Purposes Committee
Minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee held on Tuesday May 22nd, 2007
A MEETING of the FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE of the Lydd Town Council held at the Guild Hall, Lydd on TUESDAY theTWENTY-SECOND day of MAY 2007 at 6.30 p.m.
PRESENT: The Town Mayor – Councillor J.A. Commerford – Chairman
Councillors T. Allen, C.E. Albrow, Mrs M.R. Masters, Ms V.M. Dawson,
C. Goddard, W.L. Richardson, A.J. Davis, Mrs P.A. Davis, A.F. Ryder,
G.D. McKay, Mrs J. Shepherd, Ms R.G. Saunders, D.F. Watts, D.G. Kersey
Town Clerk - Mrs M. Weaver
APOLOGY
An apology for absence was received from Councillor Mrs V. Loseby.
At this juncture the meeting was adjourned, by resolution, to allow a presentation by Ms Cathy Knamiller, who is an independent researcher working on collaboration with Folkestone & Dover Water Services to study the impact of metering and develop methods than can be used to help people reduce their water consumption.
FDWS is the first water company in England and Wales to be granted water scarcity status and therefore implement compulsory water metering and Lydd is the first area to undergo this process. It was expected that the whole of the area would be on a metered supply by 2012/15. Residents in Lydd are being given the opportunity to participate and possibly influence future projects for reducing water use that may affect them and the interviews are the first known ones to actually ask people about water metering to help devise ways to improve the system.
Ms Knamiller was seeking people to take part in interviews either individually in their homes or in focus groups and was keen to undertake this during May and early June. Anyone willing to participate could contact her on 07785 288290, email: .
Ms Knamiller answered members questions and then left the meeting.
The Town Mayor asked if there were any questions from members of the public.
Mr G. Potts welcomed all Councillors and wished everyone all the best for the future.
There were no other questions and the meeting was reconvened and completed in accordance with the agenda.
269 I.D. BADGES
The Town Clerk reported that she had arranged for Mr Peter Woolston of Romney Resource Centre to attend the Guild Hall on the 4th June at 6.30pm to take photographs of all councillors and staff for I.D. purposes
RESOLVED: That the report be received.
270 GREATSTONE AND LYDD-ON-SEA MAINS DRAINAGE SCHEME
The Town Clerk reported that she had provisionally arranged a meeting with Southern Water/4D for Wednesday 6th June at 2.00 pm at the Guild Hall, to discuss the progress of the scheme and road maintenance.
RESOLVED: That the report be received.
CORRESPONDENCE
271 NEWSLETTERS
Submitted: Newsletters: Kent Police The Relay April 2007: CPRE Kent Voice Spring 2007: Action with Communities in Rural Kent Rural News March 2007.
RESOLVED: That the newsletters be received and circulated to all councillors.
272 LYDD W.I.
Submitted: Invitation from Lydd W.I. for two Town Councillors to attend their tea and entertainment at the Lydd Community Hall on Thursday 24th May, 3.00 – 5.00 pm.
RESOLVED: That the invitation be received and accepted by the Town Mayor and Cllr. Mrs Masters.
273 LYDD HOUSE PLAYGROUP
Submitted: Letter from the Supervisor, Lydd House Playgroup, thanking the Town Council on behalf of the children for the donation of £50, which will be used to enhance their outdoor play area.
RESOLVED: That the letter be received.
274 KENT YOUTH SERVICE – TRY ANGLE AWARDS 2007
Submitted: Letter dated 4 May 2007 from the Acting Area Youth Officer, Ashford & Shepway Kent Youth Service, giving details of the Try Angle Awards Support Group Annual Awards, to be held on 19th June at the Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone. KCC offers administrative support for the Awards but all other costs are covered by generous donations from local business. It was asked if the Town Council would consider either sponsoring one of the categories for £350. or donating a smaller amount to go towards the event costs. The Council’s name and/or logo would appear on the programme and on the backdrop for publicity. A copy of the nomination form was enclosed.
In previous years there had been Lydd recipients of awards but it was not known if any had been put forward for this year.
The Town Clerk reported that there was very limited funding for such donations and normally these are considered in August and February each year.
It was felt that it was too late for this year’s awards.
RESOLVED: The letter be received.
275 CLIMB COLLEGE
Submitted: Letter dated 3 May 2007 from the Dir. Complete Care Group Ltd., (CLIMBCollege) which provides specialised residential services for adults with autism, learning difficulties and mental health difficulties. They have purchased premises in the Folkestone area and aim to open the provision in the 2007/08 academic year, and they see CLIMB as a ‘base’ for their students whereby they actively encourage and facilitate access to mainstream educational provision and employment opportunities that already exist within the Folkestone community.
An invitation was extended to attend a Cheese and Wine Open Day on the 6th June between 1.00 pm and 7.00 pm at The Metropole, Metropole Court, The Leas, Folkestone.
Cllrs. Mrs Masters and Mrs Shepherd agreed to attend, if possible.
RESOLVED: That this be agreed.
