MINUTES OF AMEETING OF THE SALTNEY TOWN COUNCILheld at the ODDFELLOWS HALL, 65 HIGH STREET, SALTNEY on WEDNESDAY10 APRIL, 2013
PRESENT: The Mayor, Councillor D Evans and Councillors H D Beddow;T A Evans; V Gay; E E Greensmith;D A Hope; A C Lloyd;T R Lloyd; R Lythe; B J Marshall; A V Rattigan; M S Streeterand the Town Clerk.
156. MINUTES
RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 March, 2013 be confirmed as a correct record subject to the deletion of the words ‘and the suggestion that the Officers should look at the use of the Clinic Building in St David’s Terrace’ and the substitution of the word ‘April’ for the word ‘March’ in the last sentence of Minute 154.
157. MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS
The Mayor reported that it had been a very quiet month but that he had visited a number of organisations/societies within the Township.
He thanked Members for supporting him as Mayor during the Municipal Year and told them how much he had enjoyed holding the position. He told Members that he had some monies left from his Christmas fund raising event and from his allowance and asked that if they knew of a worthwhile cause within Saltney they should let him know so that he could make a donation.
Members in return thanked him for his work in the Town during his year and greeted him with acclamation.
158. POLICE MATTERS
PCSO Hughes was in attendance and reminded Members thatit had been decided to end the Forum meetings and arrangements had been made to hold a ‘surgery’ every two weeksinstead. The next one would be held in conjunction with the 50+ Group in the Community Centre on Tuesday 16 April between 10 – 12 noon.
Continued reports of speeding had been received and the local speed gun had been in use.
No reports of Anti Social Behaviour had been received since the last meeting.
There was to be a bike marking session at St David’s High School between 3-5pm on Monday 15 April.
Vehicle Watch in North Wales. Forms for joining in this scheme were available from Councillor Alan Evans
There had been a rumour that one of the CCTV cameras was to be moved following an attempted break-in at the Post Office however, this was untrue, and the occupiers of the premises in the area had been informed of the type of system to be purchased privately.
159 REVIEW OF STANDING ORDERS; FINANCIAL REGULATIONS; CODE OF CONDUCT; COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
Further to Minute 146 of the last meeting of the Council, the Town Clerk reported that the decision of the Council to include a ‘Matters Arising’ item in the agenda, following the approval of the Minutes, would seem to contradict Standing Order 27 which stated that no discussion of the Minutes shall take place except upon their accuracy. Standing Order 27 had been introduced to prevent any Member re-opening the debate on an item decided upon at the previous meeting with a view to amending that previous decision. The ‘Matters Arising’ item would therefore have to be limited to questions and Standing Order 27 rescinded.
RESOLVED: That Standing Order 27 be rescinded.
160. REQUESTS FOR GRANTS
1) The Town Clerk reported that little progress had been made with the application for a grant for the Summer Playschemes from Saltney Youth Club. Despite numerous requests the Officers of the County Council were not responding with regards to meeting dates. There was no criticism of the Youth Leader who had been co-operative throughout.
Members were generally in favour of a grant being made but still required an explanation of the large increase and also of how the Saltney Scheme tied in with the County Council Scheme.
RESOLVED (1): That a further attempt be made to resolve this issue and The Mayor and Councillors Gay and T R Lloyd be authorised to report back to Council in May.
2) Members considered an application for a grant from the Beechwood Road Garden Project. The requested was for £910, in order to have manufactured and installed a gate for the proposed garden. This would give security to the site during construction and later to allow access to the garden on a ‘dawn to dusk’ basis.
RESOLVED (2): That a grant of £910 be approved.
3) Members considered an application for a grant from St Mark’s Church. The grant requested was for £3,000 towards the cost of repairs to the side chapel at the Church. The chapel had been found to be damp and infested with woodworm. The full cost of the repairs was expected to be £10,250.
RESOLVED (3): That a grant of £1,000 be approved.
161. FINANCE
1) In accordance with Standing Order 55 Members received a copy of a report, from the Town Clerk, on the Council’s Receipts and Payments for 2012/13 and the Bank Reconciliation of both bank accounts. (A copy of which is in the Official Minute Book).
2) The Town Clerk reported that the Council’s Internal Auditor had fixed the date of 24 April as the date for his audit of the Council’s accounts and the External Auditor had fixed the date of 30 June, 2013 for his audit of the accounts.
RESOLVED: That the reports be received.
