Monthly Meeting of the Council - 14th July 2008, Minutes

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123. PRESENT

Councillors:

Officers:

124. APOLOGIES

Councillors Mrs J Murphy (personal), Dr D Giaretta (personal), Mr R Hawlor (sick), Mr K Murphy (personal) and Mrs L Hood (personal).

125. 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.

Councillor Mr P Hayward declared a personal interest in Minute 102 of the Finance and General Purposes Committee of the 7th July 2008, 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.

126. MINUTES

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 9th June 2008 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.

127. ADOPTION AND AGREEMENT OF COMMITTEE REPORTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

(a) Planning and Development Committee - 11th June 2008

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

(b) Environment Committee - 23rd June 2008

Referring to Minute 79 of the Environment Minutes, Technical Manager's Report, where it was resolved to investigate the possibility of hiring a showground for fairs and circuses, Councillor Mrs E Hards asked if the proposed search for a showground would have a detrimental effect on the Council's ongoing search for sport and recreation land?

The Chair of the Environment Committee, Councillor Mr G Collier, responded that he did not believe it would have a detrimental effect as the searches were separate and that the types of land would be different.

RESOLVED that the report and recommendations continued therein be approved.

(c) Planning and Development Committee - 2nd July 2008

Councillor Mrs M Davies highlighted that Minute 94 should have read RECOMMENDED and not RESOLVED as the Planning and Development Committee only has delegated powers to make resolutions on planning applications. Councillor Mrs M Davies also noted that Minute 95(b) should have been 19 & 21 Sinodun Road, and not 19 & 25 Sinodun Road.

RESOLVED that, subject to the above amendments, the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

(d) Finance and General Purposes Committee - 7th July 2008

As these Minutes were tabled at the meeting, Councillor Mrs M Davies proposed and it was seconded, that the decision to approve the recommendations contained therein be deferred to the next meeting of the Council and to proceed to the next order of business in line with Standing Order 15(e), so that members had time to read them.

The motion to defer voting on the recommendations contained in these Minutes and move on to the next item of business was NOT CARRIED.

Councillor Mrs M Davies suggested that the meeting be temporarily adjourned for a short period of time to allow members to read the Minutes.

RESOLVED that the meeting be adjourned for a period of 5 minutes.

RESOLVED to reconvene the meeting.

Referring to Minute 102 the SOLL Willowbrook Quarterly Report, Councillor Mrs E Hards asked for clarification regarding Styleacre's request to use some of the facilities twice a week prior to the centre opening at 3pm, and whether there would be the possibility of other groups using the facility?

The Chair of the Finance and General Purposes Committee, Councillor Mr P Hayward, responded by stating that the costings would have to be investigated first.

Councillor Mrs E Hards asked whether the possibility of using Willowbrook before it opened had been discussed with other groups?

Councillor Mr P Hayward, responded by stating that whatever the organisation it was a matter of costings and once these had been received from SOLL then the proposal could move forward.

Councillor Mrs M Davies asked that was it not true that the issue of other organisations using the centre had been discussed in committee, and the Leader had agreed but it was not minuted?

Councillor Mr P Hayward responded that as before, it was a matter of costings and that once these had been received by SOLL then the proposal could move forward.

Referring to Minute 115, the PCSO Key Performance Indicators report, Councillor Mr B Cooper asked if we had the statistics relating the number of foot/cycle patrols undertaken?

Councillor Mr P Hayward responded by stating that he did not have the statistics but that he would ask Thames Valley Police or the local PCSOs for them.

It was noted that Minute 122(c), correspondence regarding this years Town and Parish Council Forum, that the invitation to follow would go to the Leader.

RESOLVED that, the report and recommendations contained therein be approved.

128. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS

13/6/2008

Friday, 12.30

Community Lunch

Mayor

13/6/2008

Friday, 7.15pm

Annual Oxfordshire Branch Assembly, British Red Cross

Mayor & Mayoress
14/6/2008 Saturday, 10am Thong Rangers Truck Pull Mayor
16/6/2008 Monday, 11am Opening of Scrivens Opticians Mayor & Mayoress
16/6/2008 Monday evening Scout's AGM Mayor
19/6/2008 Thursday, 5pm The Wittenham Rose Mayor & Mayoress
19/6/2008 Thursday, 8pm DACA AGM, Northbourne Centre Mayor
22/6/2008 Sunday, 10am Mayor's Civic Service, Abingdon Mayor & Mayoress
23/6/2008 Monday, 7.30 - 9.30pm Didcot First get together, KADCC Mayor
25/6/2008 Wednesday, 7.15 for 7.30pm Evening at Dorchester Abbey Mayor & Mayoress
27/6/2008 Friday, 12 - 2pm British Heart Foundation (collection) Mayor
27/6/2008 Friday, 6.30 - 8.30pm UKAEA Harwell Reception Mayor & Mayoress
27/6/2008 Friday, 8.30pm Presentation of Fishing Prizes, Ladygrove Lakes Mayor & Mayoress
5/7/2008 Saturday, 1pm Opening of fete, Ladygrove Park Mayor & Mayoress
9/7/2008 Wednesday, 9.30am ASDA, The Meadows Mayor & Mayoress
11/7/2008 Friday evening Mayor's 70s Disco Night, Didcot Town Football Club

Mayor & Mayoress

The Mayor reported that his 70's Disco Night at Didcot Town Football Club had raised £750 for charity and that he was planning a night at the Civic Hall with a live band and barbeque on the 5th September 2008, and that he would be doing a Bed Push the morning after with the Thong Rangers. Both are in aid of the Mayor's charities.

129. FINANCIAL STATEMENT

(a) RESOLVED that the cheque run payment for 26th June 2008 amounting to £20,560.20, be authorised.

(b) RESOLVED that payments made by BACS, direct debit, manual cheque and Standing Order since the last meeting of the Council on 9th June 2008 amounting to £34,197.39 be authorised.

130. CORRESPONDENCE

(a) TRAIN Newsletter

Update from youth initiative TRAIN, detailing recent and upcoming activities and plans.

NOTED

(b) Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils

Details of forthcoming training on Chairmanship to be held at Didcot Civic Hall on 1st October 2008. Members were asked to inform the Deputy Town Clerk if they wished to attend.

NOTED

(c) Oxfordshire Association of Local Councils

Details of forthcoming training entitled 'How Local Councils fit into the Planning System', to be held at Didcot Civic Hall on 15th October 2008. Members were asked to inform the Deputy Town Clerk if they wished to attend.

NOTED

131. QUESTIONS TO THE LEADER

(a) Referring to the SOLL Willowbrook report that was circulated to F&GP committee members, Minute 102, in the Finance and General Purposes Minutes from the 7th July 2008 which detailed that usage of the leisure centre was down 8%, Councillor Mr B Cooper asked the Leader whether the Council was in active dialogue with South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) to get the funding to support Willowbrook?

The Leader responded no.

(b) Referring to Minute 112 of the Finance and General Purposes Committee from the 7th July 2008, Councillor Mrs E Hards asked the Leader why he is not even prepared to talk to SODC about the Open Space Transfer (formally SPR) which was aborted last year?

The Leader responded that the Council is not talking to them because a decision has been made not to do so. He went on to say that he saw no advantage to the Town Council in adopting this land and that if it was adopted the charge to the residents would be much greater in the form of higher Council Tax. Referring to land on Ladygrove, he went on that he would not want to be an owner riparian. The Leader also responded that SODC are looking after the land and that it may lead to double taxation.

(c) Councillor Mrs M Davies asked the Leader how he would describe the relationship between the Conservatives and SODC?

The Leader responded by stating that that this was nothing to do with the Town Council and that he had no intention of answering.

The Mayor stated that this question was not relevant to the business of the Town Council.

(d) Councillor Mrs E Hards asked the Leader how he would describe the relationship between the Town Council and SODC?

The Leader responded by stating the relationship was the same as normal.

(e) Councillor Mrs E Hards asked the Leader if relations were cordial between the Town Council and SODC?

The Leader replied that he had no idea where Councillor Hards was coming from, and that he had no reason to suggest that they were not cordial.

The Meeting commenced at 6.00pm and closed at 6.45pm

Mayor

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