Minutes / Agenda – May 27th 2008
Agenda
Public Forum
21. To accept apologies
22. To receive declarations of interest
23. To elect the Mayor of Coleford for the ensuing year*
(*Past Mayor presentation if applicable).
24. Mayor to sign the declaration of acceptance
25. To elect the Deputy Mayor of Coleford for the ensuing year.
26. To elect representatives for the following
· COLEFORD TOWN COUNCIL COMMITTEES
Office and Finance Committee 6 Members meets ½ yearly
Responsible for the running & general upkeep of the office and financial matters
Planning / Transport Committee 6 Members meets bi monthly
Responsible for planning applications roads & highways etc
Amenities Committee 5 Members meets ½ yearly
Responsible for the Clock Tower, Town Centre, King George V Pavilion & playing field other recreation areas, Christmas lights, Christmas concert etc
Burial Committee 5 Members meets annually
Responsible for Burial Charges, maintenance of Coleford Cemetery, grass cutting & contribution to Mile End cemetery
Public Safety Committee 6 Members meets quarterly
Responsible for the community safety, emergency services, fire, police, ambulance
· REPRESENTATIVES ON OTHER COMMITTEES
Forest Health Forum 1 (Public Safety member)
FODDC Planning: Development Control 2
Police & Community Consultative Committee 1 (Public Safety member)
Gloucestershire Playing Fields Committee 1 (Amenities member)
FODDC Joint Leisure Committee 1
Gloucestershire Market Towns Forum 1
Gloucestershire Rural Transport Partnership 1
St John’s Junior School Governors 1
Christmas Lights Committee 1 (Amenities member)
· REPRESENTATIVES ON OTHER BODIES
The Halls Charity 4
FOD Citizens Advice Bureau 1
Crime Reduction Group 1
Forestry Commission Advisory Committee 1
Stowfield Quarry Liaison Committee 1
Coleford Area MCTI Partnership 1
Bells Foundation 2
Coleford Area Parish Forum 1
William Jones Charity 1
27. To approve minutes of meetings 29 April 2008 & 13 May 2008
28. To raise matters arising from meetings 29 April 2008 & 13 May 2008
29. Community Enterprise Centre Consultation
Donna Potts Project Officer Learning Disability Modernisation Officer
Gloucestershire County Council
30. To note the end of year figures
31. To agree on the Council’s actions towards making Coleford a plastic bag free zone
32. To agree the Councils actions now the closure of Newland Street toilets has been announced.
33. To agree the Councils action about the acquisition of Town Council land at
1 Bluebell Close, Milkwall.
34. To agree the recommendations of the Amenities Committee
35. To agree the recommendations of the Finance & Office Committee
36. To agree the recommendations of the Planning and Transport Committee bi monthly highways meeting.
37. To note the decisions of the Planning Committee
38. To note reports from members (for information only)
39. To note reports from District and County Councillors (for information only)
40. To note correspondence (for information only, see attached list)
41. To agree payments (see attached list)
Minutes
At the Monthly Meeting of the Coleford Town Council held at the Town House, Lords Hill Walk, Coleford on Tuesday 27th May 2008, there were present:
Councillor Mr C Elsmore (Mayor)
Mr D Atherley (Deputy Mayor)
Mr D Collins
Mr C Howell
Mr C Lusty
Mrs H Lusty
Mrs S Merrikin
Ms J Nicholson
Mr R Phelps
Mrs J Thorne
Mr M Weston
PUBLIC FORUM
There were no members of the public present.
PC D McCoy invited questions from the Council concerning policing matters in the Coleford area. Cllr Weston said that he and a number of local residents had been alarmed by the criminal activities carried out by an individual whilst on bail. PC McCoy said that the police had also been concerned that bail had been granted, police requests for the individual to be held in custody had been refused by the Magistrates Court. The individual had subsequently been remanded following further offences.
