FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

15^th September 2009 at 7:15 p.m.

1.           Apologies:  Cllr Mrs Winfindale,

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

In Attendance: Cllr Long

Officer: Vernon Anderson – Town Clerk

Members of the Public:

2.           Minutes

The minutes of the meeting of 18^th August 2009 were approved as a correct record of proceedings and duly signed.

3.           Policing Issues

              Cllr Gist gave members an overview of progress with regard to the review the Callington CCTV system. Cllr Long suggested that he would take up the issue of CCTV monitoring with Cornwall Council.

              Resolved. Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Mrs Gold and unanimously agreed to place the matter of CCTV as a separate item on the next FGP agenda

4.           Finance

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

b)  Approval of Payments

c)  External Audit Certificate and Auditors opinion. The auditor’s letter was received and noted.

5.         For Decision – Recruitment of Retained Firefighters

Cllr Gist gave members an overview of the current position with regard to Callington retained firefighters. It was noted that the current service provision was understaffed with existing firefighters not being able to attend to family matters or social functions because of the lack of suitable cover.

Cllr Long had already been in contact with the Fire brigade regarding the issue and announced that he was shortly to meet with the Chief Fire Officer for Cornwall at County Hall in his capacity as Cornwall Councillor. It was suggested that he could report back at the next Full Council meeting scheduled for the 29^th September.

Members suggested that the council could assist by lending its weight to a recruitment campaign by advertising in the Callington News and by displaying posters on its notice boards.

Resolved

Proposed Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed that the Clerk write to the Chief Fire Officer to offer assistance with the recruitment campaign for retained firefighters.

6.         For Decision – Women’s Institute Hall, Kelly Bray

Mrs Pam Kennaugh recently approached the Town Clerk on behalf of Kelly Bray WI with a view to handing over the WI’s Hall at Kelly Bray. With their membership dwindling they are of the view that it would be more beneficial to the community of Kelly Bray if the Town Council took on ownership and full responsibility for the community hall.

If the WI was to give over the building to the Town Council they would still like to have free access or concessionary use for their monthly meetings as they do not intend to fold nor merge the Kelly Bray branch with another branch. It was suggested that it may be in their best interests that they ask other community groups to share the ‘burden’ of running a Kelly Bray community hall that would benefit everyone concerned.

Cllr Long mentioned that he had been approached by a group of eight people living in Kelly Bray who may be interested in forming a residents association and that they may interested in taking on the hall.

Resolved. Proposed by Cllr Long, seconded by Cllr Gist and unanimously agreed to defer the matter for approximately three months to give time for the Kelly Bray Residents Association to be fully constituted.

The meeting closed at approximately 8.20 pm

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