Monthly meeting of the Council - 9th November 2009, Agenda/Minutes

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Minutes

AGENDA, MONTHLY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL, 9TH NOVEMBER 2009

All Members of Didcot Town Council are summoned to attend the Monthly Meeting of the Council on Monday 9th November 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 Council meeting held on 12th October 2009 (attached); including questions on the minutes as to the progress of any item.

4. Adoption and agreement of Committee reports and recommendations:

It should be noted that any budget estimate figures are recommended to Finance and General Purposes Committee (budget) on 23rd November 2009

(a) Planning and Development Committee – 14th October 2009 (not attached sent out with agenda 4th November 2009);
(b) Arts and Grants (estimates) – 19th October 2009 (attached);
(c) Finance and General Purposes Committee (estimates) – 26th October 2009 (attached);
(d) Special Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee – 2nd November 2009 (attached);
(e) Planning and Development Committee – 4th November 2009 (to be tabled).

5. Mayor’s Announcements

6. Financial Statement

(a) To receive a report and agree cheque run payments for 14th October 2009 (attached) and 26th October 2009 (attached).
(b) To receive a report of all payments in October 2009 (attached).

7. To receive the minutes of the Traffic Advisory Group meetings dated 21st July 2009 (attached) and 13th October 2009 (attached).

8. Correspondence – for information

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


Dominic Stapleton
Town Clerk
4th November 2009

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MINUTES

268. PRESENT

Councillors:

Officers:

A minutes silence was observed in honour of Staff Sergeant Olaf Schmid of 11 EOD Regiment RLC based at Vauxhall Barracks, Didcot, who was killed whilst defusing a bomb in the Sangin region of Afghanistan on 31st October 2009.

269. APOLOGIES

Councillors Mr D Giaretta (business), Mr G Collier (business), Mrs J Murphy (personal), Mr B Griffiths (sick), Mr L Elias (sick) and Mrs S Crowther (business).

270. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

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 M Davies declared a personal interest in Minute 258 of the Special Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held 2nd November 2009 as she is a Town Council nominated member of the Civic Hall Management Committee.

(b) (i) Councillor Mrs L Hood declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Minute 237 of the Arts and Grants Committee Meeting held 19th October 2009 as she is the chair of the Didcot Arts Forum.
(ii) Councillor Mrs L Hood also declared a personal interest in Minute 258 of the Special Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held 2nd November 2009 as she is a Town Council nominated member of the Civic Hall Management Committee.

(c) Councillor Mrs E Hards declared a personal and prejudicial interest in Minute 242 of the Arts and Grants Committee Meeting held 19th October 2009; and Minute 258 of the Special Meeting of the Finances and General Purposes Committee held 2nd November 2009 as she is the Chair of Trustees at the Didcot and District Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB).

(d) Councillor Capt J Flood declared a personal interest in Minute 258 of the Special Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held 2nd November 2009 as he is a Town Council nominated member of the Civic Hall Management Committee.

(e) Councillor Mr T Harbour declared a personal interest in Minute 239(a) of the Arts and Grants Committee Meeting held 19th October 2009 as he is a member of the Didcot Branch of the Royal British Legion.

(f) Councillor Mrs M Flood declared a personal interest in Minute 258 of the Special Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held 2nd November 2009 as she is a Town Council nominated member of the Civic Hall Management Committee.

(g) (i) Councillor Mr P Hayward declared a personal interest in Minutes 247 and 250 of the Finance and General Purposes Committee Meeting held 26th October 2009 as he is a Management Committee Member at Didcot Town Football Club who have shared use of the Willowbrook Leisure Centre and lease the land it is built on to the Town Council.
(ii) Councillor Mr P Hayward also declared a personal interest in Minute 258 of the Special Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held 2nd November 2009 as he is a Town Council nominated member of the Civic Hall Management Committee.

271. MINUTES

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 12th October 2009 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.

Referring to Minute 224(a) and in response to a question it was confirmed that no names had come forward to serve on the Ladygrove Community Centre Management Committee but that further efforts would be made to recruit volunteers from the Councillors.

