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MINUTES of the Meeting of Wivenhoe Town
Council held in the Council Chamber on Monday 19 October 2009.
Present: The Town Mayor, Cllr. N. Lodge (Chairman), Cllrs: C. Fox, C. Liddy,
B. Sinclair, A. Vaughan, R. Needham, F. Richards, M. Iacovou, P. Kraft and
D. Purdey.
Borough Cllrs. S. Ford and M. Cory. County Cllr. J. Young
Mr. P. Kay
Mrs. A. Stinson (Town Clerk)
Mr. R. Mallett (member of the public)
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE.
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr. K. Rogers and Borough Cllrs
J. Manning and A. Quarrie.
2. MINUTES. RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council
held on 21 September 2009 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES. None.
4. POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
With the approval of the Chairman, Mr. R. Mallett was invited to speak. Mr.
Mallett complimented the Town Council’s recent newsletter and suggested an
inclusion about the attendance and role of the Town’s Borough Cllrs in the
next newsletter. Mr. Mallett raised a question on the cost of the newsletter
and was informed that the only cost was that of printing which was £240, the
delivery was carried out by members of the Town Council themselves.
5. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY AND BOROUGH
COUNCILS.
a) Essex County Council: Cllr. Young congratulated Cllr. Lodge and the Town
Council on a wonderful Civic Service, in particular the theme of the
service. Cllr. Young reported on proposals for a half-fare bus scheme for
young people aged 5-19 due to come into effect April 2010; street lights,
evidence was being taken from the pilot scheme which had been running and
other areas might be under consideration; a decision on the 20mph scheme
would be made at the end of November.
b) Borough Council: Cllr. Cory reported that he had been dealing with street
nameplates; the Environment Agency had provided extra funding to Colchester
Borough Council to deal with flooding issues and asked members of the Town
Council to inform him of areas of concern. Members put forward Hamilton Road
and Queens Road; Cllr. Cory had also been dealing with the footpath behind
Chaney Road where more dog bins were needed; the missing street signpost in
High Street, opposite the Park Hotel and the field at the back of Henrietta
Close where he would chase up the matter of the goal posts, which were still
waiting to be put in. Cllr. Cory said he would also take forward the
suggestion of part of Lower Lodge open space being used as a BMX track, he
also added that he had been re-elected as Colchester Youth Champion.
Cllr. Ford asked if members could report those issues appertaining to his
ward to him. He congratulated the Town Council on yet another very good
Civic Service and said that the Town Council newsletter was a good team
effort; he had been investigating the Qube appraisal and reported that until
a Conservation Officer had been recruited by CBC the outcome would not be
finalized; concerning the Residents’ Parking Scheme the timeline had not
finished yet until everyone’s views had been taken into consideration.
c) Public Transport Representative. Mr. Peter Kay had circulated a report
which gave an update of transport issues. Particular point of concern was
the Cedrics site and when the new shelter, which was part of the S106
Agreement would be installed. The matter of low floor route buses was
discussed and the fact that Wivenhoe received very little of these, due to
the University, was of concern. It was suggested that some of the playgroups
write to First about this.
6. COMMITTEE REPORTS.
6.1 Planning
a) Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 6 October were
received and noted. Cllr. Liddy briefed members on the LDF Site Allocations
Submission Document and LDF Development Policies Submission Document and
that the deadline was being worked on; Consultation on the East of England
Plan was also ongoing with a deadline of 30 October. Karen Syrett had
attended the Planning Committee meeting regarding these consultations. A
meeting was being held the following evening concerning the LDF.
b) Section 106 Working Party (Cooks’): Cllr. Liddy reported on the Phase 3
proposals for Cooks Shipyard. Another meeting had been held with Taylor
Wimpey re the Wet Dock, it was reported that the fendering had been finished
and the Marine Surveyor had been asked to become involved at the beginning
of the process concerning the slipway.
c) Health Centre: Cllr. Lodge reported that there would be a meeting on
Wednesday 21 September in the William Loveless Hall at 12.15pm.
6.2 Personnel Committee.
Pension Provision: A report and proposal would be submitted to the next Best
Value Committee meeting.
6.3 Finance and Administration Committee.
Cllr. Purdey reported that a start would be made on the budget process next
month.
6.4 Best Value Committee
a) Draft notes of meeting held on Monday 12 October were received and noted.
Items of Note: CIF Highways bid – Cllr. Iacovou to prepare the paperwork for
the bid,
deadline 6 November; 20mph Speed Consultation – a proposal to support
Highways was
put forward and Agreed, with the one member abstaining.
b) Further to the last meeting Cllr. Richards reported on the possible
further increase in the
price of the tractor, but added that a better trade in price had been
negotiated by Ms.
Edwards, one of the Town Council’s admin staff. Price now was £7300.
