MINUTES of the Meeting of Wivenhoe Town Council held in the Council Chamber on Monday 21 January 2013.
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Present: The Town Mayor, Cllr. P. Kraft (Chairman),
Cllrs: A. Aldis, I. Endean, K. Hall, D. Henley, N. Lodge, R. Needham, K. Read, F. Richards, N. Tile, A. Stinson and A. Vaughan
Mrs. A. Stinson (Town Clerk)
Jason Cobb
Peter Kay
Roger Mainwood, Benoit Bradley, Marika Footring
Will Lodge (press)
Prior to commencement of business safety announcements were given.
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies for absence were received from County Cllr. J. Young, Borough Cllrs. S. Ford, J. Manning and C. Liddy and Cllr. B. Sinclair.
2. MINUTES. RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 17 December 2012 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES. None.
4. POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
a) Mr. B. Bradley – Wivenhoe Public Hard
Members welcomed Mr. Benoit Bradley who addressed the Town Council on the proposition for a Wivenhoe Public Hard Association to be drawn up with the intention of setting up a feasibility study on the Wivenhoe Public Hard to which the support of the Town Council would be needed.
The proposal was put to the vote and members AGREED with one abstention, to support the setting up of the Association, provided no expense was expected.
5. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY AND BOROUGH COUNCILS.
a) Essex County Council: Cllr.Young had sent in a written report, including details of a recent unannounced inspection of the Cedric school coaches, during which they were found to be compliant. Following the issues of flooding of the Quay which was raised at the last meeting Cllr. Young had arranged to meet Gary Cockett from the Environment Agency at the barrier to discuss these problems. Cllr. Young had also chased progress on the new cycle path from the Fire Station to the University, funding is currently being processed so hopefully things can get moving soon. Regarding the Wivenhoe Surgery group the next meeting would be on Friday at 10.30am, where Cllr. Young will be in attendance.
b) Borough Council: Cllr. Liddy had sent a written report stating that the engineering works in Valley Road have now been completed and that part of the road is now being
resurfaced. Concerning the locality budgets both Cllrs. Liddy and Ford had pooled their budgets for the benefit of the community and will quite happily work with our colleagues in Wivenhoe Cross on projects that will benefit the whole of Wivenhoe. To date £250 has been given to Wivenhoe in Bloom, £498 to Transition Wivenhoe, £530 towards improving facilities at the Scout & Guide Hall and other projects are being progressed.
Concerning the Colne Barrier Cllr. Liddy was working with Rowhedge to ascertain the policy of the Environment Agency for opening and shutting the barrier.
Cllr. Kraft reported that the Town Council had submitted its list to Cllr. Liddy concerning bids for the Locality Budget. Cllr. Manning would be asked about the Cross ward projects.
c) Public Transport Representative. Peter Kay reported that since November there has been a big reduction in the percentage of low floor vehicles used on the 61/62 route, to the extent that anyone dependent on low floor buses would no longer be able to use these routes; whilst the branded ‘new’ double-deckers are now used randomly on other routes instead. This was because the temporary accommodation in use since the closure of the Bus Station was too cramped to enable the right vehicles to be got out in the morning.
Agreed that a letter be sent to First Bus about this.
Members thanked Peter Kay for his report and also thanked him for the Christmas bus timetable notices which proved very useful
6. COMMITTEE REPORTS.
6.1 Planning
a) Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 8 January 2013 were received and noted. Cllr. Vaughan reported that the Town Council supported the application for A3 restaurant use on Phase 3 of Cook’s Shipyard and were glad to see it was not residential development. Regarding the University ‘office village’ concern was expressed that the development could eventually turn into more flats.
b) Cooks’ Shipyard Working Group:
Proposed Waiting Restrictions: Details had been received from Essex Highways advising that the roads on the Cooks’ development would shortly be adopted by Highways and as part of the adoption process it was necessary to restrict parking along certain lengths of road to maintain free flow of traffic allowing access for large vehicles such as refuse freighter and those vehicles attending the Sailing Club, the Environment Agency building and the new dinghy park.
AGREED that all of the roads should be ‘No Waiting at Any time”.
Cllr. Read updated members on matters to date concerning the dinghy park and car park. These were expected to be ready in 4-6 weeks, after that the dinghy park allocation could follow.
c) Health Centre: Noted that a meeting of the Wivenhoe Health Group would be held on Friday 25 January 2013 at 10.30am.
d) Neighbourhood Plan: Cllr. Needham reported that a press release had been drawn up and an article had been put on the Town Council’s web site to encourage members of the public to come forward and become involved. To date two names had been received.
6.2 Personnel Committee. Nothing to report.
6.3 Finance and Administration Committee.
a) The Minutes of the Finance meeting held on 9 January 2013 were received and approved.
b) 2013/14 Budget Recommendation: At the last Town Council meeting it was reported that no precept could be set until figures had been released from Colchester Borough Council but in order to prepare the budget four scenarios had been drawn up with the worst case scenario resulting in an increase of 40% or £25 per Band D Council Tax payer.
