FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
17th February 2009 at 7.30.p.m.
1. Apologies were received from Cllr R Lumley [Portreeve & Mayor], Cllr M Green
Present: Cllr Long, , Cllr Mrs Coakley, Cllr Mrs K Gold, Cllr H Jones, Cllr Mrs Winfindale, Cllr J Gist [Chair], , Cllr Thomas, Cllr Ellard
Officer: Lynda Small CEO, Vernon Anderson – Town Clerk
Members of the Public: nil
2. Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 20th January 2009 were approved as a correct record of proceedings and duly signed.
3. Clerk’s Report
Photocopier. Surprisingly the County cannot come up with a copier that runs as cheaply as ours. The Clerk suggested that the incoming Clerk investigates the proposal from Ikon for a faster machine [with an even lower contract rate] that is leased. With the County paying half the leasing cost it will be no more expensive than at present.
Letter from J Constable [Celtic Knot Mural J Constable submitted an invoice for materials to date of £375, this has been paid. He says he hopes to finish it this summer, total quotation £750.
Murals. Mr C Richardson said that copyright of the murals was handed to the groups for publicity purposes etc. The Clerk met with David Whittley again and as you will have seen he has submitted an advance invoice for materials of £1000 which we have paid and he has also contracted to do a total of £3,500 work. These papers should allow the Clerk to claim the CDC grant of £2200, the remainder of the money coming from the mural budget for last year and this coming year.
One Stop Shop [report as at 10.02.09
The demolition is now virtually complete and some rebuild has started. The big hole has been excavated for the lift, the partial removal of the wall between the office and store is done. The second hatch we had behind the cork board has been bricked up and the existing doorway to the office has also been bricked in with RSJ’s fitted for the new hatch and division between the rooms. We only recently realised that the hatch has two levels, one part the existing height and other part DDA height.
We have had considerable discussions on the security system and their requirement to comply with COCO [Code of Connection]. The arguments have centred around the fact that they originally wanted the CCTV systems and the swipe card systems to be controlled from Truro. We have been advocating that it is our building and we must control who goes in and out and who looks at what and we object to any link to Truro. We now seem to have won this battle as we are having a stand alone CCTV system and also a stand alone swipe card system. The option will be there to connect to the Truro system but we would have to authorise it and someone would have to come into our building to set it up. This does mean that above my computer will be another CCTV screen as the Chubb person is unable or unwilling to link it into our existing system.
They are having considerable problems with power failures as the builders are complaining that none of the system is marked and they have accidentally disconnected the wrong circuit, Hopefully they are now trained to come and tell us before they play with it so that we can at least save our work!
On the positive side the hall area is already looking much lighter with the larger hatch and the removal of the inner doors.
The builders also seem to have found a solution to the outer doors. They were originally saying they could not automate them due to the low ceiling and there being no room for the box of tricks that had to go above the door, but they now seem to have found a way round this. This may not be sorted until after the main construction work is finished, but will be done before 1st April.
There is now a delay in furniture delivery and the installation of the office cupboards (early to mid March)
Response from First, re. parking in New Road
Thank you for contacting First.
Thank you for the information with regard to buses parking on New Rd. We have passed this information on to the local operations team in order to take the necessary action.
Thank you for the information. Yours sincerely
Public Consultation Street Collections you have all been e-mailed a link to read this documents, it will be on the April agenda for decision.
CCTV Letter of 29th January from Liskeard Town Council
I am writing to inform your Council that funding has been received from a joint bid submitted to Caradon Community Fund by Saltash and liskeard Town Councils. This will update the CCTV monitoring system at liskeard.
I am pleased to report that the funding will provide a new digital recording system, which will be far more efficient and improve the image quality for us all, this will also keep the monitoring costs at a reasonable level and do away with the current videos.
Both Saltash and Liskeard cameras are due to be updated as they are now 8 years old.
4. Policing Issues
a) Any reports.
CEO announced that the local CCTV had not been operating for a short period due to power interruptions resulting from the ‘One-Stop-Shop’ building work. There was concerns that this matter had not been reported back to Callington by the monitoring station Town Clerk/CEO to chase up why this has not been reported back
5. Information & Issues for Decision
a) Regeneration of Callington.
Resolved. It was proposed by Cllr Gist seconded by Cllr Long and unanimously agreed to write to Michael Garrington, CDC, regarding further industrial/business developments in the town and write to Peter Moore, CCC Highways, to establish the position with regard to the outstanding highway plan for Callington ?
b) Regalia
Resolved. It was proposed by Cllr Long seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed that no action be taken at this point in time due to the current financial situation but asked that this item be brought back to this committee in one years time
c) Newsletter Delivery.
Resolved. It was proposed by Cllr Gold seconded by Cllr Long and unanimously agreed that £170 be paid for the delivery of the Callington News newsletter (March 2009 edition onwards) and that the full newsletter costs be periodically reviewed when considering estimates for the FGP Committee precept.
