To: All Members of Winsford Town Council

Local Press

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND THIS MEETING

Dear Councillor

You are summoned to attend the ANNUAL MEETING of the Winsford Town Council to be held in the CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL CHAMBER, WYVERN HOUSE, WINSFORD CW7 1AH on Monday 15th May 2017, commencing at 7.00pm, to take into consideration and determine the following matters.

Yours sincerely

Mark Bailey

Town Clerk/Finance Officer

The meeting will open with prayers by the Mayor’s Chaplain (Rev Chris Moore)

PART 1 – ANNUAL MEETING

1.  APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Members must provide apologies to the Town Clerk before 5.00pm on the day of the meeting, together with reasons for their absence.

2.  DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members to declare any interest under the following categories: -

·  Disclosable Pecuniary Interest

·  Outside Bodies Interest

·  Family, Friend or Close Associate Interest

3.  REMARKS BY THE RETIRING TOWN MAYOR

The retiring Town Mayor – Cllr Steve Smith – will say a few words about his year in office.

4.  MAYOR’S CHARITIES 2016/17

The retiring Town Mayor will present cheques to his chosen charities of Winsford Sensations and Bandedge Resurrected from funds raised during his year in office

5.  MAYORAL CONVENTIONS

Members will consider the Mayoral Conventions of the Town Council and decide whether they will apply to the Municipal Year 2017/18.

6.  VOTE OF THANKS TO THE RETIRING TOWN MAYOR, COUNCILLOR STEVE SMITH

Members will propose a vote of thanks to the retiring Winsford Town Mayor, Cllr Steve Smith.

(NOTE: A Schedule (to follow) will detail nominees, representatives and proposers to be referred to in consideration of agenda items 7, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21).

7.  ELECTION OF TOWN MAYOR FOR THE 2017/18 MUNICIPAL YEAR

A Member of the Town Council will be nominated and seconded by other Members of the Town Council, with the matter then put to a vote of the full Town Council for approval.

8.  THE 2017/18 TOWN MAYOR

The 2017/18 incoming Town Mayor will make the declaration and acceptance of office and agree to observe the Town Council’s Members’ Code of Conduct.

9.  INVESTITURE OF THE 2017/18 WINSFORD TOWN MAYOR

The 2017/18 Town Mayor will formally take the office of Town Mayor of Winsford for the 2017/18 Municipal Year.

(NOTE: Following the investiture, the newly elected Mayor will take the Chair)

10. INVESTITURE OF THE TOWN MAYORS CONSORT/MAYORESS

The 2017/18 Town Mayor’s Consort/Mayoress will take office for the 2017/18 Municipal Year. The retiring Consort – Mr Mark Smith – will perform the ceremony of handing over the badge of office.

11. PRESENTATION TO THE RETIRING TOWN MAYOR

The new Town Mayor will present a past mayor’s badge to the retiring Town Mayor.

12. PRESENTATION TO THE RETIRING CONSORT

The newly elected Consort/Mayoress will present a past Consort badge to the retiring Consort.

13. THE 2017/18 WINSFORD TOWN MAYOR

The new Town Mayor for Winsford will say a few words looking forward to their year in office.

14. ELECTION OF THE 2017/18 DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR

A Member of the Town Council will be nominated and seconded by other Members of the Town Council, with the matter then put to a vote of the full Town Council for approval.

15. THE 2017/18 DEPUTY MAYOR

The 2017/18 incoming Deputy Mayor will make the declaration and acceptance of office and agree to observe the Town Council’s Members’ Code of Conduct.

16. INVESTITURE OF THE DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR

The 2017/18 Deputy Town Mayor will formally take the office of Deputy Town Mayor of Winsford for the 2017/18 Municipal Year.

17. FINANCE COMMITTEE

All Members of the Council constitute membership of the Finance Committee.

18. ELECTION OF THE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

A Member of the Town Council will be nominated and seconded by other Members of the Town Council, with the matter then put to a vote of the full Town Council for approval.

19. ELECTION OF THE VICE CHAIR OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE

A Member of the Town Council will be nominated and seconded by other Members of the Town Council, with the matter then put to a vote of the full Town Council for approval.

20. APPOINTMENT OF OTHER COMMITTEES/SUB-COMMITTEES/PANELS

Members of the Town Council will be nominated and seconded by other Members of the Town Council, with the matter then put to a vote of the full Town Council for approval.

21. APPOINTMENTS TO JOINT COMMITTEES AND REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTSIDE BODIES

Members of the Town Council will be nominated and seconded by other Members of the Town Council, with the matter then put to a vote of the full Town Council for approval.

22. MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING HELD ON 16th MAY 2016

These Minutes were approved as a correct record by the Town Council at its meeting on 20th June 2016 but are presented here for information. (‘A’)

23. TIMETABLE OF MEETINGS 2017/18

Members are asked to approve the attached list of dates and times for Finance Committee and Town Council meetings for 2017/18. (‘B’)

PART 2 – ORDINARY MEETING

(NOTE: The following items of business require consideration before the next scheduled meeting of the Town Council in June 2017.)

