Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee

Morpeth Town Council

Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee

Wednesday 14thNovember 2012

at 6:30 pm in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, Morpeth

These Minutes have been accepted as a draft for wider circulation

following consultation with the Chairmanof this Committee

Present:

Councillors:D Parker-Chairman

Dr N Best

K Brown

L Cassie-Vice-Chairman

M Horton-Mayor

P Taylor

A Tebbutt

Clerks:Miss G Turner

Mrs S Matthews

Absent Councillors:D Thompson-No Apologies

R Thompson-Apologies Received

276/12Committee Chairman’s Announcements

There were no Chairman’s announcements on this occasion.

277/12Mayor’s Announcements

The Mayor reported attendance at the following events:

• Remembrance Day Parade and Observance – best attendance ever, especially with regard to youth representation. A letter of appreciation has been issued to Miss Rebecca Megwa for her magnificent singing at the Cenotaph and concert the preceding evening;

• Showman’s Guild Dinner. Both the Mayor and Clerk attended the Annual Showman’s Guild Dinner today.

278/12Declarations of Interest

The Chairman receivedDeclarations of Interest from:

Councillor Dr N Best in respect of:

Grant application by GMDT (Community Cinema) (Personal and Prejudicial -Vice-Chairman

of GMDT)

CouncillorM Horton (Mayor)in respect of:

November Authorisation of Payments (Personaland Prejudicial -Recipient)

Admiral Collingwood Event contribution (Personal - Member of GMDT Trust)

Wansbeck Music Festival – letter from recipient of MTC Bursary (Personal - Member of Festival)

Councillor D Parker in respect of:

November Authorisation of Payments List (Personal - Recipient)



Councillor A Tebbutt in respect of:

MorpethTown Council Tax Base (Personal - NCC Executive Member)

Budget 2013/14 (Personal - NCC Executive Member)

Area Committee Issues (Personal -NCC Executive Member)

Local Works (Personal - NCC Executive Member)

279/12Public Question Time

There were no questions received from members of the public on this occasion

280/12Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on

10thOctober2012

With the following correction, the Minutes of the above meeting were approved as a true record:

Min.220/12: Line 2: add “The Mayor was disappointed in the outcome of the results.”

In Matters Arising:

Min.223/12 (163/12) (102/12) (046/12) - Flood Update (including Flood Insurance)

The next Northumberland County Council (NCC) Flood Recovery Group meeting will be held on Friday 16th November 2012, and MTC will be represented by the Chairman and Deputy Clerk

Councillor A Tebbutt advised that he had met with NCC officers on Morpeth Common to discuss the problem of flood alleviation at Leyland Place, resulting from prolonged rainfall and run-off.

Flooding at Loansdean Cottages was also brought to the attention of NCC officers at the September Flood Action Group meeting.

Min.223/12 (163/12) (112/12) –Code of Conduct

It was reported that all completed forms have now been forwarded to the Monitoring Officer at NCC and are in the process of being scanned and will be placed on their website. A link to individual forms will be included on the MTC website for information.

281/2Recommendations from the Property and Assets meeting on 24th October 2012

Members considered the following recommendations from the Property and Asset Committee:

Min.255/12 –User Group Meetings – St James Centre

• To obtain a quotation for the refurbishment of the male and female toilet block
• To obtain a quotation for the installation of lighting to the rear of the premises This must not be intrusive for residents of adjacent properties

A vote was taken and the proposals were unanimously agreed.

Min.255/12 –User Group Meetings – Storey Park Community Centre

• To obtain a quotation for the installation of a “false ceiling” to minimise heat loss through the roof and to aid acoustics within the centre. The effectiveness of the option to be fully appraised.

A vote was taken and the proposals were unanimously agreed.

Min.256/12 –Morpeth Town Hall

• To investigate the feasibility of installing a unisex disabled toilet somewhere on the ground floor of the building. The facility only to be used by disabled visitors attending an event or on business at the Town Hall.

Enquiries regarding Listed Building Consent to also be initiated.

A vote was taken:

For:6;Against:1; Abstentions:0

It is anticipated that the costs associated with any works will be met from either the Repairs and Renewals Fund or the Town Hall Fund in relation to the toilets. Prioritisation of works will be undertaken on receipt of associated costs.

282/12Chairman’s Question Time

There were no questions received on this occasion.

283/12Authorisation of Payments

The November2012 listing of payments to creditors, totalling £87,939.39, with an additional £116 in respect of a payment to the Royal British Legion, was approved. (Total £88,055.39)

Councillors M Horton (Mayor) Declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in this matter;

Councillor D Parker Declared a Personal Interest in this matter.

284/12Bank Reconciliation to 31st October 2013

Comprehensive documentation in respect of all MTC bank reconciliation reports was received.

285/12MorpethTown Council Tax Base

The following information was requested from NCC in respect of:

• The number of properties affected by the recent flood thus reducing MTC tax base:

Some people have been granted relief on their properties but the impact will not be clear until next year

• The number of additional new properties at the Kylins increasing MTC tax base

There will be an increase but the amount cannot yet be determined.

• The effects for MTC re compensation payments arising from new Legislation

NCC Revenue and Benefits will meet on 21stNovember 2012 to discuss this matter.

It was reported that nothing is expected from DCLG prior to 5th December 2012 and NCC will hold formal consultation at January 2013 Joint Area Committee.

