| MINUTES of the Meeting of Wivenhoe Town Council held in the
Council Chamber on Monday 20 September 2010. ______________________________________________________________________ Present: The Deputy Town Mayor, Cllr. R. Needham (Chairman), Cllrs: C. Liddy, D. Purdey, F. Richards, M. Iacovou, N. Lodge, A. Vaughan and P. Kraft. Borough Cllr. S. Ford County Cllr. J. Young Peter Kay, Public Transport Representative Mr. R. Mallett, member of the public Mrs. A. Stinson (Town Clerk) Messrs. A.Tyne and T. Higbee from Wivenhoe Sailing Club 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs. B. Sinclair and C. Fox and Borough Cllrs. M. Cory, and J. Manning. 2. MINUTES. RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 16 August 2010 be confirmed and signed as a correct record. 3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES. None. 4. POINTS RAISED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. Mr. Alan Tyne, Secretary of Wivenhoe Sailing Club and Mr. Tony Higbee, Chairman of Wivenhoe Sailing Club attended the meeting to present the concerns of the Wivenhoe Sailing Club in regard to the visitors’ pontoons which had for the last four years been used by the Wivenhoe Fishermen due to them being displaced by the development at Cooks’ shipyard site. The main concern of the Wivenhoe Sailing Club was that the future of the pontoons could be at risk if the fishermen continued to use them as a permanent basis. Members sympathized with the concerns of the Wivenhoe Sailing Club which were being exacerbated by the continuing deliberations of Colchester Borough Council and the developers concerning the S106 matters, in particular the lease for the Wet Dock. Members thanked Messrs. Tyne and Higbee who then left the meeting at this point. 5. REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY AND BOROUGH COUNCILS. a) Essex County Council: Cllr. Young reported that she would be meeting with a resident concerning the siting of the bus shelter on Rectory Hill; she had been in touch with Karen Syrett re Knowledge Gateway about shared catchment areas and was waiting for Karen to come back, but there was no simple solution. Concerning the surface of Footpath 7 Cllr. Young reported that ECC Highways needed a response from the Town Council on the surface; the parking issues at Vine Parade now proved too expensive to further and The Avenue parking restrictions would now not be proceeding. b) Borough Council: A written report had been received from Cllr. Cory stating that he had been dealing with non-delivery of bin bags and potholes. He also gave an update on the Youth Club which had seen an uptake in numbers for Tuesday evenings, laptops were now available for internet connection and a new flat screen TV and air hockey table obtained. Cllr. Ford reported on the meeting of the CBC Planning Committee where Phase III of the Cooks’ development was deferred for further consideration on Highway matters, in particular the Highway Authority were to be asked to reconsider the closure of Queens Road. Cllr. Ford said the Town Council needed to contact Highways to put forward their views on the closure of Queens Road and members reiterated that the long held policy of the Town Council had always been that not only Queens Road but all roads in lower Wivenhoe should remain open, therefore the Town Council would support any move to re-open Queens Road. Cllr. Ford also spoke about a long term policy to encourage residents to grow their own vegetables; no application had been received concerning the land opposite Millfields School and Cllr. Ford was still investigating the gates at Gothic House. Concerning the Parish Grant Cllr. Ford said that he supported the views of the Town Council but that the Town Council needed to write formally to all Ward Cllrs ensuring that the financial position of the Town Council, should the grant be withdrawn, be made clear. c) Public Transport Representative. Peter Kay had circulated a report. Members thanked him for his accuracy and also thanked him for putting up notices on all the bus shelters re the effect of the closure of town centre routes for the Colchester Cycle Race on 17 September. 6. COMMITTEE REPORTS. 6.1 Planning a) Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on 24 August and draft minutes of 14 September were received and noted. Cllr. Liddy said he was awaiting information from English Heritage concerning the de-listing of the Engine Shed. Members raised the matter of a new shop sign on the Wivenhoe Curiosity Shop for which no planning application had been received. The Town Clerk would look into this. b) Section 106 Working Party (Cooks’): As previously stated the Town Council’s solicitors had now contacted CBC on the legal issues arising from the meeting held on 5 August and a response was still awaited from CBC, who were obtaining counsel opinion. Once again it should be noted that the Town Council is acting in the best interests of its residents and therefore is unable to take on the leases in their present form. c) West Street: Matters concerning remediation works on application F/COL/07/0160 it was noted that Cllr. Ford would be taking this up. d) Health Centre: Cllr. Lodge said there was nothing further to report at the moment and that the future of the new Health Centre now looked unlikely due to the government White Paper. Town Clerk to write to Bernard Jenkin, MP, to convey the Town Council’s disappointment and to enquire what had happened to the funding which had been set aside for the project. 6.2 Personnel Committee. Nothing to report. 6.3 Finance and Administration Committee. a) Cllr. Purdey echoed the point that there would be no meeting until the outcome of the Parish Grant was known. 