General Purposes & Development Cttee
20 October 2009
MINUTES OF THE GENERAL PURPOSES & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING HELD IN THE COUNCIL CHAMBER, TOWN HALL, SHERINGHAM, ON TUESDAY 20 OCTOBER 2009 AT 8.05PM
PRESENT: Cllr P Cox – Chairman
Cllr H Bennett – Vice Chairman
Cllrs McGinn, Prior, Burns, Hill, Booth and Mrs Fields
The Clerk and Dep Clerk
1. To Receive and Consider Apologies: Cllrs Gant and Smith.
2. Declarations of Interest relating to Items on the Agenda:
There were none.
3. To Accept the Minutes of the Meeting held on 18 August 2009:
The Minutes having been previously circulated the Vice Chairman PROPOSED acceptance of the Minutes of the meeting held on 18 August 2009; Cllr Hill seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
4. Matters Arising from the above Minutes: There were none.
5. Sheringham Wood: The Lease has now been signed with the Woodland
Trust and Members agreed they are not aware of any budgetary implications.
6. Cleaning Pavements – To Consider planning Programme of Work: The Clerk informed Members NCC Highways has stated it will
carry out an inspection if necessary and add any work that is needed to its routine programmes. The time taken to complete the work will depend on priorities and the resources it has available. Cllr Booth commented the stretch of pavement from the Kebab House to the Robin Hood, and, from the top of Co-op Street to Budgens, need cleaning. Members will inspect the pavements and bring their comments to the Clerk who will then pass them onto NCC Highways,
7. Missing Street Name Plates: A list was circulated to members of the
name plates NNDC intends to replace. The Chairman reported he had noticed several new signs and there will be a need for Members to go round the town when NNDC has completed its programme. Cllr Prior stated the name plate at Greenlands Way has disappeared, it listed all the roads on the estate. IT WAS AGREED to leave things for the present.
8. Next Stage of Stone Mullion Works to Town Hall – Source of Funding: The Chairman reminded Members a price has been agreed for the
urgent mullion work to be carried out. After discussion Cllr Prior PROPOSED recommending to the Finance Officers a minimum of £2,000 is put into the Budget for work to the mullions; Cllr Burns seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
9. Creation of New Website and to Consider Cancelling Present Website: The Clerk reported she had contacted several local Town Councils
some of which had had an outside person set up their websites. However, Aylsham Town Council has a website through Norfolk ALC and Project Involve which is free, easy to update and maintain. The Clerk stated she had followed this through and registered STC for a free website. She added she continues to have problems with the NNDC mini-site.
After discussion Cllr Booth PROPOSED withdrawing STC’s NNDC mini-site; Cllr Mrs Fields seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
Cllr Burns PROPOSED the Clerk continues with setting up the new free site; the Vice Chairman seconded. IT WAS AGREED.
The Clerk reported training is available at £30 per half day – IT WAS AGREED she arranges this for the Dep Clerk.
10. Intermediate Training: The Clerk reported the Norfolk Assoc can arrange
training tailored to STC’s requirements at a cost of £150.00. She asked Members what subject they would like to be trained on. IT WAS GENERALLY AGREED Local Govt Law and Regulations relating specifically to Town and Parish Councils – where powers start and end.
Cllr Booth wondered if it would be possible to have an hours training prior to a Planning Cttee meeting, and then another hour at a later date. The Clerk was asked to make enquiries.
11. Progress re Flag Poles: The Clerk reported on responses from three
Firms –
Hampshire Flags 3 x 1.5 m poles = £124.47 +VAT
Flag Poles and Flags 3 x 2 m poles = £190 + VAT
Turtle & Pearce 3 x 2 m poles = £195 + VAT.
Flag Poles and Flags would charge £150 + VAT to install the poles.
Turtle & Pearce would charge £485 + VAT (labour only) to take down the existing poles and install the new poles.
After discussion Cllr Prior PROPOSED the Vice Chairman seconded STC does not progress replacing the present flag poles at this time. IT WAS AGREED.
12. Street Lighting - To Consider Five Year Rolling Structural Inspection, Electrical Testing and Certification Programme @ £9.50 + VAT per lighting column: T T Jones Electrical Ltd are STC’s
lighting contractors and have advised it is a requirement of the newly issued 17th Edition IEE Wiring Regulations that all street furniture requiring 240 volts service is inspected, tested and certified every five years. They suggest a five year rolling programme at £9.50 + VAT per column.
During discussion Members agreed it would cost STC £300 per annum for a fifth of STC’s columns to be attended to. Cllr Burns PROPOSED the Vice Chairman seconded recommending to STC it has this work carried out as from 1st April 2010. IT WAS AGREED.
13. Budget Recommendations for 2010/2011: The Chairman asked for
recommendations. The Clerk reported the Town Hall is in need of external redecoration. Members considered the redecoration is more urgent than work to the stone mullions, and could cost in the region of £10,000.
Cllr Prior suggested putting in a sum of not less than £2,000 for seats/shelters.
14. Date of Next Meeting – to be agreed.
The meeting closed at 9.05pm.
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