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Minutes of the Staffing, Finance & General Purposes Committee held in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, Bideford on Thursday 28 March 2019 at 6.30 pm

PRESENT:

North Ward:

Councillor D Bushby
Councillor P S Christie
Councillor P J Pester

South Ward:

Councillor D Brenton
Councillor S G Inch (Chairman)
Councillor R Wootton

South (Outer) Ward:

Councillor D Howell

IN ATTENDANCE:

Mrs H J Blackburn (Town Clerk)
Mr D Kersey – Phatdog
Mrs R Edwards – Out of this World Events

114.      APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Councillor McGeough (North Ward – illness)

115.      DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND ANY REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

There were no declarations of interest.

116.      PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION OF 15 MINUTES DURATION

No items raised.

117.      MINUTES

Proposed by Councillor Pester and seconded by Councillor Christie, the minutes of the meeting held on 21 February 2019 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Vote – For: 7, Against: 0)

118.      CHAIRMAN’S ITEMS

No items.

119.      ACCOUNTS

Members received the list of payments.

Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded by Councillor Bushby and

RESOLVED: That the draft list of payments is approved.

(Vote – For: 7, Against: 0)

120.      FUNDING REQUEST – NEW YEAR’S EVE

Members considered the costings for the 2019/20 New Year’s Eve event with the Committee Chair, Mrs Edwards and Mr Kersey from Phatdog, and their concerns about the reduction in grant funding from that received in the previous year.

Mrs Edwards provided quotations for a laser display from three companies which ranged from £12,000 to £20,000. Following discussion Members concluded that the cost of a laser show exceeded the funding the Town Council could contribute towards the cost of New Year’s Eve, and that they must therefore recommend to Full Council that the previous resolution to hold laser shows instead of fireworks must be reconsidered. Members discussed the possibility of silent fireworks and alternative launch locations.

Mrs Edwards offered to source more information on silent fireworks and to see if she could obtain one for demonstration purposes.
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Councillor Bushby advised Mrs Edwards and Mr Kersey that the local Police Inspector had informed Bideford Town Council that the security arrangements for the New Year’s Eve event 2018/19 had been very good and the event had been well run.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Inch and

RECOMMENDED: That following the quotations received for a laser show which exceed the current budget, that This Committee recommends to Full Council that the previous decision regarding a laser show is reconsidered and that silent fireworks are investigated along with the possibility of using a location further away from the Old Bridge. The SFGP Committee will liaise with the organisers of New Year’s Eve to source a suitable alternative to noisy fireworks.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

Members discussed the Magical Moments event which is held at the Pannier Market with Mr Kersey and concluded that it had been very successful. Mr Kersey advised that he is subcontracted and given a budget to put on the Magical Moments event. Mr Kersey provided detailed costings for the event and answered questions in relation to specific items. Members asked that at future events, it needs to be widely advertised that the Town Council make a grant contribution towards the event. Mr Kersey advised that this was announced regularly during the event, and The Town Council had been publicly thanked for their contribution via social media, following the event.

Councillor Brenton suggested that Mr Kersey meets with the Market Management Committee nearer the time to discuss space requirements and any other issues.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Christie and

RECOMMENDED: That the grant sum awarded to Out of This World Events, for the New Year’s Eve event is increased to £13,475 on the condition that a suitable replacement for noisy fireworks is found, at a similar value.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

121.      MANOR COURT PRESENTMENTS

(2018)
Presentment Number: 3 – A Changing Places facility in Bideford for those who are disabled, or wheelchair bound This enables families with a member who is incontinent to be changed with dignity in a dry housing with the necessary equipment and facilities.

The Town Clerk advised that the late Councillor Langmead and Councillor Christie had met with The TDC Property Manger to look at the store room in the park with a view of discussing the possibility of installing a Space to Change which fits into a smaller area than the regular sized facility. It will be possible to convert this area if an alternative storage space can be found for the cleansing team and if funding can be sourced for the facility. These issues are being investigated and once there is further progress, this item will be put back on the agenda for discussion.

(2019)
Presentment Number: 1 – That this Council looks at a feature to celebrate Charles Kingsley’s 200th birthday and his book “The Water Babies” with a small art installation on the plinth of the statue and to write to TDC for permission to carry this through.

Proposed by Councillor Christie, seconded by Councillor Bushby and

RESOLVED: That Maggie Curtis is approached for a price to produce a plaque approximately 1 ft square, in Peter’s Marland Clay (coloured light yellow) depicting a scene from the Water Babies.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

Councillor Howell suggested that The Tourism Committee could look into an interpretation board about the life of Charles Kingsley.

Presentment Number: 2 – For this Council to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day with an engraved stone or plaque near the War Memorial.