276 DUNGENESS B POWER STATION
Submitted: Letter dated 4 May 2007 from the Station Dir. Dungeness B power station, stating that the operation of Dungeness B Power Station was unaffected by the seismic tremor in Kent on Saturday 28th April 2007. One reactor (R21) was already closed down for refuelling and the second reactor (R22) continued to operate safely. Dungeness B, in common with all British Energy power stations, has a seismic safety case which means it has built-in features designed to maintain the integrity of the reactor cores in the event of an earth tremor of this kind. In addition to this and to add a further layer of certainty they set up the emergency control centre on site to monitor the situation and to support station operations.
RESOLVED: That the letter be received.
277 DUNGENESS A POWER STATION SITE STAKEHOLDER GROUP (SSG)
Submitted: Letter dated 9 May 2007 from the Communications Team, together with copy of the N.D.A. Annual Plan for 2007/08.
RESOLVED: That the letter and document be received and circulated to all councillors, with the exception of Cllrs. Ms Dawson and W. Richardson.
278 KENT & MEDWAY NHS
Submitted: Letter dated 9 May 2007 from the Dep. Chief Exec. Appointments Commission Kent & Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, giving details of a vacancy for a Non-Executive Director.
RESOLVED: That the letter be received.
279 AUDIT OF ACCOUNTS 2006/07
Submitted: From the Audit Commission, Notice of Audit to take place on 11th June 2007.
Reported: That the audit had been advertised and arrangements made for the internal auditor to attend on Tuesday 5th June.
RESOLVED: That the Notice and report be received.
280 PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY
Submitted: Letter dated 3 May 2007 from the Public Rights of Way Officer (Shepway), Kent County Council, giving details of a Public Rights of Way/Parish Council Liaison Meeting, to be held on Wednesday 23rd May 2007, 7.00pm at Stelling Minnis Village Hall.
Cllr. Ms Saunders agreed to attend.
RESOLVED: That the letter be received and agreed for Cllr. Ms Saunders to attend.
281 DEFINITIVE MAP MODIFICATION ORDER 2005
THE KENT COUNTY COUNCIL (FOOTPATH HL44, GREATSTONE-ON-SEA, LYDD)
THE KENT COUNTY COUNCIL (FOOTPATH HL45, GREATSTONE-ON-SEA, LYDD)
THE KENT COUNTY COUNCIL (FOOTPATH HL46, GREATSTONE-ON-SEA, LYDD)
Submitted: From Kent County Council, copies of the above Orders which were approved on the 12th December 2005.
RESOLVED: That the documents be received.
282 KENT POLICE – STREET BRIEFING
Submitted: Letter dated 1 May 2007 from the P.C. 11689 Lee Jordan, Lydd Town Beat Officer, giving details of the initiative called “Street Briefing”, being run by Kent Police, which entails Police and other agencies working in partnership with attending at a prearranged location and talking to members of the public about their concerns and issues. The first of these briefings will be at Littlestone Greens on Friday 25th May.
RESOLVED: That the letter be received, those wishing to attend to do so.
283 ALLOTMENTS
Submitted: Letter dated 24 April 2007 from Mrs J. Catt, giving details of problems she is encountering, particularly in dry weather, from the roadway leading into the allotments.
Cllr. Albrow confirmed that he and Cllr. Allen had been called to the allotments on the 1st May by Mr Catt to see the problems. Cars are going too fast on the roadway and creating dust.
Possible suggestions included placing speed ramps on the roadway and moving the entrance to the Dungeness end of the allotments.
It was suggested that a meeting of the Allotments Sub-Committee be convened to look at the problem. The Town Clerk said the earliest a meeting could be held would be Wednesday 30th May.
RESOLVED: That the Allotments and Gardens Sub-Committee and any new Councillors who wished to, meet at the allotments on the 30th May at 6.30 pm., to look at the problem with a view to finding a solution.
284 THE BANKS SPORTS AREA
Submitted: Letter from Mrs H. Szczuczko (nee Turk), stating that her father, Ernest Turk spent his formative years growing up in Lydd and although he moved away in his early twenties continued to own a house in New Street, until 2004. He played cricket for the Lydd Cricket Team and carried very special memories of the Town with him all his life. She had many recollections as a child, of them taking a drive to Romney Marsh and he used to joke with them that the car just “automatically turned towards Lydd and there was nothing he could do about it”! Sadly, he died at the end of last summer after an 11 year battle with cancer.
As he was cremated there is no gravestone for him. In lieu of this, her and her family would like to pay to have a memorial bench in his memory placed at the Lydd cricket ground. Mrs Szczuczko currently lives in Canada with her husband and children but the remainder of the family still live in Kent and Sussex. They will be visiting England this summer in July and would like, if possible, to have the bench installed while they are here.
The Town Clerk reported that this had been done some 3/4 years ago for a family who wished to place a seat in the MemorialGarden. The seat had been purchased on their behalf and installed by the groundsman and the family had reimbursed the Council.
RESOLVED: That the request be granted and an offer made to purchase and install the seat on their behalf ready for their visit in July.
