AGENDA ITEM 8 MEMBER's QUESTION – Standing Order 10(B) A
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AGENDA ITEM 8 MEMBER’S QUESTION – Standing Order 10(b) A MEETING OF MALVERN TOWN COUNCIL to be held remotely via Zoom, on Wednesday 16 December 2020, at 6.00 pm CORONAVIRUS GUIDELINES Question Given the strong recommendation from Dr Kathryn Cobain, Director of Public Health in Worcestershire that the public can best support the NHS by strictly following the government and NHS guidelines, can the Mayor confirm both his support for this and state any comments for the Council as a whole, as well as the broader MTC area? Cllr Paul Tuthill (Link Ward) Answer As Mayor of Malvern, I can confirm my unequivocal support for following government and NHS guidelines to tackle coronavirus. We need to continue to follow the measures in place to protect us all and to keep the infection rate figures heading in the right direction. I encourage everyone to keep up the good work by social distancing, wearing a face covering, washing hands regularly and limiting contacts with other people. Sadly, this cannot be a normal Christmas, but we can work within the rules to allow family and friends to see each other, whilst recognising that it must be both limited and cautious. AGENDA ITEM 9 RESOLUTION MOVED ON NOTICE – Standing Order 9 A MEETING OF MALVERN TOWN COUNCIL to be held remotely via Zoom, on Wednesday 16 December 2020, at 6.00 pm MALVERN HILLS COLLEGE Proposed Resolution That this Council notes with concern the proposed closure of Malvern Hills College by the Warwickshire Colleges Group (WCG), and records its wish to preserve the site and buildings as an educational and community asset. With this in mind, the Council should seek to secure its status as an Asset of Community Value (within the terms of the Localism Act 2011), by making an immediate application for this to Malvern Hills District Council. Background It has recently been reported that the WCG is to close the Malvern Hills College in August next year after it carried out a financial review of provision in Malvern, Evesham and Pershore. The college has been closed during the coronavirus pandemic, although it is understood that it will re-open in March 2021 temporarily to allow students to complete their studies, which were interrupted by the pandemic, with full-time vocational courses being transferred to Evesham College. WCG has noted that whilst Malvern Hills College has been a community learning facility for decades, it has not been financially viable for a number of years as a result of reduced adult education funding and a diminishing customer base. WCG recognises the important role Malvern Hills College plays in supporting the community and hopes a way can be found for the courses to continue for local people to attend. The closure of the college will undoubtedly deprive Malvern Hills, and Malvern in particular, of much-valued educational and community facilities. Securing Asset of Community Value (ACV) status for the premises will help to protect the site and buildings from being used or developed for non-community purposes whilst longer-term solutions are sought for their continued community use. The principal benefits of an ACV may be summarised briefly as follows: • ACV status is a material consideration in planning applications and can be used by the local planning authority as a factor in refusing planning permission for full or partial change of use or demolition; • if the property is offered for sale, it gives the community a right to bid, allowing for the possibility for its purchase by a group representing its users or the local community; AGENDA ITEM 9 • it also gives the local authority (in this case Malvern Hills District Council), compulsory purchase rights "if the asset is under threat of long-term loss to the community". Under the provisions of the Localism Act, voluntary or community groups are able to make ACV nominations, and Malvern Town Council does fulfil those requirements. It is hoped that having acquired ACV status for the college, Malvern Town Council would then be instrumental in working with WCG, voluntary and community groups, and other councils, to enable viable educational and other community use to be made of the college site for the future. Proposer Cllr Clive Hooper (North Malvern Ward) Seconder Cllr Cynthia Palmer (Priory Ward) 1 December 2020 AGENDA ITEM 11 REPORT CL02/20 A REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK TO A MEETING OF MALVERN TOWN COUNCIL to be held remotely via Zoom on Wednesday 16 December 2020, at 6.00 pm AUDIT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. For decision. 2. Recommendation 2.1. Full Council is asked to consider the recommendations from the meeting of Audit Committee held on 19 November 2020 and listed below. 