1
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF ALFORD TOWN COUNCIL
HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, CORN EXCHANGE, ALFORD
ON 19th MAY 2015.
Present: Councillors Devereux, Quantrell, Hounslow, Freshney, Webb, Whitcombe, Rawson, Allan and Hopwood
Mrs L Croft (Clerk)
To elect Chairman/Mayor
(Agenda Item 1)
1. Proposed Cllr Allan
Seconded Cllr Hounslow
Resolved to elect Cllr Sarah Devereux as Chair/Mayor of Alford Town Council.
To receive Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance.
(Agenda Item 2.)
2 This was duly signed and received by the Proper Officer of the Council.
APOLOGIES.
(Agenda Item 3.)
3. Apologies received from Cllr Palmer(LCC) and Cllr Marsh(ELDC)
Resolved to accept apologies and reasons given.
To elect Vice-Chairman/Deputy Mayor
(Agenda Item 4.)
4. Proposed Cllr Hounslow
Seconded Cllr Allan
Resolved to elect Cllr Quantrell as Vice-chairman.
To receive any known declarations of unregistered PECUNIARY interest.
(Agenda Item 5.)
5. Cllr Webb having declared an interest in agenda item 15 stated that he would leave the room at that time.
To authorise Chairman’s allowance as set in the budget.
(Agenda Item 6.)
6. Proposed Cllr Allan
Seconded Cllr Quantrell
Resolved that the chairman’s allowance as budgeted £550.
To appoint representatives on Workgroups/Committees:
(Agenda Item 7.)
7. 1. Area Liaison Committee Cllr Hounslow
2. Sports Hall Representative. Cllrs Freshney and Hopwood
3. Recreation Ground Trustee. Cllr Whitcombe
4. Cemetery Representative Cllrs Whitcombe and Allan
5. CCTV Advisory Committee Cllr Webb
6. Planning Committee Cllrs Rawson, Quantrell, Allan and Hopwood
7. Finance Representative Cllrs Quantrell and Devereux
8. Public Conveniences Cllr Whitcombe
Representative
9. HR Chairman and Cllr Allan
10. Neighbourhood Planning Cllrs Quantrell and Hopwood
Group.
11. Christmas/Events Cllrs Devereux and Allan
To authorise signatories for cheques
(Agenda Item 8.)
8. Proposed Cllr Allan
Seconded Cllr Webb
Resolved that Cllrs Quantrell and Rawson remain as signatories and that Cllr Devereux be added.
To confirm the notes of the meeting held 21st APRIL 2015 as the minutes and approve the Chairman’s signature.
(Agenda Item 9)
9. Proposed Cllr Allan
Seconded Cllr Webb
Resolved that these be signed by the chairman as a true record.
Clerk’s Report following that meeting.
(Agenda Item 10.)
10. a. Item 209k Clerk replied to the letter sent by the Royal British Legion confirming information given at the meeting to representatives of the RBL by Cllr Allan.
b. Item 209l Grit bin outside 53 Alford Road – LCC Highways are investigating where exactly the bin in question is.
c. Item 212 Neighbourhood Plan – The site scoring matrix was e-mailed to all councillors.
d. Item 213 CCTV – Since the agenda was published the CCTV consultation has been received and forwarded to all councillors. This will be an agenda item for June 16th meeting as Town Council’s response to the consultation are required by 26th June. Towns/Parishes in the partnership are hoping to have a meeting excluding ELDC officers to discuss the matter.
e. Closed churchyard – The formal letter withdrawing the notice served on the Town Council by St Wilfrid’s PCC has been received within the 14 day deadline.
Table correspondence.
(Agenda Item 11.)
11. a. Letter from local resident regarding the George Bikers’ evenings.
“I was appalled when passing The George this afternoon to see in large white letters an advertisement inviting Bikers to attend weekly bikers’ evenings at the pub. Is this really the kind of town we want Alford to become? I have nightmarish visions of loads of bikers coming to and from the town every week. Has the landlord no interest in or concern for the residents of Alford? Is there anything which can be done to prevent the trouble that I can foresee as being inevitable? Has anyone discussed the implications with the landlord? I can foresee a very unpleasant summer ahead.”
No action to be taken but the situation will be monitored.
b. Letter Alford Sports Hall to update the Town Council on the progress of the Sports Hall over the last year. They had a good winter period with minimal free time in the sports hall. They have seen an increase in the number of people wanting to play basketball. They have hosted training sessions for many of Alford’s sports teams. They thank Alford Town Council for its donation last year which enabled them to offer coached activities in the summer holidays such as trampolining, badminton, table tennis and tennis. They ask councillors to consider supporting them again this year. This will be an agenda item for the June meeting.
c. Clerks & Councils Direct Magazine – May Issue
d. Letter from ELDC listing Area Committee Meeting dates for the coming year.
e. LALC News.
f. Press release from Lincolnshire Community Foundation regarding the Evan Cornish Grassroots Fund.
