DIDCOT TOWN COUNCIL, ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE, MONDAY 5TH OCTOBER 2009, 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 Section 1 extended by LGA 1972 Section 100.
Public Participation
Public Participation will be strictly in accordance with Standing Order No. 11.
AGENDA
1. Apologies
2. Declarations of Interests – Members are reminded to declare any personal or prejudicial interests they may have on any item on this agenda in accordance with Didcot Town Council’s code of conduct.
3. Minutes of the meeting held on 6th July 2009 (not attached, sent out with Council Agenda 13th July 2009)
4. Questions on the Minutes as to the progress of any item
5. Financial Statement (attached)
6. Technical Manager’s Report (attached)
7. Overtime Report (attached)
8. Events Report (attached) – To approve requested event(s) within the budget limits for 2009/10
9. The Big Tidy Up – Request received to organise this years (verbal will be given)
10. Review of Annual Charges (report attached)
11. Estimates 2010/11 and Capital Projects (report attached)
12. Exempt Information
Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 section 1 extended by Local Government Act 1972 Section 100
“That in the view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted, it is in the opinion of this Council, advisable in the public interest that the public and press be temporarily excluded and they are instructed to withdraw”
(a) Great Western Drive Play Area tender (report to follow)
13. Correspondence
(a) Oxfordshire County Council – Countryside Services
Annual Report
Dominic Stapleton
Town Clerk
30th September 2009
MINUTES
196. PRESENT
Councillors:
- Mr B Griffiths (Chair)
- Mr A Thompson (Vice-Chair)
- Mr C Daukes
- Mr W Service
- Mrs E Hards
- Mr P Hayward
- Mrs Marie Flood (for Mr A Thompson)
- Mrs J Murphy (for Mrs L Hood)
Officers:
- Mr D Stapleton (Town Clerk)
- Mr S Carter (Deputy Town Clerk)
- Ms B Andrews (Technical Manager)
197. APOLOGIES
Councillors Mrs L Hood (sick), Mr A Thompson (personal) and Mr G Collier (personal).
198. 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.
There were no declarations of interest.
199. MINUTES
RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on 6th July 2009 be approved and signed as a true and correct record.
Referring to Minute 109 it was confirmed that South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) had responded to the Town Council’s concerns regarding burial provision.
Clerk’s Note: Officers are currently in communication with the Planning Policy Department at SODC about future burial provision.
Referring to Minute 118(b) it was confirmed that this request for a new dog and litter bin on green space off Brasenose Road had been passed to the Highways Department but that they had a policy of not installing new dog bins.
200. FINANCIAL STATEMENT
The Financial Statement for month five August 2009 was circulated. It was reported that the overspend in budget heading 3102 Salaries and Wages – Additional, was due to a play area repainting programme which had been undertaken and that any overspend would be met from budget 3101 Salries and Wages – Basic.
Referring to budget heading 3153 Play Equipment Maintenance, it was reported that there had been a lot of damage to the play areas resulting in increased cost.
NOTED
RECOMMENDED that the following budget heading virement be approved:
- £1000 from 3166 Millennium Wood Upkeep to 3154 Cemetery Maintenance
201. TECHNICAL MANAGER'S REPORT
The Technical Manager’s report was circulated for information.
It was reported that the communal composting area at the New Road site was full and had been very difficult to manage. It had been filled with potato blight vegetation which should be recycled from the doorstep through the green bin scheme or burnt. Putting this material in the communal composting area had left it unusable. Bonfires on plots are banned but there had been a call to review this and will be discussed at an Allotment Liaison Group.
NOTED
An application to install a black granite seat at the children’s section of the Kynaston Road Cemetery had been received from a local stone mason. It was explained that this black granite seat would be out of keeping with the rest of this area. It was RECOMMENDED that the application to install the black granite seat is turned down.
It was reported that the Vibe Youth Centre were using the building owned by the Town Council where the Motorcycle Project used to be based for storage. It was RECOMMENDED that the Town Council write to the Vibe Youth Centre seeking clarification on their use of the building, with a view to the Town Council using it if it was only used for storage.
The Town Council had been approached about the possibility of using flood lights for winter training sessions for Didcot Town Youth FC at Edmonds Park. It was RECOMMENDED that Didcot Town Youth are asked to seek the views of local residents about this proposal, to be reported back to the Town Council, and that they provide details of the proposed scheme including quantity and type of lighting, power source and efficiency.
202. OVERTIME REPORT
The overtime report for the week ending 23rd June 2009 – 15th September 2009 was circulated.
In response to a question about the recruitment of another member of outdoor staff it was stated that it was hoped to have an individual in post by the new financial year.