6. Financial Report
a) Receipt of statement of accounts. The statement of accounts to the end of January was received.
b) Approval of payments. It was resolved to make the following payments:-
|
Date Paid |
Payee Name |
|
Cheque Ref |
Amount Paid |
Transaction Detail |
|
|
17/02/2009 |
Henry Flashman |
|
6942 |
£101 |
Henry Flashman |
|
|
17/02/2009 |
B.J. Shipton & son |
|
6943 |
£391 |
Works to PM roofs |
|
|
17/02/2009 |
Trewartha, Gregory and Doige |
6944 |
£8 |
Misc Hardware |
||
|
17/02/2009 |
Cornwall Farmers Ltd |
|
6945 |
£72 |
Tractor repairs |
|
|
26/02/2009 |
EDF |
|
|
DD |
£20 |
Public Convenience. |
|
|
|
|
|
Total Payments |
592.70 |
|
c) Final donations for 2008/2009
i) CAB
Resolved. It was proposed by Cllr Ellard seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed that £500 be awarded.
ii) Cornwall Association for the Blind
(Cllr Long declared a personal interest and did not take part in the debate)
Resolved. It was proposed by Cllr Ellard seconded by Cllr Mrs Coakley and passed by majority [1 abstention] that £50 be awarded
iii) Cornwall County Playing Fields Assoc.
Resolved. It was proposed by Cllr Long seconded by Cllr Ellard and unanimously agreed that £50 be awarded.
iv) Callington Community College, Tall Ships Expedition
(Cllr Mrs Gold and Mrs Coakley declared personal interest and did not take part in the debate)
Resolved. It was proposed by Cllr Gist seconded by Cllr Long and passed by majority [2 abstentions] that although this venture was commended no funding could be awarded as this was regarded as being outside the remit of Section 137.
Reports not for decision
Cllr Thomas commented on a future Playbuilder Fund meeting on the 18 March – and it was suggested that Cllr Thomas may like to informally attend this meeting
Cllr Thomas asked that Pengally Lane byeway to be discussed at the next FGP in exempt session
The councillor information on the notice board shared by Callington College requires updating
The meeting closed at approximately 8.30 pm
FIVE YEAR REVIEW What we have and have not achieved!
PENDING
No real solution to Launceston Rd fountain
Land registration of Saltash and allotments sent off
Abatement of Pension, employers requested to formulate seven policies indicated
MCTi status
Kit Hill walk, joint leaflet started with CCC in 2006, still not printed
Cornish signs, awaiting graphics from Andrew
NOT DONE
Change to .gov url
Software licences
DONE
Direct debits started 2004
Committee given executive powers and 2004 terms of reference & clerk
New computer and laptop purchased 2004
PCSO in place and part funded Aug 2004
Broadband connection to TH end of 2004
Summary of town plan survey completed & circulated end 2004
Web site taken over 2005 & redesigned
Jan 2005 adverts started in Callington News, pages increased, admin from office.
Town plan meetings and writing, design & publication of Town Plan in 2005
Residents Handbook published 2005
Chain refurbished 2005
Gee legacy for flowers on War memorial at Easter 2005
Photocopier purchased Apr 2006 and office took over printing of Callington News
Set of walks leaflets, Heritage Trail, Cadsonbury, Dupath written & designed with Heritage Lottery Money 2006
Started selling jute bags 2006 and purchased own stock 2007
Traffic management study 2006/7
Mud Lane purchased and resold to CCC. Grant of £8k given to work 2007
Instigated an investment policy 2006, reviewed annually
Streets premises licence for most of the town obtained 2007
CRB’s for staff and some Councillors obtained 2007
Legacy of £10k for cemetery 2007
Took over editing of Callington News Oct 2007
Become Fairtrade town council and town 2007
CCTV cameras installed with monitoring and recording in office from late 2007
Another £10k extension to mortgage for bowling club 2007 [No capital repayments from Bowling Club or St John Ambulance during my time]
Designation Order through at last & signage put up early 2008
Street lighting improved 2008
Christmas light wires renewed and fixings tested 2008
Murals – complete survey 2008
Meetings with neighbouring parishes 2007/2008
Fighting the battle to have Callington as a Community Network Area 2008
First Aid Course arranged 2008
Office networked and wireless 2008
Changed account signatories! 2008
Split investments 2008
Coachmakers pavement 2008
Caradon Community Grant £6k 2008
Design and printed Ultimate Walk, Holmbush Walk, CHC Leaflet, revised mural leaflet and folders for this [new Residents folder] with grant money 2009
No response on right of way in front of Cobbledicks at Newbridge
One Stop Shop nngotiations etc. etc. 2009
POLICIES Disciplinary Procedure 2004 Equal Opportunities Policy 2007, Grievance Policy 2004, Dignity At Work 2007, Environmental Policy 2006, Freedom of Information Policy 2008, Emergency Procedures Plan reviewed annually, Child Protection Policy 2007, Health & Safety at Work Policy, re-written 2008