Meeting Minutes > 2009 > 6 Apr 2009
Minutes of the meeting of the Kesgrave Town Council held on Monday 6th April 2009 at 7.15pm in the Council Chamber.
Present:
Mrs S Evans (Chairman)
Mr G Lynch
Mr K Beecroft (Vice-chairman)
Mr P Mills
Mrs S Coupe
Mrs S Ogden (District Councillor)
Mr R Haskell
Mr C Pryke
Mrs J Klaschka
Rev R Spittle
In attendance:
Mrs V R Read (Clerk to the Town Council)
Mrs J Francis (Deputy Clerk to the Town Council)
Mrs D McCallum (District Councillor)
Mrs M Neale (District Councillor)
Mr J Klaschka (County and District Councillor)
Mr M Grimwood (District Councillor)
Mrs P Brown (LHR)
3 Members of the public
1. Apologies
Mr R Bridgeman – family commitments
Mr A Comber – family commitments
Mrs N Goodchild – family commitments
Mrs E Smith – alternative meeting
Mr R Walkling – family commitments
Mr S Hudson (County Cllr) – alternative meeting
PCSO Bown – work commitments
2. Declarations of Interest
Mr Beecroft declared a personal interest in item 7.a., Financial Matters, personal payment in respect of Councillor travel expenses, remained in the meeting and took part in consideration and discussion of the matter.
Mr Pryke declared a personal interest in item 11, Kesgrave Allotment Association being a member of KALGA, remained in the meeting and took part in consideration and discussion of the matter.
Mrs Ogden declared a personal interest in item 12 Boundary Review being a member of another authority, remained in the meeting and took part in consideration and discussion of the matter.
3. Minutes of the last regular meeting held on 9th March 2009
The minutes of the last meeting having been circulated were taken as read, approved and signed by the Chairman.
4. Matters arising
a. Late items for information Reverend Spittle apologised for not forwarding the 'Fresh Start' article to the Kesgrave & Rushmere Community News. It was agreed the Clerk will forward the article for inclusion in next months issue.
5. Report from Chairman and Vice Chairman
The Chairman reported:
– she and the Clerk had attended a SCDC Town and Parish Liaison meeting on the Local Government re-organisation to be discussed at item 12;
– the first meeting with District and County Councillors has been arranged for the 24th April 2009 to be held at Kesgrave Council Office;
– SALC are able to provide, on loan, a DVD on the 'Code of Conduct';
– it has also been established that when Councillor training has been assessed SALC may be able to offer training sessions at Kesgrave at less cost than that for individuals attending courses at SALC. This could be extended to include Rushmere and Martlesham Councillors, reducing the cost still further.
The Vice Chairman reported:
– he and Mrs Evans have recently attended a Town Council meeting at Felixstowe where there are many differences to the manner in which KTC hold their meetings. Mr Beecroft and Mrs Evans intend to visit other Councils and will then compile a report for consideration by Full Council;
– as Kesgrave News photographer, he had attended a Town Plan school visit at Heath CP School with Mrs Klaschka
An adjournment was declared:
– to receive reports from the County and District Councillors, Police and Local History Recorder
Mr Klaschka, as County Councillor, reported:
- Suffolk Police are to launch additional average speed cameras; increase data terminals used in police vehicles and take possession of a new helicopter purchased with external funding; – the answer to Mrs Goodchild's question in March regarding funding for young children has been confirmed as including the physically and mentally handicapped; – SCC has received a 4star performance rating; – the Conservative Group has voted unanimously to freeze Councillor allowances and put forward the proposal that County Officers' pay should also be frozen; – the recession has hit Suffolk with unemployment figures rising.
Mr Klaschka, as District Councillor, reported:
– on the appeal for 139 Main Road and – local thefts from Rugby Clubs reported through 12PT.
Mrs McCallum, District Councillor, promoted 3 events to be held in Kesgrave which are the Bike Show, the Fun Run and the Music Festival.
Mrs Ogden, as District Councillor, reported:
- she and Mrs Neale had attended an excellent seminar 'Down Your Lane and Up Your Street' promoting Arts in the community: she is investigating how this might be progressed in Kesgrave;
- events being held during the holidays can be found on the Coastal Potato web site;
- on 'Forest Fest' to be held on 19th April in Rendlesham Forest;
- Suffolk Coastal Services updating of their directory for the disposal of unwanted items.
Mr Grimwood, District Councillor, reported he had attended meetings on the Local Government Review, SC Development Control and Greenways.
Mrs Neale, as District Councillor, presented her report which is attached at Annex 1 to the permanent copy of these minutes.
The Police had submitted a report for the 12PT area which was issued to Members and is held on file.
Mrs Brown, as LHR, stated the Suffolk Archive Office had requested a further 3 copies of the Parish Walk Leaflet for their records. The Deputy Clerk will contact the Office. She also circulated photographs.
