MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE BOROUGH COUNCIL OF WELLINGBOROUGH HELD AT SWANSPOOL HOUSE, WELLINGBOROUGH ON TUESDAY, 1 MAY 2012 Present: The Mayor (Councillor B Patel) and Councillors Ainge, Allebone, Bailey, Bass, Beirne, Bell, Blackwell, Carr, Dholakia, Elliott, Emerson, Graves, Griffiths, Harrington, Hawkes, Henley, Higgins, Hollyman, G Lawman, L Lawman, Maguire, Morrall, Partridge-Underwood, M Patel, Pursglove, Scarborough, Simmons, Timms, Ward, Warwick, Waters, Watts and Wright. Officers present: Mr J T Campbell (Chief Executive), Mr J Hubbard (Deputy Chief Executive), Mr R Micklewright and Mr T Wright (Corporate Directors), Mr A King, Mrs B Lawrence, Mr C Pittman and Mr S Wood (Heads of Service), Ms S Lyons (Legal Adviser), Ms P Lawton (Principal Democratic Services Manager) and Mr G Betts (Mayor’s Sergeant). Also present: Mr R Levene and Ms G Arnott (The Castle (Wellingborough) Ltd). The meeting was preceded by prayers, led by the Mayor’s Chaplain with special remembrance for former councillor Alice Taylor, who had recently passed away. 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE RESOLVED to note that no apologies for absence had been received from councillors. The Mayor welcomed back councillors Partridge-Underwood and Warwick following their recovery from illness. Councillors Partridge-Underwood and Warwick expressed their thanks to fellow councillors and officers for the kind concern which had been shown during their bout of ill-health. The Mayor formally welcomed Mr Levene and Ms Arnott to the meeting. 2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST RESOLVED to note the following interests declared by councillors, in accordance with the Constitution: Councillor Committee date and minute no. Reason for declaration Allebone The Castle (Wellingborough) Personal and prejudicial – Limited: Council agenda Castle Board member/wife 01/05/12 (items 4(i) and 4(ii)) is Vice Chairman of the and Resources 18/04/12 (min 9) Friends of Castle. – Castle Arts Centre Personal – has received maintenance. hospitality from the Castle (Wellingborough) Limited. Allebone The Castle (Wellingborough) Personal – has received Limited: Council agenda hospitality from the Castle 01/05/12 (item 4(iii)) – signing of (Wellingborough) Limited. The Castle contract. Bailey Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal – is a member of – Discretionary Non-domestic Finedon History Society. Rate Relief. 21 Council Meeting – 1 May 2012 Bailey Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal and prejudicial – is – Discretionary Non-domestic connected to Finedon Town Rate Relief. Bowls Club. Bass All references to the Castle Personal – has received (Wellingborough) Limited hospitality from the Castle (Wellingborough) Limited. Blackwell Overview & Scrutiny 26/03/12 Personal – Board member (min 4) – Wellingborough Homes of Wellingborough Homes. Progress Report Blackwell Development 17/04/12 (min 5) – Personal – Earls Barton Neighbourhood Planning parish councillor. Carr All references to the Castle Personal – has received (Wellingborough) Limited hospitality from the Castle (Wellingborough) Limited. Dholakia All references to the Castle Personal – Friend of the (Wellingborough) Limited Castle. Dholakia Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal – Trustee of – Discretionary Non-domestic Sofawise. Rate Relief. Emerson All references to the Castle Personal – Friend of the (Wellingborough) Limited Castle. Graves Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal – Member of – Discretionary Non-domestic Wellingborough Rugby Rate Relief. Football Club. Griffiths All references to the Castle Personal – has received (Wellingborough) Limited hospitality from the Castle (Wellingborough) Limited. Higgins Overview & Scrutiny 26/03/12 Personal – Board member (min 4) – Wellingborough Homes of Wellingborough Homes. Progress Report Higgins Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal – Vice-president of – Discretionary Non-domestic District Scouts. Rate Relief. L Lawman All references to the Castle Personal – legal matter (Wellingborough) Limited between myself and Castle insurers. L Lawman Resources 18/04/12 (min 9) Personal – legal matter – Castle Arts Centre between myself and Castle maintenance. insurers. Partridge- Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal – Vice-president of Underwood – Discretionary Non-domestic the District Scouts. Rate Relief. B Patel Overview & Scrutiny 26/03/12 Personal – Board member (min 4) – Wellingborough Homes of Wellingborough Homes. Progress Report B Patel Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal and prejudicial – – Discretionary Non-domestic Vice-chairman of Victoria Rate Relief. Centre. B Patel Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal and prejudicial – – Discretionary Non-domestic Member of Pravasi Mandal. Rate Relief. 