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Minutes of the Staffing, Finance & General Purposes Committee held in the Town Hall on Thursday 24 March 2022 at 6.30 pm

 

PRESENT:

North Ward:

Councillor D Bushby (Chairman)
Councillor P S Christie

South Ward:

Councillor P J Lawrence

East Ward:

Councillor Mrs R Craigie
Councillor Mrs Gubb
Councillor J McKenzie

West Ward:

Councillor D Ratcliff

IN ATTENDANCE:

Mrs H J Blackburn (Town Clerk)
Councillor C Hawkins

115.      APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Councillor Mrs Corfe, West ward, illness.

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

Councillor Mrs Gubb declared a pecuniary interest in item 13.b. (Husband has worked with the Maintenance Team.)

117.      PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION OF 15 MINUTES DURATION

No Members of the public were present at the meeting.

118.      MINUTES

Proposed by Councillor Christie and seconded by Councillor McKenzie, the minutes of the meeting held on 17 February (Grants) 2022 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Vote – For: 7, Against: 0)

119.      CHAIRMAN’S ITEMS

The Town Clerk advised that an extension to the submission date for the citizen’s awards had been made.

Councillor Christie advised that following his motion to Council to add a second plaque to the war memorial in Victoria Park recording the names of those Bidefordians who have died in conflict since the First World War, he had been researching the names for the plaque. There are several anomalies within the sources he has looked at, and he advised that it will take a little time to produce the correct list of names.

120.      ACCOUNTS

Members received the list of payments.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor McKeznie and

RESOLVED: That the draft list of payments is approved.

(Vote – For: 7, Against: 0)

121.      MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES

Members considered the Local Authorities (Members’ Allowances) (England) Regulations 2003 in order to make a recommendation to Council for the financial year 2021/22.

Proposed by Councillor Christie, seconded by Councillor Bushby and

RECOMMENDED: That Members allowances and the Mayor’s allowance increase by 1.75 % in line with the salary rise agreed for staff with effect from April 2021. The Councillor’s allowance will rise to £928 per annum.
The Mayor’s allowance will rise to £2,091 per Mayoral year with an additional sum of £523 for use by the Deputy Mayor if required. Members should receive the backdated sum owed with their allowance payment in May 2022.

(Vote – For: 7, Against: 0)

122.      ST MARYS CHURCH CLOCK

Members considered whether to agree to the payment for the church clock service at St. Mary’s church ahead of it being repaired.

Proposed by Councillor Ratcliff, seconded by Councillor McKenzie and

RESOLVED: That the service payment is approved.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

123.      TWINNING ASSOCIATION GIFT

Members considered the purchase of a gift for the 45th anniversary of the Twinning Association.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Mrs Gubb and

RESOLVED: That a gift is commissioned by Rob Patterson from the Bideford Pannier Market.

(Vote: For: 6, Against: 1)

124.      PORTABLE PROJECTOR AND SCREEN

Members considered the purchase of a portable projector and screen for use in the Council Chamber.

Councillor Hawkins recommended that the Council purchase a large, flatscreen television on a stand alongside a laptop. A webcam for zoom meetings or Youtube streaming is also a possibility. It was agreed that Councillor Hawkins would look into the possibilities and costings and report back to SFGP.

125.      DEVON AIR AMBULANCE HELI PAD

Members considered the report on the Devon Air Ambulance Heli Pad landing site for Pollyfield.

Members advised that the Town Council should not take any future responsibility for the maintenance of the facility and that a ring-fenced sum, as suggested in the report will be made available for maintenance on application by the responsible body.

Members wish to see the terms proposed for the Memorandum of Understanding between Bideford Town Council, Shamwickshire Rovers Football Club and Devon Air Ambulance.

Members do not feel that funding should be put towards a facility in the West of Bideford, as there is already provision.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Ratcliff and

RESOLVED: That the Memorandum of Understanding should be returned to SFGP for agreement, a sum for the maintenance of the lights at Pollyfield will be ringfenced, and no funding is allocated to a facility West of the Water in Bideford.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

126.      RED EARTH

Members considered the reply from Red Earth following a letter asking if Red Earth would like to contribute towards the cost of the underbridge lighting repairs, and to agree a response.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby , seconded by Councillor Mrs Craigie and

RESOLVED: That the letter is noted and a reply is not required.

(Vote: For: 7, Against: 0)

127.     MAINTENANCE OPERATIVES

a.     Members received an update on the tasks undertaken by the Maintenance Operatives. Members asked the Town Clerk to find out more detail on the meeting with the Chair of Bideford Football Club and the meeting with Councillors with reference Bideford Football Club.

b.     SEASONAL MAINTAINANCE TEAM EMPLOYEE

Members considered the costs and benefits of employing the Seasonal Worker between May 2022 and September 2022 to assist with the additional summer workload.

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor McKenzie and

RECOMMENDED: That the Seasonal Worker is employed between May 2022 and September 2022 to assist with the additional summer workload.

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

128.      PART II CLOSED SESSION

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor McKenzie 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)

129.      STAFFING MATTERS

There is a confidential Minute associated with this item.

130.      Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor McKenzie 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 7.05 pm.

 

 

Table of Accounts for approval at SFGP Meeting 240322


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