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HALSTEAD TOWN COUNCIL |
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MINUTES OF TOWN COUNCIL MEETING PUBLIC SESSION MINUTES 13 May 2024 2024: at 19:15 |
Membership:
| Councillor Andrew Munday | Chairman | Present |
| Councillor James Bond | Vice Chairman | Apologies |
| Councillor Janet Atkinson | Present | |
| Councillor Malcolm Fincken | Present | |
| Councillor Linda Hilton | Present | |
| Councillor Gemma MacAndrews | Present | |
| Councillor Grahame McCoyd | Present | |
| Councillor Paul Nunn | Present | |
| Councillor Jackie Pell | Present | |
| Councillor Felix Preston | Present | |
| Councillor Linda Smith | Present | |
| Councillor Garry Warren | Present |
Also in attendance: Sheenagh Evans (Administration officer)
008. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Cllr Bond sent apologies for personal reasons
Cllr Fincken proposed, seconded by Cllr Warren, acceptance of the apologies. This was unanimously agreed.
009. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS:
Cllr Fincken declared NPI item 5, as a member of BDC planning committee. Cllr Munday declared NPI item 5, as a member of BDC planning committee and NPI item 7b & 7b(a), as a member of BDC and Empire Theatre Cllr Pell declared NPI items 7b and 7b (a), as a member of BDC and CSGMC.
Cllr Warren declared NPI 7b, as a member of CSGMC, a a member of BALC and TMCE training. Cllr Hilton declared an NPI in item 7b, as a member of CSGMC. Cllr Atkinson declared an NPI item 7d as attending the Finance course.
010. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
There were no public questions.
011. MINUTES To approve the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 15 April 2024.
Minutes had been circulated and proposal to adopt minutes of the Full Town council meeting of 15 April 2024 was put forward by Cllr Fincken, seconded by Cllr Warren, and agreed with 5 abstentions. Cllr Fincken, seconded by Cllr Preston proposed noting the Events Group meeting of 8th April 2024 and this was agreed with 2 abstentions. .
Cllr McCoyd asked for the following to be minuted –
Discussions about recommendations / proposals – if there is an amendment or secondary proposal, then this should be minuted.
012. PLANNING APPLICATIONS – Cllr Pell, Lead for planning
The following Planning Applications, which were received and circulated electronically, were considered at the Council meeting.
As the Chairman was leaving the meeting for the next item, Cllr Preston nominated Cllr Nunn to act as Chairman for the Planning section and seconded by Cllr McCoyd.
Cllr Fincken and Cllr Munday left the meeting.
24/00518/HH – Orchardside , Chapel Hill, Halstead – Proposed front porch, dropped kerb and external alteration
Cllr McCoyd proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr Preston and agreed with 1 abstention.
24/00701/FUL – 26A Trinity Street, Halstead, Essex – Replacement of 3 No. first floor timber sash windows with painted hardwood double glazed sash windows.
Cllr Pell proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr Preston and agreed with 1 abstention.
24/00861/HH – 9A Mount Hill, Halstead, Essex – Proposed porch
Cllr MacAndrews proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr McCoyd and agreed with 1 abstention.
Cllr Fincken and Cllr Munday returned to the meeting.
013. FINANCE
Finance – Cllr Atkinson, Lead for Finance, led this part of the meeting.
All members of the Council are members of the Finance section
a) Direct debits for 2024/25
Cllr Warren proposed, seconded by Cllr Atkinson, approval of the direct debits for the financial year 24/25. This was unanimously agreed.
b) To approve the Lists of payments to be made in May
Cllr McCoyd proposed, seconded by Cllr Preston, approval of the lists of payments including the additional payment of £40 for photographic services. This was unanimously agreed.
Cllr McCoyd considered £215 low for the Clerks Account and asked for this to be noted.
Cllr MacAndrews asked for a comparison report from last year to compare with this year.
c) To approve the Internal auditor’s report
Cllr Fincken proposed, seconded by Cllr Preston, approval of the internal auditor’s report. This was unanimously agreed
Cllr MacAndrews requested more information on Auditors Report and will send a request to the Town Clerk with detailed information.
Cllr McCoyd asked for it to be noted that the earmarked reserves figure is much greater than what had been previously advised
Cllr McCoyd asked why Month 1 was missing from the Income/Expenditure report and was advised that the figure were not available at the time the Agenda was issued.
d) To consider the attendance of the Clerk and the Lead for Finance at a EALC course on Finance for larger councils
Cllr Munday proposed, seconded by Cllr McCoyd, approval of attendance of the Clerk and the Lead for Finance at the Finance course for larger councils. Cllr MacAndrews would also like to attend and the Chairman said this would depend on the budget and requested the Town Clerk to check. This was unanimously agreed
014. EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS
To give consideration to adopting the following resolution: – “That in view of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted and pursuant to the provisions of section 1(2)-of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, as amended, the public and the press be temporarily excluded from the meeting”.
There were no matters in private session
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 20.20