Chairman ………………..
HORAM PARISH COUNCIL
The Horam Centre
3 Bank Buildings
High Street, Horam
TN21 0EH
Tel: 07900 576236
e-mail:
Minutes of the Horam Parish Council Annual Meeting
held on Wednesday 20th May 2015 at 7.30pm in The Horam Centre
Janet Fairweather
Janet Fairweather - Clerk
In Attendance: Cllr M Bustard, Cllr D Belasco, Cllr M Cousins, Cllr G Knight, Cllr L Parkyn, Cllr A Lee, Cllr A Lock, Cllr P Noakes, Cllr V Roberts, Cllr S Stedman, Cllr J Webb
PUBLIC SESSION – 7.30pm. Two members of the public.
AGENDA
202/05/15. TO ELECT THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL and to receive the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office. Cllr S Stedman proposed and Cllr D Belasco seconded Cllr M Bustard. All were in favour. Cllr M Bustard accepted the role of Chair and completed his Declaration of Acceptance.
203/05/15. TO ELECT THE VICE CHAIRMAN and to receive the Vice Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance. Cllr M Bustard proposed and Cllr S Stedman seconded Cllr A Lock. All were in favour. Cllr A Lock accepted the role of Vice-Chairman and completed his Declaration of Acceptance.
204/05/15. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE were received from County Cllr C Dowling.
205/05/15. DECLARATION OF INTEREST - none
206/05/15. MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON April 8th 2015 (previously circulated) were confirmed by all those who were present at the last meeting and signed as a true record.
207/05/15. TO APPROVE AND ADOPT THE STANDING ORDERS AND FINANCIAL REGULATIONS DATED DECEMBER 2014 FOR HORAM PARISH COUNCIL. Councillors resolved to adopt the Standing Orders and Financial Regulations dated December 2014.
208/05/15. TO APPOINT AN INTERNAL AUDITOR. Councillors resolved to appoint Martyn Jenks of MN Jenks & Co as internal Auditor for the 2015/16 financial year.
209/05/15. TO REVIEW COMMITTEE STRUCTURES AND APPOINT MEMBERS TO SERVE ON THE UNDERMENTIONED COMMITTEES:
a. PLANNING: Proposal: Planning and Highways committee to become solely Planning; Highways to be a full Council matter, meetings to be convened on a Monday evening at 7.30pm every three weeks, unless the Clerk, after consultation with the Chairman of the Council, considers the nature of the business insufficient to convene a meeting. Following discussion by the members Council resolved by 10 votes to 1 to adopt the stated proposal. Councillors resolved that membership of the Planning committee is as follows: Cllr D Belasco, Cllr M Bustard, Cllr M Cousins, Cllr G Knight, Cllr V Roberts, Cllr J Webb.
b. FINANCE: Proposal: to appoint members and bank signatories. Councillors resolved that:
· Membership of the Finance Committee is as follows: Cllr D Belasco, Cllr M Bustard, Cllr G Knight, Cllr L Parkyn, Cllr A Lock.
· Signatories to the Bank accounts to be: Cllr D Belasco, Cllr M Bustard, Cllr G Knight, Cllr A Lock.
c. ENHANCING HORAM: Proposal: Enhancing Horam to become committee as per the Local Government Act 1972 and HPC’s Standing Orders and Financial Regulations. Meetings to be convened on alternative months. Members to consist of mixture of council members and residents. Councillors resolved to adopt the stated proposal. Councillors resolved that membership of the EH committee is as follows: Cllr M Bustard, Cllr G Knight, Cllr A Lock, Cllr P Noakes, Cllr S Stedman. Residents to be appointed at the first committee meeting.
210/05/15. TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE FOLLOWING WORKING PARTY:
d. TRAFFIC/SPEEDING IN HORAM PARISH: Councillors resolved that membership of the working party is as follows: Cllr M Cousins, Cllr G Knight, Cllr A Lee, Cllr P Noakes. A date to be arranged for the first meeting. Members were reminded that the Horam Centre is available on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at no extra cost to HPC. The Clerk will forward the results of the Speed Survey undertaken by ESCC in January to the working party members. This should form the basis of any action to be put to Full Council for consideration. It was agreed that “Speedwatch” should be part of this initiative.
