DEREHAM TOWN COUNCIL
11th October2016
At a meeting of the Full Council held on Tuesday 11th October2016in the Assembly Rooms at 7.30pm.
Present: Councillors P Duigan(Chairman),A Bowyer, H Bushell, L Goreham, R Hambidge, L Monument and T Monument,
Also in attendance:Town Clerk A Needham, Deputy Town Clerk J Barron, County & District Councillor W Richmond and District Councillor A Webb.
57.To receive any World War One centenary commemorations.
On this our centenary we remember:
Private Reginald Walter Grave – 7th Battalion – Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent)
Died 29th October 1916 in France.
Private Herbert Mayes – 9th Battalion - Norfolk Regiment
Died 18th October 1916 in France
Private Ernest Symonds – 37th Battalion – Royal Fusiliers (City of London)
Died 11th October 1916 in France
Private Jesse Robert Thompson – 1/5th Battalion – Norfolk Regiment
Died 21st October 1916 in Mesopotamia
58.To receive apologies for absence.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors H Clarke, H Rogers, K Millbank and B Frith.
59.Declaration of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest.
The meeting was adjourned.
District Councillor A Webb advised the meeting that Mr Nick Moys of Breckland Council had written to Anglian Water on the 19th September expressing his serious concerns regarding the sewerage problems in Dereham and requesting an immediate response. No response has yet been received.
Anglian Water will be meeting with local resident Mr Neil Starling to discuss the sewerage problems but no meeting has been arranged with Breckland Council.
Councillor A Webb also said that the Head Teacher of Neatherd High School has written to Breckland Council expressing his concerns regarding the sewerage that backs up into the road where children have to walk when going to school.
Councillor P Duigan suggested that Mr Starling be invited to the next planning meeting to give an update on his meeting with Anglian Water.
County and District Councillor W Richmond said that he would be attending a Highways England presentation on Thursday, should there be any questions that Councillors would like him to ask then they should let him know.
Councillor A Bowyer asked if the road signage could be updated as some signs said West Germany on them and they only mentioned one of the towns that Dereham is twinned with.
Councillor W Richmond also said that the Trod on Norwich Road will be upgraded and remedial work will be carried out on the Trod on Quebec Road.
Mrs Eames thanked the Town Clerk for his help in sorting out the problems with the bus shelter near Quebec Hall and requested that a seat be moved closer to the bus stop.
The Town Clerk said that a seat would be moved closer to the bus stop.
The meeting resumed.
60.To receive announcements.
The Mayor, Councillor P Duigan announced that he had attended the following events:
17th September 2016 -Etling Green Reading Room
18th September 2016 -Battle of Britain Wreath Laying Ceremony at
County Hall
23rd September 2016 -Meeting of the Buffaloes at Toftwood Social
Club
30th September 2016-Rotary Clubs 70th Anniversary
2nd October 2016-Rotary Clubs Services of Celebration
The Deputy Mayor, Councillor H Bushell announced that she had attended the following:
22nd September 2016 - Meeting with South Norfolk Clinical Group,
who will also be in attendance at the next
Meet Your Councillor session.
Councillor P Duigan announced that a meeting will be held at the Memorial
Hall on the 24th October between 7pm and 9pm to discuss issues relating to
the local plan.
Councillor H Bushell said that she would be contacting the Norwich Residential
Management Committee to request they donate a piece of land on the east
side of Matsell Way leading to the bus stop that could be made into a footpath
making it safer for pedestrians.
Councillor H Bushell asked Councillors if they would like to donate towards
sending a Poppy to be laid at Ypres.
61. To receive, confirm as correct and sign the minutes of the Full Council meeting held on Tuesday 13th September 2016.
Proposed by Councillor P Duigan, seconded by Councillor Bushell the minutes of the Full Council meeting Tuesday 13th September 2016 were agreed and signed.62.Finance & Governance Committee
(a) To receive, confirm as correct and sign the minutes of the meeting
held onTuesday 20th September 2016.
Proposed by Councillor H Bushell, seconded Councillor L Monument the minutes of the Finance and Governance Committee meeting Tuesday 20th September 2016 were agreed and signed.(b) To receive a report from the Chairman, discuss any matters arising therefrom and vote on recommendations.
The following recommendation was agreed and approved by the council:
To consider earmarking funding to commemorate the end of the 1st World War.
That over the next three budget years the Town Council accumulates and sets aside a fund of £20,000 towards activities commemorating the end of the 1st World War. Criteria for allocating this funding would be considered at a later date.63.Heritage & Open Spaces Committee
(a) To receive, confirm as correct and sign the minutes of the meeting
held onTuesday 27th September 2016.
Proposed by Councillor P Duigan, seconded by Councillor H Bushell the minutes of the Heritage and Open Spaces Committee meeting were agreed and signed subject to Councillor A Bowyer’s name being added to apologies for absence.(b) To receive a report from the Chairman, discuss any matters arising
therefrom and vote on recommendations.
