Baildon Town Council – Ordinary Council Meeting

Present: Cllr P Ashton in the Chair, Cllrs L Ware, L Brook, J Turner, C Flecknoe, J Ashton, G Dixon, D Shaw.

In attendance: Louanna Winch Town Clerk, David Robertshaw.

FC1718/48Chair’s opening remarks

Chair welcomed all and gave general housekeeping instructions. Councillors were asked to send any news items to be included in the monthly newsletter to Assembly Marketing ASAP. TheChair has been informed by BDMC that the refurbishment of Thompson Lane playground will now commence in February 2018, and the work is likely to take approx three weeks. The budget for 2018-19 was expected to be included on the agenda of this meeting, however, the Governance Committee had not been able to agree the budget and an extraordinary meeting will be held on the 8th of January to do so. The budget will be agreed at an extraordinary meeting of the Full Council on the Monday the 15th of January.

FC1718/49Apologies

Apologies were received and noted from Cllr J Dunn, Cllr M Ward, Cllr T Sutton and Cllr L Vasey.

FC1718/50Disclosures of interest

Cllr J Ashton declared he had recently been selected as the prospective candidate for the Labour party at the next Council elections in 2018. If selected as the candidate, he will inform the Clerk and update his declaration of interests.

FC1718/51Minutes of the previous meeting

Proposed by CllrJ Ashton, secondedby CllrD Shaw andresolved unanimously as a correct record of the minutes of the Ordinary Meeting of the Full Council held on 9th October 2017.

FC1718/52Public participation

David Robertshaw requested an update on the future of Ian Clough Hall. He also requested financial information regarding the amount of Council Tax raised in Baildon per financial year, and how much was returned to the area.

FC1718/53Response to Public participation

The Chair stated that he has today, emailed all the current hirer’s of Ian Clough Hall, requesting information about their intentions to continue using the Hall. Negotiations between BDMC and Baildon Town Council continue.The Chair stated the Clerks report would give further information, later in the meeting.

With reference to the Council tax raised in the Baildon area, the Chair stated that a Freedom of Information Act request would be required and this should be sent to BDMC. In the past when previous requests have been made to find out how much money came back into the area, BDMC had been unable to comply with the requestas the cost and staff time implications would outweigh the public interest.

FC1718/54Important information from Councillors and Staff

Cllr Flecknoe requested that the Council/Chair send thanks to the organisers of Baildon at Xmas and the venues involved for their participation in a very popular event.

Cllr Dixon updated on the Community asset transfer of the Public Toilets, which is going very well. A small budget has been set aside for the work on the toilets by BDMC.

Cllr J Ashton informed the committee of an event at St Johns Church on Saturday the 6th of January 2018. Public access has been granted to the lower part of the graveyard and two companies of the Armed Forces will be attending the location to assist in clearing the undergrowth. Publicity is requested for volunteers from the community, assistance fromCouncillors, and funding from the Environmental Committee to cover costs.

Cllr J Turnertold the committee that he has been informed by a local resident that a Mr Jones had now bought the reservoirs and was thinking of applying for planning permission for a bottling plant.

FC1718/55Response to Important information from Councillors and Staff

The Chair and Clerk will send a letter of thanks to the organisers and those involved in Baildon at Xmas.

An extraordinary meeting of the Environment Committee will be held to request funding to assist in the clearance of the graveyard.

FC1718/56Clerks report

An update was given on the negotiations with BDMC re Ian Clough Hall. The Clerk stated that negotiations were ongoing but slow, this was due to the fact that the Council had been informed that BDMC budgets were decreasing for Libraries and Adult Services. Both services play important parts in co funding ICH, and it was important to establish if they would continue to do this in the next financial year. Their support must be established before the Town Council can be presented with all the information required for a decision.

A discussion took place between those present, and it was suggested by somethat an informal meeting of the Councillors takes place in the near future, so preparations could commence and the Councillors were able to act quickly when BDMC had decided on their budget.

The Clerk agreed with the comments made earlier from Cllr Dixon re the CAT of the public toilets, and confirmed a budget of £5 thousand pounds had been given by BDMC to complete maintenance work.

The Baildon sinkhole continues to be worked on by a number of contractors. If fair weather holds the work should be completed by Christmas Eve. An article in the Telegraph and Argus had been circulated to the Councillors by the Clerk, which gave detailed information re the work and associated costs.

FC1718/57Committee Recommendations

57.1 Governance Committee - minute 43.4 (Staff Workload 1718/13)

Proposed Cllr P Ashton, seconded Cllr L Vasey and resolved to recommend to Full Council, that from the 1st April 2018, Baildon Town Council employ an Administrative Assistant, for 15 hours per week, on a 12 month fixed term contract, pay scale 18 (pro rata salary of £17,891)

Note: Cllr Dixon wished for the Clerk to evaluate the option of an apprentice for the future.

The Clerk is to take advice from Ellis Whittam, to ensure that the correct terminology is used in the advertisement and contract of the Administrative Assistant for the agenda of the next Full Council meeting.

Proposed Cllr P Ashton, seconded Cllr D Shaw and resolved unanimously, subject to confirmation of a previous resolution on staff salaries being at least the real living wage, thatfrom the 1st April 2018, Baildon Town Council employ an Administrative Assistant, for 15 hours per week, on a 12 month fixed term contract, pay scale 18 (pro rata salary of £17,891)

57.2 Economy Committee - minute 1718/24 Baildon Library

It was Resolved to approve the Terms of Reference for Baildon Library Advisory Group (BLAG). Proposed Cllr Turner seconded Cllr Dixon all in Favour. It was also resolved to recommend to Full Council to amend the TOR of the Economy Committee to reflect the formation of an advisory Group rather than a Sub Committee. Proposed Cllr Dixon seconded Cllr Turner all in Favour.

Proposed Cllr G Dixon, seconded Cllr J Turner and resolved with 1 abstention to amend the terms of reference of the Economy Committee to reflect the formation of an advisory group rather than a sub-committee.

FC1718/58Baildon Plan

Discussion was held about the Baildon Plan and how this is now three years old, is it time to commence work on a new plan? This could be in place for when a new Council is appointed in 2019. It was suggested that the Baildon plan was discussed further at an away day by the Councillors.Cllr Flecknoe and Cllr Shaw will seek an informal discussion on the plan with the Clerk.

FC1718/592018 Beacon

Cllr Shaw gave an update re the erecting of a metal beacon at the Trig point. He stated that logistically getting the public to the area in November could be difficult. It has been suggested that a town centre beacon could be erected for future use. After being informed of a second trig point by Cllr Turner, Cllr Shaw agreed to research this as an alternative location for the beacon.

FC1718/60LBA Consultation

The LBA consultation was noted.

FC1718/61Committee Vacancies

Deferred to the January meeting. Cllr Peter Ashton will sit on the Economy and Community Committees in January until a new Councillor is appointed.

FC1718/62Promotional opportunities

Sinkhole, Thompson Lane playground, and availability of gritbins.

FC1718/63To notify the Clerk of any item for future agenda

Committee vacancies

FC1718/64Next meeting date

It was noted that an extraordinary meeting of the Council will take place on Monday the 15th of January 2018 at 7.30pm at Baildon Community Link.

The next ordinary meeting of the Full Council is on the 12th ofMarch 2018 at 7.30 pm at Baildon Community Link.

Town Clerk Tel. (01274) 593169

Email:

Document date: 12th December 2017Meeting date: 11th December 2017 Page 1 of 4

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