Cllr Elliott, Cllr Jupp and Cllr Mrs Page

BEAMINSTER TOWN COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual Council meeting held on Tuesday 16th May 2017in the Skyrm Room, Public Hall, Beaminster

1706PRESENT: Cllr Turner (Chairman), Cllr Beswarick, Cllr Body, Cllr Mrs Cooke, Cllr Dawkins,

Cllr Elliott, Cllr Jupp and Cllr Mrs Page.

1707IN ATTENDANCE:Mrs Christine Bright (Town Clerk) and West Dorset District Councillor

A Alford.

1708APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Baker (prior engagement),

Cllr Cheeseman (on holiday) and Cllr Norris (out of the country on business).

1709ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN

Cllr Turner was proposed by Cllr Body, seconded by Cllr Jupp, there being no other

nominations Cllr Turner was duly elected Chairman for the ensuing year.

1710ELECTION OF VICE-CHAIRMAN

In his absence, Cllr Cheeseman was proposed by Cllr Turner, seconded by Cllr Body and there being no other nominations Cllr Cheeseman, subject to agreement,was duly elected Vice Chairman for the ensuing year.

1711DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & DISPENSATIONS

No declarations were received.

1712MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 24TH APRIL 2017

The minutes of the Council meeting held on 24th April 2017 having previously been circulated were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

1713TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR COMMITTEE AND DELEGATED ARRANGEMENTS

Members hadpreviously been circulated with a copy of the Terms of Reference and delegated arrangements for all the Council’s Standing Committees.

Following consideration, members RESOLVED to ADOPT the Terms of Reference for the Planning Advisory & Highways Committee and Finance & General Purposes Committee without amendment.

Following consideration, membership of the Recreations & Amenities Committee was amended to SIX councillors, in addition to the Chairman and Vice Chairman.

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Following consideration, membership of the Christmas Lights Committee was amended to read “The Committee shall appoint four other members annually, who may not be a Town Councillor”.

Following consideration, membership of the Beaminster Activity Area Development (BAAD) Committee was amended to:

Membership shall consist of TWO councillors, in addition to the Chairman and Vice

Chairman of the Council who are ex-officio members and entitled to vote. The Committee shall appoint SIX other members annually, who may not be a Town Councillor.

Following consideration the areas of responsibility for BAAD were amended to:

to make recommendations to the Town Council for the areas within its control
to maintain a system for Risk Management and Health & Safety for the areas within its control

Members RESOLVED to ADOPT the amended Terms of Reference in respect of the Recreations & Amenities Committee, Christmas Lights Committee and BAAD.

1714PLANNING ADVISORY & HIGHWAYS COMMITTEE

RESOLVED the following members be appointed to serve on the Planning Advisory &

Highways Committee for the ensuing year – all members of the Town Council.

1715RECREATIONS & AMENITIES COMMITTEE

RESOLVED the following members be appointed to serve on the Recreations & Amenities

Committee for the ensuing year –

Chairman – ex officio
Vice Chairman – ex officio
Cllr Beswarick
Cllr Body
Cllr Dawkins
Cllr Jupp
Cllr Norris
Cllr Mrs Page
Mr R Hansford - groundsman
Representative from Beaminster Cricket Club – Mr M Runyard
Representative from Beaminster Football Club – Mr M Runyard
Representative from Allotment Association – Mr B Martin

1716FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

RESOLVED the following members be appointed to serve on the Finance & General

Purposes Committee for the ensuing year –

Chairman – ex officio
Vice Chairman – ex officio
Cllr Baker
Cllr Beswarick
Cllr Body
Cllr Jupp
Cllr Mrs Page

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1717CHRISTMAS LIGHTS COMMITTEE

RESOLVED the following members be appointed to serve on the Christmas Lights Committee for the ensuing year –

Chairman – ex officio
Vice Chairman – ex officio
Cllr Baker
Cllr Jupp
Cllr Mrs Page
Representative from Beaminster Festival – Mr N Corbett
Representative from Beaminster School PTA – Mrs H Upham
Representative from Beaminster Youth Club – Mr G Streets
Mr D Beazer
Mr M Griffin

1718PUBLIC HALL WORKING PARTY

RESOLVED the following members be appointed to serve on the Public Hall Working Party

for the ensuing year –

Chairman – ex officio
Vice Chairman – ex officio
Cllr Baker
Cllr Beswarick
Cllr Body
Cllr Jupp
Cllr Mrs Page
Mrs S Pearce – Assistant to Town Clerk
Mrs K Crabb – Caretaker