The following recommendations were agreed and approved by the council:
To receive and consider report from Footpaths Warden
The Town Council agree in principle to the erection of the Walkers are Welcome signs.To consider transferring responsibility for managing the Neatherd under
the 1910 Scheme of Management from Breckland District Council to the
Town Council.
The Clerk write to Breckland Council expressing the Town Councils interest in taking over the responsibility for managing the Neatherd and Etling Green.64.Recreation Committee
(a) To receive, confirm as correct and sign the minutes of the meeting
held onTuesday 27th September 2016.
Proposed by Councillor P Duigan, seconded by Councillor H Bushell the minutes of the RecreationCommittee meeting were agreed and signed subject to Councillor A Bowyer’s name being added to apologies for absence.(b) To receive a report from the Chairman, discuss any matters arising therefrom and vote on recommendations.
The following recommendations were agreed and approved by the council:
To consider fencing unauthorised gates onto allotments.
The following policy was agreed:In the first instance, where there is a gate with no plot holder resident in the property, the property holder would be written to, to inform them that they have no right to be on the allotment and can they ensure that the gate is secured to prevent unauthorised access.
If there continues to be a problem with people entering the allotments from properties then the Council would erect a fence on the allotments directly adjacent to the boundary in front of the gate, so that access is physically prevented.
To consider the preferred approach to refurbishing Pond Park Play area Hillcrest.
Due to the level of design and landscaping required, that a survey of the site be carried out and Jeremy Stacey Architects should be asked to look at the problems with the site and come up with some initial ideas.65.Personnel Committee
(a) To receive, confirm as correct and sign the minutes of the meeting
held onTuesday 4th October 2016.
Proposed by Councillor A Bowyer, seconded by Councillor R Hambidge the minutes of the Personnel committee Tuesday 4th October 2016 were agreed and signed subject to minor amendments shown in italics.(b) To receive a report from the Chairman, discuss any matters arising therefrom and vote on recommendations.
The following recommendations were agreed and approved by the council:
To consider issues relating to parity of pay resulting from the introduction of Living wage.
A full grade point should be maintained between the lowest scale point for the semi-skilled workers (those currently on grade 14-17) and the Living Wage and that grading for the semi-skilled should increase in order to maintain a full scale point difference as the Living Wage increases.The differential between the pay for bar staff and the pay for the bar Manager / Supervisor should not become less than 8%.
To consider options for maternity pay
The Council adopt the Breckland Council Occupational Maternity pay scheme which is currently for staff who have been in post for at least 12 months and intend to return to work for at least three months after maternity leave which is:90% weeks’ pay for weeks 1-6
Half weeks’ pay plus flat rate SMP, provided it does not exceed full pay, for weeks 7-18
Weeks 19-33, 90% of weekly earnings or flat rate SMP of £139.58 whichever is the lowest.
Review the pay and grading of the post of Deputy Clerk
The Council amend the job description of the Deputy Clerk to exclude routine repetitive financial tasks and that the pay scale for the Deputy Clerk be extended by three points, dependent on the routine financial tasks being successfully transferred to another member of staff and onthe Deputy Clerk taking on more complex tasks. The additional 3 scale points would reflect the increased complexity of the role.To consider Clerk’s working hours
From the 1st October 2016 the Clerk’s contracted weekly hours be increased from 37hrs to 40hrs per week, to take account of evening meetings, that no more than 8 additional hours could be carried over from one month to the next. The salary to be adjusted to reflect the additional hours.66.To receive and adopt the minutes of the Planning Meetings Tuesday 13th September 2016 and Tuesday 27th September 2016.
Proposed by Councillor P Duigan, seconded by Councillor H Bushell the minutes of the Planning Meeting Tuesday 13th September 2016 and Tuesday 27th September 2016 were agreed and signed subject to Councillor A Bowyer’s name being added to the apologies for absence in the minutes of the 27th September 2016.67.To receive and adopt the list of accounts paid, the Financial Statement and list of accounts to be paid.
Proposed by Councillor H Bushell, seconded by Councillor P Duigan, the list of accounts paid, the Financial Statement and list of accounts to be paid were agreed and signed.68.To consider proceeding with improvements to heating controls at Memorial Hall.
Proposed by Councillor L Monument, seconded Councillor R Hambidge, it was agreed to proceed with the improvements to the heating controls at the Memorial Hall.69.To consider response to Government Consultation on 2017/18 Local Government Finance Settlement.
Councillors agreed to respond using the letter drafted by the Town Clerk
70.To consider inviting Lorne Green to a Full Council Meeting.
It was agreed that the Town Clerk contact Lorne Greens office with regards to arranging a meeting.
Chairman
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