Full Town Council - 1

DRAFT ONLY 16-1-18 Key:

Action: Decision: Wivenhoe Town Council

MINUTES of the Meeting of Wivenhoe Town Council (WTC) held in the Council Chamber on Monday 15th January 2018 at 7.30pm. Present Cllr. M. Newton (Chair), Cllrs: A. Aldis, P. Booth, S. Hoy, N. Lodge, S. Nash, R. Needham, K. Read, N. Tile and A. Vaughan. Colchester Borough (CBC) Cllrs: M. Cory, C. Liddy, Essex County Cllr. J. Young (ECC), Transport Representative P. Kay, H. Humphreys (Town Clerk). S. Bayley (Wivenhoe Film Theatre/Moving Image)

Prior to commencement of business safety announcements were given.

1 Apologies were received from Cllr. C. Singleton and Cllr. R. Scott (CBC) Declarations of Interest. Cllr. Finn declared an interest relating to Item 3 as a trustee of Wivenhoe Film Theatre (Moving Image). 2 Minutes of last meeting. Cllr. Newton reported that following issues with the Minutes of the meeting held on 20th November 2017 a Task & Finish group had met on 8th January 2018 and issues with clarity of the minutes had been addressed.

The minutes of the meeting held on 20th November 2017 were noted.

Cllr. Tile reported that a question he asked Cllr. Scott and her response was not minuted. As the recording was no longer available, it was suggested that the Clerk contact Cllr. Scott to confirm what her response was. The Chair requested this be done outside of the meeting.

Cllr. Needham asked about the motion regarding the Minibus and Cllr. Newton confirmed that he and the Clerk were in discussions with two designers to find artwork.

Cllr. Newton noted that item 9.i should refer to Rev. Erwin Lammens, not Lammas.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 20th November 2017 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

The minutes of the meeting held on 18th December 2017 were noted.

Cllr. Needham requested that it be clarified that the land referred under Item 5.i.i was distinct to the land envisaged for a cemetery in the Neighbourhood Plan (NP).

Cllr. Liddy requested that under 5.b the name of the new CBC Deputy Mayor be corrected to Nick Cope.

Cllr. Vaughan provided an update on the Engine Shed to Cllr. Read. There had been discussions between Network Rail (NR) and CBC. Cllr. Vaughan suggested interested members could form a group.

RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 18th December 2017 be confirmed and signed as a correct record.

Cllr. Tile suggested the name of the meeting or committee be noted in the footer of the page to make it easier to distinguish different sets of minutes in the full Town Council pack. Full Town Council 15/01/18 - 1 - 3 Points Raised by Members of the Public. i) Request for Funding from Wivenhoe Film Theatre/Moving Image (WFT). WFT needed to raise £2500 to run a film festival. Cllr. Read suggested WFT find match funding and WTC donate £250. It was clarified that electrical mains supply work at the William Loveless Hall (WLH) was essential for safety and separate to this request. Cllr. Hoy offered to assist WFT with fund raising. Cllr. Vaughan suggested either reducing rent for the film festival or making a donation. S. Bayley made a representation on behalf of WFT and reported at the last WLH Working Party the Mayor had offered a donation from the Mayor’s Fund and it had been suggested WTC be approached for match funding. WFT had applied unsuccessfully for 2 grants. They have raised £1500 in promises from Wivenhoe organisations which is purely for the festival. They would like to reach the target soon so they know how many films they can afford to programme. They hope to show 10 films on the theme of Real Lives with a diverse range of content from documentaries to more entertaining films. Entrance is to be free to encourage engagement from people who don’t normally come to see films. The projects to improve blinds and sound in the hall were separate to the film festival. Cllr. Newton confirmed that he had offered £250 from the Mayor’s Fund.

