parade:

Further to Minute 16. 5 (a) of the Town Council meeting held on 19 May 2014 where it was unanimously AGREED that the Town Council provide the funding to enable the Remembrance Parade to go ahead on 9 November 2014, Cllr. Read reported that the cost of £250 was higher than originally anticipated. This was due to the cost of CBC Zone Managers providing cover for the procession as the Police are no longer permitted to undertake this work. Cllr. Read reminded members that this year was an important one commemorating the centenary of the Great War.