BEAMINSTER TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Town Council meeting held on Monday 23rd November 2015 in the Skyrm Room at the Public Hall, Beaminster at 7.00pm
Mr Streets voiced his deep concern at the announcement that the County Council were to close all Youth Centres in Dorset. He urged the Town Council to do whatever it could to ensure the Beaminster Youth Centre remained open; he also urged members to make comment on the questionnaire on dorsetforyou.com
1377PRESENT– Cllr C Turner(Chairman), Cllr G Berry, Cllr T Beswarick, Cllr P Body,
Cllr R Cheeseman, Cllr P Elliott, , Cllr M Jupp, andCllr Mrs J Page.
1378IN ATTENDANCE – Mrs Christine Bright (Town Clerk) andWDDC Cllr P Barrowcliff, WDDC Cllr A Alford, DCC Mrs R Knox, one member of the public and two press representatives.
1379REPORTS FROM AND QUESTIONS FOR:
(a)Dorset Police Representative
In the absence of a police representative no report was received.
(b)West Dorset District Councillors
Cllr Alford reported that:
- Service Review Consultation in respect of support for West Dorset
Voluntary and Community Organisations and West Dorset Partnership and
Local AreaPartnership Funding had closed on 12th November 2015 and
a press release had been issued
- New Waste Collection Service – Tranche 5, which included Beaminster,
had been remarkably successful
- Chancellor’s Autumn Statement – from a District Council perspective there were likely to be financial implications
(c)Dorset County Councillor
Cllr Mrs R Knox reported that:
- Bus service at Gerrards Green – should the issue be referred back to the
County Council, as ward member she would be approached to liaise with the
Town Council therefore, it would be advantageous for her to have sight of
correspondence. AGREED
- ‘Working Together’ – a further report would be submitted to the County
Council’s Cabinet meeting in December, it was hoped that the work
carried out would be ratified.
- Youth Centres – following an intelligence gathering exercise, the County
Council had agreed to retain professional youth services but to find a more
effective way of delivering the service eg: youth worker placed in schools. Communities who wished to retain their existing youth facilities were being invited to assist with the provision of the service. Cllr Mrs Knox felt
Beaminster had a good case to present to the County Council, as the Centre was used for a large number of activities and she would be happy to work
with the Town Council to retain the Centre.
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A number of councillors expressed their concern at the proposal to close the
Youth Centre, in particular Cllr Berry voiced his disappointment that a
decision had been taken to close 22 Centres in Dorset without any
consultation with town and parish council’s, this had caused some
considerable ‘unrest’ within those communities.
With regard to the proposal to provide youth workers in schools,
Cllr Cheeseman expressed his concern that most children wanted to get
away from the school environment and he felt that they would be reluctant to
raise issues within that environment.
1380APOLOGIES–Apologies for absence were received from Cllr S Norriswho was out of town on business.
1381 MINUTES OF THE TOWN COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 26TH OCTOBER2015
The minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 26th October2015havingpreviously been circulated wereamended to record Mr Streets, as Ex Chairman of the Youth Centre Management Committee, addressed the council; and Cllr Berry enquired whether the recycling skips could be, in the future, sunk in the ground before the Chairman signed as a correct record.
1382DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
No declarations of interest were received.
1383REPORTS FROM OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
(a) DAPTC – Cllr Mrs Page advised the four motions submitted by member Council’s,
supported by members ofthe Town Council,had received support from DAPTC.
1384 PAYMENTS AND RECEIPTS
Members were tabled with a list of payments, cheque numbers 104308 – 104319 issued, together with direct debit payments between 1stNovember 2015 and 30th November 2015 totalling £11,669.39; also receipts totalling £5,562.71.
Members RESOLVED to APPROVE the list, a copy of which isattached.
1385RECREATIONS & AMENITIES COMMITEE
Members had previously been circulated with the Minutes of the Recreations & Amenities
Committee meeting held on 4th November 2015 and considered the recommendations
therein:
(a) Drainage – Memorial Playing Field
The Town Clerk advised that she had obtained contact details for two companies which
specialise in sport pitch drainage and arrangements had been made for a site visit with
a view to obtaining advice and costs for remedial works. Members NOTED budget
provision had been allocated for surface water drainage in the Memorial Playing Field.
