Chepstow Town Council s1

CHEPSTOW TOWN COUNCIL Minutes of the meeting of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee of Chepstow Town Council held in The Council Chamber, The Gatehouse, High Street, Chepstow on Wednesday 20th June 2012 at 7.00pm

Present:

Chairman: Cllr P Hobson

Councillors: Ms H Beach, Mrs S Dovey, P Farley, N Heywood, G Rowe, A Watts, Mrs Y Havard

Apologies: Cllr P Rutter

In Attendance: Ms S Bushell, (Town Clerk)

1. Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman Nominations were sought.

RESOLVED: Cllr P Hobson be elected Chairman and Cllr G Rowe be elected Vice Chairman of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee for the Mayoral Year 20012/2013.

2. Declarations of Interest in Items on the Agenda. Cllr P Hobson declared an interest under the Code of Conduct in Item 12. Allotments.

3. Minutes The Minutes of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee Meeting held on 8th February 2012.

RESOLVED: To receive the Minutes of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee Meeting held on 8th February 2012.

4. Matters Arising None.

Cllr Ms H Beach and Cllr P Farley joined the meeting

5. Internal Audit – Final Report 2011/2012 The meeting considered the final report of the Internal Auditor in respect of the Council’s accounts for the year ending 31st March 2012 which had been tabled at the meeting. 1 RESOLVED: The meeting was pleased to note that the Internal Audit in respect of the Council’s accounts for the year ending 31st March 2012 had been concluded without any issues of concern being identified.

6. Year End Accounts and Annual Return The meeting considered the Year End Accounts and Annual Return for the Year ending 31st March 2012.

RESOLVED: To note the Year End Accounts and Annual Return for the Year ending 31st March 2012 and to recommend their adoption and signature by Full Council.

Cllr N Heywood left the meeting.

7. Two Rivers Folk Festival/Widders Weekend of Music and Dance The meeting considered making a contribution to the Two Rivers Folk Festival for which a budgetary provision of £500 had been made.

RESOLVED: To make a contribution of £250 to the Two Rivers Folk Festival/Widders Weekend of Music and Dance, under the provisions of s145 Local Government Act 1972.

8. Chepstow/Cormeilles Twinning The meeting considered making a contribution to the Chepstow/Cormeilles Twinning Association for which a budgetary provision of £1,000 had been made.

RESOLVED: To make a contribution of £500 to the Chepstow/Cormeilles Twinning Association, under the provisions of s144 Local Government Act 1972.

Cllr N Heywood rejoined the meeting

9. Community Grants Scheme The meeting considered the Clerk’s report in respect of Community Grant Funding requests received from Chepstow and District Gardening Club and Homemakers Community Recycling. The Clerk reported two further Community Grant applications received in respect of Chepstow Area Foodbank and Thornwell Football Club which had been received too late to be included on the agenda.

RESOLVED: (a) To contribute £450 to Chepstow and District Gardening Club in respect of their work with young potential gardeners (Local Government Act 1972 s137) and to request the Gardening Club submit a report on the progress of their project to the Town Amenities Committee at the end of the year.

(b) To refer the Community Grant applications received in respect of Chepstow Area Foodbank and Thornwell Football Club to the next meeting of Full Council on 27th June 2012.

2 10. Additional Litter Bins The meeting considered the request for the Town Council to fund the purchase of two additional litter bins: (i) on the footway between Newport Road and Mounton Drive; and, (ii) on the footway between Larkfield Park and Gwentlands Close, at an estimated cost of £550 per bin, subject to Monmouthshire County Council authorising the installation and undertaking the emptying of the bins at no additional cost to the Town Council.

Members were advised that there was no budgetary provision for additional litter bins and thus the expenditure would have to be funded from savings on other budget heads or from reserves.

RESOLVED: To defer consideration of funding for additional litter bins to the next meeting of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee.

11. Dog Waste Bins The meeting considered the request for the Town Council to fund the purchase of three additional dog waste bins: (i) on the green area at the end of St Tewdric Road; (ii) in Queens Road; and (iii) in Raglan Way at an estimated capital cost of £250 per bin plus £155 per annum for emptying, subject to Monmouthshire County Council authorising the installation.

Members were advised that there was a projected balance of approximately £900 within the 2012/2013 budgetary provision for Dog Waste Disposal.