Councillor A Tebbutt Declared a Personal Interest in this matter

286/12Convention Hosting

A request to host an Action for Market Towns (AFM) Convention on 26thFebruary 2013 with anticipated funding of £400 to be drawn from Contingencies, was considered and unanimously approved,

287/12Budget2013/14

Members considered the following:

i)Recommendation from Property and Assets re Fees and Charges:

It was unanimously agreed to increase charges at the community centres and Town Hall as shown below:

Community CentresCurrent 2012/13(£)Proposed 2013/14 (£)

St James Hall and Kitchen16.50per hour17.00 per hour

Storey Park Hall and Kitchen16.50per hour17.00 per hour

Storey Park Committee Room12.00per hour12.50 per hour

Storey Park all areas22.75per hour23.50 per hour

Town Hall

Ballroom36.00 per hour38,00per hour

Corn Exchange30.00per hour32.00per hour

Butter Market2400per day26.00per day

Council Chamber12.00per hour13.00per hour

Dedicated Seats600.00620.00

ii)Growth Items

(a)Expenditure for the extention to the time frame for the Neighbourhood Plan to March 2014 was unanimously approved (£5,600)

(b)Transfer of Services from NCC

Swinney’s Field and St Mary’s Field (StoreyPark)

• An explicit agreement is required in respect of terms for what MTC would receive if taking over is required eg the inclusion of the changing rooms at Storey Park Community Centre – would there be provision of a dowry?;

• What would be the financial position if a SLA was taken up instead of transferring the asset?

FairmoorCemetery

• The Clerk to obtain details in respect of other cemeteries in Northumberland in a comparable position to Morpeth;

• NCC to be pressed further for detailed costs for management of FairmoorCemetery;

• NCC be requested to provide a clear indication of what they intend to do with existing staff engaged in managing cemeteries;

• MTC does not consider the taking over of Fairmoor Cemetery on 1st April 2013 is practical unless all the requested information is available by 11th December 2012.

Councillor A Tebbutt Declared a Personal Interest in this matter

(c )Transfer of Allotments from ISOS

• Clerk to discuss the taking over of allotments from ISOS, and that £4k budget be included in 2013/14 Budget

• Full Council (November) to give F & GP Delegated Powers for MTC to take-over the allotments if terms are favourable;

• Full Council (November) to agree Councillor Dr N Best join Councillor A Tebbutt and the Clerk for dialogue with ISOS.

All the above proposals (b) and (c ) were unanimously approved.

288/12Grants and Subsidy Applications

The following grant applications were considered:

(i)GMDT for serving refreshments at Community Cinema (KEVI School fundraising) : £200

It was agreed that application for a grant was not appropriate on this occasion; however, GMDT (Community Cinema)should be invited to apply for a maintenance subsidy, which would be favourably considered. The organisation should also be reminded frequentad hocgrant submissions should not be made when there is already a subsidy entitlement.

Councillor Dr N Best Declared a Personal and Prejudicial Interest in this matter and left the room for the duration of the debate: 8:06 – 8:26 pm

(II)CHOYSEZ for support activities fro disadvantaged young people: £250

The application indicated the facilities were for young people in Alnwick, and as such, could not be considered.

(iii)A letter requesting financial support from the Great North Air Ambulance was also received Whilst recognised as an extremely excellent service, the application was refused as it does not specifically appertain to Morpeth people

289/12Admiral Lord Collingwood

(i)The Mayor requested that a contribution of £30 to the Collingwood Trust, which represents MTC’s membership of the Society for the next 3 years, be given.

Agreed: the request was unanimously agreed.

Councillor M Horton (Mayor) Declared a Personal Interest in this matter.

Standing Orders were suspended at this time (8:30 pm) to enable the discussion of further agenda items

(ii)A draft copy of the text to be used to accompany the Collingwood bust and plinth was received.

290/12Area Committee Issues

The Chairman reminded members of questions raised at the last meeting of this Committee:

The following questions were raised at a recent meeting of the Area Committee:

(i)The absence of an officer during the early period of the Flood;

(ii)Safety issues in respect of St George’s Church/Telford Bridge (Traffic lights)

It was reported that Councillor G Trotter represented MTC at the Traffic Management Review today and will bring a report back to the P & T meeting on 21st November 2012 Councillor A Tebbutt will also report as Chairman of the Stakeholder meeting.

Councillor A Tebbutt Declared a Personal Interest in this matter

291/12Local Works

A request was received from the above Organisation to support the problem of community decline, by writing to Unitary Councillors on the lines of a sample letter, andto consider making a financial contribution to Local Works for this purpose.

Agreed:- It was observed that MTC as a town council is itself able to invoke the Act and that it already agreed to ‘opting in’ the sustainable communities Act. Morpeth is not deemed to be a ‘ghost town’.

Councillor A Tebbutt Declared a Personal Interest in this matter

292/12Consultation: Local Government Pension Scheme: Investment in Partnerships

Following consideration of the above document, it was agreed that MTC would not respond to the same.

293/12Items of Information

Members received acknowledgements from the following organisations, and how financial support from MTC have benefited them respectively.

:

(i)Morpeth & District Red Squirrels

(ii)The recipient of the MTC Wansbeck Music Festival Bursary

It was also reported that the River Warden has been called out after siting of a grey squirrel, which was subsequently dealt with by the Morpeth Red Squirrel Group.

294/12Any Other Urgent Business

There was no other urgent business to discuss and the meeting concluded at 8:45 pm with Councillors Dr N Best, K Brown, L Cassie, M Horton (Mayor), D Parker (Chairman),

P Taylor and A Tebbutt present.

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