Cllr Merrikin said that there had been an increase in the amount of broken glass in certain parts of Coleford. This appeared to be connected to smokers drinking outside pubs. PC McCoy asked for details of the specific locations to be passed on to him and he would arrange for the premises to be visited.
21. APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Cllrs Allaway-Martin and Kay,
District Councillor Bensted and County Councillor Chamberlain.
22. TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Cllr Collins declared a personal interest in Item 32 on the agenda.
23. TO ELECT THE MAYOR OF COLEFORD FOR THE ENSUING YEAR
Cllr Atherley proposed and Cllr C Lusty seconded a motion that
Cllr Elsmore be elected as Mayor.
Cllr Weston proposed and Cllr Phelps seconded a motion that
Cllr Merrikin be elected as Mayor.
Following a secret ballot, Cllr Merrikin was elected Mayor by
6 votes to 4.
Following the ballot, Cllr Elsmore thanked his fellow Councillors for their support during his term in office. On behalf of the Council and as a mark of thanks, Cllr Merrikin made a presentation to Cllr Elsmore to commemorate his two years in office as Mayor of Coleford.
24. DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE
Following her election, Cllr Merrikin signed a Declaration of Acceptance of Office as Mayor of Coleford and took the chair for the remaining proceedings of the meeting.
25. TO ELECT THE DEPUTY MAYOR OF COLEFORD FOR THE ENSUING YEAR
Cllr Thorne proposed and Cllr Collins seconded a motion that
Cllr Phelps be elected as Deputy Mayor.
Cllr Weston proposed and Cllr C Lusty seconded a motion that
Cllr Howell be elected as Deputy Mayor.
Following a secret ballot, Cllr Howell was elected Deputy Mayor by
6 votes to 5.
26. ELECTION OF COUNCILLORS TO COMMITTEES
Members were elected to committees as follows:
Office and Finance
Councillors Allaway-Martin, Elsmore, Howell, Kay, Thorne and Phelps.
Planning and Transport
Councillors Allaway-Martin, Elsmore, Howell, Merrikin, Phelps and Weston.
Amenities
Councillors Allaway-Martin, Collins, Howell, Kay and Thorne.
Burial
Councillors Allaway-Martin, Collins, Howell, Phelps and Thorne
Public Safety
Councillors Allaway-Martin, Elsmore, Kay, C Lusty, Phelps
and 1 vacancy.
REPRESENTATIVES ON OTHER COMMITTEES
Members were elected as representatives to other committees as follows:
Forest Health Forum
Councillor Elsmore
FoDDC Planning & Development Control
Any member of the Planning Committee
Police & Community Consultative Committee
Councillor Kay
Gloucestershire Playing Fields Committee
1 vacancy
FoDDC Joint Leisure Committee
1 vacancy
Gloucestershire Market Towns Forum
Councillor Howell
Gloucestershire Rural Transport Partnership
Councillor Elsmore
St. John’s Junior School Governors
Councillor H Lusty
Christmas Lights Committee
Councillor H Lusty
The William Jones Charity
Councillor C Lusty
The Halls Charity
Councillors Elsmore, C Lusty, Thorne and 1 vacancy
Citizens Advice Bureau
Councillor Elsmore
Crime Reduction Group
Councillor Phelps
Forestry Commission Advisory Committee
Councillor H Lusty
Wye Valley AONB Committee
Councillor Atherley
Stowfield Quarry Liaison Committee
Councillor Allaway Martin
Coleford Area Partnership
Councillor H Lusty
Coleford Area Parish Forum
Councillor H Lusty
Bells Foundation
Councillors Elsmore and C Lusty
27. TO APROVE MINUTES OF MEETINGS HELD ON 29 APRIL AND 13 MAY 2008
It was proposed and agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 29th April 2008 be accepted as an accurate record.
Proposed: Cllr Phelps Seconded: Cllr Collins
It was proposed and agreed that the minutes of the meeting held on 13th May 2008 be accepted as an accurate record.
