MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE SALTNEY TOWN COUNCIL held at the ODDFELLOWS HALL, 65 HIGH STREET, SALTNEY on WEDNESDAY 13 MARCH, 2014.
PRESENT: The Mayor, Councillor E E Greensmith; Councillors H D Beddow; C Evans; T A Evans; V Gay;D A Hope; T R Lloyd;A J Pearson; J Shallcross;and the Town Clerk.
139. APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Councillors A C Lloyd; B Marshall; A V Rattigan and M S Streeter.
140. DEATH OF FORMER COUNCILLOR THOMAS (TOM) WALKER
The Town Clerk reported the death of former Councillor Tom Walker. The Town Council were represented at the funeral by Councillors T A Evans; V Gay; T R Lloyd and the Town Clerk. Members stood in silent tribute to departed merit.
141. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Council held on 12 February, 2014 were confirmed as a correct record.
142. MATTERS ARISING
In response to a question with regards to the provision of a pharmacy in the Morrisons store, the Town Clerk reported that there had been no further comments from Morrisons Head Office.
143. MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS
Apart from the arrival of a new grandchild, The Mayor reported that things had been very quiet since the last meeting of the Council. She informed Members that the recent photograph that had appeared in the press with members of the Youth Club had been arranged to allow the Youth Club to say thank you to the Town Council for their generosity in funding the Summer Play Schemes.
144. POLICE MATTERS
PCSO Hughes attended the meeting and reported as follows:
- he, along with the Town Clerk and others had attended a site meeting with the owner of a property in The Orchards. There had been a number of complaints about youths gathering around one of the newly installed lampposts on the footpath adjacent to The Orchards and a number of suggestions had been made to combat the problem. One of the Police’s main difficulties was that the incidents were not being reported to the Control Room. He emphasised the importance of all incidents being reported to Central Control, and that a ‘Crime Number’ should be obtained for each complaint;
- a discussion took place about the use of the CCTV cameras placed around the Town and PCSO Hughes agreed to feed the information given back to the Operations Staff;
- he reported that the last Police surgery had been better attended;
- Members expressed their concerns about the continued speeding around the Town and in particular on the Chester Road/High Street and on Boundary Lane. He had recently received refresher training on the use of the hand held ‘speed gun’ and he would be putting it to good use in the next few weeks;
- he had received complaints about the anti social parking in and around Wood Memorial School at school times and Members also referred to the problems with the parking in Victoria Road, North Street, the alleyway adjacent to Barclays Bank and on the pavement on Park Avenue and a discussion took place as to whose responsibility it was to enforce the law in these instances. He agreed to look at the ‘obstruction’ problems and the attention of the County Council enforcement officers would be drawn to the highway parking problems;
- a new ‘action plan’ idea was to be brought into force with the Town Council being able to ‘direct’ the plan for each month with the Police reporting back on any progress.
Members agreed that the ‘action plan’ for this next month should be Speeding.
145. FINANCE
(1) The repeal of Section 150 (5) of the Local Government Act 1972
The Town Clerk reported that Section 150 (5) of the LGA 1972 had been repealed. That Section had been the one that made it imperative for two Councillors to sign all payments. The repeal now meant that Councils could now use Direct Debits/Standing Orders and credit cards for payment. He did not suggest any changes in the Town Council’s present payments system at this time, except for the formal approval of payment of BT and Scottish Power by Direct Debit in the future. As payment systems are further developed they would first be brought to the Council for approval.
RESOLVED: (1) That formal approval be given for the payment of BT and Scottish Power by way of Direct Debit but that the Town Council’s main method of payment continue to be by way of a cheque signed by two persons.