(b) Access from 18 Myrtle Close
Members APPROVED the request for foot access to the Memorial Playing Field from
18 Myrtle Close.
(c) Cricket Club – Practice Nets
Members APPROVED the Cricket Club’s request to extend the length of concrete pad
at the practice nets to permit the bowler to bowl from a hard surface.
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1386PUBLIC HALL WORKING PARTY
Members had previously been circulated with the Minutes of the Public Hall Working Party
meeting held on 18th November 2015 and considered the recommendations
therein:
(a) Emergency lights
Members RESOLVED acceptance of the quotation from BEG Electrical in the sum of
£255.00 + VAT.
(b) Cigarette disposal container
Members AGREED to contribute 50% of the cost to provide a cigarette disposal
container for the Fleet Club.
Cllr Berry drew attention to the minute referring to consideration of extending the Cowie
Room in order to create a permanent Council Chamber, he expressed his concern that the
room would not be large enough to facilitate a Council Chamber and it was AGREED to
amend the minute to read “with a view to creating a multi purpose room”
1387FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITEEE
Members had previously been circulated with the Minutes of the Finance & General
Purposes Committee meeting held on 18th November 2015 and considered the
recommendations therein:
(a) Budget
Cllr Berry, noted the designation of Mrs Blair’s fund as a ‘tree’ fund andquestioned the
objective of Mrs Blair’s fund, which he believed, had been for the Square. Cllr Mrs
Page advised the money had not been for a specific purpose however she had felt that
with the recent discussion regarding tree planting it might be an appropriate use for the
funds, however no decision had been made. Following discussion it was AGREED not
to earmark the fund for a particular use.
Members RESOLVED to purchase a mains operated Scrubber Drier and Henry Hoover
for use in the Public Hall.
(b) Precept 2016/2017
Having carefully considered the budget as attached to the minutes and bearing in mind
uncertainty on the future provision of some public services members RESOLVED an increase in the levy of 3% resulting in a Precept Levy of £122,570 for 2016/2017.
1388WORKING TOGETHER WORKING PARTY
Members had previously been circulated with a copy of the notes of the Working Party held
on Tuesday 17th November 2015. NOTED
1389DORSET YOUTH SERVICES
Members had previously been circulated with a copy of correspondence received from
Mr Streets in which he expressed his concern at the proposal to close Youth Centres, in
particular Beaminster Youth Centre. In light of discussion earlier in the meeting it was
RESOLVED to support the retention of the Beaminster Youth Centre and it was AGREED
to open dialogue with County Councillor Mrs Knox.
1390WEST DORSET DISTRICT COUNCIL – STREET TRADING CONSENT
Members considered and AGREEDto support a renewal application from Katherine Locke
for Jalopy Pizza to trade on the external edge of Beaminster Square subject to no A board
advertising.
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Members considered and REFUSEDto support a new application from Sirac Isiktas for
street trading consent on the external edge of Beaminster Square for the purposes of
trading in fast food.
1391STREETLIGHTING – FAIRFIELD
Members considered correspondence received from a resident in Fairfield in which they had requested that consideration be given to installing a streetlight on an existing pole outside their property as the area was particularly dark. Prior to making a decision members felt it was important to seek the views of neighbouring properties and AGREED to write to neighbouring properties to draw attention to the request.
1392CHRISTMAS OFFICE HOURS
Members RESOLVED the Office would close at 12 Noon on Wednesday 23rd December
2015 and re-open at 10.00am on Monday 4th January 2016.
1393CORRESPONDENCE
Noitems of significant correspondence had beenreceived.
1394 PROGRESS REPORTS
Members had previously been circulated with a written progress report on all outstanding
issues. NOTED.
1395 FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
- Neighbourhood Plan Update
- Funding for BAVLAP
1396 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The date of next meeting was set for Monday 25th January 2016.
1397 PUBLIC BODIES (Admission to Meeting) ACT 1960
Members RESOLVED in accordance with the terms of the Act, the public and press be
excluded from the meeting whilst discussion takes place on agenda item 18 on
the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the
confidential nature of the business to be transacted in respect of the consideration of
staffing matters.
1398 STAFF PENSION SCHEME
Members had previously been circulated with a copy of the Chairman’s confidential report
and RESOLVED to ACCEPT the recommendation therein.
1399 MEETING- The meeting, which started at 7.00pm, closed at 9.05pm.
CHAIRMAN
25TH JANUARY2016
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