|
HALSTEAD TOWN COUNCIL |
|
|
|
MINUTES OF TOWN COUNCIL MEETING PUBLIC SESSION MINUTES 15 January 2024: at 19:15 |
Membership:
| Councillor Jackie Pell | Chairman | Present |
| Councillor Andy Munday | Vice Chairman | Present |
| Councillor Janet Atkinson | Present | |
| Councillor James Bond | Present | |
| Councillor Malcolm Fincken | Present | |
| Councillor Linda Hilton | Present | |
| Councillor Gemma MacAndrews | Present | |
| Councillor Grahame McCoyd | Present | |
| Councillor Paul Nunn | Apologies | |
| Councillor Felix Preston | Apologies | |
| Councillor Linda Smith | Apologies | |
| Councillor Garry Warren | Present |
Also in attendance: Sarah Greatorex (Town Clerk)
153. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Cllr Smith sent apologies due to work commitments.
Cllr Nunn sent his apologies as he was unwell. Cllr Preston sent his apologies due to another commitment. ECC Cllr Chris Siddall sent apologies as he was unwell.
Cllr Fincken proposed, seconded by Cllr Bond, acceptance of the apologies. This was unanimously agreed.
154. DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS:
Cllr Warren declared NPI items 7b and 7b(a) as a member of CSGMC. Cllr Fincken declared NPI item 5, as a member of BDC planning committee, items 7b and 7b(a) as a member of BDC. Cllr Pell declared item, 5 23/02872/HH as the applicant was known to her, item 7b and 7b (a) as a member of BDC and CSGMC, and item 12 as a member of BDC.
Cllr Fincken proposed, seconded by Cllr Bond, that the declarations be noted. This was unanimously agreed.
155. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
There were no public questions.
156. MINUTES To approve the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 13 December
2023 Minutes had been circulated and proposal to adopt minutes of the Full Town council meeting of 13 December 2023 was put forward by Cllr Fincken, seconded by Cllr Munday, and agreed with one abstention.
157. PLANNING APPLICATIONS – Cllr Pell, Lead for planning
The following Planning Applications, which were received and circulated electronically, were considered at the Council meeting.
Cllr Munday and Cllr Fincken left the meeting.
23/02972/HH – 2 Waters Way, Halstead, Essex – Proposed single storey rear extension with internal alterations
Cllr Pell proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr McCoyd and unanimously agreed.
23/02992/HH – 3 Marler Road, Halstead, Essex – Replacement of flat roof canopy with pitched roof to side extension
Cllr Pell proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr Bond and unanimously agreed.
23/03048/HH – Bay View , Upper Chapel Street, Halstead – Insertion of 2 No. obscure glazed 1st floor windows to the north/west elevation.
Cllr Pell proposed no objection, seconded by Cllr Bond and unanimously agreed.
Cllr Fincken and Cllr Munday returned to the meeting.
158. MAYOR’S APPOINTMENTS
Cllr Pell commented that she had been very impressed by the care with which patients were treated at Halstead Hospital when she visited on Christmas Day.
Cllr Fincken proposed that the Mayor’s appointments be noted, seconded by Cllr Bond and unanimously agreed.
159. 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) Income and expenditure for December 2023
Cllr Bond proposed, seconded by Cllr Fincken, approval of the income and expenditure report for December.
b) To approve the Lists of payments
Cllr Fincken proposed, seconded by Cllr Bond, approval of the lists of payments. This was unanimously agreed.
c) To consider the Reconciliation of bank and petty cash accounts
Cllr Fincken proposed that the Bank reconciliation for the past 3 months be approved, subject to the “cash in hand” line being more precisely described, and other accounts being updated. This was seconded by Cllr Hilton and unanimously agreed.
d) To consider Budget and precept for 2024/25
Cllr MacAndrews proposed, seconded by Cllr Bond, that the budget be prepared the following year in line with the Reserves policy. This was unanimously agreed.
Cllr Munday asked for a recorded vote. He proposed to keep the increase in precept to 2%. This proposal failed.
Cllr Atkinson proposed that the precept set at 3.7% be approved, an increase in £1.84 per household per year. This was seconded by Cllr Fincken and agreed with Cllrs Atkinson, Bond, Fincken, Hilton, MacAndrews, McCoyd , Warren and Pell voting for, and Cllr Munday voting against.
160. To receive reports from District councillors
Cllr Bond had nothing to report.
Cllr Fincken had nothing to report.
Cllr Munday reported that he had attended one planning meeting.
Cllr Pell reported that BDC had confirmed their 5.8 year housing supply.
Cllr Munday proposed that the reports were noted, seconded by Cllr Fincken and unanimously agreed.
161. To receive reports from Champions
a) Doctors’ surgery –.nothing to report.
b) Education.-.Cllr Bond had had a meeting at St Andrews primary school concerning traffic, speed and parking. He had advised the school to refer the matter to Highways.
c) Police – nothing to report.
d) Open Spaces – Cllr Atkinson and the Clerk had had a meeting with Sarah Burder and Julia Watts of BDC on S106 funds, encouraging the Town council to spend the S106 funds.
e) Tourism – nothing to report.
162. To note the Minutes of the debrief meeting held on winter events on 18 December 2023 the Safer Streets meeting held on 8 January 2024
Cllr Munday proposed that the Minutes of the debrief meeting held on winter events on 18 December 2023 the Safer Streets meeting held on 8 January 2024 be noted. This was seconded by Cllr Fincken and unanimously agreed.
Cllr Bond stated that staff and volunteers should be thanked for their efforts in organising and running the torchlight procession, and said it was an impressive event.
163. To approve the Potential Open Spaces improvement plan
Cllr Fincken proposed that the POSI plan be agreed, seconded by Cllr Atkinson and unanimously agreed.
164. To approve the Reserves policy
Cllr MacAndrews proposed, seconded by Cllr Munday, that the Reserves policy be approved, subject to discovering how to calculate the Net Revenue expenditure.
This was agreed, with one abstention.
165. 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”.
Cllr Bond proposed that the public be excluded from the private session, seconded by Cllr Fincken, and unanimously agreed.
166. To note proposed Christmas arrangements for 2024
Arrangements for Christmas 2024 were discussed.
167. A staff matter was discussed.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 21.01