Deal Town Council
Town Hall, High Street,
Deal, Kent. CT14 6TR.
Tel: 01304 361999
E-mail:
The minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting
held on 13th February 2013.
Present:
Cllr I Killbery – Chairman Cllr M Cosin
Cllr B Frost Cllr K Blackburn
Cllr C Stickler Cllr J Cronk
Cllr B Hawkins Cllr E Rowbotham (from 7.20pm)
Cllr C Tough Cllr M Burnham (ex-officio)
Cllr W Elliott Cllr Dr D Murray
Officers:
Linda Dykes – Town Clerk There were 3 members of the
Paul Bone – Finance Officer public present.
1. / Chairman’s opening remarks: Cllr Killbery opened the meeting at 7.15 pm by welcoming those present and reminding everyone of the fire evacuation instructions. / Actions2. / Apologies for absence: Cllr D Cronk
3. / Declarations of interest: Cllr Killbery declared an Other Significant Interest (OSI) in the free use of the Town Hall request from ‘20s Plenty’ at item 7(iii) as a local organiser. Cllr Blackburn declared an OSI in the free use of the Town Hall requests from the Deal Festival of Music and The Arts at item 7(iii) as a co-opted member of the organisation, and an OSI in agenda item 7 relating to the Linwood Youth Centre due to her youth engagement work. Cllr Rowbotham declared an OSI in the free use of the Town Hall request at agenda item 7(iii) as the event organiser and Deputy Mayor.
4. / Minutes of previous meeting: Members considered the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14th January 2013. RESOLVED: To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14th January 2013 as a true and accurate record. (P) MB (S) MC. Agreed. The Chairman then signed the minutes.
5. / Town Clerk/Responsible Finance Officer’s Report: Members reviewed the report from the Town Clerk. In response to questions members were advised that new PCs had been purchased for the office coming in approx. £350 under the budget set. It was also confirmed that the quotations for the allotment works would be heard at the next meeting of full Council. It was moved to note the report.
(P) MB (S) BH. Agreed. / Finance Officer
6. / Public Participation: A member of the public raised the following questions and concerns regarding proposals for Deal in Bloom:
· Why were volunteers not being used for the planting of the sea front planters when they had indicated their willingness to do so?
· What records would be kept to show that Deal residents were the recipients of hanging baskets if they were issued again this year?
Another member of the public also expressed concern that non-Deal residents were issued hanging baskets in 2012. The Chairman thanked them for their comments which would be considered when the item was debated. There was no support to move the Deal in Bloom agenda item forward and the meeting continued as scheduled.
7. / Finance:
(i) Grant budget position: Members agreed to note the report detailing the grants budget position to 31st January 2013. (P) MC (S) DM. Agreed.
(ii) Use of grant correspondence: Members considered a request from grant recipient AStory or Two to use some of the grant awarded for different although related purposes. RESOLVED: That the unused balance could not be used for alternative purposes and should be returned to Deal Town Council. The applicant was welcome to re-apply in the next round of funding. (P) BF (S) CS. Agreed.
(iii) Free use of Town Hall request. The Town Clerk advised that an additional request for free use had been received after the papers had been sent out to Councillors. Members agreed that it could be heard as the next meeting is not scheduled until April. In response to a question the Town Clerk advised that the actual costs to the Council for free use of the Town Hall was estimated at £22-£25 per hour depending on circumstances. Members then debated the 7 applications received for free use of the Town Hall.
RESOLVED: That the Cornilo Group RDA should have free use of the Town Hall for a fund raising morning – date to be confirmed. (P) BH (S) ER. Agreed. Cllr Blackburn left the room for the next item having earlier declared an OSI.
RESOLVED: Whilst no donation is to be made, the Deal Festival of Music and the Arts should be allowed free use of the Town Hall on 19th March 2013 to host a visiting orchestra. (P) BH (S) CT. Agreed.
RESOLVED: Whilst no donation is to be made, the Deal Festival of Music and the Arts should be allowed free use of the Town Hall on 16th March 2013 to host musicians before an evening performance provided they have first explored the possibility of using the hall at St George’s Church. (P) ER (S) DM. Agreed.
Cllr Blackburn returned to the room and Cllr Rowbotham left the room having earlier declared an OSI.
RESOLVED: That the cost of the Town Hall hire for the World Earth Hour event should be paid for from the budget available to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. (P) JC (S) WE. Agreed. Cllr Tough requested it be recorded in the minutes that he had voted against the motion.
Cllr Rowbotham returned to the room.
RESOLVED: That the Richborough Action Group should be allowed free use of the Town Hall on 28th February 2013 for a public meeting relating to the closure of the Richborough site. (P) JC (S) CS. Agreed.
Cllr Killbery then left the room having declared an earlier OSI and Cllr Cosin took the chair as Vice-Chairman of the Committee.
RESOLVED: That free use of the Town Hall should be granted on 27th February 2013 for a public meeting relating to the 20’s Plenty campaign. (P) ER (S) CT. Agreed.
Cllr Killbery returned to the room and resumed the role of Chairman.