Cllr. Vaughan proposed that WTC donate £250. Cllr. Needham seconded and it was CARRIED with one abstention. 4 REPORTS FROM MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY AND BOROUGH COUNCILS. i) To consider proposal for reports to be provided prior to distribution of agenda, where possible, for future meetings. This item was not discussed. a) County Councillor Julie Young. Cllr. Young reported that a press release had been made regarding the ECC budget which will go to Cabinet on 23rd January then to budget setting on 13th February. ECC have proposed 4.99% precept increase (including a 2% increase on social care) which corresponds to an extra £1.12 per week on an average Band D Property. It was reported that the Government Grant will be gone completely by 2020. Children’s and Family Services cause the most pressure with an overspend in the 3rd Quarter outturn of £5,300,000. The pothole on East St. is scheduled for repair within 8-12 weeks. Highways are asking the contractor to return to Parkwood Ave. as the new bit of tarmac is slippery. A streetlight has been fixed in Belle Vue Rd. Cllr. Young queried whether WTC manage a light on the Anglesea Rd. Cllr. Needham believed this was a private road. Cllr. Tile asked if the new lights would be sodium or LED and whether Highways will consider permitted light emission if installing LEDs. Cllr. Young reported LED lights were being rolled out but she was unsure when this would happen in Wivenhoe; and that emission could be adjusted to prevent causing light pollution issues for residents. Cllr. Young reported she had submitted an objection and photos to the Quarry Extension application. Cllr. Tile asked if she would submit water quality reports. Cllr. Young has reports from the Environment Agency (EA) and will consider. Cllr. Read asked for Cllr. K. Bentley’s response regarding the WTC feedback about the Colne Bridge. Cllr. Young reported there has not been a Local Highways application. Cllr. Bentley intends to fund the £15,000 feasibility study from the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Cllr. Newton asked about the damaged pole at Wivenhoe Cross. Cllr. Young reported repair work is being programmed. There was concern that this is hazardous and should be addressed soon.

b) Borough Councillors R. Scott, C. Liddy and M. Cory. Cllr. Newton read Cllr. Scott’s report which had been distributed to members. Cllr. Scott has pledged to support a request for packaging collection bins outside Wivenhoe Co-op. She has called in retrospective planning applications. She reported that Cllr. M. Lilley is

Full Town Council - 2 - working with the North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) to reduce pavement parking. Cllr. Scott hopes to organise women’s only swimming sessions at Leisure World. Cllr. Tile had sent a series of questions in response to Cllr. Scott’s report and the Clerk was asked to forward them to Cllr. Scott. Cllr. Vaughan asked if Cllr. Scott had been asked to or intended to attend Committee regarding the land adjacent to Broome Grove/Spring Lane. Clerk to forward question.

Cllr. Liddy reported that the appeal relating to the Fingringhoe telecommunications mast had been dismissed. He suggested that WTC send a letter congratulating the St. Mary’s Church organist on his inclusion in the New Year’s honours list. Cllr. Liddy noted that Parkwood Ave. and University applications will be discussed at the next CBC Planning Committee meeting. He had raised with CBC proposals relating to Wivenhoe Heath, that is the buffer zone between the A133 and B1028. Cllr. Aldis asked what legislation CBC would use to protect this land and Cllr. Liddy reported that discussions had not reached this point and it was necessary to see if the land had a place in the Local Plan. Cllr. Cory suggested that legal guarantees were required to protect this land and Fields in Trust was the best option. He suggested use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) and Cllr. Aldis noted that there had been precedents of organisations going into partnership on CPOs and that WTC would be interested. Cllr. Liddy reported that CPO powers can only be exercised for acquisition of land necessary to facilitate a structured project and Cllr. Aldis responded that this could be informed by the NP.

Cllr. Cory had sent information on CBC trading companies. The business case is being scrutinised and he suggested any questions be sent to him. Regarding Gothic House parking, no comments could be accepted on the application for a certificate of lawful use as it is not a full application, but should the number of flats change WTC can submit comments and he will support. There will be a paper on temporary accommodation submitted to Cabinet on 22nd January and CBC will invest in 16 units using Council money, new homes bonus money and right to reply receipts. Cllr. Cory has circulated information regarding policing to Cllrs. Boughton and Read and Chief Inspector Shaun Kane and when a meeting is arranged they can discuss options. He has challenged Highways officers regarding Wivenhoe issues and reports that the colour coding of pot holes no longer applies and they are now monitored by priority. Cllr. Read reported concerns about losing temporary accommodation with the sale of Gothic House and expressed disappointment regarding anticipated increased parking at this address and Cllr. Cory supported his point but stated that this situation was caused by budget pressures. He requested that Cllr. Read contact him regarding issues related to Gothic House and Cllr. Newton requested that concerns be forwarded via the Town Clerk. Cllr. Cory can provide more information regarding the CBC budget if required.