272. ADOPTION AND RECOMMENDATION OF COMMITTEE REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

(a) Planning and Development Committee – 14th October 2009

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

Councillor Mrs L Hood left the meeting for the next item.

(b) Arts and Grants Committee (estimates) – 19th October 2009

Referring to Minute 241 it was stated that clarification would be sought as to whether the Art Exhibition expenditure figure included staff overtime payments.

Clerk’s Note: The figure quoted for expenditure did not include any staff overtime payment as staff hours worked at the Art Exhibition were taken as time off in lieu.

Mrs E Hards left the meeting.

Referring to Minute 240 and in response to a question it was stated that when setting the £3,500 grant for the CAB, consideration was given was given to the current economic climate and the associated extra work for the CAB as was the budgetary pressures on the Town Council.

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

Councillors Mrs L Hood and Mrs E Hards returned to the meeting.

(c) Finance and General Purposes Committee (estimates) – 26th October 2009

It was proposed and seconded to refer the recommendations made at Minutes 251 and 252 back to the Finance and General Purposes Committee (F&GP) for further discussion under Standing Order 15(g).

Councillor Mr P Hayward stated that there were a number of reasons for referring these recommendations back to F&GP. Firstly referring to Minute 251, he said there were many very important issues facing Didcot and the Town Council in the future and that further discussions needed to take place. With reference to Minute 252, it was stated that further information had been received about Standing Orders and this would be discussed in committee.

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein, excluding Minutes 251 and 252 which are to be referred back to F&GP Committee, be approved.

Councillor Mrs E Hards left the meeting for the next item.

(d) Special Meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee – 2nd November 2009

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

Councillor Mrs E Hards returned to the meeting.

(e) Planning and Development Committee – 4th November 2009

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

273. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS

13/10/09

Tuesday 6pm

Court Sermon, High Sheriff of Oxfordshire

Mayor & Escort

16/10/09

Friday 6.30pm

Business Awards, Cornerstone

Mayor & Escort
20/10/09
 Tuesday pm Willowbrook opening of play area Mayor & Escort
20/10/09
 Tuesday 6pm St Frideswide Civic Service Mayor & Escort
31/10/09
 Saturday Gateway Club, Marlborough Club Mayor & Escort
1/11/09
 Sunday 2.45pm Judging of Best Stall, Craft Fair

Mayor & Escort
3/11/09
 Tuesday Carers AGM, Civic Hall Mayor & Escort
5/11/09
 Thursday 9.30am Opening of Alworths Mayor & Escort
7/11/09
 Saturday evening Annual Firework Display Mayor & Escort
8/11/09
Sunday 3pm Didcot Remembrance Parade and Service Mayor & Escort

The Mayor thanked all those who had attended the Remembrance Day Parade on Sunday 8th November 2009. The Mayor stated that the parade had started 15 minutes earlier than scheduled, and went on that the event and the numbers turning out to support it had been a credit to the town. The Mayor commented that it was particularly pleasing to see so many young people involved.

The Mayor reminded Members that there will be two minutes silence to mark the anniversary of Armistice Day at the War Memorial in Britwell Road on 11th November 2009 at 11am, to which they are invited to attend.

The Mayor also reminded Members that the John Eldridge award was to be held on the evening of the 17th December 2009 and that any nominations should be submitted to the Town Clerk.

274. FINANCIAL STATEMENT

RESOLVED that the cheque run payments for 14th October 2009 amounting to £28,647.36 and 26th October 2009 amounting to £7,350.97 be authorised and that the list of payments made between 1st October 2009 and 31st October 2009 amounting to £70,583.56 be received (for cheque payments) and authorised for all other payments.

275. TO RECEIVE THE MINUTES OF THE TRAFFIC ADVISORY GROUP HELD ON 21ST JULY 2009 AND 13TH OCTOBER 2009

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Traffic Advisory Group be received.

276. CORRESPONDENCE

There was no correspondence.

277. QUESTIONS TO THE LEADER

There were no questions to The Leader.

The Meeting commenced at 7.30pm and closed at 8.05pm

 

Mayor

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