MINUTES of the Finance and General Purposes meeting held on Wednesday 15th April 2015 at 7.00pm in the Committee Room at the Festival Hall, Caistor Road, Market Rasen.
Present:
Councillor M Harvey / Councillor J Matthews (Mayor)Councillor K Bridger / Councillor J McNeill
Councillor S Bunney / Councillor J Patton
Councillor N Cook
Councillor J Hadlow / Councillor C Skye
Councillor C Turner
Councillor M Lakin-Whitworth
In attendance:
Betty Gash – Acting Town Clerk
1. To approve and accept apologies for absence
An apology was received and accepted from Councillor Travis.
2. Public Participation
a) Town Clock - Parishioners are requesting information why the Town Clerk is not recording the correct time since the hour change in March 2015. As far as the Council were aware the time changes would be completed automatically, and have agreed to contact the manufacturer to make investigations.
b) Walkers are welcome - The Walkers for Welcome leaflets are being printed in time for the walk launch on Saturday 9th May 2015 at Willingham Woods and will be available to the public on the day.
c) Tourist Information - It was noted that the ‘Tourist information’ venue for the town, which is unmanned, is held in the Jossals which is also not well sign posted. Members enquired over the responsibility of the Tourist Information and who could make the decision for a re-location to a more suitable site. All agreed in the short term solution a notice should be placed outside the business identifying the Tourist Information location. It was agreed to be an Agenda item for the new Council to investigate in June 2015.
d) Twinning Association – Require more host families for the visit 3rd to 6th July
e) Cycling Stands – Members were informed that there are a large number of cycling enthusiasts that use the cafes and restaurants in the town and have commented that there are not any cycle racks and have requested that the Council investigate, perhaps to have one positioned on the Market Square.
3. Members’ Declarations Of Interest Councillor Lakin-Whitworth at Agenda item 6 – cheque no. 105332 as works at the Air Ambulance charity shop. Councillor Turner at Agenda item 6 – cheque no.105331 Da Capo Folk Group grant application as is a member of the group.
4. Approval of minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee Meeting held on 18th March 2015 Proposed by Councillor Harvey and Seconded by Councillor Bridger All in favour.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of the 18th March 2015 be approved as a true and accurate record.
5. Matters arising from the minutes N/A
6. Accounts for Payment
Proposed by Councillor Harvey and Seconded by Councillor Matthews. All in favour.
It was RESOLVED to approve the following accounts:
Chq No / Payee /Description
/ F/Hall £ / General £ /VAT £
/Total £
105327 / Mark Donner Ltd / OPS install new kitchenUnits and worktops / £1,200.00 /
£240.00
/£1,440.00
105328 / Biffa Waste Services Ltd /FH container emptied 18th March 2015
/ £97.47 /£19.49
/£116.96
105329 / E-Quip (Rasen) Ltd /New caretaker clothing and equipment
/ 131.75 /14.25
/146.00
105329 / E-Quip (Rasen Ltd /10 x Traffic Cones
/ 59.90 /11.98
/71.88
105330 / Community Lincs /Community Facilities Advisory Svce 3 years
/ £110.00 / /£110.00
105331 / Da Capo Folk Group /Grant Application
/ £100.00 / /£100.00
105332 / Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance /Mayors Charity
/ £1,389.81 / /£1,389.81
105333 / The Alzheimer’s Society /Mayors Charity
/ £1,389.82 / /£1,389.82
105334 / Smudged Ltd /Polo shirts & fleece for new caretaker (previous cheque 105317 cancelled
/ £55.50 /£11.10
/£66.60
BP198 / Green Dolphin Cleaning /FH cleaning March
/ £381.33 /£76.27
/£457.60
BP199 / Green Dolphin Cleaning /Auctioneers Shed Clean
/ £15.00 /£3.00
/£18.00
BP200 / Green Grass Contracting /Grass cutting contract 27/3, 7/4 and 10/4
/ £183.85 /£36.77
/£220.62
BP201 / Cassells Ltd /Payroll services to 31/3
/ £23.50 /£4.70
/£28.20
BP202 / D&S Plumbing & Heating Services /OPS plumbing work on wash room and kitchenette
/ £525.00 /£64.00
/£589.00
BP203 / Laird David Strachan /Weed Spraying in Market Place & Town
/ £70.00 / /£70.00
BP204 / J K Shaw /Install bench MRPF, repair at BPF & various
/ £233.93 /£46.79
/£280.72
BP205 / Peter Bristow /Salary March month
/ £971.97 / /£971.97
BP206 / Juliette Herrett /Salary March month
/ £655.70 / /£655.70
BP207 / Faye Lambkin-Smith /Salary March month
/ £554.12 / /£554.12
BP208 / Betty Gash /Salary March month
/ £672.45 / /£672.45
BP209 / Paul Allum /Salary March month
/ £201.50 / /£201.50
/ 478.80 / 8543.80 /528.35
/9550.95
7. Update on any general town maintenance
a) Market square has recently had weed spray completed.
b) War Memorial – The renovation is still outstanding.
