BISHOP’S STORTFORD TOWN COUNCIL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a meeting of the Town Council will be held at The Council Chamber, The Old Monastery Windhill, Bishop’s Stortford on MONDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2018, at 7.30pm, for the purpose of transacting the business set out in the Agenda below and you are hereby summoned to attend. J Parker Chief Executive Officer 24 January 2018 This meeting is open to the press and public MEMBERS: Cllr D Abbott Cllr G Jones Cllr Mrs A Baptista Cllr G McAndrew Cllr Mrs G Campbell Cllr T Page Cllr G Cutting Cllr M Stainsby Cllr P Demonti Cllr Mrs N Symonds Cllr Miss H Drake Cllr A Ward-Booth Cllr Mrs J Duggan Cllr K Warnell Cllr R Gilbert Cllr C Woodward (Mayor) Cllr Mrs D Hollebon Cllr J Wyllie AGENDA 1. RECORDING OF MEETING To establish whether it is the intention of any person present to record the meeting. 2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE To receive Members’ apologies for absence 3. DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTEREST To receive Members’ Declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests where these a. have not already been entered into the register and b. relate to a matter to be considered To NOTE that interests so declared must be formally notified to The Chief Executive Officer of Bishop’s Stortford Town Council and the Monitoring Officer at East Hertfordshire District Council within 28 days. 4. COMMUNICATIONS To note communications received Page 33 5. QUESTIONS ASKED PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 5.17 6. BUSINESS EXPRESSLY REQUIRED BY STATUTE None. 7. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION To receive representation from members of the public concerning items included on the Agenda. 8. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 18 DECEMBER 2017 To receive Minutes of the meeting held on 18 December 2017 (pages 3-8) 9. PRESENTATION BY PAUL REDHEAD, STATION COMMANDER, HERTFORDSHIRE FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE To receive presentation by Mr Paul Redhead, Station Commander, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service 10. BUDGET 2018/2019 – APPENDIX 1 To review the recommendation by the Finance and General Purposes Committee and agree the budget and precept for 2018/2019 (previously circulated) 11. COMMITTEE REPORTS Planning and Development Committee To receive the Minutes of the meetings held on 11 December 2017 (pages 9-14), 8 January 2018 (pages 15-20), 29 January 2018 (if available) Finance and General Purposes Committee To receive the Minutes of the meeting held on 22 January 2018 (pages 21-34) To review and amend, approve or reject the recommendations Please note that if Members wish to discuss the Old River Lane in detail it may be necessary to exclude the press and public from the meeting 12. UP-DATE ON ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING To note that there are no updated actions from previous meeting 13. GRANT APPLICATIONS – APPENDIX 2 To consider Town Council grant applications in accordance with the schedule attached. To consider Brazier Trust grant applications in accordance with the schedule attached. 14. PUBLICATION OF MAYOR’S CHARITY ACCOUNTS (CLLR WYLLIE) To consider a proposal to publish the Mayor’s Charity accounts 15. MAYOR ELECT To NOTE that Council is required by statute to elect the Mayor at the Statutory Annual meeting of Council. To elect a Mayor-elect for the Civic Year 2018-2019 who will, if confirmed by a vote at that meeting, take office as Mayor at the Statutory Annual meeting to be held on 14th May 2018 16. ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDA Presentation by Hertfordshire Constabulary – 19 March 2018 2 Page 34 MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON 18 DECEMBER 2017 AT 7.30PM *Cllr D Abbott *Cllr G Jones Cllr A Baptista Cllr G McAndrew Cllr G Campbell *Cllr T Page *Cllr G Cutting (Deputy Mayor) Cllr S Stainsby *Cllr P Demonti *Cllr N Symonds *Cllr H Drake *Cllr A Ward-Booth Cllr J Duggan *Cllr K Warnell Cllr R Gilbert *Cllr C Woodward (Mayor) *Cllr Mrs D Hollebon *Cllr J Wyllie In attendance: James Parker (CEO) Representatives of South Street Surgery Representatives of Church Street Surgery five members of the public and a representative of the press * denotes present ** denotes present part time TC52. RECORDING OF MEETING It was established that no one present planned to record the meeting. TC53. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Apologies were received from Cllr Baptista (work commitments), Cllr Campbell (personal reasons), Cllr Duggan (work commitments), Cllr Gilbert (previous engagement), Cllr McAndrew TC54. DECLARATIONS OF DISCLOSABLE PECUNIARY INTEREST Although not pecuniary, Cllr Woodward stated that the individual behind the quotation provided by the Wellbeloved Club (Grants) has a shared interest in a property with his daughter. TC55. COMMUNICATIONS – APPENDIX 1 Members noted the attached letter from Mayor, Cllr Peter Muttart of the Municipality of the County of Kings. The Mayor stated that he would like members to reconsider the connection with the Town Cryer. The Mayor updated members with his activities stating that he has attended more than 54 events and that the charitable events to date have raised around £9000, in support of various charities. Forthcoming events include the Valentines Dinner Dance on 10th February 2018 in aid of Herts & Essex Air Ambulance. TC56. QUESTIONS ASKED PURSUANT TO STANDING ORDER 5.17 None Minutes Approved: Chairman: Date: TC13 Page 35 TC57. BUSINESS EXPRESSLY REQUIRED BY STATUTE None TC58. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Sinead Corr (who advised that she was not speaking on behalf of her former employers but was aware of the history) read out a letter on behalf of Uniquely Stortford stating that, around this time last year, she had contacted the Council on behalf of her former employer, expressing concerns about the negative impact of the Christmas Fayre on the traders in the Town, explaining that it clashes with small business Saturday, and requesting that it be held instead on Sunday. Karen Burton read out a further letter on behalf of the members of Uniquely Stortford stating that the beneficiaries of the Christmas Fayre were local residents who could walk to the event, larger retailers, churches and stallholders. This was at the expense, it was stated, of small retailers. She stated that appointment- based businesses (eg hairdressers) experience a drop in appointments on the day due to fears on the part of customers of congestion, and that the shoppers in town prefer to visit the market stalls instead of the local shops. She requested that the event be moved to Sunday. Members asked the speakers several questions and the Mayor thanked them for their contributions. TC59. CHRISTMAS FAYRE 2018 – APPENDIX 6 The Mayor suggested and members agreed to bring this item forward. A lively discussion ensued. The Chief Executive Officer referred members to the briefing papers which set out the results of consultation with the various groups of stakeholders. The consultation, he explained, had been carried out approximately mid-year following the earlier representations from some retailers, with the exception of the public consultation which took place during the Fayre itself. In summary: 11 out of 150 town centre businesses had responded to a questionnaire, all but two expressing a preference for Saturday 3 out of 8 churches had responded, all three expressing a preference for Saturday 2 out of 15 regular market traders had responded, one preferring Saturday and one Sunday 37 members of the general public had been interviewed by Councillors on the day. 2 expressed a preference for Sunday the remainder preferring either Saturday only (15) or both (20) The CEO also advised that the feedback from the organisers of the Holly Fair (one of the complementary events held at another venue on the same day) had been positive in 2016 and Cllr Jones confirmed that 2017 was similarly positive. The CEO also advised that three businesses had commented after the event about its positive impact. It was also NOTED that public feedback about the event was generally positive. He further advised that the suggestion of approaching local schools to offer additional parking, mentioned by one of the public speakers, had Minutes Approved: Chairman: Date: TC14 Page 36 in fact been actioned but none of the schools nearby had expressed interest, and confirmed that this idea would be followed up once more in 2018. A further discussion ensued in which the trade-offs were discussed at some length, one member pointing out in particular that it would be impossible to please everyone. After some further discussion it was RESOLVED that: – In 2018 the event would take place on Saturday 1st December with the potential for ‘organic’ extension of the North Street opening times to 6pm/8pm (subject to resource) – In 2019 the B.I.D would be engaged (should it be in place) to consider a 2 day or 1.5 day event encompassing late night shopping, again subject to resource Cllr Jones, Abbott, Drake, Wyllie and Cutting volunteered to continue consultation with the retailers on a face to face basis, coordinated by Cllr Wyllie. TC60. PRESENTATION BY SOUTH STREET AND CHURCH STREET SURGERIES – APPENDIX 2 The Mayor welcomed the representatives from South Street and Church Street Surgery. Dr Dixon and Dr Stanley gave a comprehensive and passionate presentation setting out the position and the aspirations. They referred to the pressure due to lack of funding and suitable premises and concerns about the forthcoming growth in demand due to planned housing developments. They also alluded to challenges retaining doctors and nurses due to the high cost of housing and the pressures of work. A passionate request was made to bring an end to the criticism and instead to work together on working out the way forward and campaigning for improved funding and contributions from S106 agreements.