(2)Annual Governance Statement
Members were reminded that in Accordance with Audit Regulations it was necessary for the Council to review annually the effectiveness of their internal audit controls. The Town Council operate a computerised cash book with its own in-built internal audit controls. Print-outs from the cash book are submitted to the Council/Finance and General Purposes Committee. All monies paid to the Town Council were transferred by the County Council and others direct into the Council’s Deposit account held with HSBC. With regards to expenditure, all accounts were brought monthly to the Council and listed on the Council’s agenda. All expenditure is by way of a cheque. All invoices, which are open to inspection at every meeting, are checked and initialled by the Town Clerk and the cheques are signed by any two of the authorised members of the Council who also initial the counterfoil of the cheque and the invoice.
For the last few years the Council had appointed JDH Business Services as their internal auditors and the Council were invited to re-appoint them.
RESOLVED: (2) That JDH Business Services Ltd, be re-appointed the Town Council’s internal auditors;
(3) Carry Forward
The Town Clerk reported that Paragraph 3.5 of the Council’s Financial Regulations referred to unspent provisions; Unspent provisions in the revenue budget shall not be carried forward to a subsequent year without the express approval of the Council.
Members were asked to consider the following suggestions for monies to be carried forward to the financial year 2014/15.
In vote:-
101 (4032) the unexpended monies for the printing of the Business Plan be carried forward;
104 (4080) £2,000 of the unexpended monies be carried forward into the same vote and £5,000 be transferred to vote 4042 –Civic Expenses see Minute 150.
201 (4102) any unexpended monies be carried forward (this vote will be reduced when the fencing is erected on the Park Avenue Playing Field);
203 (4303) there have been no lanterns paid for out of this year’s account and the £14,000 could be carried forward;
205 (4360) there may be a difficulty in using this money for the new trees before the end of March and it would be prudent to carry this money forward.
RESOLVED (3) That the carry forward suggestions referred to above be approved.
146. APPLICATION FOR GRANTS –SECTION 137
The Town Clerk reported that he had received an application for a grant from the Flintshire Diabetes Voluntary Group. The Group meets on a bi-monthly basis and enables people with diabetes to meet informally and learn from each other in a relaxed atmosphere. The funds are used to support the bi-monthly meeting and provide diabetes literature to people attending. Over 6000 in Flintshire have diabetes.
RESOLVED: That this application be deferred for further information.
147. FLINTSHIRE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
CALL FOR CANDIDATE SITES
It was reported that following the adoption of the UDP the County Council was now embarking on the preparation of a Local Development Plan (LDP). The Council was gathering evidence and assessing issues in order to be able to consider options for the future development of the County. This included inviting land owners, developers and other interested parties to submit sites for consideration for development. These sites, to be known as Candidate Sites, could be submitted for all types of development, although it was important that they would be available for development within the life of the plan up to 2030.
Candidate Sites could be located anywhere in the County although in the first instance the Council was likely to start by looking to re-use previously developed land and buildings within settlements, then, where appropriate, settlement extension and then new developments around those settlements with good public transport links.
All site submissions would be acknowledged and placed on a Candidates Sites Register which would be open to public inspection. The preferred method of submission was by e-mail although paper submissions would also be considered. The necessary documents were available on the County Council’s website at
The call for Candidate Sites would last for 3 months ending on Friday 30 May, 2014 at 5pm.
RESOLVED: That this matter be further considered at the next meeting but that in the interim Members to e-mail the Town Clerk with any suggestions.
148. PLAYING OUT IN FLINTSHIRE
The Town Clerk reported an invitation from the County Council for a Member(s) to attend a training event for town and community councillors involved in the delivery of play services for children, young people and communities, to take place in the Alyn and Deeside Room at County Hall on Wednesday 26 March between 5.30pm and 8pm.
RESOLVED: That Councillor Shallcross be authorised to attend.
149. POST BOX – HIGH STREET – BY THE POLICE STATION
Councillor Lloyd reported further on this matter and correspondence he had received from the Post Office.
RESOLVED: That a formal letter of complaint, about the removal of this post box, be sent to the Head Postmaster.
