Houghton Regis Town Council Annual Report 2012 / 13
Published: to be confirmed
Houghton Regis Town Council
Annual Report
2012/13
Published: To be confirmed
Contents
1.0Chairman’s Foreword
2.0Chairman’s Overview
2.1The Year of 2012 / 13
2.2Houghton Regis Town Council & Committees
- Town Council
- Policy & Resources Committee
- Environment Committee
- Planning & Licensing Committee
2.2The Year of 2013 / 14
3.0Summary of Accounts
4.0Your Councils
4.1Houghton Regis Town Council
- Contact Details
- Current Houghton Regis Town Councillors
- Areas of Responsibility
4.2Central Bedfordshire Council
- Contact Details
- Current Central Bedfordshire Councillors for Houghton Regis
1.Chairman’s Foreword – Cllr DJ Jones
It was a particularly special year to have been Mayor with the national celebrations of the Queens Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics. I was delighted to have represented the town at some 129 events. These were a mixture of town events including a programme of Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, the first ever Classic Car Show and May Fayre and Civic Services at other local towns, numerous fund raising events, Houghton Regis Carnival, the Pride of Houghton Awards and visits to local schools and residential / care homes. A notable highlight of the year was the visit to Houghton Regis by the new Lord Lieutenant and I was honoured to have accompanied her around the town.
My chosen charities for the year were:
Keech Hospice Care
Special Needs Out Of School Club
Luton & South Bedfordshire MND Association
Hospice At Home Volunteers
With support from fellow councillors, council staff and the community in general, a total of £4,136 was raised and distributed between these charities.
It has been a most enjoyable and memorable year.
Cllr DJ Jones
2.Chairman’s Overview
2.1The Year 2012 / 13
The Town Council were pleased to have been able to expand upon its programme of community events, in addition to the annual Easter Egg Hunt, Carnival, Pride of Houghton Awards, School Choir Contest and Christmas celebrations there was the inaugural Classic Car Show and May Fayre and of course the programme of Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
To support local voluntary and charity groups the Council awarded £20,630 in grant funding.
The Town Council has 6 committees (including Full Council) and 3 sub-committees, which met over 50 times during the year. All these meetings were open to the public and there was a slot on each agenda where members of the public could raise questions or make comments. Information on meetings and the agendas can be found on the notice board outside the Council Offices and on the website.
2.2Houghton Regis Town Council & Committees
Town Council
The Town Council has continued to receive reports at each of its meetings from the Town Mayor on the events undertaken, Houghton Regis Police highlighting the main issues and concerns in the town, Central Bedfordshire Councillors summarising the activities of this authorityaffecting the town and from local voluntary organisations via reports from the Town Council representatives on them. These reports enable the Town Council to stay informed of the activities in the town and therefore be in a position to offer assistance and support if required.
The accounts, annual return and internal auditor’s report for 2011/12 were agreed, the annual report published and a review of various policy documents undertaken.
The new areas of work begun in 2011/12 of maintaining the town centre public toilets and employing a Community Organiser have continued in 2012/13.
The “Town Council Vision”, was finalised and work has been steadily progressing on the ideas and projects contained within it. The Vision can be found on the Council’s website,
Committees
The Town Council has 3 main committees to carry out the work of the Council; namely Policy & Resources Committee, Environment Committee and Planning & Licensing Committee.
Policy and Resources Committee
Reports & considerations were given to
- Internal Audit specification & terms of reference agreed and adopted.
- Budget requirements 2013/14.
- Entered into a 3 year contract for community services
- Entered into a 3 year contract for holiday club provision
- Renewed the annual Police contract for additional police patrols in Houghton Regis
- Responded to various CBC consultations.
Environment Committee
Apart from the usual annual activities of preparing a draft Environment budget for recommendation to the Town Council, setting the charges for the next financial year for interments in the cemetery, the hire of Town Council facilities, consideration of requests for the use of Town Council facilities (i.e. fair and circus visits) and regular reviews of the income and expenditure of the current year’s budget, the Environment Committee has also been involved in the following activities.
