Monthly meeting of the Council - 8th June 2009, Agenda/Minutes

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Minutes

AGENDA, MONTHLY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL, 8TH JUNE 2009

All Members of Didcot Town Council are summoned to attend the Monthly Meeting of the Council on Monday 8th June 2009 at Didcot Civic Hall commencing at 7.30pm.

Admission of the Public and Media

Members of the Public and Media are welcome to attend in accordance with the Public Bodies (Admission to Meeting) Act 1960.

Public Participation

Public Participation will be in accordance with Standing Order No. 11.

The business to be transacted at the meeting will be:-

1. Apologies

2. Declarations of Interests – Members are reminded to declare any personal or prejudicial interests on any item on this agenda in accordance with Didcot Town Council’s Code of Conduct

3. Adoption of the Minutes of the Annual Council meeting held on 11th May 2009 (attached); including questions on the minutes as to the progress of any item.

4. Adoption and agreement of Committee reports and recommendations:

(a) Personnel and Administration Committee – 18th May 2009 (attached);
(b) Planning and Development Committee – 27th May 2009 (attached);
(c) Arts and Grants Committee – 1st June 2009 (attached).

5. Mayor’s Announcements

6. Financial Statement

(a) To receive a report and agree cheque run payments for 27th May 2009 (attached).
(b) To receive a report of all payments in May 2009 (attached).

7. To approve the Annual Return for the year ended 31st March 2009 - report attached.

8. Flying a flag for Armed Forces Day 2009 – report attached.

9. Appointments to outside bodies – report attached.

10. An Additional Bank Signatory - report attached

11. Correspondence – for information

12. Questions to the Leader concerning the business of the Council in accordance with Standing Order 16


Dominic Stapleton
Town Clerk
3rd June 2009

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MINUTES

54. PRESENT

Councillors:

Officers:

55. APOLOGIES

Councillors Mrs J Murphy (work), Mr G Collier (work) and Dr D Giaretta (work).

56. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members were reminded to declare any personal or prejudicial interests on any item on the agenda in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct. Members were also reminded to review their register of members’ interests.

(a) Councillor Mrs L Hood declared a personal interest in Minutes 48 and 53(c) of the Art and Grants Committee, 1st June 2009 as she is the Chair of Didcot Arts Forum (DAF). Councillor Mrs L Hood also declared a personal interest in Minute 60, the list of payments made in May, as DAF were a recipient.

(b) Councillor Mrs E Hards declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Minute 51(f) of the Arts and Grants Committee 1st June 2009 as she is the Chair of Trustees of the Didcot Citizens Advise Bureau.

57. MINUTES

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 11th May 2009 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.

58. ADOPTION AND AGREEMENT OF COMMITTEE REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

(a) Personnel and Administration Committee – 18th May 2009

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

(b) Planning and Development Committee – 27th May 2009

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

Referring to Minute 36, application P09/W0383, site of the former Great Western Hotel, and in response to a question it was explained that the planning permission had been granted to build flats on the site but that in the meantime the land was being leased as a car park.

(c) Arts and Grants Committee – 1st June 2009

It was RESOLVED that Minute 52, Didcot Film Project, be referred back to the Arts and Grants Committee for further consideration.

Responding to a question it was explained that Home Start South Oxfordshire’s considerable reserves was the reason the committee declined the application for grant aid for their Post natal Depression Group. Minute 51(e) refers.

Councillor Mrs E Hards left the meeting after Minute 51(e).

RESOLVED that, excluding Minute 52 regarding the Didcot Film Project, the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

Councillor Mrs E Hards returned to the meeting.

59. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

11/05/2009

Monday evening

Mayor's Inaugural Dinner

Mayor & Escort

13/05/2009

Wednesday 7pm

Annual meeting of Abingdon Town Council, and election of Abingdon Mayor

Mayor & Escort
14/05/2009 Thursday 6.30pm Reception for Lord Mayor Elect, Oxford Town Hall Mayor & Escort
17/05/2009 Sunday 10am Henley Civic Service Mayor & Escort
18/5/2009 Monday 1pm Opening of Didcot Emergency Food Bank Mayor & Escort
21/05/2009 Thursday 6pm Election of new Chairman of South Oxfordshire District Council Mayor
23/05/2009 Saturday 7.30pm Gala Evening Didcot Drama Festival, Cornerstone Mayor & Escort
24/05/2009 Sunday 2.30pm Scouts County Camp Mayor & Escort
3/06/2009 Wednesday 2 - 4pm Age Concern, South Oxfordshire Forum Mayor
6/06/2009 Saturday 7.30pm Verdi's Requiem, Radley College Mayor & Escort

60. FINANCIAL STATEMENT

In response to a question it was explained that the £1,033.85 paid to RBS Software Solutions was for a burial/cemetery records software package.

Following a question it was explained that the CCTV contribution was £9,270.00.

RESOLVED that the cheque run payment for 27th May 2009 amounting to £8,355.09 be authorised and the list of all payments made between 1st May 2009 and 31st May 2009 amounting to £108,135.26 be received.

61. ANNUAL RETURN FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31ST MARCH 2009

It was reported that as part of the Audit and Accounts Regulations, the Council was required to complete an annual return. A copy of the return for year ended 31st March 2009 was circulated to all members.

RESOLVED that the Statement of Accounts on the Annual Return for the year ended 31st March 2009 be approved.

RESOLVED that the Annual Governance Statement, where questions 1 to 8 are answered yes, be approved.

62. FLYING THE FLAG FOR ARMED FORCES DAY 2009

A report was circulated explaining that the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire had invited all Town and Parish Councils to fly the flag for Armed Forces Day on 27th June 2009. The report went on to explain that this was a nationwide event and that the Council would be required to purchase an Armed Forces Day flag at a cost of £10.

RESOLVED that the Council purchase an Armed Forces Day Flag (Budget Cod 1129) which is to be raised on Monday 22nd June at 10.30am by the Mayor and to be left flying until after Armed Forces Day on 27th June 2009.

63. APPOINTMENTS TO OUTSIDE BODIES

A report was circulated asking for nominations to two outside bodies, namely the CCTV Management Group and the Waste Recycling Group (WRG) Sutton Courtenay and Appleford Local Liaison Committee. The report went on that usually the Town Clerk was a member of the CCTV management Group with one Councillor and that one Councillor was required for the WRG Liaison Committee.

RESOLVED that Councillor Mr W Service and the Town Clerk are appointed to serve the CCTV Management Group.

RESOLVED that Councillor Mr G Collier is appointed to the WRG Liaison Committee.

64. ADDITIONAL BANK SIGNATORY TO COUNCIL’S COOPERATIVE BANK ACCOUNT

A report was circulated explaining that in order to enable dual access control within the office to allow internet viewing of accounts, the Finance Officer, Mrs Sharon Hickman, would need to be added as a signatory.

In response to a question it was explained that mechanisms were in place should more than one signatory be away from the office when access to the accounts was required.

RESOLVED that the Council’s Finance Officer, Mrs Sharon Hickman, be added as a signatory to the Cooperative bank account.

65. CORRESPONDENCE

(a) Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils

Training event entitled ‘How Councils fit into the Planning System, Effective Responses to Planning Applications’ to be held at Didcot Civic Hall, 20th October 2009 9.30am – 1pm.

Members were asked to inform the Deputy Town Clerk if they wished to attend.

NOTED

66. QUESTIONS TO THE LEADER

(a) Making reference to a question asked at the previous meeting of the Council regarding the Council’s policy of preferring building to the west, Minute 10(b) refers, and the subsequent letter clarifying the policy, Councillor Mr B Cooper asked the Leader if he could identify the area in the west that they referred to?

The Leader responded by stating that the area to the west of Didcot is in the Vale of White Horse district and is their preferred location for development. When the response to the core strategy stated it was against building to the west, it was not contradicting the policy adopted by the Council on 9th March 2009, as the west was identified not as the area in the Vale but in the south west towards Hagbourne.

The Meeting commenced at 7.30pm and closed at 7.54pm

Mayor

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