This was AGREED and thanks expressed to Ms. Edwards.
c) Carbon Challenge Funding – Agreed that Cllrs. Iacovou, Fox and Needham be
nominated to be part of this Committee.
7. WORKING PARTY REPORTS.
7.1 William Loveless Hall Working Party:
a) Cllr. Kraft reported on the three quotations for the automatic door,
which had previously been considered and recommended for approval by the
Best Value Committee.
Agreed to accept the middle quotation rather than the lowest as it provided
a better feature for disabled access.
7.2 Estates (General Amenities & Landscaping) Working Party.
a) Notes of the Meeting held on 5 October were received and noted.
7.3 Wivenhoe Wood Working Party: Cllr. Sinclair reported that the Action
Plan site meeting was very good, the group walked around the site and the
marsh area and learnt about minor coppicing, which proved very useful.
7.4. Minibus Working Group. A meeting had been arranged for 5 November at
7.30pm.
7.5 Youth Facilities Working Party.
Nothing to report.
7.6 Members' Individual Proposals or Reports:
a) Mayoral Activities: Cllr. Lodge reported on attendances at the Colne
School Awards evening on 24 September; Brightlingsea Cinque Port Charity
Evening on 26 September; Riverbank clear up on 27 September; British Legion
dinner and Auction on 3 October; Scout and Guides AGM on 8 October; Colne
School open morning on 10 October, also Fresher Day at University of Essex
on 10 October and in the evening the 1960’s dance at the William Loveless
Hall for the Mayor’s Charity Fund; West Mersea Civic Service on 11 October;
Brightlingsea Over 50’s Charity Night. Co-op Womens Guild for Family Support
on 14 October and finally on 18 October the Town Council’s Civic Service.
Thanks were expressed to all those who helped with the Civic Service.
b) Community Safety and Police Matters: Cllr. Kraft reported that the Town
Council’s bid for funding for a modest CCTV system had been provisionally
approved by NAP JAG. It would now go to the Wivenhoe NAP for confirmation.
c) Cllr. C. Fox:
Cllr. Fox submitted his formal resignation from the office of Deputy Town
Mayor due to work commitments. Members received this with regret. It was
proposed and seconded that Cllr. Brian Sinclair take up the office of Deputy
Town Mayor with immediate effect. Cllr. Sinclair expressed his thanks to
members for their support and to Cllr. Fox for the work he had carried out
so far.
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. One interment of ashes
and one burial had taken place.
8.2 NALC/EALC Communications. DIS communications and October monthly
communications and newsletters from both NALC and EALC were both available
in office for members to read.
8.3 Tenancy Allocations/Changes from Colchester Borough Council. None.
8.4 Work Management.
a) General: The Town Clerk reported that footpath clearing was continuing.
The Old cemetery had been cleared and landscaped areas cut back and trimmed
again. Bushes around the skatepark had been cut back, graffiti removed and
the area jetwashed. The Quay Shelter had been jet washed and the Council
Office garden tidied up. The number of visitors to the Council Offices for
the month of September totalled 221.
Cllr. Sinclair asked if the piles of brash in the Old Cemetery could be
removed. Cllr. Richards would take this to the next Estates meeting.
9. FINANCE.
9.1 Current Financial Report
a) The September spending and income Report was received and noted. Town
Clerk drew members attention to any matters of overspend and pointed out
that the expenditure on the hall floor would be covered by grants. This was
noted by members.
9.2 List of cheques numbered 503195 -503210 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.
AGREED to the following:
a) Lawn Tractor £7300
b) Automatic door £2236
9.5 Appeals for Financial Support. None.
10. NEW BUSINESS.
10.1 Correspondence. None had been received.
10.2 Conferences/Seminars. Members noted the following:
Essex and South Suffolk Shoreline Management Plan 6 November at
Marks Tey Hotel – Cllr. Needham to attend.
10.3 Notices. Members noted the following:
Mayor’s Charity Events
1940’s Big Band dance, William Loveless Hall, Saturday 31 October – sold out
French/Belgium trip with Cedrics Saturday 14 November £18 – sold out
New Year’s Eve dance – names now being taken.
Civic
Remembrance Service Sunday 8 November Congregational Church 2.30pm
(details circulated)
10.4 Licences. None.
10.5 Highway Matters.
a) ECC Highways Consultation on Wivenhoe Speed Cushions & 20mph Zone.
With the exception of one abstention the Town Council were in support of
this going forward to Highways for the next stage.
b) Road Markings: Cllr. Sinclair reported on the poor highway road markings
on
Spion Kop (Ernest, Stanley, Manor and Harvey Roads). This would be reported
to Highways.
10.6 Press Releases.
The meeting closed at 9.30pm.
CHAIRMAN
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