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HALSTEAD TOWN COUNCIL |
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MINUTES OF TOWN COUNCIL MEETING PUBLIC SESSION MINUTES 12 June 2023: at 19:15 |
Membership:
| Councillor Jackie Pell | Chairman | Present |
| Councillor Andy Munday | Vice Chairman | Present |
| Councillor Janet Atkinson | Apologies | |
| Councillor James Bond | Present | |
| Councillor Malcolm Fincken | Present | |
| Councillor Linda Hilton | Present | |
| Councillor Gemma MacAndrews | Present | |
| Councillor Grahame McCoyd | Present | |
| Councillor Paul Nunn | Present | |
| Councillor Felix Preston | Present | |
| Councillor Linda Smith | Apologies | |
| Councillor Garry Warren | Present |
Also in attendance: Miss Stephanie Kirby, Sarah Greatorex (Town Clerk)
042. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies were received from Cllr Smith as she was working, and Cllr Atkinson as she was unwell. Cllr Siddall had also informed the council that he was away. Cllr Munday proposed acceptance of these apologies, seconded by Cllr Fincken and agreed unanimously.
043. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS:
Cllr Munday declared NPI item 5, as a member of BDC planning committee, and 7g and 7g(a) as a member of BDC, and also as his daughter works for Holmes & Hills to whom there was a payment, and as a trustee of the Empire Theatre. Cllr Warren declared NPI item 7g and 7g(a) as a member of CSGMC, and as a HTC representative at the Empire Theatre.. Cllr Pell declared NPI item 5, 23/00848/FUL as the application was for a property at the bottom of her neighbour’s garden, 7g and 7g(a) 7h as a member of BDC and CSGMC. Cllr Fincken declared NPI item 5, as a member of BDC planning committee, and 7g and 7g(a) as a member of BDC. Cllr Nunn declared NPI, item 5. 23/00848/FUL as the applicant was known to him.
044. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
a) Miss Stephanie Kirby, owner of Steve’s hardware, made a statement about the Centre. This part of the town Is part of the High Street, but does not receive the maintenance and security afforded to the rest of the High Street. He had spoken with Cllr Siddall about this.
Ken Paisley, who also runs a shop in the Centre, had also written to Cllr Siddall on 11 May 2023 but had had no response. Miss Kirby spoke of:
- The missing and damaged railings below which there was a 2 metre drop
- Subsidence and cracking of the footpath
- The crumbling brickwork of the retaining wall, which is around 50 years old and covered in ivy and nettles, and riddled with ratholes. One section of steps has been missing for several years.
- The area is overgrown with weeds
- A national TV programme is looking to film “Rich house, poor house” in Halstead, basing itself in the Centre, and with the Centre in its current state, this would not shine a good light on Halstead
- The retailers based in the Centre are disappointed in HTC and BDC, as they feel that the Centre is excluded from events put on by the councils, and therefore retailers in the Centre do not benefit in any way from events put on by the council.
- Miss Kirby would be happy to show councillors around the area
b) Cllr Siddall
Cllr Siddall was away and unable to attend the meeting.
045. MINUTES To approve the minutes of the Annual Town Council Meeting held on 15 May 2023 and the Minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 15 May 2023. Minutes had been circulated and proposal to adopt minutes of the Full Town council meeting of 15 May 2023, was put forward by Cllr Fincken and seconded by Cllr Hilton, and unanimously agreed.
Cllr McCoyd proposed that the decision taken at the Annual Town Council meeting to change from having substitutes to having 6 members of SAC, should be brought to the August meeting to be ratified. Cllr Fincken seconded this and it was unanimously agreed.
Proposal to adopt minutes of the Annual Town Council meeting of 15 May 2023 was put forward by Cllr Fincken, seconded by Cllr Munday, and unanimously agreed.
046. PLANNING APPLICATIONS – Cllr Pell Lead for planning
The following Planning Applications, which were received and circulated electronically, are to be considered at the Council meeting.
Cllrs Pell, Nunn, Munday and Fincken left the meeting.
Cllr Warren took the lead for this part of the meeting.
23/00848/FUL – Land adjacent 2 Firwood Cottages, Tidings Hill, Halstead, Essex – 2 no. bedroom bungalow
Cllr Warren proposed objection to this application, on grounds of poor access for construction traffic, removal of a current turning area for vehicles, and overdevelopment inappropriate to the architectural style of the area. This was seconded by Cllr McCoyd and unanimously agreed.
Cllrs Pell and Nunn returned to the meeting. Cllr Pell took the lead for this part of the meeting.
23/01097/REM – Land Adjacent to Blamsters Farm, Mount Hill, Halstead
Application for the approval of reserved matters (in respect of appearance, landscaping, layout and scale) pursuant to outline planning permission 18/01646/OUT granted 30.04.2020 for: Outline application with some matters reserved except access – Residential Development to include a total of 16 no. supported living homes and 9 no. market homes falling within Use Class C3 of the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order
Cllr Nunn proposed that HTC state no objection to this application as it already has outline planning permission, and is in line with the ecological demands of the Design and Access statement. He asked that due attention be paid to the comments by the statutory authorities, as there was concern about the inappropriate style of fencing, and the footpath which would lead directly onto the road where there is no pavement. This was seconded by Cllr Pell and unanimously agreed.