162. FLINTSHIRE DRAFT LOCAL FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY CONSULTATION
The Town Clerk reported that the County Council wished to consult with the Town Council on the abovementioned document. The consultation period was until 24 April. The document had 81 pages and was available using the following link. .
RESOLVED: That the Town Clerk press the County Council to provide hard copies of the documents concerned and, in view of the tight timetable, a Working Group consisting of Councillors D Beddow; V Gay and T R Lloyd be asked to consider the matter and respond direct to the County Council.
163. PLANNING MATTERS
The Town Clerk reported that he had received notification from the County Council that the application for permanent permission for the change of use of the former overspill car park to car sales including the siting of a portakabin and entrance barrier on land adjacent to 11 Chester Road, Saltney, had been granted.
RESOLVED: That the report be received.
164.STATUTORY GUIDANCE TO WELSH AUTHORITIES ON THE POWER TO PROMOTE OR IMPROVE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL WELL BEING UNDER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACT 2000.
The Town Clerk reported that on 3 April, 2013 the Welsh Government had issued the abovementioned guidance. Although the power had been conferred on the Council by the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 it was only now that the statutory guidance had been issued that the power could be used. The Town Clerk reported that the new Power differed from the old Section 137 power, which still existed, in that this could be used to help the individual. The restriction on the total amount that could be usedwas still restricted to the formula applying to that ofSection 137.
RESOLVED: That the report be received.
165. SLCC CONFERENCE
The Town Clerk asked for approval to attend a one day conference in Swansea devoted to discussion on the Power of Well Being on 17 April. The cost would be £59 including travel from Welshpool.
RESOLVED: That the Town Clerk be authorised to attend the abovementioned conference.
166. NOTICES OF MOTION
Members considered the following Notices of Motion in the name of Councillor Gay:
1,) ‘That the Town Council research the possibility of applying for prudential borrowing for the purpose of becoming the lead authority for the development of the "One Stop Shop" (including the library etc)‘
2.) ‘That the Town Council consider the option of applying for a loan to develop the "dog field" in support of the project as listed in our business development plan’
RESOLVED: That these matters stand referred to the next meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.
167. INFORMATION FROM THE LOCAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Further to Minute 210 of 2008/9 Local County Council members, Councillor Richard Lloyd and Councillor Gay were invited to give any feedback they might have received from County Council meetings that may or will affect Saltney.
Councillor Lloyd referred to:
- the unfortunate illness of John Griffiths, Streetscene and suggested that the Town Council send him a get-well card;
- the introduction of a ‘Dog Watch’ scheme in which volunteers wearing identifiable fluorescent jackets, would assist in preventing dog-fouling issues;
- the suggestion that street lights in certain areas of Flintshire should be dimmed;
- a review of County Council owned garage sites;
- the fact that the footbridge over the River Dee in Saltney Ferry was now closed;
- single access route to housing matters;
- the lack of progress in the survey of the local library with regards to siting the ‘one stop shop’ in the premises;
- the fact that the new children’s play equipment at Bradshaw Avenue Playing Field had been installed and had failed almost immediately. The matter had been referred to the supplier for immediate rectification.
Councillor Gay referred to:
- the progress on the new library;
- the problems with the contract for the Council’s street lighting maintenance.
Councillor Greensmith referred to a meeting she had attended where a spokesman for the CHC had indicated that Saltney was well served insofar as a pharmacy was concerned. She had corrected him and explained the problems associated with the use of pharmacies in England and the distance to the Broughton site. She had spoken to the Town Clerk who had in turn written to the new Health Minister reminding him of the promises given by his predecessor.
Councillor T A Evans referred to his attendance at the Post Air Crash Seminar held at RAF Valley and reported upon the contents thereof.
168. PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS
RESOLVED: That the following accounts be authorised for payment:
PayeeInvoiceAmount
A ThornileySalary + Office (£50.00) April £982.42
HMRCTown Clerk’s Income Tax£233.20
NI£74.74 £307.94
A ThornileyOffice Expenses: ink;paper;stamps £220.50
Deeside Ldge Room Hire £12.00
Cllr T A EvansTravel to Post Crash Seminar £63.44
FCCRent of 1.54 acres at Bradshaw Ave £5.00
Invoices included in the accounts for 2012/13 and received before 31 March, 2013:
FCCPlay Area Bradshaw Ave£10,000
FCCYouth Club Friday evenings £1,127.92
NWPMaintenance Feb £295.01
BTTelephone Account £100.96
NWPChristmas Lights Saltney Ferry £624.00