211/05/15. TO APPOINT REPRESENTATIVES: Councillors resolved that the new list of representatives to be as follows:
· Horam Centre Cllr M Cousins
· Emergency Officer Cllr L Parkyn
· Communications Officer Cllr S Stedman
· JAG Cllr G Knight
· Views of the Elderly Cllr V Roberts
· Views of the Youth TBA
· Risk Assessment Cllr Belasco
· WDALC Cllr A Lock
· Village Hall & Recreation Ground Cllr L Parkyn
· Allotments Cllr A Lee
· Tree Warden TBA
Cllr L Parkyn will report on Maynards Green School in his capacity as School Governor
212/05/15. TO APPOINT UP TO 2 REPRESENTATIVES TO ATTEND, SPEAK AND VOTE AT EAST SUSSEX ALC LTD AGM (to be held at Battle Memorial Church, 12th November 2015): Councillors resolved to appoint Cllr M Bustard and Cllr A Lock to represent HPC at the East Sussex ALC AGM.
213/05/15. TO APPROVE COUNCIL INSURANCE POLICY: Councillors approved the renewal of the Zurich Municipal policy. There is an increase of £39.52 from the previous year.
214/05/15. TO APPROVE ACCOUNTS FOR YEAR END 31ST MARCH 2015. The Internal Auditors Report (previously circulated) verified the accuracy of the accounts data in Section 1 of the Annual Return provided by the Clerk to HPC by reference to the supporting documentation in the form of print-outs from the Alpha accounting software and other appropriate supporting documents. On the basis of the scope of his work as internal auditor and the detailed Statement of Accounts and the summarised details set out in section I of the Annual Return, he will sign off the Internal Audit Certificate. Councillors resolved to approve the accounts for the year ended 31st March 2015.
215/05/15. FINANCE:
1. Payments as shown below approved, including one additional invoice S Stedman (The Secret Garden – Hanging baskets) and signing of cheques authorised as listed.
Payee £ cheque number
J Fairweather salary 200996
P Carter salary 200997
The Horam Club Rooms 160.00 200998
Soulbat Ltd (web host renewal) 92.00 200999
J Fairweather (Expenses 160.45 201000
Home-Start East Sussex ( Grant) 599.00 201001
Wealden Citizens Advice (Grant) 150.00 201002
Wealden District Council –
(dog bins £157.56, litter bins £157.56) 315.12 201003
Zurich Municipal 1108.55 201004
Village Hall & Recreation Ground 2014/15 Grant 1500.00 201005
Village Hall & Recreation Ground 2015/16 Grant 750.00 201006
Fun Day Grant 2015/16 500.00 201007
Enhancing Horam Grant 2015/16 1000.00 201008
Malcolm Curtis – grass cutting at station 160.00 201009
Weald Business Systems 21.48 201010
AR Marsh & PA Marsh (VE Day) 131.00 100002
S Stedman (The Secret Garden, hanging baskets) 242.50 100003
216/05/15. DOG POO BIN FOR VINES CROSS: to consider approval for purchase (costings previously circulated), and if appropriate agree to request permission from ESCC. Councillors resolved to approve purchase of the dog poo bin at a cost from WDC of £500 plus emptying charge of £5.05 per weekly emptying, subject to permission from ESCC as land owner. The Clerk to contact ESCC.
217/05/15.CLERK’S REPORT:
· Cilca (Certificate in Local Council Administration) passed May 5th 2015.
· Please ensure that Declaration of Interest forms are returned to the office asap.
· Please be reminded that any reports from representatives for circulation should be with the Clerk by the Friday before the next meeting.
· Donations at VE Day amounted £184.11 (porta loo hire of £85 outstanding).
218/05/15. INFORMATION FOR/FROM COUNCILLORS (for noting or inclusion on future agendas).
JUNE AGENDA:
· The Election Nomination Process.
· Recognition of past service.
· Cold Calling.
· Waste bin collections.
· Councillors’ photograph for website and notice board.
· Steps to Cuckoo Trail – north side of B2203 bridge.
· Suggestions for enhancing effectiveness of meetings.
219/05/15. DATES OF NEXT MEETINGS: All held in The Horam Centre, unless otherwise stated
Full Council: June 10th at 7.30pm
Planning Committee: Monday June 8th at 7.30pm
Finance Committee: Monday June 8th at 8.15pm
Enhancing Horam: Wednesday May 27th at 7.30pm
There being no further business Cllr Bustard thanked everyone for coming and the meeting closed at 8.60pm
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