150. MAYORAL REGALIA
The Town Clerk reported that following his investigations he had visited the Vaughtons factory in Birmingham. He had been accompanied by the Councillors Evans. They had been graciously received and invited to tour the factory and inspect various regalia. He had subsequently received a quotation for the provision of a new mounted insignia and a new chain of office for The Mayor fitted onto a velvet collar and a Deputy Mayors badge suspended on a neck ribbon with an engraved title bar. Badges, chain and collars to be supplied in fitted cases. He suggested that the costs could be funded from virement (referred to at Minute 145 above).
RESOLVED: That (1) the quotation from Vaughtons, in the sum of £4,116.45, be accepted and the Town Clerk be authorised to make the necessary arrangements; and (2) the present regalia be retired and deposited at the County Archivist Office until such time as the Town Council has a building where it can be placed on display.
151. CCTV CAMERA CARLTON AVENUE
THE ORCHARDS
The Town Clerk reported that a decision on the value of the CCTV that was watching the play area on Carlton Avenue was still awaited. When agreement had been reached for the replacement camera it had been suggested that it was temporarily situated on a lamppost on the pathway between the High Street and Salisbury Avenue adjacent to the properties known as The Orchards where there have been constant complaints about the ASB and the Police have been unable to ascertain the culprits. (see Minute 144).
RESOLVED: That on a temporary basis the replacement CCTV be attached to the lamppost referred to above before being returned to the Carlton Avenue play area.
152. PLANNING APPLICATIONS
The Town Clerk reported the receipt of the following planning applications for consultation:
Ref: 0514469
PROPOSAL: Change of use from a shop (A1) to a cafe/restaurant (A3).
LOCATION: 2 Victoria Road, Saltney, CH4 8SS
GRID REF: E337873 N364900
RESOLVED: That the County Council be informed, that the Town Council object to this application on the grounds of lack of parking facilities for customers and the length of the opening hours.
Ref: 051840
PROPOSAL: Development including substitution of house types and other details approved under reference 046381
LOCATION: 142 High Street, Saltney, CH4 8SQ
GRID REF: E338022 N365028
RESOLVED: That the County Council be informed that whilst the Town Council are in favour of, and unanimously support the development, they object to the departure from the County’s own policy of the provision of 30% affordable housing and also the difficult access to the development from the High Street in view of the proximity of the entrance to Park Avenue and the bus route.
153. FLINTSHIRE LOCAL ACCESS FORUM –REPRESENTATIVE
RESOLVED: That this matter be deferred.
154. INFORMATION FROM THE LOCAL COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Further to Minute 210 of 2008/9 Local County Council members, Councillor Richard Lloyd and Councillor Gay were invited to give any feedback they might have received from County Council meetings that might or would affect Saltney
Councillor Gay referred to the matter of Community Transport that was awaiting the deliberations of TAITH; the possibility of creating a new entrance to St David’s School instead of from St David’s Terrace; the allotment group planting the new trees and the meeting of the Dee Catchment Partnership meeting on 26 March. Councillor Lloyd referred to the erection of the new Saltney Ferry signs; the meeting of the History Group at St David’s School on 8 April; the Police Open Day on 5 April and an issue that had arisen with schoolchildren using the entrance to the Saltney Ferry public house as a shelter from the weather.
155. PAYMENT OF ACCOUNTS
RESOLVED: That the following accounts be passed for payment:
PayeeInvoiceAmount
A ThornileySalary + Office (£50.00) March £991.86
HMRCTown Clerk’s IT£235.40 NI£74.01 £309.41
A ThornileyPostages/Civic expenses/mileage £106.86
Deeside Ldge Room Hire £25.00
Scottish PowerEnergy to 28/02/2014£592.74
VAT£118.55 £711.29
FCCRental Play area at Ewart Street £30.00
The Town Clerk also reported that it was expected that a number of invoices would be received before the end of March that should properly be met from within this year’s budget provision and Members authorised the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Finance and General Purposes Committee to approve such payments on behalf of the Council.