Minutes of the Meeting of Tuxford Parish Council Held on Tuesday 18 July 2006 at 7
TUXFORD TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting of Tuxford Town Council held on Tuesday 21 June 2011 at 7.53 pm in the Tuxford Methodist Church Hall
Present: Councillors Anderson (Chairman), Bett, Taylor, Fox, Richards, Kettle, Willatt, Silcock, Griffiths, Smith, Frost and Moulds.
Also present: Mr Peter G Hills (Clerk) and Mrs Lisa A Hill (Assistant Clerk), and two members of the public.
Before the meeting was formally convened, PC Bill Bailey presented the latest information on crime in Tuxford and answered questions. Two prospective Councillors for co-option to the Council made short presentations.
C25/1112 Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Holland and Cook and the apologies were accepted.
C26/1112 Declarations of Interest
There were no new declarations of interest.
C27/1112 Minutes of the previous meeting
The following amendments to the minutes of the previous meeting were noted: Councillor Frost’s apologies for absence should have been recorded and the reference to ‘Mr Ray Snowden’ on Page 3 should have read ‘Mr Ray Holmes’. Resolved: that, subject to the above two amendments, the Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held on 17 May 2011, be accepted as a true record. The Minutes were signed by the Chairman.
The Chairman then read out the following statement to exclude the press and the public:
‘It is proposed that under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and the public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 1 or Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to an individual.’
The Chairman asked members of the press and the public to leave the meeting.
C28/1112 Item for exclusion of the press and the public: Co-option of new Councillor
Following the earlier presentations by prospective Councillors, discussion took place and it was Resolved: that all prospective Councillors should be given the opportunity to make presentations to the Council before a decision on co-option is made; that prospective Councillors who had been unable to attend this meeting be given the opportunity to attend the next meeting; a decision be made on who is to be co-opted at the next meeting. Action – Clerk.
The meeting was re-convened to discuss the following items.
C29/1112 Matters arising from the Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held on 17 May 2011
C29.1 Minute C17.1 - the Clerk reported that a further penalty notice had been received from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs for late submission of its 2010/11 year-end payroll return. This notice and all previous penalty notices had been forwarded to, and were being challenged by, Bassetlaw District Council (BDC).
C29.2 Minute C17.2 - the Clerk reported that Mr Andrew Storr, the internal auditor for the Council’s 2010/11 Annual Return, had approved and returned the Council’s accounts which had now been forwarded to the District Auditor.
C29.3 Minute C17.3 – the Clerk reported that the application by Plevins to build a Bio Mass Incinerator/generator near Elkesley was being resubmitted to Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC). Plevins had also applied for a license to the Environment Agency. The Clerk had asked both NCC and the Environment Agency to add Tuxford Town Council to the list of consultees.
C29.4 Minute C17.4 - the Clerk reported that the new Iseki SXG19 high-lift grass cutting machine had been delivered.
C29.5 Minute C17.9 – the Clerk reported that PCSO Walker would be approaching the primary school regarding cars parking across the dropped kerb along Newark Road. It was suggested that this matter should also be referred to NCC. Action – Clerk.
C29.6 Minute C17.10 – Councillor Richards reported that cars were still parking on the pavement outside the residential care home on Ashvale Road. The Clerk agreed to re-visit the site. Action – Clerk.
C29.7 Minute C17.11– the Clerk reported that the weeds growing at the kerb edges around the town were in need of weed spraying. This was a County Council responsibility. NCC were to be contacted for the next proposed date for weed spraying. Action – Clerk.
C29.8 Minute C17.12 – the Clerk reported that the issue of students gathering on the left hand side of the Marnham Road railway bridge had been reported to the Headteacher of the Comprehensive school and discussed with the Junior Town Council. The problem had lessened over recent weeks particularly as the students were finishing school now after their exams.
C29.9 Minute C23.3 The Clerk reported that Tuxford had entered the 2011 ‘Best Kept Village’ Competition, which is organised every year by the Campaign to Protect Rural England. Judging for the first round of the competition was currently taking place.
C29.10 Minute C24.1 – The Clerk reported that himself and Councillor Holland were meeting with Mr Simon Britt, BDC’s Conservation Officer, to discuss the possibility of obtaining funding under the Tuxford Conservation Area Partnership Grant Scheme for the renovation of the Victorian finger post in the Market Place. The possibility of obtaining funding under this scheme for re-routing the Christmas lights wiring would also be explored with Mr Britt. Action – Clerk.
The meeting was adjourned to allow for questions from members of the public.
Mr Martin Carter asked what the Council hoped to achieve by re-classifying the present A6075 to B road status. The Chairman explained that the Council had been pursuing a number of highways matters which have an impact on the regeneration of the town centre for many years now. This included the re-classification of the roads which would hopefully give more scope for reducing the speed and volume of traffic coming through the Market Place and the ‘de-cluttering’ of the forest of road signs. Mr Carter argued that bus routes and the prioritising of road repairs would be adversely affected by re-classification.
The meeting was re-convened to discuss the following items.