6.4 Best Value Committee. a) Notes of meeting held on Monday 13 September were received and noted. Items of Note: Health and Safety Template – AGREED that the Health and Safety Template be approved and adopted subject to the deletion of the last sentence in the first paragraph of the General Policy Statement as recommended by the Best Value Committee. May Fair – the recommendations of the Best Value Committee that the charges be the same as for hire of KGV field for fun-fairs and circuses, viz: £150 for each day that events take place plus £70 for any additional days in setting up were AGREED. Footpath 7 – an email from ECC Highways had been received requesting the Town Council’s preference for either a bituminous surface (tarmac) or leveling with a material such as road planings. Agreed to await a report from Cllr. Sinclair first. Town Clerk to respond to Highways that the matter was under consideration. 7. WORKING PARTY REPORTS. 7.1 William Loveless Hall Working Party: a) Next meeting would be held on Thursday 23 September at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber. b) Lighting in Wyvern Room: Cllr. Kraft put forward a proposal for dimmable strip lights in the Wyvern Room which would improve the lighting for classes. Cost was £357 and totaled £532 with fitting and cabling. The cost was well within the improvement budget for the William Loveless Hall which currently stood at £3,500. AGREED that the proposal go ahead and that the lights be installed. 7.2 Estates (General Amenities & Landscaping) Working Party. a) Notes of the meeting held on Monday 6 September 2010 were received. b) Wivenhoe Society riverbank clear-up: Cllr. Richards reported the late request received from Wivenhoe Society for the usual support from the Town Council for the riverbank clear up on Sunday 26 September at 10.00am. This was AGREED and the Wivenhoe Society would be reminded again of the financial cost to the Town Council in providing two groundsmen on a Sunday and that this may have to be revisited in the future pending the current financial situation. 7.3 Wivenhoe Wood Working Party: No report. 7.4. Minibus Working Group. No report. 7.5 Youth Facilities Working Party. Cllr. Purdey said that the next meeting was to be held on 7 October. 7.6 Members' Individual Proposals or Reports: a) Mayoral Activities: Cllr. Needham reported on Cllr. Sinclair’s attendances at the following: Wivenhoe Memories Exhibition in the William Loveless Hall on August 28, 29 and 30; opening reception of new university Sports Hall on 1st September; St. Monica’s Church Sale and Essex Churches’ Cycle Marathon on Saturday 11 September; Wivenhoe Fun Day and Art Exhibition at St. Mary’s on 11 September and the Wivenhoe Allotment and Gardens Association Annual Show Lunch and Judging also on September 11; and the Wivenhoe Crabbing Competition on Sunday 12 September. Cllr.Lodge reported that he had attended the presentation of the proceeds of Open Gardens. b) Community Safety and Police Matters: Cllr. Kraft reported that WPCSO Neville would be arranging a meeting of Wivenhoe Community Speedwatch and it was Agreed that the Town Council Chambers be offered as a venue for the meeting. Cllrs. Kraft, Richards and Lodge would also be attending a meeting at Brightlingsea on 28 September at 7.00pm concerning considerate parking. Cllr. Needham reported that Chief Superintendent Alison Newcomb would be attending the next Town Council meeting in regard to the Essex Police Property Rationalisation Programme and how it would affect local policing in the area. c) NAP report: As above. 8. TOWN CLERK'S REPORT. 8.1 Burial Grants and approval of memorials. The Town Clerk reported that one Burial Grant had been issued and one memorial had been approved since the last meeting. One burial of ashes had taken place. 8.2 NALC/EALC Communications. DIS communications and September monthly communications and newsletters from both NALC and EALC were both available in office for members to read. 8.3 Work Management. a) General: The Town Clerk reported that clearance in the Old Cemetery and grass-cutting was continuing in all Town Council owned areas. Overhanging vegetation removed from the Churchyard walls; Two more wasp nests had been treated on the allotments and the allotment rents dispatched. First Bus had reported that overhanging branches in the Old Cemetery needed cutting back as they were in the way of the double-decker buses. The number of visitors to the Council Offices for the month of August totalled 156. 9. FINANCE. 9.1 Current Financial Report a) The August spending and income Report was received and noted. Town Clerk reported that there was no major item of spend and that the financial situation was on course. 9.2 List of cheques numbered 503400 -503410 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 the following: Extra lighting in Wyvern Room - £532 9.5 Appeals for Financial Support. None. 10. NEW BUSINESS. 10.1 Correspondence. a) Notice of Vacancy: Notification had been received from Electoral Services that no request for an election had been received and that the Town Council could now fill the vacancy according to its own procedures. AGREED that the Notice of Casual Vacancy be posted with a closure date of 18th October 2010. b) Essex Stragglers Orienteering Society: Members noted receipt of a belated thank you from Essex Stragglers for their event held on 20 June this year and requesting permission to run an event on 10 July 2011, should it be needed. It was very likely though that the event will be confined to the Essex University campus next year. Members had no objections. 10.2 Conferences/Seminars. EALC Annual General Meeting, Foakes Hall, Dunmow Wednesday 29 September 5.00pm. Cllr. Needham would be attending. 10.3 Notices. Members noted the following: Mayor’s Charity Ceilidh/Barn Dance on Saturday 9 October 7.30pm £8.00 10.4 Licences. Nothing to report. 10.5 Highway Matters. a) CIF Pedestrian Crossing at The Avenue. Town Clerk to chase a response from Highways on this. 10.6 Press Releases. The meeting closed at 9.00pm. CHAIRMAN |