NOTED
203. EVENTS REPORT – TO APPROVE REQUESTED EVENTS WITHIN THE BUDGET LIMITS OF 2009/10 BUDGET
The events report was circulated and is attached appendix A.
RECOMMENDED that the events listed in the Events Reports as attached at appendix A be approved within the budget limits for 2009/10.
204. THE BIG TIDY UP
A report was circulated regarding the proposal to repeat last September’s ‘Big Tidy Up’ litter pick. It was explained that the Big Tidy Up was a national scheme encouraging local people to participate in litter picks and discouraging the dropping of litter. The report went onto state that last September’s event had been successful and that the main organiser, Mrs Davidson, would like to repeat it with the Council’s support.
RECOMMENDED that the Council organise a Big Tidy Up to take place on the Saturday morning of the 27th February 2010.
Clerk’s Note: Didcot Civic Ball is on the 19th February 2009.
205. ANNUAL CHARGES
It was reported that the Town Council currently provide dog waste bag packs and ask for a donation in return but that donations had significantly reduced recently. It was stated that each pack costs the Council approximately £0.70 and contains 50 bags.
RECOMMENDED that a charge of £0.70 is levied on each dog waste bag pack from 1st April 2010.
RECOMMENDED that the charges for the 2010/11 financial year are not increased and remain as follows:
(a) Burials with effect from 1st April 2010
Interment £65.00
Exclusive Right of Burial:
Child Grave £65.00
Cremated Remains £65.00
Full Grave £195.00
Monuments £65.00
Add Inscription £25.00
Non-residents an additional 100% on all fees
(b) Pitch Charges Including VAT - Edmonds Park, Loyd Recreation Ground and Ladygrove Park with effect from 1st April 2010
Junior £15.50
Senior £55.00
(c) Park Events (VAT not applicable), with effect from 1st April 2010
Fair/Circus daily rate for shows £173.91
(d) Fishing Permits including VAT with effect from 1st April 2010
Adults £18.00
Adult Concessions £9.00
Junior £8.00
Junior Concessions £4.00
It was reported that allotment charges must be set at least 12 months beforehand and therefore this related to the charges for the 2011/12 financial year.
RECOMMENDED that the charges for 2011/12 remain as they are for 2010/11:
Standard Plot (including £2.00 water charge) £22.00
Standard Plot Concession (including £2.00 water charge) £12.00
206. ESTIMATES 2010/11 AND CAPITAL PROJECTS
RECOMMENDED that the proposed estimates for 2010/11 with no increase, and with the exception of 3101 Salaries and Wages – Basic which is to be calculated by the Town Clerk, be submitted to the Finance and General Purposes Committee for consideration on 23rd November 2009.
RECOMMENDED that the capital projects for 2010/11 listed in order of preference be submitted to the Financial and General Purposes Committee on 23rd November 2009.
Goal compound security fencing £1,650.00
Skate Park extension contribution (to be added to previous £2,000 allocated to this project) £3,500.00
New showers at Edmonds Park Pavilion £4,085.00
Pair of aluminium goals £1,500.00
It was also noted that initial investigations into extending the pavilion at Loyd Recreation Ground would be carried by the Technical manger with the Football Association (FA) identified as a potential source of a grant.
207. EXEMPT INFORMATION - CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS
Public bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 section 1.
RESOLVED that in the view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted it is in the opinion of this Council, and advisable in the public interest, that the public and press be temporarily excluded and they are instructed to withdraw.
(a) Great Western Drive Play Area Tender
208. OPEN SESSION
RECOMMENDED that the decision to award the tender to Playworld taken in the confidential session on the matter listed at 207(a) be agreed.
209. CORRESPONDENCE
(a) Oxfordshire County Council – Countryside Services
Annual Report
NOTED
The Meeting commenced at 7.30pm and closed at 9.00pm
Chair
APPENDIX A
REPORT TITLE: Events Report
REPORT AUTHOR: Brenda Andrews, Technical Manager
Purpose of Report: To update the committee on the event calendar.
1.0 Application for the annual Bonfire and Fireworks display at Loyd Rec
on Saturday 7th November. Gates open at 5.30 until 7.45pm.
As part of the event we close off the footpath for the day for preparations
and football games are cancelled that weekend.
2.0 Annual Remembrance Parade on Sunday 8th November with service at
the war memorial Civic Hall at 3 pm.
3.0 For information – Christmas Street Fair and lights switch on Thursday 26th November. The Broadway is closed from 4 – 9 pm from Newlands Avenue up to High Street.
Brenda Andrews
Technical Manager