C30/1112 Financial monitoring and invoices for approval
C30.1 The Clerk circulated copies of the monthly financial monitoring sheet that monitored actual versus budgeted expenditure for each budget head. The sheet covered the first two months of the 2011/12 financial year and showed that total expenditure was under budget. The Clerk gave reasons for the variances between budget and actual expenditure for the year to date and answered questions on the financial information (see Agenda Item 7.1 attached).
C30.2 The Clerk circulated copies of the income and expenditure sheet to 31 May 2011. (see Agenda Item 7.2 attached).
C30.3 The Clerk reported on invoices approved for payment previously at the Finance and Services Committee meeting held on 14 June 2011 (see Agenda Item 7.3 attached).
C31/1112 Planning Applications
The Chairman explained planning application decisions made by the Planning Committee at its last meeting. The Committee considered that no objection should be made to planning applications 50/11/00017, 50/11/00021, 50/11/00022, 50/11/00023 and 50/11/0025/L. However, the Committee objected to planning application 50/11/00015.
C32/1112 Planning Decisions
Councillor Anderson reported that BDC had approved the following planning applications: 50/10/00051, 50/11/00011 and 50/11/00016.
C33/1112 Requests for funding under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972
C33.1 The Clerk reported that a request for funding under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 had been received from Councillor Holland to support the Building Conservation Fair held recently at Tuxford windmill. It was Resolved: that the Council grant £150. Action – Clerk.
C33.2 The Clerk reported that a request for funding under Section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 had been received from Tuxford Bowls Club. The Clerk reminded members that at its meeting in March 2010 it had ‘Resolved: that £225 should be paid from the Section 137 budget but that this would not set a precedent for future years’. It was Resolved: that Tuxford Bowls Club’s request should be refused. Action – Clerk.
C34/1112 Projects
C34.1 Depot - Invitations to tender had been advertised in the local press and the detailed specification and plans were being sent out to those companies who responded and to those who had already expressed an interest in tendering for the depot construction. The deadlines for requesting tender documents and for the submission of tenders were 24 June 2011 and 29 July 2011 respectively. The Clerk reported that Mrs Kim Robinson of KSR Accountants would now act as independent adjudicator during the tender opening as Mr Raynor, Postmaster, would be on holiday.
C34.2 Regeneration and Highways matters – the Clerk reported that he was scheduled to meet with Mr Dale Swain, NCC Highways Improvements Officer, to discuss road signing in Tuxford. Councillor Richards asked that the implementation of the new speed limits on Ashvale Road be chased. Action – Clerk.
C34.3 Gilbert Avenue playing field – the Clerk reported that the Council still had to establish what is needed/wanted on the Gilbert Avenue playing field and was currently analysing 600+ questionnaires completed by students from the secondary school. It is hoped that the results of this survey will form the basis of future funding bids.
The Clerk reported that a senior team backed by Tuxford Working Men’s Club, which previously played at East Markham, will be playing its matches in Tuxford from August. About half the team are Tuxford residents and they are keen to start playing in the town and also want to make repairs to the changing facilities so they can be bought up to an acceptable standard. The Clerk had received a reasonably encouraging response from Mr Kevin Stopford of the Tuxford Recreational Association to his request for funds believed to be held by them to be released for this purpose.
C34.4 Red telephone kiosk on Lincoln Road – Councillor Anderson reported that work on the kiosk was continuing.
C34.5 Christmas lights - the Clerk reported that the Finance and Services Committee had authorised strain testing of the catenaries and the necessary works to the main electrical supply board at the butcher’s shop.
C34.6 Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) – the Clerk reported that unfortunately, neither of the Council’s two bids had been approved for inclusion in the LIS programme for 2011/12. The Council had submitted two schemes for funding under the LIS. These were for new cemetery gates and the creation of an archive of photographs of Tuxford. Over 200 schemes were submitted for funding across the County. The Council has been informed that if any of the schemes which have been approved cannot be delivered in 2011/12, it may be possible to reconsider its schemes.
C34.7 Bassetlaw District Council’s ‘Encouraging Play in Rural Areas’ Scheme – the Clerk reported that Bassetlaw District Council has asked for funding bids under its ‘Encouraging Play in Rural Areas’ scheme. This scheme is designed to provide imaginative play facilities for children between the ages of 5 and 16. There is a total of £50,000 available across Bassetlaw which will be offered as small grants of around £5,000 with the maximum for any scheme being £10,000. Bids for funding for this year have to be submitted by 28 August 2011.
C35/1112 Correspondence for action
There was no correspondence for action.
C36/1112 Tuxford Matters
C36.1 Councillor Taylor reported that he had received complaints from residents of Clark Lane that members of Tuxford Bowls Club were parking inconsiderately resulting in some residents being unable to move their vehicles from their driveways. This could be obstruction and was, therefore, a police matter. Action – Clerk.
C36.2 Councillor Willatt reported that North Leverton’s play scheme had apparently been installed by the army at no cost. Councillor Moulds would look into this. Action – Councillor Moulds.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.20pm
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