FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

18^th August 2009 at 6:55 p.m.

1.           Apologies:  Cllr R Lumley [Portreeve & Mayor], Cllr Mrs Winfindale,

Present: Cllr Mrs K Gold [Deputy Mayor & Portreeve], Cllr H Jones, Cllr J Gist, Cllr Ellard, Cllr Green, Cllr Thomas.

In Attendance: Cllr Harriman [items 1 to 5]

Officer: Vernon Anderson – Town Clerk

Members of the Public:

2.           Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 21^st July 2009 were approved as a correct record of proceedings and duly signed.

3.           Policing Issues

              Sgt Phillips introduced WPC Joy Stoppard who is the new Neighbourhood Beat Manager with 11 years experience and announced that this appointment brings the Callington/Gunnislake police force up to full strength. Sgt Phillips also announced that the Community Speed Watch scheme was now operational.

4.           Finance

              a)  Summary of accounts. The summary of the accounts to the 31^st July were received.

b)  Approval of Payments

5.         For Decision – Police Volunteer programme

Declaration of Interest - Cllr Ellard declared a personal interest and refrained from voting.

The committee considered a Police presentation for operating a Police Volunteer Programme in Callington which includes voluntary manning of the towns CCTV system, this has been operating in Bude with positive results.

Questions raised by committee members included:

Who would manage the volunteers? – Sgt Phillips would manage the volunteers and they would be police vetted.

Would the CCTV system be re-sited to accommodate the volunteers – Possibly, but there would be cost implications.

Is there capital funding available for enhancing the current level of cover? – Possibly, through grant funding schemes and possibly from Cornwall Council.

Cllr Gist mentioned that the Council had previously looked into installing additional cameras and at that time it was very expensive because of connection logistics (in the region of £18,000 for a camera to be placed at the top of Well Street).

The Clerk reminded members that a performance review of the CCTV system was asked for at a previous FGP meeting (19 May 2009 minute P74) and that the matter was still outstanding due to work commitments of those involved.

Resolved

Proposed Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and agreed by majority that the Clerk write to Cornwall Council to determine if there are any funds available to assist with the CCTV programme and ask what, if any, organisation has replaced the former Crime Reduction Partnership Agency

And that

Sgt Phillips is asked to submit a short report which can be incorporated into the performance review

And that

The matter be brought back (in approximately two months time) to this committee for further consideration.

6.         For Decision – Christmas Lights & Flagpoles in St Mary’s Square

The committee considered a request from the Christmas Lights Committee asking for this committees’ approval to provide replacement flag poles (4 of) for use in St Mary’s Square so that they can be utilised for both flag flying at the relevant civic events and for displaying Christmas lights.

Resolved

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Mrs Gold and agreed by majority (1 abstention) that the Chairman and Clerk be given delegated authority to proceed with the scheme with a budget not to exceed £350.

7.         For Decision – Callington Newsletter

The committee considered the issues raised by Cllr Ellard with regard to the delivery of the Callington News and the events diary.

One of the main issues that Cllr Ellard raised is the diary of events as he feels that due to the timing of delivery two months worth of events should be printed in each edition. A further significant issue he raised was the timing of despatch because of the time it took to deliver the August edition to all of the homes throughout Kelly Bray and Callington.

The Clerk also brought to the committees’ attention the lack of advertising revenue which has been dwindling.

Resolved

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Mrs Gold and unanimously agreed that the public be consulted via the front page of the October edition of the newsletter asking if they would like to see the diary of events improved and ask them for their general views of the newsletter.

The meeting closed at approximately 8.07 pm

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