– to allow members of the public to speak
Mr Bradbrook, informed Council of a recent newspaper article promoting the purchase of allotment plots. It had been established the land was somewhere between Kesgrave and Martlesham, east of the Foxhall roundabout. However, it is understood the landowner will only provide this facility when sufficient interest and funding had been received. Mr Bradbrook asked if the Town Council would be able to contact the landowner to see if any concessions will be made.
The Chairman thanked Mr Bradbrook for this information which will be discussed at item 11 in the agenda.
6. Notices and Correspondence
a. Items for Discussion
8.D. Notification of the delay in provision of S.76 Local Government Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, copies of which had been issued to Members, had been received.
A copy of the lists of Notices and Correspondence, including those for information only, and Reports and Mandates received were issued to each Councillor and are attached at Annex 2 to the permanent copy of these minutes.
7. Financial Matters
a. Receipts and Payments Copies of the statements of Receipts and Payments were issued to each Councillor and are attached at Annex 3 to the permanent copy of these minutes. Council agreed the Receipts and Payments be accepted with no further discussion and settlement of the accounts was approved
b. Transfer between accounts Council agreed a transfer of £16,800.00 be made from the Instant Access Saver Account to the Ordinary Account and noted that £3,015.00 had been transferred with the agreement for the F&R Chairman to cover the Additional Payments for March 2009.
c. Transfer of Reserve Funds Council agreed that funds be transferred as detailed.
Product/service - Amount - Reserve fund
Donation from KTC - 125.00 - To 12PT
Donation towards Long Stops information boards - 100.00 - From CAIK
d. Fixed Rate Bond arrangements The Clerk reminded Members that following last months debate Barclays had been contacted with reference to the Fixed Rate Bond. It was confirmed that by only taking a £50,000 Bond with Barclays the free banking facility would not be lost. The Barclays staff member had asked, and was interested to hear, where the other £50,000 was to be deposited. The new Barclays Bond will be opened later in April. Arrangements have also been made with Standard Life to open a Bond with them and the money will be transferred during the forthcoming week. Later: A cheque was issued as a transfer was not possible.
e. Audit arrangements The Audit date has been set for 26th June 2009. With new faces around the table Members were asked to consider if they have any connection with the External Auditor, BDO Stoy Hayward, and to inform the Clerk after the meeting if this is the case. Later: No one registered a connection.
f. Review of Internal Audit The Clerk explained that in preparing for the completion of the Annual Return she had noticed the F&R Review of Effectiveness of Internal Audit which was carried out in November was not acknowledged in the December Full Council minutes. Council agreed these April minutes confirm the review had been undertaken.
g. Late items for information None.
8. Planning and Development Matters
a. Minutes of the last Committee meeting held on 16th March and draft minutes of the last meeting held 30th March 2009 were issued to Councillors and are attached at Annex 4 to the permanent copy of these minutes.
b. Planning applications received since 6th March 2009 The list of planning applications where comment was required, those which were not contentious and the decisions received, had been issued to each Councillor and is attached at Annex 5 to the permanent copy of these minutes.
c. Street naming None.
d. Late items for information The Clerk reported receiving a letter that day from SCDC regarding the inclusion of a Kesgrave application in the Suffolk Coastal DC Sub meeting the previous week. The letter had been held up in the post because it wasn't franked or stamped and KTC had to pay for it to be delivered. It was fortunate that using the website it had been noted the application was to be heard and no KTC presence was required; the only reason the application had been included in the schedule was because the applicant was a SCDC officer.
The Clerk will issue an agenda in due course for 20th April as an application had been received that week.
9. Recreation and Amenities Matters
a. Draft Minutes of the last Committee meeting held on 30th March 2009 were issued to Councillors and are attached at Annex 6 to the permanent copy of these minutes.
i. MSG, Electricity supply Mrs Ogden drew Members attention to the considerations made by the Committee at Item 9.d. and Council agreed the recommendation that the works outlined should proceed. The Deputy Clerk explained, with only four weeks of the season left, the hot water had been turned off and meter readings taken suggest heating the water contributes greatly to the cost of supply.
ii. Rupert Fison Centre Mrs Ogden also drew Members attention to the consideration at Item 10, the short, medium and long term proposals and the request for F&R to consider a virement of the recycling credits to the RFC Reserve fund to enable the short term works to proceed. Council agreed with the recommendations regarding the proposed works and agreed in principle with the virement. Until the definitive documents with regard to the funding stream mentioned by Mrs Neal in the adjournment are received no tenders will be sought in order that if appropriate this fund may be applied to.
b. Roads, footways and footpaths The Deputy Clerk advised Council of the following matter.
Following the instruction at the March meeting the Clerk had contacted SCC regarding the bids for investigations into the possibility of alterations to the All Saints Roundabout. SCC have confirmed they still await the next funding allocation.
c. Late items for information None.