- Established a Cemetery Working Group to comprehensively review the operation and management of the cemetery
- Considered the potential redevelopment of Tithe Farm pavilion and the opportunities of enhancing provision on this site
- Approved the installation of a new MUGA on Parkside Recreation Ground
Planning and Licensing Committee
Over the year 60 applications have been considered. Of these, a total of 51 were not objected to, although some concerns for the planning authority’s consideration were noted on some. The remaining 9 applications were objected to on various planning grounds. In addition, other matters considered by the Committee included:
- Appeals against planning decisions
- Public Footpath extinguishment and diversion Orders
- Tree Preservation Orders
- Information on temporary road closures
2.3The Year 2013 / 14
For the financial year 2013 / 14, the Town Council has many aspirations. A few of them are listed below:
Continue to allocate funds for:
- the development of a new cemetery
- the development of allotments
- a rolling programme for grounds machinery replacement
- a rolling programme for Christmas lights replacement
- a rolling programme to maintain bus shelters, to purchase new public seating and noticeboards
- the summer playscheme
- the publication of a Town Guide
- to refurbish sports pavilions in future years
Funds have also been set aside to develop a new website.
3.Summary of Accounts
INCOME 2012 – 2013
£
Precept730,000
Agency 9,093
Loan & capital receipts 4,841
Interest & investment income 18,282
Leisure & recreation, including pavilions 15,671
Cemetery & churchyard 18,810
Miscellaneous income 581
Community Development 7,218
TOTAL INCOME804,496
EXPENDITURE 2012 – 13
£
Establishment/general administration358,422
Agency costs 4,335
Grants 20,630
Capital expenditure 44,868
Loan interest and capital repayments 37,592
Leisure & recreation – play areas and pavilions 97,789
Cemetery and churchyard 9,469
Christmas lights 8,542
Highways 540
Democratic representation & management 17,841
Town security 32,226
Community development 51,104
TOTAL EXPENDITURE683,358
4.Your Councils
4.1Houghton Regis Town Council
Contact Details
Address: Houghton Regis Town Council: Telephone: 01582 708540
Peel Street Fax: 01582 861102
Houghton Regisemail:
Beds LU5 5EY web:
Officers:
Clare Evans(Town Clerk)
Stuart Oliver(Deputy Town Clerk)
Sonia Stennett(Accounts & Administration Officer)
Sarah Gelsthorp (Communications, Promotions & Town Centre Officer) Chantel England (Administrative Assistant)
Current Houghton Regis Town Councillors
Below, listed by Ward, are your current Town Councillors:
Houghton Hall Ward
Cllr Edward Costello515854
Cllr Tony Swain522952
Cllr Robin Hines759026
Cllr David Jones655162
Cllr Laura Ellaway537105
Cllr Andrew Roberts868288
Parkside Ward
Cllr Peter Carrington866314
Cllr Ruth Harris-Small758483
Cllr Robert Shimmin532444
Cllr Alan Winter514654
Tithe Farm Ward
Cllr Mrs Shirley Gilchrist519087
Cllr Michael Hunting526630
Cllr Marion Rolfe866215
Cllr Peter Williams865358
Areas of Responsibility
Contact the Town Council offices on 01582 708540 to discuss any of the following.
- Consultee on documents from other Councils and Public Bodies, Government Offices, etc.
- Cemeteries
- Fairs and circuses on the Town Council land
- Sports and football bookings
- Grants to organizations
- Mayor secretariat
- Mayoral events
- Civic events
- Parks
- Pavilion hire
- Planning – commenting on planning applications
- Projects – specialized play equipment, community safety and development
- Children’s play
- War memorial
- Youth provision
Central Bedfordshire Council
Contact Details
Address:Central Bedfordshire Council
Priory House
Monks Walk
Chicksands
Shefford
Beds SG17 5TQ
Telephone:0300 300 8000
Current Central Bedfordshire Councillors for Houghton Regis
Cllr Dr Rita Egan0300 300 8518
Cllr Mrs Susan Goodchild0300 300 8525
Cllr David Jones0300 300 8535
Cllr Peter Williams0300 300 8567
1