c) Report of Peter Kay, Public Transport Representative. P. Kay had provided a report to members noting 10% resource cost cuts requested by First Bus and stating that service changes should be minor and a small fare increase was anticipated at the end of January. He stated that new timetables will be on sale later this year and will likely be available online by then. Cllr. Read reported that he had emailed P.Kay regarding the new bus stop sign which blocks the Wyvern stores Post Office sign. Wyvern Stores have complained. 5 TO CONSIDER AND AGREE ANY NECESSARY AMENDMENTS TO STANDING ORDERS TO CLEARLY DEFINE ORDER OF ELIGIBILITY FOR MAYOR AND DEPUTY MAYOR. Cllr. Newton reported the issue in deciding the order lay with the use of the word “term” which the Monitoring Officer reported was an electoral term of at least 4 years. Cllr. Aldis

Full Town Council - 3 - confirmed this. Cllr. Needham had supplied a process for eligibility which the Clerk had distributed. This stated that Councillors should be ranked with the longest serving Councillor at the top. The next longest serving Councillor will hold second place and so on. Any Councillor who has served as Mayor will rejoin the list at the bottom immediately after completing their term of office. Newly appointed Councillors will also enter the list at the bottom. A list had been distributed by Cllr. Vaughan which fit with this methodology. Cllr. Aldis suggested this procedure should be formalised in the Standing Orders by the Task and Finish group. Cllr. Read suggested that newer members should consider gaining more experience before putting themselves forward.

Cllr. Newton PROPOSED agreeing the procedure supplied by Cllr. Needham. Cllr. Booth SECONDED and it was CARRIED with one abstention.

It was requested that the decision on the next Deputy Mayor be deferred until the next Town Council meeting. 6 COMMITTEE REPORTS. 6.1 Planning Committee. i) Minutes of meeting held on 9 January 2018 were received. Cllr. Vaughan reported that the Local Plan hearing started on 16th January 2018 and that Dr. Chris Gibson would be in attendance in case there were any additional queries he could respond to. Cllr. Lodge congratulated the group on their work and wished them luck. 6.2 Personnel Committee. Cllr. Newton PROPOSED that a staff matter be discussed in an In Camera session to follow the meeting. This was AGREED. 6.3 Finance and Administration Committee. Cllr. Newton reported that the budget would be discussed at the meeting on 17th January 2018. 6.4 Estates Committees. a) Estates Open Spaces Committee. i) Minutes of the meeting held 11th December 2017 were received. Cllr. Read asked if the Clerk had contacted a Planning Solicitor about Smith’s Corner. She had forwarded the findings to the Committee and was asked to forward this to Cllr. Read.

Cllr. Vaughan PROPOSED that the Clerk write to the new residents and ask what their understanding of the legal situation was. Cllr. Read SECONDED and this was CARRIED.

Cllr. Needham asked about his application to use the KGV field. Cllr. Booth had concerns as it clashed with Regatta day. Cllr. Needham suggested he could revise the date. It had been previously agreed that the office was to treat this as a public application, and the clerk had assumed this meant that there needed to be a vote. Cllr. Needham reported in response to concerns about security that the proposed big top would be ticketed entry only. He expressed disappointment at how long the process had taken.

Cllr. Finn PROPOSED a vote in favour of the application in principle. Cllr. Aldis SECONDED and it was CARRIED with two abstentions.