Final year of funding, volunteer led groups can ask for funding up to £5000 for projects on the theme of social cohesion, Advice & Support and Older People. The next closing date for applications is 1st June 2015.
g. Letter from NALC to all parish and town councillors which was e-mailed to all councillors.
h. Letter from planning enforcement – The untidy land at the rear of the Memorial Park, Half Moon Lane has now been cleared and as such no further action will be taken.
i. There is an on-going Electoral Review of Lincolnshire by the Local Government Boundary Commission of England. The review will draw new county division boundaries across Lincolnshire and reduce the number of elected County Councillors by 6 to 71. The consultation ends 21st June. This will be an agenda item in June to see if the Town Council want to comment.
j. Letter received from Highways regarding Hamilton Road/West Street proposed waiting restrictions. Comments are required from Alford Town Council by 30th June. This will be an agenda item in June.
N/003/00474/15 The George Inn, 13 High Street – Listed building consent granted for remedial and repair works to curtilage outbuilding and boundary wall to include alterations to roof and new buttresses.
To receive such correspondence the Chairman may wish to put before the Council
(Agenda Item 12.)
12. None.
REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE BODIES.
(Agenda Item 13)
13. None.
Financial Matters
(Agenda Item 14)
14 a.) To approve accounts for payment
Proposed Cllr Allan
Seconded Cllr Whitcombe
Resolved that the accounts as put before the Council totalling £7,606.19 be paid.
b.) To approve Receipts & Payments schedule 14/15 accounts for signing.
Proposed Cllr Allan
Seconded Cllr Freshney
Resolved that the Chairman sign the receipts & Payments schedule 14/15.
c.) To receive internal auditors report and to approve Annual Return 14/15 year for signing by Chairman.
Proposed Cllr Hounslow
Seconded Cllr Whitcombe
Resolved that the internal auditors report be noted and that sequential number Alford Town Council receipt books be purchased in line with recommendations made and the Annual Return to be signed by the Chairman.
d.) To consider Insurance policy for coming year/3 years.
Proposed Cllr Webb
Seconded Cllr Quantrell
Resolved that the one year insurance quote from Zurich be accepted.
Consider request from Alford & District Supporters of “When You wish upon a Star” to sign their Business Rates Charitable/non-profit making organisation forms.
(Agenda Item 15)
15. Cllr Webb left the meeting while this item was discussed. It was moved to support this organisation.
Consider memorial seat for Ron Broomfield (Ron the Gnome).
(Agenda Item 16)
16. The Memorial Park Trustees confirmed that they were happy to use one of the two seats donated by the Town Council as a memorial seat. Councillor Whitcombe will raise donations which will be held by the Town Council for work required to the memorial seat.
Lost playing Field in Alford, consider whether Town Council are able to respond to Carnegie UK Trust request for information on the exact location of the playing field.
(Agenda Item 17)
17. It is believed that this could be part of the Memorial Park, Cllr Quantrell will look through documentation held by the park trustees.
Planning and Development to be considered.
(Agenda Item 18)
18. a. 7 Dixon Drive, Alford – Extension & alterations to existing dwelling.
Resolved No Observations.
b. 31 East Street, Alford – Extensions & alterations to existing dwelling.
Resolved No Observations.
c. 24 West Street, Alford – Change of use and installation of a flue and blocking up of a window. Amendment to clarify details of the flue and blocking up of the window.
Resolved No Observations.
Any Matters for discussion or inclusion in next agenda.
(Agenda Item 19)
19. a. Consider request from Corn Exchange Group to employ Clerk for 5 hours per week as an administrator.
b. Co-option of new councillors to be on next agenda.
c. Unitary Council Issue – Town Council should brief ELDC Ward councillors on their views.
d. Mayoral boards to be updated.
e. Photo of council to be taken at next meeting.
Consider moving to closed session to discuss the following.
(Agenda Item 20)
20. Resolved to move to closed session.
Consider quotations received for exterior painting of Public Toilets on South Market Place.
(Agenda Item 21)
21 All quotations received were considered .
There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.10pm.
Appendix item. 14a
ALFORD TOWN COUNCILAccounts for Payment / 19th May 2015
Payee / Total
Employee Payments / 1814.66
Petty cash / 60.00
Martin Dennis / 40.00 / clearing cemetery April
Ajet Drain Services / 78.00 / Public toilet blockage
Greenbarnes Ltd / 3278.84 / Notice board funded by grant monies held
Glendale Countryside Ltd / 1075.00 / Grounds Maintenance April 2015
Danwood / 80.82 / Photocopier charges February - May 2015
Handyman / 13.66 / Public toilet supplies
Anglian Water / 1037.51 / Public Toilets
BT / 48.60 / Phone May - July
Southern Electric / 79.10 / Public toilets 20/1-17/4/15
7606.19
Income
22/4/15 -19/5/15
Market Income / 640.50
Burial board / 150.00
Other / 26286.75
Total Income / 27077.25 / 450.00 / Lodge rent
818.75 / VAT reclaimed
24968.00 / 1st 1/2 year precept/council tax grant
50.00 / Donation towards Christmas
Petty Cash
22/4/15 -19/5/15
Opening Balance / -38.57
Petty cash / 50.00
Condolence card / -1.29
Cllrs mileage - Funding workshop / -14.40
Postage / -6.48
Bus Shelter - cleaning / -20.00
-30.74
19th May 2015 Minute 1 - 21