Draft Minutes: Monday 8thJune 2015The Icklesham Memorial Hall at 7:15 pm

Present: Councillors: Mrs J Austen, R Davis, J Horsman, Mrs Lyward, Mrs C Merricks, A Moore, C Pope, Mrs J Stanford, H Sutton, S Tollett, P Turner (Chairman), S Turner and N Warren.

In attendance: A Evett (Clerk) and ESCC Glazier.

15/130Item 1Welcome to the meeting by the Chairman.

15/131 Item 2 Questions from the public. A member of the public asked if table name badges could be used. This received a positive response from the members and the chairman introduced all councillors. Cllr Turner read out a letter from Mrs P Anderson, a Winchelsea resident, about the state of the public toilets at Winchelsea. Members asked the clerk to send it to the Rother District Council councillors and to the leader of RDC and to respond to Mrs Anderson.

15/131 Item 3 Reports from County District Councillors. Councillor Glazier reported on the road repair scheme and highlighted recent repairs to Panel Lane and North Lane (Guestling.) The Peasmarsh/Beckley road refurbishment has raised many concerns from residents. Cllr Glazier urged residents to report pot holes to ESCC. He mentioned that ESCC were cutting the grass but this was for safety and not appearance. He mentioned match funding opportunities for grass cutting and other services. Finally he discussed that ESCC were budget setting for next year and the need for further cuts whilst still protecting the vulnerable within our communities.

The chairman commented on the road works at Rye and Playden and the resulting problems getting to the hospital and medical centre and whether anything could be done to improve them. Cllr S Turner thanked ESCC for the work on the roads but mentioned problems with passing cars in Panel Lane.

15/132 Item 4 Formal opening of the meeting.

15/132 Item 5 Apologies for absence. Apologies had been received fromRother District Cllrs Mrs Hart and Osborne who were both attending a meeting at Rother and who will also be absent for the July meeting for the same reason.

15/133 Item 6Disclosure of Interests. Disclosures of personal interests were made by Cllr A Moore for item 13, Cllr N Warren for items 14 and 18 and Cllr Mrs Merricks for items 14, 17 and 18.

15/134 Item 7To consider and approve the signing by the Chairman of the attached minutes of the Council meeting of 15thMay 2015.Resolved: the minutes of 15thMay 2015 were approved and signed with the following amendments: Date of meeting Friday 15th May 2015, item 15/07 amend Mr B Davis to read Mr R Davis, item 15/115 (c) change to December 14, item 15/119 (b) change Court House Museum to Court Hall Museum.

Matters Requiring a Decision by the Council

15/135 The Clerk sought approval to include an additional item from the Bexhill Ramblers to park a maximum of 6 cars at Icklesham on Saturday 13th June between 10 am and 2pm. Resolved: approval granted.

The Chairman explained that the staffing aspect of the Administration Working Group would be discussed in a confidential session as per the standing orders and that item 17 would be brought forward as a representative from the charity was present.

15/136 Item 8 Report and recommendations from the Administration Working Group. The report was received. Resolved: All recommendations were agreed including the formation of Administration Working Group (terms of reference to review all aspects of staffing matters and make recommendations to Council.) Allotments to be included in the remit of the newly combined Open Spaces and Sports and Recreation Group (name to be agreed at its first meeting.) This working group will consider all aspects of allotments, open spaces and sports and recreation and take on the projects currently being undertaken by the previous working groups.

15/137 Item 9Review of delegation arrangements to committees, sub-committees, employees and other local authorities. Resolved: all arrangements for the Planning Committee were approved. The arrangements for the newly formed open spaces group would be discussed at the first meeting and brought back to council.

15/138 Item 10 Appointment of any new committees, confirmation of the terms of reference, the number of members and receipt of nominations to them. Resolved: the Planning Committee arrangements were confirmed.

15/139 Item 11 Review of the terms of reference for committees. Resolved: the terms of reference for the Planning Committee were agreed.

15/140Item 12Financial Matters

Resolved:

  1. Receipts and payments report for May 2015.
  2. Items of payment for June 2015. A list of payments was tabled totalling £7,726.17 represented by cheques numbered 3169 to 3171 sequentially totalling £2,519.90, 12bank transfers totalling £4,889.37 plus 3 direct debits totalling £86.90 and a standing order of £230.00.

15/141 Item 13 Grant Application. Cllr Moore repeated his interest and left the room for the duration of the item. Resolved: application for £2,000 approved to be funded from 1225 Donations.

15/142 Item 14Cllrs Mrs Merricks and Warren repeated their interests.Request from The Icklesham Trusts Committee to hold its annual fete and flower show on the recreation ground on Saturday 1st August 2015 – resolved.

15/143 Item 17 (brought forward) W U Arnold Charity and John Fray Charities. Resolved:1) the election of M Shone as the third trustee of the W U Arnold Charity and 2) the election of M Shone and Cllrs Mrs Merricks and Stanford as the three trustees of the John Fray Charities. Cllr Warren asked for a report from the charities about what the money is being used for.

15/144 Item 15 Affordable Housing.

Resolved:

a)A working group made up of the whole council to be formed

b)The Guide to Affordable Housing to be emailed by the Clerk to all councillors.

15/145 Item 16 Annual Play Equipment Inspection by Wicksteed. Resolved:

i)Recommendations noted

ii)The quotes for all specialist works listed to be undertaken by Wicksteed approved (includes £648 item 1 Coronation Field) to be funded from 2220 Play Equipment Maintenance totalling £1,067.26.

iii)Signs to be funded from 2233 Signs totalling £42.00. Installation of signs and all other general maintenance and repairs to be carried out by the council’s contractor to be funded from2246 Small Works Maintenance.

15/146 Item 18 To consider the condition of the pavilion at Icklesham. Cllrs Mrs Merricks and Warren repeated their interests.The Council expressed its concern of the state of repair of the pavilion. The recent incidents of vandalism were reported and what needed to be done to protect the building following these. The Council discussed the terms of the lease and that it was a requirement to maintain the building and the current state of disrepair reflected badly on the Council. It wasresolvedthat the Clerk writes to the Trusts Committee and that the PCSO is asked to attend and a letter is written to the Sargent at Rye.

15/147 Item 18a (addendum to the agenda) 18aDisciplinary and Grievance Procedures

Resolved:

  1. Approval and adoption the NALC Model Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures (2010)
  2. Setting up a Staffing Committee
  3. Appointment of five councillors to the Staffing Committee agreed as Cllrs Mrs Merricks and Stanford, P Turner, S Turner and S Tollett.

Matters for information or noting.

15/148 Item 19 Programme of works for June. The issue of irresponsible parking in Smeatons Lane was raised and the Clerk was asked to write to the Fire Service to obtain leaflets for Cllr Sutton to place on car windscreens. The Clerk was asked to chase progress with Streetgames as summer is fast approaching. The Clerk was asked to add the damage to the bus stop in German Street to the list. Cllr Moore updated the meeting about his attendance at a meeting with Age UK about the emergency plan. The Clerk was asked to contact Amber Rudd MP about the next Flooding Meeting.

15/149 Item 20 Report back from Planning Committee. Minutes of 26th May 2015were noted.

15/150 Item 21Correspondence. All noted.

15/151 Item 22Reports of Councillors and Officers on Outside Bodies and Attending Events.

There were none.

15/152 Item 23 Future meetings or events.

The training for new councillor event on the 14th July was discussed and the clerk will arrange for all new councillors to attend.

15/153 Item 24Date and venue for next meeting. The next full council meeting was confirmed as Monday 13th July 2015 at the Winchelsea Beach Community Hall commencing at 7:15pm.

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