10. Town Plan Revision
a. To receive Representatives report Mrs Klaschka reported on the current situation with the Town Plan and her report is attached at Annex 7 to these minutes. The Tree used by pupils at Heath School was displayed and Members attention drawn to the comments made on the leaves.
Some discussion was held on the pond in Long Strops and the decisions by the R&A Committee minuted at Item 9e of their March minutes which are attached at Annex 6 to the permanent copy of these minutes. Unlike the natural pond in Rushmere there is a need to fence and gate this for safety and this precludes casual use.
It was agreed if there is a need for Council to grant aid the Town Plan following the failure of their Awards for All bid this should if possible be done in kind because where VAT is payable Council are able to reclaim this, thereby increasing the grant by 15%.
11. Kesgrave Allotment Association
Council was informed it is now a Member of the National Allotment Society.
Council considered their course of action following the advertisement mentioned at the adjournment for allotment plots at £178 a year (£2,500 for 14 years) in the Martlesham/Kesgrave area. This land is about 1½ minutes beyond the Foxhall roundabout and is at present only farmland. The landowner is apparently prepared to plough the land, put in two standpipes and provide a container for storage. As it is clear the landowner is not prepared to sell the land and several of the members of the Kesgrave Allotment Society believe it to be too far distant it was agreed Council would not pursue this possibility at the present time.
Some members believed that the High School venture into a sports partnership has fallen through and Mr Klaschka volunteered to contact the school to discuss the possibility of land here becoming available for allotment plots.
12. Boundary Review
The Chairman stated it was recognised everyone is suffering from consultation fatigue.
Members had been issued with a copy of the notes from the SCDC Parish Liaison meetings held on 30th March and the Clerk gave a resume of that document which is attached at Annex 8 to the permanent copy of these minutes and the summary of the Town Council's original response.
An adjournment was declared:
– to receive reports from the County and District Councillors on matters of fact on the Boundary Review issue
Mr Grimwood, District Councillor, reported that many of the voluntary organisations which are part of the consultation process are based in Ipswich and wondered if this would give them a biased view.
Mr Klaschka, County and District Councillor, gave details of the percentages of responses in favour of the different options and considered the Council should respond to the Boundary Committee on the two options and write any additional comments to the Secretary of State when the Boundary Committee have made their recommendation. He suggested that no reliance should be put on a Judicial Review.
Mrs Neale, District Councillor, explained that one of the other areas undergoing Review is now being warded and whereas during the consultation process 70 plus Councillors were anticipated it is now becoming clear that only 60 plus seats would be created. She also made a brief comment on the viability of each of the various options.
Mrs Ogden, as District Councillor, made no further comment other than the Council should respond.
The meeting was reconvened.
Council considered the information which had been offered and agreed a response should be sent to this latest consultation. A draft will be issued in advance of the agenda for the May meeting and Councillors were urged to forward any comment to the Clerk for inclusion between now and the next meeting. When the SCDC draft response is received this too will be issued.
It was agreed the response should include:
– the points made in the summary of the original response, which include the statement that KTC believe that the Status Quo, with serious consideration and implementation of streamlining the services to abolish duplication, can better serve, not just their residents, but those also of the rest of Suffolk;
– satisfaction with the change with regard to Lowestoft;
– following the change in proposed boundaries, expansion of paragraph 13.8 regarding the Town Council's belief that One Suffolk is too big; and by dividing the County an imbalance is achieved as without North Haven, the rest of Suffolk will not thrive;
– positive comment about Councils reasons for their preferred option and rebutting the charge of stubborn resistance to change;
– comment on the refusal by the Boundary Committee to have the Affordable business cases reworked despite the current recession.
Dates were given of various SCC meetings to be held across Suffolk in order that Councillors could attend if they wished to do so.
A draft of this minute when agreed with the Chairman will be issued to Mrs Klaschka in her role as SALC representative in order that when she attends a SALC meeting she can report on KTC's decision.
13. Kesgrave Community Trust
Nothing to report.
14. Quality Status
Nothing to report.
15. Report from Clerk and Press Officer
The Clerk reported having attended a SALC Seminar on the Power of Well-being and gave some brief details about the power which will give a broader scope than Section 137. However this power requires certain criteria of Council in order for it to be invoked and one of these is for 80% of Councillors to be trained in the Power. This will therefore be considered in the Training needs analysis.
Articles for inclusion in May Kesgrave News will be submitted on:–
Page 3 - Annual report from Chairman
Others -
Annual Town Meeting
Litter pick
Dogs in public places
The works being considered for the Long Strops pond
16. To receive such other communication or matters of sufficient urgency and importance that the Chairman will allow for discussion
None.
17. Date of next meetings:–
Annual Town Council Meeting – Monday 11th May 2009 in the Council Chamber
Annual Town Meeting – Monday 18th May 2009
The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.14pm
Chairman
