ATM2017/0001 PRESENT
Cllr M Watkins (Chairman), Cllr C Dodson, Cllr D Pincombe, Cllr J Fitzgerald,
Cllr V Brooks, Cllr I Ferguson, Cllr Y Warren, Cllr T. Fox, Cllr D Jefferay, Mrs L Jefferay, F. McCarthy, Cllr A McPake, D. Cash, A. Jackson, H. Hartig, T. Brown, E. Black. I. Black, O. Ramsden, F. Sandham, D. Wood, B. Donoghue, K Humphreys
Also in attendance
M. Jackson, Town Clerk
ATM2017/0002 APOLOGIES
Cllr K Purdom
ATM2017/0003 MINUTES
Resolved that the minutes of the Annual Town Meeting dated 24 March 2016 be approved and signed.
ATM2017/0004 WILMSLOW TOWN COUNCIL CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
It was a considerable privilege to be elected as Chairman of the Town Council for a second time in May 2016. In the past year, we have welcomed Cllr Mark Goldsmith to the Council to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Cllr Fiona McNulty.
There have been some frustrations. The emerging Local Plan has continued apace. The Council’s response has been considerable both in time and effort. We are left believing that our contribution has counted for very little and achieved not a lot. We remain unconvinced that land needs to be removed from the Green Belt in order to meet a target of 900 new homes by 2030.
The development of a Neighbourhood Plan for Wilmslow is, by way of contrast, an emerging success story. The production of this plan is sponsored by the Council but is being produced by the citizens of Wilmslow. Some 24 individuals are giving freely of the time to produce this plan and its policies. It is hoped that the policies will be finalised by the Autumn before a further round of consultation takes place. Further funding for Neighbourhood Plans has been withdrawn by Cheshire East Council; Wilmslow Town Council will fund this shortfall from its reserves.
This time last year, my predecessor expressed the hope that the new toilets on the Carrs would be operational by the Summer holidays 2016. Frustratingly, much bureaucracy by Cheshire East has meant delay after delay. The toilet block itself, built off site, has been ready for months. The last obstacle was overcome a few weeks ago, and the ground works are now well under way. Our latest estimate is that this toilet block will be operational by the May Bank Holiday. The payment for this project has slipped from FY 2016/2017 to FY 2017/2018.
In the past 12 months, some £57500 has been paid in grants to 17 individual organisations. The nature of these grants is varied. The Council considers grant awards on a quarterly basis but the Finance Committee considers them in detail at its monthly meetings. There is little doubt that these grants make a real difference to our community with many organisations and individuals come back to express their thanks/
The Town Council has continued with its support of the Wilmslow In Bloom initiative. I should like to thank Oak Nurseries for their work in ensuring that the town centre (and now some out of town sites) are the envy of others. It is pleasing indeed that there are an increasing number of local businesses who are contributing to the overall theme each year. The gold award was again well deserved but so were the individual awards.
The Town Council continues to work closely with the Wilmslow Business Group. By way of grants, we support such events as the Wilmslow Motor Show and, for the first time, the Christmas Lights Switch-On. We have also supported the Wilmslow Show and suggested some changes to include stalls by local voluntary organisations. This has meant dropping a Party on the Carrs and replacing it by the ever-popular Cinema on the Carrs. This year there will be two performances, one in the afternoon for the benefit of a young audience and an evening performance more suited to those somewhat older.
Finally, a word about our Precept. This has been held at its original level since the inception of the Council. Budget planning starts in earnest in September of each year. The lead committee is the Finance Committee. However, all Councillors are welcome to discussions of the budget which starts with a line-by-line examination of the existing budget and the projected outturn. The Council set out to produce a balanced budget whereby income matched outgoings. The first findings were that given the expected demand, our reserves would run out within 3 years. Amongst reasons for this was the removal of our support grant by Cheshire East Council and then the removal of the Neighbourhood Plan grant to which I have previously referred. It is not our wish to be seen to be cutting services, particularly grants. Increasingly, we have consider enhancing a reduced funded Cheshire East service of which town centre CCTV cameras are but one example. To slightly undershoot a balanced budget, we have needed to increase a Band D precept by 50p per month. By comparison with other towns and parishes, the Wilmslow Precept remains one of the lowest.,
My thanks to my fellow Councillors of all political persuasions for all their hard work, all voluntary and unpaid. I now open up the meeting to hear from other Wilmslow organisations here tonight.
ATM2017/0005 REPORTS FROM WILMSLOW GROUPS
Derek Wood speaking on the activities of the Romany Society, reported on a plan to encourage children’s walks in Romany’s Garden and gave a brief history as to how the Romany’s Garden came in to being in the 1940’s. Mr Wood reported on the passing of Rev Rolly Bain (President of Romany Society) and arrangements for a commemorative service in London.
Ruth McNulty gave an update on the pond refurbishment project on behalf of Wilmslow Partnership and on the Wilmslow in Bloom initiatives, thanking the Wilmslow Clean Team and the Town Council for their involvement.
Frank McCarthy gave a report from the Wilmslow Show Committee, explaining the reasons for the cancellation in 2016 and plans for 2017 and expressed appreciation for the support of Wilmslow Town Council. Mr McCarthy reported that the Rotary Club of Wilmslow Dean were involved in delivering a joint project with Cheshire East Council and Wilmslow Town Council to provide a rota gym at the Carrs Park.
Brian Donoghue speaking as Chairman of the Wilmslow Neighbourhood Plan gave an overview on the purpose of a Neighbourhood Plan and the progress made to date in Wilmslow including providing feedback on data gathered from the initial questionnaire.
ATM2017/0007 SPECIFIC TOWN MATTERS
V. Brooks highlighted the issue of the potential loss of the 378 bus service, the Chairman highlighted that the bus service was not subsidised by CEC and that this was a commercial decision but that Town Councillors were involved in discussions with both the bus companies and Cheshire East Council.
Mrs Sandham highlighted the issue of people becoming isolated by the loss of the bus service.
Mrs H Hartig highlighted that the 130 service had a reduced service.
Mrs A Jackson advised that the bus services seemed to be much better elsewhere and that getting to local hospitals by bus was very difficult.
The Chairman highlighted that both he and Cllr Pincombe were engaged to explore this matter with CEC and local bus companies but explained that no service subsidy had been made by CEC for the 378 service since 2012 and that this had cost £22.5k at the time. Cllr Watkins advised that it was a problem and that he felt a more joined up service was needed.
Mr Cash asked why there had been no report on the issuing of grant and Cllr attendance, the Town Clerk explained that the Chairmans report had highlighted the awarding of grants and that full information was available on the Town Council website, he also commented that the information specific to the Town Council had been reduced due to residents at previous meetings reporting that they did not want wave after wave of information about the Town Council. The Town Clerk also made the point that the Annual Town Meeting was not a meeting of the Town Council.
Mr I Black said that it was unusual that at an AGM there had been no financial information provided about the Town Council. The Town Clerk advised that the Annual Town Meeting was not the AGM of the Town Council and that the Council’s Annual meeting took place in May. The Town Clerk advised that he could provide more detail on the Council’s finances should the meeting wish as he had the numbers to hand or failing that the year-end finances would be available for inspection in June.
Mrs Humphries highlighted the anti-Social behaviour in Spring Street Car Park and felt that there was merit in providing a skate park at Little Lindow, The Town Clerk agreed to follow up with Mrs Humphries after the meeting.
Mr Cash felt that there was plenty for young people to do without the need for a skate park
The Chairman, Cllr Watkins, closed the meeting at 20:20 hrs.