22 Council Meeting – 1 May 2012 Pursglove All references to the Castle Personal – has received (Wellingborough) Limited hospitality from the Castle (Wellingborough) Limited. Scarborough All references to the Castle Personal – ordinary (Wellingborough) Limited member of Friends of the Castle. Scarborough Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal and prejudicial – – Discretionary Non-domestic Trustee of Victoria Centre. Rate Relief. Scarborough Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal and prejudicial – – Discretionary Non-domestic have business transactions Rate Relief. with Service Six. Scarborough Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal – daughter plays – Discretionary Non-domestic for Wellingborough RFC Rate Relief. ladies. Simmons Resources 18/04/12 (min 7) Personal – Treasurer and – Discretionary Non-domestic trustee of Wellingborough Rate Relief. District Scout Council. Simmons All references to the Castle Personal – has received (Wellingborough) Limited hospitality from the Castle (Wellingborough) Limited. Wright Development 17/04/12 (min 5) – Personal – Earls Barton Neighbourhood Planning parish councillor and Chairman of Project Group for Earls Barton’s Neighbourhood Plan. 3. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING NOTED that Councillor Warwick was not present at the Council meeting held on 3 April 2012, his apologies accurately recorded as being given. RESOLVED that the minutes of the Council meeting held on 3 April 2012 be confirmed and signed. (Councillor Allebone declared a personal and prejudicial interest and left the meeting during the discussion relating to The Castle (Wellingborough) Limited). 4. CASTLE COMMITTEE (i) Report of the Chairman of the Castle Committee: The annexed circulated report was received, presenting an update on the position in relation to the contractual documentation. (ii) Minutes of the meeting of the Castle Committee held on 30 April 2012: The minutes of the Castle Committee were received. A question was raised in relation to when the review of the procurement process was to be completed, and it was confirmed that the outcome of the review would be reported to the Resources Committee after the review report was received, which was anticipated to be within the next few weeks. 23 Council Meeting – 1 May 2012 The Chairman and Vice-Chairman formally thanked members of the Castle Committee and the officers involved for their hard work in negotiating the terms of the contract. Councillor Bell moved the adoption of the report and proposed the formal dissolution of the Castle Committee. This was seconded by Councillor Graves and on being put to the vote, the motion was carried. RESOLVED that: (i) the minutes of the Castle Committee held on 30 April 2012 be adopted, (ii) a ten year contract for the operation of The Castle Arts Centre be awarded to The Castle (Wellingborough) Limited on the terms negotiated, (iii) the Castle Committee be dissolved with immediate effect, having succeeded in its objective of presenting a completed contract for the operation of The Castle Arts Centre. Councillor Allebone rejoined the meeting. (iii) Signing of the contract between the Borough Council of Wellingborough and The Castle (Wellingborough) Limited: The official signing ceremony for the awarding of the contract for the operation of the Castle Arts Centre took place. The Mayor of Wellingborough, Councillor B Patel, and the Council’s Chief Executive, Mr J T Campbell, signed the contract on behalf of the Borough Council of Wellingborough. Mr T Allebone, Chairman of the Castle Board of Directors, and Mr R Levene, Castle Board Member, signed the contract on behalf of The Castle (Wellingborough) Limited. 5. QUESTIONS, PETITIONS AND REQUESTS TO ADDRESS THE MEETING RESOLVED to note that no questions, petitions and/or requests to address the meeting had been received from the public. 6. APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE – 4 APRIL 2012 RESOLVED that the minutes of the Appointments Committee of 4 April 2012 be noted. 7. PLANNING COMMITTEE – 4 APRIL 2012 A correction was noted in respect of minute 5 – ‘Planning Application WP/2011/0508(F)’ – (p. 525, para.1) which should read ‘….35 High Street, Wollaston.’ RESOLVED that the minutes of the Planning Committee of 4 April 2012 be noted. 8. OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE – 26 MARCH 2012 The minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 26 March 2012 were received. RESOLVED that the minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee of 26 March 2012 be adopted. 24 Council Meeting – 1 May 2012 9. AUDIT COMMITTEE – 27 MARCH 2012 The minutes of the Audit Committee of 27 March 2012 were received. Specific concern was raised in respect of the maintenance of the fixed asset register. It was noted that the anomalies and resulting delays had been due to issues with the migration of information from a manual process to a computerised data management system. The Chairman was asked for his assurance that the