2.2. Recommendations to be presented by the Chairman of the Audit Committee or, if absent, the Vice-Chairman. i. Minute 34 Review of Purchase Order Control System It was RECOMMENDED that no changes be made to the current purchase order system as the controls in place were felt to be adequate. ii. Minute 35 Review of Internal Controls in Processing Invoices for Payment It was RECOMMENDED that no changes were required to the current internal controls system for processing invoices for payment as the controls in place were felt to be adequate. iii. Minute 36 Review of Petty Cash Procedure It was RECOMMENDED that no changes be made to the current procedure for managing petty cash and its controls. 3. Background 3.1. At a meeting of Full Council held on 12 September 2018, it was resolved that committees would approve their own minutes for accuracy with any recommendations from committee meetings being taken separately to be accepted by Full Council before being put into effect. 3.2. Full Council is therefore asked to consider the recommendations listed above in 2.2 and to approve, amend or refer back to committee as appropriate. 3.3. Councillors are reminded that the relevant reports as considered by committees when making their recommendations can be found within the papers distributed for the meeting and these will not be reissued. 3.4. If any councillor has any queries relating to a recommendation, it is suggested that they raise it with either the Town Clerk or Chairman of Committee before the Council meeting. 4. Financial Implications 4.1. Please see individual committee reports. 5. Legal Implications 5.1. Please see individual committee reports for specific details. AGENDA ITEM 11 REPORT CL02/20 5.2. Council decisions are supreme and therefore any changes to recommendations can be made with final agreement at Full Council. End Linda Blake Town Clerk AGENDA ITEM 12 REPORT CL03/20 A REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK TO A MEETING OF MALVERN TOWN COUNCIL to be held remotely via Zoom on Wednesday 16 December 2020, at 6.00 pm OPERATIONS AND PLANNING COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. For decision. 2. Recommendation 2.1. Full Council is asked to consider the recommendations from the meeting of Operations and Planning Committee held on 25 November 2020 and listed below. 2.2. Recommendations to be presented by the Chairman of the Operations and Planning Committee or, if absent, the Vice-Chairman. i. Minute 143 Provision of Bike Racks It was RECOMMENDED that the Town Council supports and facilitates the provision of bike racks within the Town to support and encourage cycling as well as supporting the Council’s declaration of a climate emergency in 2019, with funding of £3,000. 3. Background 3.1. At a meeting of Full Council held on 12 September 2018, it was resolved that committees would approve their own minutes for accuracy with any recommendations from committee meetings being taken separately to be accepted by Full Council before being put into effect. 3.2. Full Council is therefore asked to consider the recommendations listed above in 2.2 and to approve, amend or refer back to committee as appropriate. 3.3. Councillors are reminded that the relevant reports as considered by committees when making their recommendations can be found within the papers distributed for the meeting and these will not be reissued. 3.4. If any councillor has any queries relating to a recommendation, it is suggested that they raise it with either the Town Clerk or Chairman of Committee before the Council meeting. 4. Financial Implications 4.1. Please see individual committee reports. 5. Legal Implications 5.1. Please see individual committee reports for specific details. 5.2. Council decisions are supreme and therefore any changes to recommendations can be made with final agreement at Full Council. End Linda Blake Town Clerk AGENDA ITEM 13 REPORT CL04/20 A REPORT OF THE TOWN CLERK TO A MEETING OF MALVERN TOWN COUNCIL to be held remotely via Zoom on Wednesday 16 December 2020, at 6.00 pm POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. For decision. 2. Recommendation 2.1. Full Council is asked to consider the recommendations from the meeting of Policy and Resources Committee held on 2 December 2020 and listed below. 2.2. Recommendations to be presented by the Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee or, if absent, the Vice-Chairman. i. Minute 107 Town Council Investments There was a short committee discussion after which it was RECOMMENDED to leave the Council’s investment amounts unchanged for the present but to review these investments again next year. 3. Background 3.1. At a meeting of Full Council held on 12 September 2018, it was resolved that committees would approve their own minutes for accuracy with any recommendations from committee meetings being taken separately to be accepted by Full Council before being put into effect.