1719BEAMINSTER ACTIVITY AREA DEVELOPMENT (BAAD) PROJECT GROUP

RESOLVED the following members be appointed to serve on BAAD Project Group

for the ensuing year –

Chairman – ex officio
Vice Chairman – ex officio
Cllr Beswarick
Cllr Mrs J Page
Mrs R Beeny
Mr C Chaney
Mr M Read
Mrs S Ward-Rice (WDDC)

1720APPOINTMENTS TO OUTSIDE

RESOLVED the following Liaison Officers be appointed for the ensuing year:-

Ancient Monuments – Cllr Mrs J Cooke
Crime Prevention – Cllr A Dawkins
Public Transport – CllrP Body
Right of Way – Cllr M Jupp
Civil Emergencies – Cllr R Cheeseman and Mrs S Pearce
Tree Warden – Cllr Mrs J Page

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RESOLVED the following appointments to outside bodies:-

BAVLAP – Cllr C Bakjer
Beaminster Area Senior Forum – vacant
Beaminster Community Centre Partnership – Cllr Mrs J Page
Beaminster & District Twinning Association – Cllr Mrs J Cooke
Beaminster Community Sports Group – Cllr C Turner
Beaminster Youth Centre Steering Group – Cllr P Elliott and Cllr M Jupp
Bridport CAB – Cllr A Dawkins
DAPTC – Cllr Mrs J Page and Cllr C Turner
Dorset Age Partnership – vacant
South & West Dorset Broadcasting Group – Cllr T Beswarick

1721BEAMINSTER TOWN COUNCIL’S STANDING ORDERS, FINANCIAL REGULATIONS CODE OF CONDUCT

Standing Orders

Members had previously been circulated with a copy of the Council’s current Standing Orders

for consideration.

Minor amendments were made to the document in respect of –

3 c - the time at which the Annual meeting of the Council shall take place at 7.00pm and

3 q - the number of members to constitute a quorum as four

Subject to the amendments members RESOLVED to ADOPT theStanding Orders for the ensuing Council year.

Financial Regulations

Members had previously been circulated with a copy of the Council’s current Financial

Regulations for consideration .

A minor amendment to 3.7 was agreed – substitute the word ‘available’ to read ..... “unless the Council is satisfied that the necessary funds are CONFIRMED, or the ...... ”

Subject to the amendments members RESOLVED to ADOPT theFinancial Regulations for the ensuing Council year.

Code of Conduct

Members had previously been circulated with a copy of the Council’s current Code of Conduct for consideration.

Members RESOLVED to ADOPT the Code of Conduct without amendment.

1722ASSET REGISTER

Members had previously been circulated with a copy of the Town Council’s Asset Register

as at 31st March 2017 and RESOLVED the asset value of £946,799.

Attention was drawn to a number of items, which historically were important to the Town but which did not have a current value. Members RESOLVED to obtain a valuation for a number of items listed under the heading of Misc.

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1723INSURANCE COVER FOR ALL INSURED RISKS

Members NOTED the Town Councilhad entered a new three year agreement with Aviva Insurance via WPS Insurance Brokersin September 2016. Having been circulated with a summary of the coverput in place following an insurance review in September 2016, and the level of insurance cover for all insuredrisks members RESOLVED to APPROVE the insurance schedule.

In these uncertain times, the Town Clerk was asked to establish the premium to include cover for terrorism on the policy. Also clarification to be sought as to what section of the policy provided cover for office and electrical equipment.[1]

1724COUNCIL’S AND/OR EMPLOYEES MEMBERSHIPS OF OTHER BODIES

Membersconsidered membershipof the DAPTC for 2017/18 in the sum of £788.06and the

annual subscription to the Society of Local Council Clerks in the sum of £139.00.

RESOLVED to RENEWfor 2017/18.

1725COUNCIL POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Members had previously been circulated with copies of the Town Council’s policies and

procedures relating to:

Health & Safety Policy
Equal Opportunities Policy
Child Protection Policy
Council’s Complaints Procedure
Freedom of Information and Data Protection Procedure
Risk Management and Assessments

Members RESOLVED to ADOPT all documents as circulated without amendment.

It was AGREED that Councillors ought to ‘own’ the Council’s risk assessments and the Town Clerk was asked to distribute copies to members for reference.

1726MEETING

The meeting which started at 7.00pm closed at 8.05pm.

CHAIRMAN

20th June 2017

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[1] Confirmation has been received that computers and electrical equipment are insured under the Machinery, plant and all other contents – current sum insured £42,000