Proposed: Cllr Phelps Seconded: Cllr Thorne
28. MATTERS ARISING
The Clerk reported that the scheduled presentation on the production of a Town Guide would be at the next meeting.
Cllr Howell expressed his concern that information that had been discussed in committee had found its way into the Press before having been publicly approved by the full Council.
Cllr Howell requested that at the next Town Council meeting an amendment is made to standing orders that minutes of ‘in committee’ meetings are not placed in the public domain until they have been approved by the Council.
29. COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE CENTRE CONSULTATION
The Clerk reported that Donna Potts was unable to attend. It was hoped that a representative would be able to attend a meeting in the near future.
30. END OF YEAR FIGURES 2007/08
Members noted the end of year figures presented by the Clerk. The main points to note were that assets had increased from £190,000 to £203,000 and spending had increased form £99,000 to £148,000. Receipts had risen by 27% thanks mainly to the increased revenue from the cemetery. Staff costs had also risen as a result of the Assistant Clerk increased salary and working hours.
The Clerk said that the accounts would be checked by the Internal Auditor next week and would go to the External Auditor by the end of July.
Members expressed their thanks to the Clerk for her work in preparing the accounts.
31. MAKING COLEFORD A PLASTIC BAG FREE ZONE
Members decided that, before calling a public meeting, this issue should be referred to the Amenities Committee to formulate an Action Plan.
32. CLOSURE OF NEWLAND STREET TOILETS
The Council noted the letter from the District Council notifying closure of the Newland Street toilets with effect from 12th May 2008. The letter made no mention of money that had been set aside for refurbishment. It was agreed that Paul Smith of the District Council should be invited to a special Council meeting in order to provide an explanation of current plans.
33. LAND AT 1 BLUEBELL CLOSE, MILKWALL
Members noted that the occupier of 1 Bluebell Close had recently laid a drive across land owned by the Council and had effectively incorporated it into the garden of the property. It was agreed that the Clerk should take advice from the Council’s solicitor and send an appropriate letter to the occupier.
34. AMENITIES COMMITTEE
The Council noted the report made by the Amenities Committee. It was agreed that the Committee should formulate a water conservation policy as part of the Environment Policy and bring this back to the full Council. Subject to this, it was proposed that the report be accepted.
Proposed: Cllr Phelps Seconded: Cllr H Lusty
35. FINANCE AND OFFICE COMMITTEE
Cllrs Howell, Thorne and Atherley declared personal interests.
It was proposed and agreed that the report be accepted.
Proposed: Cllr Phelps Seconded: Cllr Howell
36. PLANNING AND TRANSPORT COMMITTEE
The Council noted the report made by the Planning and Transport Committee. It was agreed that the Clerk should write to Welsh Water concerning a damaged drain cover which needed repair.
37. PLANNING COMMITTEE
The decisions taken at the Planning Committee meeting were noted.
38. MEMBERS REPORTS
Cllr Phelps said that he was concerned at the level of charges being imposed by Two Rivers Housing Association for grass cutting at Sunnybank. It was agreed that the concerns should be passed to the District Council Riley for further investigation.
Cllr Elsmore reported that a meeting had been held with Welsh Water and the local MP on 2nd May concerning flooding problems. Welsh Water would be obtaining costings by the end of July for the various works required.
Further discussions would then be held at which the work would be prioritised. The priorities would then be submitted to OFWAT for approval. Cllr Elsmore said that it was important to ensure that Coleford’s needs remained high on the list of priorities.
39. REPORTS FROM DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS
None present.
40. CORRESPONDENCE
The Council noted the correspondence received during May 2008.
41. PAYMENTS
It was proposed and agreed that the payments for May 2008 be accepted.
Proposed: Cllr Phelps Seconded: Cllr Collins
42. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 24th June at 7.00pm.
There being no further public business, the meeting closed at 8.30pm
