TUXFORD TOWN COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting of the Finance & Services Committee held on 9 November 2010 in the Methodist Church Hall at 7.00 pm

Present Councillors Moulds (Chairman),Taylor, Frost, Bett, Fox, Downing, Richards and Holland.

Also present Mr Peter G Hills (Clerk), Mrs Lisa Hill (Assistant Clerk), and Mr M Pottinger (Handyman).

FS52/1011 – Apologies for absence

There were no apologies for absence.

FS53/1011 Declarations of interest

There were no declarations of interest.

FS54/1011 – Minutes of the last meeting held on 12 October 2010

The minutes of the last meeting held on 12 October 2010 were accepted as a true record. The minutes were signed by the Chairman.

FS55/1011 – Matters arising from the Minutes

FS55.1 Minute FS47.1 –The Clerk reported that a letter had been sent to seven local builders to establish whether they might be interested in quoting to build the depot. The depot plans had been finalised by Ray Snowden and a meeting between Ms Mandy Freeman, Bassetlaw District Council (BDC) Planning Officer, Mr Snowden and the Clerk was being arranged to discuss the planning application before it was submitted formally. At this stage a decision on whether to submit a request for building regulation approval at the same time as the planning application would be made. Councillor Downing expressed the importance of having a proper contract for the building works in place to include fixed price, completion dates and penalty clauses where appropriate. It was also suggested that a project manager would be required.

FS55.2 Minute FS47.2 – The Clerk reported that ‘no tipping’ notices were to be ordered for the newly-renovated area at Haynes Close.

FS55.3 Minute FS47.3 - the Clerk reported that discussions on the construction of the ‘freeplay’ amphitheatre on Clark Lane playing field would be taking place shortly. The Clerk expressed the importance of finding the right balance between creating the play scheme and easy maintenance of sloped grassed areas.

FS55.4 Minute FS47.4 - the Clerk reported that Karen Tarburton of Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire (RCAN) had received permission from A1 Housing to use their land for mini public gardens. The Clerk had met with Ms Tarburton and Ms Andrea Oswin, Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) Youth Worker about planting schemes. Various suggestions had been made including planting fruit trees for community enjoyment and the involvement of some of the allotment holders in the landscaping and planting.

FS55.5 Minute FS47.6 – the Clerk reported that he and Councillor Moulds had met with Mr Gordon Albery from NCC on 20 October 2010 for the first Parish Walkabout in Tuxford. The Walkabouts were designed to identify areas requiring attention which could be dealt with by NCC’s new quick response service. However, this was limited to dealing with relatively minor items and major items such as tree work and highways repairs would continue to be dealt with through the traditional NCC processes.

FS55.6 Minute FS47.8 - the Clerk reported that he had received a reply from Mr Mike Hill, Head of Finance and Property at BDC regarding Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC)’s £1200 penalty notice against the Council for late submission of its 2008/09 year-end payroll report. Mr Hill said that BDC had reviewed its position in response to the Clerk’s letter but that it upheld its earlier decision that it was not responsible for £800 of the penalty charge. However, HMRC had given leave for BDC to re-appeal against the penalty notice and, should this appeal be successful, the Town Council would be reimbursed. Mr Hill’s letter also stated that HMRC had issued a further penalty for late submission of the Council’s 2009/10 year-end payroll report. BDC was challenging this decision and expected this new penalty to be cancelled in due course. BDC had also given the Council notice that it would no longer operate the Council’s payroll with effect from the end of the current financial year in April 2011. The Clerk stated that he was already exploring alternative payroll providers. Action – Clerk.

FS55.7 Minute FS47.9 – the Clerk reported that he was seeking alterative quotes and planting ideas for the floral displays.

FS55.8 Minute FS47.10 - the Clerk reported that it had been resolved at full Council that the condition of the car park surface should be monitored over the winter and a decision on further works deferred until February 2011. However, a possible car park landscaping design had never been formally agreed. The Clerk distributed copies of a design prepared by Cllr Holland and it was Resolved: that Cllr Holland’s basic design be accepted; that separate quotes should be obtained to provide a raised, brick-built, central planting bed, brick skins around the entrance planters and repairs to the wall on the right hand side of the car park entrance. Action – Clerk.