RESOLVED: That the Save Walmer Science College group should have free use of the Town Hall for a public meeting on 19th February 2013. (P) ER (S) CS. Cllr Blackburn requested it be recorded in the minutes that she had abstained from voting on this item.
A brief debate followed about how pleasing it was that the Town Hall was so well used for issues of local importance, but recognising the need for further guidelines on where support would be given. RESOLVED: That a recommendation should go to full Council for revised guidance regarding free use of the Town Hall - to include consideration of an application/booking form, sight of financial accounts from charities requesting free use, clarification over eligibility and encouragement of public meetings. (P) JC (S) DM. Agreed.
(iv) Income and Expenditure to 31st January 2013. Members agreed to
note the figures presented.
(P) CT (S) MC. Agreed.
(v) Full bank reconciliation to 31st January 2013. Members agreed to note the information presented. (P) MC (S) MB. Agreed.
(vi) Youth engagement:
(i) Linwood. RESOLVED: That the sum of £762.96 should be awarded from the youth engagement budget to Linwood (Deal Youth Centre) for the purchase of camera equipment and related items and software.
(P) ER (S) DM. Agreed.
(ii) Duke of Edinburgh Award. RESOLVED: That the sum of £150 from the youth engagement budget should be awarded to the White Cliffs Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Panel towards the annual presentation of awards ceremony costs. (P) KB (S) BH. Agreed. / Finance Officer
Finance Officer/
Premises Officer
Finance Officer/
Premises Officer
Finance Officer/
Premises Officer
Finance Officer/
Premises Officer
Finance Officer/
Premises Officer
Finance Officer/
Premises Officer
Finance Officer/
Premises Officer
Town Clerk
Council agenda item
Finance Officer
Finance Officer
8. / Fair Trade Update: Members considered the report supplied by Sue Delling and thanked the volunteers for all their work. RESOLVED: That Deal Town Council was committed to serving Fair Trade tea, coffee and sugar at the Town Hall unless there were exceptional circumstances. (P) KB (S) ER. Agreed. Members noted the information contained in the report. / All staff
9. / Deal in Bloom. A correction to the report from the Working Group was confirmed – 180 hanging baskets in total were being proposed i.e. 60 in each of the 3 wards. It was agreed to take each of the 5 points in the Working Group report in turn.
1. Seafront Planters. A heated debate followed as members debated the future of the planters. RESOLVED: That Cllr Elliott would organise local volunteer groups and individuals to re-plant the seafront boxes in a red, white and blue colour palette, and would circulate the details to the Working Group members. (P) MB (S) WE. Agreed. It was confirmed that the contract for the maintenance of the plants would remain in place.
2. Sea Front Roundabout. RESOLVED: That Cllr Burnham would write to DDC to request that the planting on the roundabout continued the red, white and blue Coronation theme.
3. Free Hanging Baskets. A further heated debate followed regarding the suggestion to give away 60 hanging baskets from distribution points in each of the three wards (180 in total) on the same day – venues to be confirmed. It was also suggested that recipients should be encouraged to place them at the front of their properties to enhance the public display for the townscape. Concern was expressed about the resource to do this, the costs involved and how to manage the proof of residency issue. RESOLVED: That 3 quotes should be obtained for the purchase of 180 hanging baskets to be given away as part of the Coronation commemorations – 60 per ward – and that quotes should also be obtained for the Town Hall hanging baskets. (P) ER (S) BH. Agreed. There were 7 votes for the motion and 2 against.
4. Deal In Bloom competition. RESOLVED: That the Deal in Bloom Working Group would arrange a competition to encompass gardens and floral displays. (P) CS (S) MB. Agreed. Members noted that 4 presentation cups were available for use and that further cups may need to be purchased.
5. Time capsule. Cllr Rowbotham presented the idea of a time capsule to be prepared as part of the Coronation anniversary commemorations with input from school children and senior citizens. In response to concerns Cllr Rowbotham confirmed that the item could be buried in the ground, within the wall of a building or placed in a cupboard. RESOLVED: That a budget of £500 should be made available for the Deal in Bloom Working Group from their budget to purchase a time capsule, and to arrange a church service and refreshments to celebrate the Coronation anniversary. (P) ER (S) CT. Agreed. There were 3 votes against the motion. / Cllr Elliott
Cllr Burnham
Town Clerk
Cllr Burnham/
Working Group members
Working group members
10. / Braderie 2013: Members considered the report prepared by the Deputy Town Clerk who was thanked for such an informative and clear piece of work. RESOLVED: That there would be no change to the Braderie map from the previous year, that charges for stallholders/local shop keepers and charities would remain unchanged, that the catering provider would be charged £200 for their pitch and the Ice Cream mobile vendor £30, that the rules presented should be adopted, that the vouchers for the Marshalls would remain unchanged, and that Fair Trade would be offered a stall at the Undercroft. (P) JC (S) MB. Agreed. / Deputy Town Clerk
Date of next meeting: As there was no further business for discussion the meeting closed at 9.20pm. Date of next meeting: 17th April 2013.
Linda Dykes
Town Clerk
14th February 2013
2