Proposed by Councillor Howell, seconded by Councillor Bushby and

RESOLVED: That this presentment is agreed in principle. The Town Clerk will investigate the design and location options and bring them back to the next meeting.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

Presentment Number: 3 – That this Council writes to the BMX Track organisers asking them what they will do to make the facility available to East the Water children at no cost.

Proposed by Councillor Christie, seconded by Councillor Wootton and

RESOLVED: That The Town Clerk contacts the Secretary of the Bideford BMX Club and invites him to a future meeting to discuss the work of the club and the presentment request.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

Presentment Number: 11 –That this Council investigates the ownership of the bricked-up Police “cells” located on the Quay front under the Police Station and investigates the history with a view to installing a historical slate plaque.

Proposed by Councillor Christie, seconded by Councillor Howell and

RESOLVED: That The Town Clerk contacts the Police Inspector at Bideford Police Station and asks him who owns the bricked up walls.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

122.      FUNDING REQUEST

Members considered an emergency funding request from a Member of the Torridge Scouts who has been chosen to represent the Devon Scout Group at the 24th World Jamboree in North America in 2019 following the withdrawal of the previous grant recipient.

Proposed by Councillor Howell, seconded by Councillor Bushby and

RESOLVED: That the sum of £400 is awarded to the applicant representing the Torridge Scouts at the Devon Scout Group at the 24th World Jamboree in North America in 2019.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

123.      FUNDING REQUEST

Members considered an emergency funding request from the singing group “Slightly Different.”

Proposed by Councillor Howell, seconded by Councillor Bushby and

RESOLVED: That £500 is awarded to the singing group, “Slightly Different.”

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

Members asked the Town Clerk to invite the group to the Pannier Market to sing on the occasion of the Landivisiau Twinning Reception.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

124.      MEMORIAL TROPHY

Members gave consideration to making a contribution towards a memorial trophy being organised by the Bideford Bike Show team in memory of Mervyn Langmead.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Howell and

RESOLVED: That the sum of £100 is contributed towards a memorial trophy being organised by the Bideford Bike Show team in memory of Mervyn Langmead.

(Vote For: 7, Against: 0)

125.      OCTAGON

Members gave consideration to correspondence received regarding the future of the Octagon which is currently in a state of disrepair and is being stored by Torridge District Council in Torrington.

Proposed by Councillor Christie, seconded by Councillor Bushby and

RESOLVED: That The Town Clerk suggests to Torridge District Council that they ask Mr R Braddick if he would like to repair it for use in the Seafield Car Park at Westward Ho!

(Vote For: 7, Against: 0)

126.      BIDEFORD BOWL ROWING TROPHY

Members considered correspondence received from the South Coast Championship Regatta regarding storage and insurance of the Bideford Bowl Rowing Trophy.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Brenton and

RESOLVED: That Bideford Town Council agrees in principle to house and insure the Bideford Bowl Rowing Trophy subject to this finding a suitable location for it within the Town Hall.

(Vote For: 7, Against: 0)

127.      MANTEO ROTARY CLUB VISIT

Members discussed correspondence from representatives of the Rotary Club in Manteo who would like to visit the Town Council on 26th June 2019.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Wootton and

RESOLVED: That the Town Clerk invites the visitors for a tour of the Town Hall and Town, followed by a cream tea.

(Vote For: 7, Against: 0)

Proposed by Councillor Christie, seconded by Councillor Pester and

RESOLVED: That the Town Clerk organises a hanging glass crest, made by Mr R Patterson, to be given as a gift to the visitors from Manteo.

(Vote For: 7, Against: 0)

128.      CITIZEN’S AWARD AND YOUNG CITIZEN’S AWARD

The Town Clerk advised that no nominations had been received to date for either the Citizen’s Award or the Young Citizen’s Award. Members agreed to extend the deadline to 18 April 2019 and asked the Town Clerk to contact Bideford College and the Link to advertise the Awards. Councillor Christie will also promote the Awards in his column in the North Devon Journal.

129. MAINTENANCE OPERATIVES

Members received and noted an update on the tasks undertaken by the Maintenance Operatives and some of the specific jobs were discussed.

130.      PART II CLOSED SESSION

Proposed by Councillor Inch, seconded by Councillor Howell and

RESOLVED: That in view of the confidential nature of the business about to be discussed, the meeting moves into part II.

(Vote For: 7, Against: 0)

131.      STAFFING MATTERS

There is a confidential Minute associated with this item.

132.      Proposed by Councillor Pester, seconded by Councillor Wootton and

RESOLVED: That the meeting returns to Standing Orders.

(Vote For: 7, Against: 0)

The business of the meeting having been completed, the Chairman thanked the members for their attendance and the meeting concluded at 8.00 pm.

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