RESOLVED: To fund the purchase of three additional dog waste bins: (i) on the green area at the end of St Tewdric Road; (ii) in Queens Road; and (iii) in Raglan Way at an estimated capital cost of £250 per bin plus £155 per annum for emptying, subject to Monmouthshire County Council authorising the installation. (Litter Act 1983 ss5,6)

12. Allotments The meeting considered the Clerk’s briefing note in respect of the provision of Allotment Services which had been circulated with the agenda.

Members expressed concern at the condition of the gates and fence surrounding the existing allotment area and noted that the potential cost of repair/replacement work would be approximately £2,700. It was also noted that Monmouthshire County Council had provided an estimate of approximately £8,300 to extend the allotment site to provide a further 10/12 allotment spaces.

Members considered options for the future management of the allotments should the Town Council seek to secure the transfer of the service from Monmouthshire County Council and concluded that the Deputy Chairman of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee and the Chairman of the Town Amenities Committee should consult with Chepstow and District Gardening Club in order to ascertain whether they would be interested in managing the service.

RESOLVED: To recommend that the Town Council does not seek the transfer of the allotment service from Monmouthshire County Council at the present time. 3 13. Chepstow Riverbank The meeting considered the Clerk’s briefing note in respect of the maintenance of Chepstow Riverbank, which had been circulated with the agenda.

Members expressed concern at the condition of the Riverbank grounds, noting that the quality of maintenance of the grounds had deteriorated in recent years.

RESOLVED: To recommend that the Town Council does not seek the transfer of responsibility for the Riverbank area from Monmouthshire County Council at the present time, but that the Clerk write to Monmouthshire County Council requesting that they upkeep the area in a manner more appropriate for its tourist status.

14. Civil Marriage License Gatehouse and Town Arch The meeting considered the Clerk’s oral report in respect of a civil marriage license for the Gatehouse and Town Arch. The Clerk advised that she had met with Monmouthshire County Council’s Registrar and Health and Safety Officer to discuss the potential licensing of the Gatehouse and Town Arch. The Clerk reported that Monmouthshire County Council’s Registrar had advised that the marriage license fee which had been applied at the Drill Hall had been discounted as the premises were owned by Monmouthshire County Council and, that the fees that would be applied to those using the Town Arch and Gatehouse would be the same as for any other commercial premise. The meeting noted that the Town Council had been concerned to offer the Town Arch and Gatehouse as a more economic alternative for those on limited budgets. The commercial license fee would negate this. The Clerk further reported that the Registrar had expressed concern as to the desirability of the Council Chamber as a civic wedding venue owing to the position of the large furniture and had noted that whilst the Town Arch had more atmosphere there were potential difficulties in respect of access and emergency exit. This had been confirmed by Monmouthshire County Council’s Health and Safety Officer who had recommended that a full Risk Assessment and Fire Safety Risk Assessment be undertaken by qualified consultants prior to a license being sought. The Clerk was therefore seeking Members views prior to commissioning consultants and incurring any expenditure.

RESOLVED: In view of the commercial fees that would be levied on users and the limitations of the premises, to recommend that the Town Council does not proceed with an application for a civil marriage license in respect of the Town Arch and Gatehouse.

15. Community Grant Funding The meeting further considered the Administrative Officers report detailing Community Grants made during 2011/2012, which had been circulated with the agenda.

RESOLVED: To note the Administrative Officers report detailing Community Grants made during 2011/2012.

4 16. Assets Members considered the Council’s Register of Assets which had been circulated with the agenda.

RESOLVED: To confirm the Council’s Register of Assets.

17. Insurance Members reviewed the Council’s Insurance requirements noting the Insurance Schedule circulated with the agenda.

RESOLVED: To confirm the Council’s Insurance cover for the forthcoming year.

18. Old Memorial Library Building Repairs The Clerk reported on essential repairs undertaken to the floor at the Old Memorial Building following investigative works. The Clerk advised that despite repairs to the wood block floor undertaken in 2010 the wood blocks had continued to lift. Investigative works had therefore been arranged via the Town Council’s Surveyor, Mr R Lee, and these had revealed a crack in the concrete sub floor. Work had therefore been arranged to repair the crack and to relay, sand and varnish this section of the floor, where possible working around the commitments of the Council’s tenant.

19. Items for Next Meeting Transfer of £2,000 from Earmarked Reserves Bulwark Football Club for general use within Bulwark. Provision of Additional Litter Bins

20. Date of Next Meeting. The next ordinary meeting of the Financial Policy and Audit Committee will take place at 6.15pm on Wednesday 17th October 2012.

CLOSE: This completed the business of the meeting at 7.15pm

Signed: …………………………… CHAIRMAN Date…………………….