Cllrs Fincken and Munday returned to the meeting.
047. MAYOR’S APPOINTMENTS
Cllr Pell said that in addition she had been invited to go in her capacity as Mayor to Brian Firmin’s memorial service.
The Mayor’s appointments were noted.
048. FINANCE
Finance –Deputy Lead, Cllr Munday, led this part of the meeting.
All members of the Council are members of the Finance section
a) 2022/23 Financial accounts and current assets
Cllr Pell commented that the elections should be cheaper than expected as 2 wards were uncontested. Cllr Bond suggested HTC should consider climate friendly solutions when replacing equipment.
Cllr Fincken proposed, seconded by Cllr Bond, that the accounts and current assets report be approved. This was unanimously agreed.
b) To approve internal auditor’s report.
Cllr Fincken proposed approval of the internal auditor’s report, seconded by Cllr Bond and unanimously agreed.
c) To approve the annual governance statement 22/23
Cllr Munday proposed, seconded by Cllr Fincken, that HTC approves the annual governance statement. This was unanimously agreed.
d) To approve the accounting statements for audit
Cllr Munday proposed, seconded by Cllr Fincken, that the accounting statements be approved for audit. This was unanimously agreed.
e) To approve the bank reconciliation and explanation of variances
Cllr Munday proposed, seconded by Cllr Fincken, that the bank reconciliation and explanation of variances be approved. This was unanimously agreed.
f) To approve the External auditor report from 2022 which was not previously noted at Council
Cllr Munday proposed that the External auditor report 2022 be approved. This was seconded by Cllr Warren and unanimously agreed.
g) To approve the lists of payments
Cllr Munday proposed, seconded by Cllr Pell, that the lists of payment be approved. This was unanimously agreed.
h) to approve the income and expenditure report for April and May
Cllr Pell stated that Cllr Siddall will take the mayoral chain to a colleague in London to get a price for the repair and refurbishment needed.
Cllr Munday proposed, seconded by Cllr Fincken, that the income and expenditure report for April and May be approved. This was unanimously agreed.
049. To receive reports from District councillors
Cllr Munday reported that he had attended the AGM and the committees had been formed. He had been appointed to the Governance and Audit committee, the planning committee and the Local Plan.
Cllr Bond reported that he had also attended the AGM and had been appointed to the Corporate Policy Review.
Cllr Fincken reported that he had been appointed to the planning committee, the Local Plan subgroup, and the Corporate Policy Review.
Cllr Pell reported that she had been reappointed to Licensing, to Halstead in Bloom, to the Friends of the Public Gardens and the cycling group. She had been invited by the leader to attend Cabinet meetings.
The reports were noted.
050. To receive reports from Champions
a) Doctors’ surgery – Cllr Bond suggested that he and Cllr McCoyd should join the patient participation group, and try to build a relationship with the Practice Manager, whom the Clerk had informed of their appointment.
b) Education – the Clerk had informed all schools of the appointment of Cllrs Bond and They would liaise with the schools.
c) Police – Cllr Warren asked that the Clerk write to the Chief Inspector and to the Chief Constable,.about the poor police service in Halstead.
Cllr MacAndrews proposed that police surgeries in Halstead be advertised better by the Town council. This was seconded by Cllr Munday and unanimously agreed.
d) Open Spaces – Cllr Fincken said that there was nothing to report until a meeting could be arranged between HTC and BDC.
e) Tourism – Cllr Pell said that there was a forthcoming meeting of the Events group.
051. To approve an update to the Member/officer protocol
Cllr Munday proposed, seconded by Cllr Fincken, that the update to the Member/officer protocol be approved.
This was unanimously agreed.
052. To note change of meeting dates due to a clash with BDC meeting dates
Cllr Munday proposed, seconded by Cllr Bond, that the changed meeting dates of 10 July 2023, and 11 March 2024 be noted. This was unanimously agreed.
053. To note the report from the BALC meeting
Cllr Munday praised Cllr Warren for the excellent report
Cllr Warren proposed, seconded by Cllr Fincken, that the £48 BALC fee be noted, and that a second delegate be elected to attend BALC. This was unanimously agreed.
Cllr Warren proposed, seconded by Cllr Hilton, that Cllr McCoyd be elected as the second delegate to BALC. This was unanimously agreed.
054. To reconsider parking in Trinity Street beside the Public Gardens.
Cllr Bond proposed that research should be done on the Highways standards policy for roads, and that HTC should base its case on that, and defer the decision until the July meeting. This was seconded by Cllr MacAndrews, and unanimously agreed.
055. 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 being no further business, the meeting closed at 21.00