285 LYDD CLUB DAY COMMITTEE
Submitted: Letter dated 11 May 2007 from Mrs P. Pogson, Lydd Club Day Committee,, confirming the date for the proposed photographic/art exhibition/competition, in October, as 23/24th for preparation, 25-27th open to the public, 28th dismantling.
The Friends of Lydd Museum are to produce an exhibition of Lydd Club Day past years and they are hoping to produce a frieze on the costs involved in putting on the event each year, with opportunity for the public to contribute towards the funding. They would also wish to use the Guild Hall as a central point for the receipt of photographic entries, which they will collect in order to sort and catalogue. The aim is to draw together schools, art clubs, photographic clubs and local people to enter the exhibition/competition, based on artistic impression of the 59th Club Day on 16th June as they enter their 60th year.
RESOLVED: That the dates be confirmed and no charge made for the hire or cleaning. The opening days to be subject to supervision at all times.
286 CODE OF CONDUCT
Submitted: Letter dated 1 May 2007 from the Standards Board for England, as follows:-
“ I am writing to let you know about the new Code of Conduct for members which will come into force from 3 May 2007. Parish Councils will have until 1 October 2007 to adopt the revised Code. After that time, members of councils that have not adopted a revised Code will be automatically covered by it. The existing code will continue in force until such time as you adopt the new one, or until 1 October, whichever is the sooner.
To ensure that all councillors are subject to the same standards across the country, the Standards Board for England encourages councils to adopt the Code at the first opportunity. It is important to note that not all parts of the Model Code are relevant to parish and town councils. Therefore, we have prepared a ‘Model Code for Parish Councils’ which is available at:
In addition, you are able to make local additions to the Code. However, our advice is that you should adopt the Code unamended with one exception. Your council should consider paragraph 12(2), which is not mandatory for parishes, which gives members with a prejudicial interest the same rights as members of the public to speak to a meeting on the issue and then leave before the main discussion and vote.
If you wish such a provision to apply, your council will need to pass a resolution adopting the Model Code of Conduct including paragraph 12(2). It is not enough to adopt the Code “as applicable to parish councils” as paragraph 12(2) is not mandatory for parishes and parish councils must therefore expressly ‘opt-in’ for it to have effect. Our Model parish Code contains the paragraph. Where you adopt this additional provision, the Standards Board recommends that, in order to provide clarity, parish councils should have standing orders in place which set out clearly the circumstances whereby members of the public can attend meetings of the authority for the purpose of making representations, giving evidence or answering questions.
If your council does not provide members of the public with any right to speak, paragraph 12(2) will have no effect at your authority. This means that councillors with a prejudicial interest would have to continue to leave the meeting after declaring the nature and extent of their interest. You must notify the Standards Board for England when you have adopted a new Code. The easiest way to notify the Standards Board of your council’s adoption is to send an email to Kimberley Connell of our Policy and Guidance Team and . You can simply notify us that you have adopted the Code unamended or with the addition of paragraph 12(2) and do not need to send us a copy of the Code. If, however, you make further amendments you would need to send us a copy of the amended Code.
Submitted: Letter dated 9 May 2007 from the Corporate Dir. Customer & Democratic Services, Shepway D.C., as follows:-
“I refer to my previous letter concerning the above. I understand that you have now received a letter from the Standards Board direct on the adoption of the revised code.
You will see from the Standards Board’s letter that Parish or Town Council have a discretion whether or not to adopt paragraph 12(2). This gives members with a prejudicial interest in a matter the same rights as members of the public to speak to a meeting on the matter and then leave before the main discussion and vote. I would advise you to look at the exact wording of paragraph 12(2) in detail. If you wish to adopt the Code with paragraph 12(2) then, as the Standards Board states, your Council will need to do so expressly.
Once you have adopted the revised Code, you will need to make copies available for public inspection and place an advert in the local newspaper stating that your Council has adopted the revised Code. It will also be necessary to inform the Standards Board for England in accordance with their instructions. Could you also let me know when your Council adopts the revised Code.
The requirements to register interests under the revised Code vary slightly from the existing provisions. I enclose therefore, amended forms for your members to register their interest once a new Code has been adopted. Until adoption of the new Code the existing forms should be used. I will also place the revised form together with a form to amend the register on the web-site. The completed forms should be returned to me as soon as possible”.
RESOLVED: That the letters be received and an advertisement place in the local paper that the Town Council has adopted the Code without exception.
287 ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT
Submitted: Accounts for payment totalling £4,769.88, as follows:- Net Salaries for May £1,217.69; Folkestone & Dover Water Services Ltd. £54.17; Principal £58.75; J. & G. Woolley Ltd. £58.75; Usher Motors £105.86; Trinity Mirror Southern Ltd. £111.86; Cranbrook Town Band £270.; J. Hughes (Town Sergeant) £187.50; Cllr. J.A. Commerford (Mayoral Allowance) £1,590.; Southern Water £28.11; Shepway District Council £67.50; CAF Bursary Fund £1,000.
287 ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT cont’d
Accounts already paid and not included in the payment total - Lydd Golf Glub £391.; Zurich Municipal Insurance £5,275.24.