Staffing, Finance & General Purposes Committee 9 February 2010

Posted in document archives - Staffing, Finance & Gen. Purposes

Minutes of the Staffing, Finance & General Purposes Committee held in the Mayor’s Parlour, Town Hall, Bideford on Tuesday 9 February 2010 at 6.00 pm

PRESENT:

North Ward:
Councillor Ms E L Farrington (Substitute for  D C Fulford)
South Ward: Councillor S G Inch (Substitute for A T Inch)
Councillor P J Pester (Deputy Town Mayor)
South (Outer) Ward:Councillor A T Powell (Town Mayor)       
East Ward:Councillor S E L Clarke (Chairman)
Councillor Mrs P Davies
Councillor R W Vanstone

IN ATTENDANCE: Mr G B McLauchlan (Town Clerk)

091 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Councillors D C Fulford (North Ward – Personal), A T Inch (South Ward – Personal) and D M Ratcliff (South Ward – Illness)

092 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

No declarations of interest were made at this time.

093 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PERIOD

No members of the public were present at the meeting.

094 MINUTES – STAFFING, FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

The Minutes of the meeting held on 12 January 2010 were approved and signed as a correct record.

095 ACCOUNTS

a. Payments for Approval    

Proposed by Councillor Powell, seconded and

RESOLVED:  That the list of payments be approved.

(Vote – For:  7,  Against:  0)

b. Internal Finance Inspector’s Report

The members received the Internal Finance Inspector’s Report for the period     1 October – 31 December 2009.  Proposed by Councillor Powell, seconded and

RESOLVED:  That the report be noted and action be taken on the recommendations.

(Vote – For:  7,  Against:  0)

096 GRANT REQUEST – WINGS SOUTH WEST

The Town Clerk advised that he had received correspondence from the Youth & Events Worker, Wings South West requesting a grant of £1,000.00 to cover the running costs of a Junior Fun Run in Victoria Park.  Proposed by Councillor Powell, seconded and

RESOLVED:  That the applicant be advised of the correct time and procedure for requesting a grant.

(Vote – For:  7,  Against  0)

097 FORD HOUSE WOODLAND

The members noted the content of the Geotechnical Assessment regarding the stability of the slope adjacent to Ford House which had been distributed with the agenda.  The report implied that the costs associated with the work on the rock face behind Ford House would cost in the region of £50,000.00 - £60,000.00 to make safe and secure that area.  Other costs for the removal of the trees etc would be additional costs to the Council and the whole scheme could cost in the region of £100,000.00.  As the cost of this work will exceed the money held for maintenance of the woodland by way of a Section 106 Agreement, and that no money had been put in the budget for the current or next financial years, the works would have to be approved by Council in accordance with Standing Orders.  Proposed by Councillor Vanstone, seconded and

RECOMMENDED:  That the Council proceeds with making safe the area of concern as a matter of urgency and that authority be delegated to the Mayor, Chairman and Town Clerk to tender for the various stages of the work up to a maximum spend of £100,000.00.

(Vote – For:  7,  Against:  0)       
098    VARIOUS STREETS, BIDEFORD – INTRODUCTION OF 20 MPH SPEED LIMITS

The members noted the content of the correspondence which had been circulated with the agenda detailing the proposed introduction of a 20 mph speed limit within a number of streets in Bideford.  Proposed by Councillor Pester seconded and

RESOLVED:  That the Council is opposed to this piecemeal arrangement and strongly requests that the County Council considers implementing a 20 mph speed limit in all streets in Bideford.  This would save a proliferation of unnecessary road signage in this historic town.

(Vote – For:  7,  Against:  0)

099 CONFIDENTIAL ITEMS TO BE TAKEN IN PART II

Proposed by Councillor Vanstone, seconded and

RESOLVED:  That in view of the confidential nature of the business about to be discussed, it is advisable, in the public interest, that the public be excluded for the remainder of the meeting; they were instructed to withdraw.

(Vote – For:  7,  Against:  0)

100 REIMBURSEMENT OF LEGAL COSTS

The Town Clerk advised that he had received correspondence from a councillor requesting that consideration be given to reimbursing the legal costs, or some of the costs, expended defending accusations brought through the Code of Conduct.  A letter from the councillor concerned was distributed to members at the commencement of this agenda item.  He further advised that he had sought advice from the County Secretary and had checked with the Council’s insurance company to see if this was covered by the policy but he had not yet received a response.  Proposed by Councillor Ms Farrington, seconded and

RECOMMENDED:  That as no policy has been agreed and no prior agreement reached before the councillor appointed a solicitor, the Council does not agree to reimburse such expenses retrospectively.

(Vote – For:  6,  Against:  0,  Abstention:  1)

The business of the meeting having been completed, the Chairman thanked the members for their attendance and the meeting concluded at 6.45 pm.

Signature of Town Mayor:  ………………………………….  Date:  ……………………........

Signature of Chairman:  ……………………………………..  Date:  ………………………....