Cllr. Lodge reported that the budget this year was extremely difficult due to the loss of the Parish Grant, the reduction in Band D properties and the impact of the five new facilities on the Cooks’ site. On receipt of figures from CBC, estimates of Income and Expenditure had been produced reflecting the loss of the Rate Support Grant (£32,000) and the effect of the LCTS (Localising Council Tax Support) which was 2708.3 properties, 144.3 less than the previous year. Based on this estimates of Income and Expenditure had been produced resulting in precept of £217,458 or .37p per week per Band D properties, or £19.85 a year. Current levels of service would be maintained along with provision for the five new facilities at Cook’s site.
AGREED in principle therefore that, based on a total expenditure of £267,058 the precept for 2013/14 would be £217,458 which produced a rate of £80.42 compared with last year’s figure of £60.77, reflecting an increase of £19.85 per year or .37p per week.
6.4 Estates Committee.
a) The next meeting would be held on Monday 28 January 2013 at 7.30pm.
7. WORKING PARTY REPORTS.
7.1 William Loveless Hall Working Party:
a) The next meeting would be held on 13 February 2013 in the Council Chamber.
Cllr. Kraft reported that following the annual inspection three of the drugasar heaters had been condemned for replacement. The replacements had been ordered and it was hoped that these would be put in as soon as possible. In the meantime two electric convector heaters had been put in the Wyvern Room as a temporary measure.
7.2 Wivenhoe Wood Working Party. Nothing to report.
7.3. Minibus Working Group.
Cllr. Stinson reported that a donation had been received from the Over 60’s Club towards the upkeep of the bus and a letter of thanks had been sent.
7.4 Youth Facilities Working Party.
Cllr. Richards reported that she would be arranging a meeting with the Hub soon. There was also a possibility that interest in the student council was going to be revived.
7.5 Community Opportunities Group.
Cllr. Needham reported that a meeting to discuss the Community Assets Register would be held on 30 January 2013 at 11.00am. A notice for the web-site had been published concerning the nomination of land/buildings of community interest.
7.6 Diamond Jubilee Gardens Working Group.
Cllr. Vaughan reported that a start on the project had been made and that the outcome of the latest application to Cory Environmental Trust should be known soon.
7.7 Pavilion, Offices, Yard and Police Houses Working Group.
Cllr. Needham reported that the Certificate of Lawful Use for the Pavilion had now been received, which would enable the matter of the lease to be progressed. Some remedial work resulting from the last meeting had been carried out but other work had been curtailed because of the weather.
7.8 Members’ Individual Proposals or Reports:
a) Mayoral Activities: Cllr. Kraft reported on attendances at Over 60’s Christmas Lunch on Friday December 21; Carols on the Quay on 23 December; Children’s tea at the Methodist church on 3 January 2013 and Co-op tea at Stuart Pawsey Court on 9 January 2013. Total of 4 events.
b) Community Safety and Police Matters: No meeting had been held.
c) NAP report: No meeting this month.
8. TOWN CLERK’S REPORT.
8.1 Burial Grants and approval of memorials.
The Town Clerk reported that no Burial Grants had been issued and one memorial had been approved since the last meeting. No burials had taken place.
8.2 NALC/EALC Communications. January Issues 799 – 800 of DIS and been emailed to all members. Making the Links communications and newsletters from both NALC and EALC were being emailed whenever available.
8.3 Work Management.
a) General: The Town Clerk reported that Xmas lights had been taken down and a start made on the JubileeGardens at the rear of the Council Offices. Contractors should be starting on the Wyvern room Roof at the end of January, weather permitting. The number of visitors to the Council Offices for the months of December totalled 130.
9. FINANCE.
9.1 Current Financial Report
a) The December spending and income report was received and noted.
b) 2013/14 Budget: A budget had been drawn up representing a precept of £217,458 to meet the estimated expenditure for the financial year 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014.
RESOLVED therefore that the Town Council precept on the Colchester Borough Council for the sum of £217,458 to meet its estimated expenditure for the financial year 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014.
Calculation of indicative Council Tax on the above divided by the equivalent number of Band D properties in Wivenhoe, now 2703.8 equalled a levy of £80.42 per Council Tax payer, representing an increase of £19.85 per household or .37p per week.
9.2 List of cheques numbered 503872 -503885 drawn since the last Town Council Meeting was approved and signed.
9.3 List of Payments made from the Imprest Account since the last Town Council Meeting was approved.
9.4 Motions Under Standing Orders Recommending Expenditure. None.
9.5 Appeals for Financial Support. None.
10. NEW BUSINESS.
10.1 Correspondence. None.
10.2 Conferences/Seminars. None.
10.3 Notices.
Saturday 9 February – Mayoral Variety Show, William Loveless Hall
Saturday 2 March – Mayor’s Ball, William Loveless Hall.
10.4 Licences. None.
10.5 Highway Matters.
a) Temporary Prohibition of Traffic – Noted that Brook Street would be closed for five working days from 23 January for BT works.
10.6 Press Releases.
A newsletter would be prepared concerning the precept when confirmation had been received from CBC’s Finance and Scrutiny Panel meeting on 20 February 2013.
The meeting closed at 8.35pm.
CHAIRMAN