Action Point: The Clerk to request with the Lincolnshire Co-operative Funeral services that the renovation is organised before the VE celebrations weekend of 8th May 2015.
c) Market Stalls and Waste – alternative solutions is being investigated on transportation, installation and de-rig of the market stalls on the monthly markets as at present the WLDC charge £300 per session with collection of waste. A suggestion to possibly look at Biffa or another waste collection service for the market traders. Members were informed that the WLDC are starting up ‘West Lindsey Division Waste’.
Action Point: The Markets Partnership to investigate the market stalls and waste.
8. Finance Report – The Clerk gave an update of finances and informed members that financial statement for 31st March 2015 would be delayed due to the Year-end scheduled for Tuesday 21st April 2015.
In preparation for the year-end it was agreed that the cheque not cashed for the Market Rasen Rail User Group of £60.00 from 2 years would be cancelled and the monies to be put back into the 2015/2016 grant aid. Proposed by Councillor Harvey and Seconded by Councillor Bunney. All in favour.
Action Point: The Clerk to cancel the £60, add the amount to the 2015/16 grant aid allocation and inform the Market Rasen Rail user Group of the decision of the council.
9. To review Accounts - To be presented to Council at the next meeting.
Action Point: Agenda item for F&GP meeting on 20th May 2015.
10. Progress report from Working Group on the Old Police Station
Councillor Hadlow gave an update. The kitchenette and Electrics completed. Plumbing 95% complete. Art Group moved out. In clearing the Robing room discovery the original tiles have been cleaned up and looking to put a period cast iron fire place in. Additional work may be required on painting and attention to detail with the skirting boards. Also to have properly mounted the old framed photographs of the council, of which used to be located in the Festival Hall, onto a picture rail.
Councillor Bunney said that years ago discussed showing some display items and that he had seen some lighted air cabinets at the Air Ambulance charity shop that could be suitable.
It was RESOLVED for Councillor Lakin-Whitworth to place a reserved ticket on the cabinets and for members to view prior to purchase.
Action Point: Members to view the display cabinets and inform Councillor Lakin-Whitworth if they agree they are suitable to use in the OPS.
Clarifications of the use of the old Magistrates’ Court are as follows:
a) Edwardian Courtroom – to bring back into some of its original glory and use for weddings, functions, civic functions.
b) Robing room and kitchen/toilet – into a good meeting room with an independent kitchenette and maintained toilet possibility to sub-let.
c) Councillor Hadlow would like the council use the meeting room for meetings and possibly the Magistrates’ Court for displaying artefacts.
Proposed by Councillor Skye a vote of thanks to Councillor Hadlow for the development and bringing the project on track.
Councillor Hadlow formally wanted to give a big thank you to Jon Shaw, the handyman, which without his commitment the working group would not have finished the project.
11. Update on the Development and Management of De Aston Field
On the Wednesday 8th April 2015 a thousand bulbs were planted and photographs of evidence taken.
12. Update on the Market Place Weed spraying has been completed.
13. Update on the Festival Hall A reminder that Nicola Marshall was appointed as the Project Manager for the contract for the feasibility study.
14. Election Day – Thursday 7th May 2015. The Mayor said that there would be no election as there were 8 unopposed candidates. In addition one member’s documentation not approved due to a technically but the individual in question still wishes to be a councillor. It is planned to co-opt at the Annual Council. This would mean 9 members on the council and 3 short of full Council members being 12. The Council would need to publicise to co-opt more councillors.
Action Point: The Clerk to advertise to co-op 3 more members to the Council.
15. Update on Town Meeting – Wednesday 22nd April 2015. Everything is going to schedule with the Town Report completed and the Princess Diana Community Award plaque/s on order for new individual plaque and engraving. The Hub, Twinning Association and U3A will be in attendance with a stall to advertise. A PA system would be set up.
16. Update on Annual Council Meeting – Wednesday 13th May 2015. A reminder to members of the changed date from 6th May to 13th May due to the Election Day. The Clerk said she would like to purchase some up-to-date literature/publications for the new Council through the LALC and SLCC. Proposed by Councillor Harvey and Seconded by Councillor Matthews for the Clerk to purchase the latest Council publications for the new Council. All in favour.
It was RESOLVED for the Clerk to purchase sensibly priced publications for the new Council.
17. Public Participation – None
18. Urgent items for reporting or referring to future meetings.
a) The Mayor to stand in on the Town Surgery - Saturday 2nd May 2015.
b) The Mayor wished Councillor Patton well and his support for last 12 months.
The Chairman of the Committee declared the meeting closed at 8.47 pm.
Signed ......
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Date......
Chair of Finance & General Purposes Committee
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