FS55.9 Minute FS49.2 - the Clerk reported that a replacement office printer had now been ordered.

FS55.10 Minute FS49.3 Councillor Downing recommended that the office computers should be backed up using a system called ‘Norton online back-up’ which did not rely on information being stored on the computer or a disk. Therefore, should data be lost due to system failure, damage or theft , all the data could be restored from the secure back-up. Councillor Moulds suggested ‘Norton Ghost’ was a similar system. Resolved: that these and other back-up systems should be investigated. Action – Clerk.

FS55.11 Minute FS49.4 - Councillor Richards reported that he had slipped off the pavement whilst avoiding an overgrown area at the top of Faraday Avenue which was in need of tidying. The Clerk reported that this area was A1 Housing’s responsibility and that whilst the Council could carry out works at various locations around the town they should be wary of undertaking work which was another organisation’s responsibility. It was reported that a fire hydrant sign was broken and lying on the pavement on Faraday Avenue. Councillor Moulds requested that the handymen should use their worksheets to record such problems so they could be reported to the Clerk for action. Action – Clerk.

FS55.12 Minute FS49.5 - the Clerk reported that 40 paving slabs had been requested from BDC from their surplus stock. The Council would be informed as and when the paving slabs were available.

FS55.13 Minute FS50/1011 - the Clerk reported that the Council had decided that £250 should be charged per burial in the Green Burial Ground, including a tree and plaque. This figure would be subject to annual review. A decision on whether to charge a premium for non-Tuxford residents was deferred until clear criteria could be decided.

FS55.14 Minute FS51.2 - the Clerk reported that electrician Clarke Castle had PAT tested the Christmas lights at the depot on Monday 8 November. He would also be checking the electricity supply box and the remote control for the lights on put-up day and also be available on switch-on day. All other preparations for the Christmas market were progressing well.

FS56/1011 Financial monitoring and invoices for approval

FS56.1 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 seven months of the 2010/11 financial year and showed expenditure under budget. The Clerk gave reasons for the variances between budget and actual expenditure to date and answered questions on the financial information. (see Agenda Item 5.1 attached)

FS56.2 The Clerk circulated copies of the income and expenditure sheet to 31 October 2010. (see Agenda Item 5.2 attached).

FS56.3 Invoices shown in Agenda Item 5.3 for November 2010 were presented to the committee. It was Resolved: that all the invoices should be paid. Action – Clerk.

FS57/0910 Town maintenance and equipment

FS57.1 Martin Pottinger, Handyman, requested that approximately 40 tonne of road stone would be needed to complete the road way into the compost area at the allotments as the ground was now getting too soft to drive on. It was Resolved: that enough road stone to complete the road way should be ordered. Action – Handymen and Clerk.

FS57.2 The Clerk reported that he had received a Winter Maintenance update from NCC. The update included the provision of additional grit bins and additional salt supplies, information on treatment of additional lengths of road (other than ‘A’ and ‘B’ roads), advice on the collation of offers of help from local farmers and businesses, encouragement to be part of the local Emergency Plan, advice on liability for snow clearance on highways, information on salt supplies, information on NCC’s collaboration with District and Borough Councils to establish what resources they have available in severe weather and partnership working. It was Resolved: that 5 free bags of salt, plus last year’ 5 free bags that never arrived, plus 1 tonne fabric bag of salt should be ordered from NCC; that the cost of a suitable manual gritting machine for use on pavements be explored. Action – Clerk.

FS58/0910 Cemetery field rent review

The Clerk reported that the rent on the Cemetery field was currently £110 per annum. The rent had remained unchanged since 2007. A portion of the field had now been given up by the tenant for the Council’s new Green Burial Ground. It was therefore Resolved: that the rent should remain at £110 for 2010/11. Action – Clerk.

The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.55pm.

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