24. BRUNNER GUILDHALL UPDATE

Members will be aware that, following the departure of the main tenants (Cheshire West Citizens Advice Bureau) from the Brunner Guildhall, a range of work is either being done or has been done with regard to the building.

A number of these actions have been reported to previous Town Council meetings via the minutes from the Brunner Guildhall Management Committee, but can be summarised here: -

·  The formal date for the CAB vacating the building was 10th March 2017. In line with decisions taken by the Management Committee and the Town Council, most of the CAB’s furniture has been removed from the building and has been disposed of, either as waste or donated Changing Lives. A final invoice will be sent to the CAB to cover final utility bills.

·  The locks have been changed on the building to ensure greater security. The Town Council’s employed cleaner is also continuing to clean at the building to ensure that the building does not fall into disrepair and also to check on the building from a security perspective

·  The Red Cross is continuing to use the building, on average, for one evening per week

·  An asbestos survey has been carried out on the building. The report based on this survey states that there is no asbestos in the building

·  An application has been made to Cheshire West and Chester Council for Listed Building Consent to remove the partition walls and other temporary structures in the building. This application has been received by CWAC but further information is required including photographs and drawings of the work which is planned. To this end, therefore, a number of planning consultancy firms/agents have been approached to act for the Town Council in this matter

·  The legal position with regard to establishing a Trust to oversee the running of the building is being developed and it is hoped that a paper on the subject can be presented to the next Management Committee meeting on 21st June 2017

·  A new survey of the building is to be carried out, following agreement to do so by the Management Committee. The cost of this survey will be £950.00 plus VAT and the survey will be carried out, as was the last survey of the building, by Frank Marshall Surveyors. It is hoped that this new survey will help to identify the cause of issues such as the constant flooding in the cellar and suggest remedies

·  The insurers of the building (on behalf of the Town Council) - Zurich Municipal – have been informed of the CAB’s departure

·  An application is in the process of being made to the Land Registry for first registration of the car park land at the rear of the building in the name of the Town Council

RECOMMENDED Members are asked to note the points set out above and to formally approve the cost of £950.00 plus VAT for a survey of the building as described above.

25. MARINA BUILDING UPDATE

Members will recall that, at the last meeting of the Town Council in April 2017, it was agreed that the 2016/17 Town Mayor sign a Tenancy at Will with CWAC for the Town Council to assume tenancy of the building for an initial period of six months. Since that meeting, there have been a number of updates for Members to be aware of: -

·  The Tenancy at Will has been signed by the 2016/17 Town Mayor and witnessed by the Town Clerk. The signed document has been passed on to CWAC and is with their legal team for engrossing (i.e. to produce the final legal agreement)

·  The Town Council’s insurers – Zurich Municipal – have been informed of the tenancy and have requested and received information on the condition of the building (generally good for these purposes) and also the re-build cost of the building as of May 2017

·  Contact has been received from the Winsford & Middlewich Sea Cadets who have formally informed the Town Council that they wish to use the building. It may be that others are also interested, but they have not informed the Town Council as yet

·  Discussions have taken place with organisations regarding ideas for the future use of the building. These will be taken forward and reported back to the Town Council. Suggestions have also come forward for public meetings on the future development of the building and to make use of social media

RECOMMENDED Members are asked to note the developments above and approve, or otherwise, the steps being taken with regard to the Marina Building

26. SPEED LIMITS

Members will be aware that two speed limit assessments were recently carried out. at the request of the local elected Member, along the A530 Nantwich Road (including Clive Green Lane) and also along Coalpit Lane (including Birch Lane).

The assessments recommended that these lengths of road should be reduced from a de-restricted limit down to a 50mph speed limit.

The fill cost of both schemes collectively is £5,166.99, and CWAC Highways require 50% funding from the parish/town councils affected and from local Members to undertake the works.

This means that a contribution of £531.01 is required from Winsford Town Council for the scheme to proceed.

RECOMMENDED Members are asked to approve or otherwise the sum of £531.01 from the Town Council as outlined above.

27. WELLBEING UPDATE

A verbal update will be provided on the work of the Wellbeing Winsford group from Cllr Ailsa Gaskill-Jones.

28. CONSULTATION ON LOWERING THE AGE RANGE AT WHARTON CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Proposals have come forward from Wharton CE Primary School to lower their age range from the current 4-11 years to 2-11 years by September 2018.

Consultation on this proposal will be open until 19th May 2017.

The proposal has come forward to meet community need for places for children between 2 and 4 years and to aid the development of the children themselves.

Members are asked to offer any views on these proposals which will then be fed back to the school.

29. SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS

A schedule of accounts which will require payment before the next ordinary meeting of the Town Council’s Finance Committee is attached (‘C’- to follow)