Cllr. Lodge asked about work to the play area and it was requested that a notice be put on the gate to give warning about this work.

b) Estates Properties Committee. i) It had not been possible to table minutes of the meeting held on 8th January 2018 and these will be forwarded when they are available. Cllr. Aldis reported that quotes had been viewed for the electrical works at the WLH and this

Full Town Council - 4 - was moving forward. The paper shed in the yard was being removed and the new minibus store would be put into the space left. 7 WORKING PARTY REPORTS. 7.1 William Loveless Hall Working Party. Nothing to report. 7.2 Wivenhoe Wood Working Party. Cllr. Tile reported that Richard Moulson of the CBC countryside team had contacted him regarding a blocked sluice on Ferry Marsh which could inhibit draining in the event of flooding and potentially affect the railway track. CBC are dealing with this. 7.3 Mini-bus Working Group. No recent meetings. Work is in hand regarding signage for the new bus. 7.4 Youth Facilities Working Party. Nothing to report. 7.5 Cemetery Chapel Museum Working Group. Cllr. Aldis reported a few more volunteers have come forward. There has been no date set for the next meeting yet. 7.6 Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group (NPSG). Cllr. Needham had sent an update report. The NP is now compliant and will go forward to independent inspection. Cllr. Read congratulated the Steering Group on getting it to this stage. 7.7 Members' individual proposals or reports. a) Mayoral Activities: Cllr. Newton to send details of attendances to date. 8 8. TOWN CLERK'S REPORT. 8.1 Burial Grants and approval of memorials. No Burial Grants were issued and no memorials had been approved since the last meeting. 1 burial took place and no interments of ashes. 8.2 NALC/EALC Communications: DIS and Making the Links communications have been circulated electronically. 8.3 Work Management. a) General. Old cemetery cut back as per management plan. Steps fixed on police houses. The number of visitors to the Council Offices for the month of December totalled 149 of which 60 (40%) were recycling queries.

Cllr. Vaughan noted that she had heard about a scheme whereby people could get discounted compost bins from either CBC or ECC and the Clerk was asked to investigate.

Cllr. Tile noted the large amount of plastic recycling equipment held in the foyer and the Clerk was asked to include any associated risks in the Risk Assessment. 9 FINANCE. 9.1 November spending and income Reports and Bank Reconciliation were noted. Cllr. Read asked about the landscape legacy fund reserve listed on the Expense report and the Clerk explained that this had been incorrectly included on budgets for the last few years but that Cllr. Needham had confirmed that this had been spent at the budget Working Party meeting on 12th January 2018. The Clerk reported this useful meeting had included Cllr. Newton, Cllr. Needham, the Clerk, the Internal Auditor and the Waldringfield Clerk who had agreed to assist with implantation of the Scribe accounting system in attendance and the agreed changes would be presented at Finance & Administration on 17th January 2018.

Cllr. Tile requested to be included in the circulation list for any Finance & Administration Committee items.

Cllr. Nash asked about training for Councillors and it was confirmed that there is a budget for this and that applications should be made through the Clerk. Cllr. Newton added that the Clerk had contacted EALC/NALC about on-site training for staff on minute writing and this could be useful for members to attend. Cllr. Read and Cllr. Aldis added that they had attended very useful EALC training courses, including on chairing meetings.

Full Town Council - 5 - 9.2 List of cheques numbered 504843-504845 drawn since last Town Council Meeting noted. 9.3 List of Payments made from Imprest Account since last Town Council Meeting noted. 9.4 List of proposed payments for January 2018 were received. 9.5 No Motions Under Standing Orders Recommending Expenditure. 9.6 No appeals for Financial Support reported. 10 NEW BUSINESS. 10.1 No correspondence to report. 10.2 Conferences/Seminars. Nothing to report. 10.3 Notices. Nothing to report. 10.4 Licences. Nothing to report. 10.5 Highway Matters. Cllr. Needham asked if WTC would support a possible bus shelter at the railway station. Cllr. Aldis reported that it would not fit on the pavement. Cllr. Needham requested a report on work scheduled for bus shelters. It was reported that one a year was scheduled with the next one due at Smiths Corner. 10.6 Press Releases. Nothing to report.

The meeting closed at 9.28pm IN CAMERA SESSION It was PROPOSED and CARRIED that by virtue of the provisions of Section 1 (2) of the Public Bodies Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, the public be excluded during discussion of the business on the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted. - It was anticipated a staff member would be unavailable for several months. - The Clerk has provided a report on altering another staff member’s hours to deal with anticipated absences and increased workload. The Clerk was asked to resend it so that members could give proper consideration to any contract changes. Decision to be deferred to next Personnel Committee which the Clerk reported is on 29th January.

The In Camera section of the meeting closed at 9.35pm CHAIRMAN

Full Town Council - 6 -