OUTSIDE SERVICES COMMITTEE

Minutes

 2^nd June 2009 6.55pm

1.           Apologies: Cllr Thomas, Cllr A Coakley

              Present: Cllr Lumley [Mayor & Portreeve], Cllr Mrs Gold [Deputy Mayor & Portreeve], Cllr Long, Cllr Mrs Jones, Cllr Mrs Winfindale, Cllr Mrs Coakley, Cllr Ellard

              In Attendance: Cllr Gist, Cllr Green

              Officers: Vernon Anderson, Town Clerk

              Members of the Public: Nil

2.           Election of Chairman

Proposed by Cllr Mrs Winfindale, seconded by Cllr Long and unanimously agreed that Cllr Mrs K Gold be appointed as the Chairman of the Outside Services Committee for the civic year 2009 - 2010

3.           Election of Vice Chairman

Proposed by Cllr Mrs Gold, seconded by Cllr Lumley and unanimously agreed that Cllr Mrs D Winfindale be appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Outside Services Committee for the civic year 2009 - 2010

4.            Minutes 

                The minutes of the meeting of 5^th May 2009 were approved as a correct record of proceedings and duly signed.

5.           Finance

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

              b)  Approval of Payments

6.         For Information – St. Mary’s Church Yard and St Mary’s Square

             The Clerk and Assistant Clerk have been invited by the district Estates Manager for Cornwall Council to attend an informal meeting at Luxtowe House to try and establish formal ownership and responsibility for the maintenance of St Mary’s Church Yard and St Mary’s Square. Once the meeting has taken place the Clerk will report back to this committee, at the time of writing the report no date had been set for the meeting but it is likely to take place during June.

             Report received and noted.

7.         For Information – Viridor Credits; expansion of fitness equipment provision

             The Clerk was informed by Viridor that it will be reconsidering the funding application for fitness equipment at its next board meeting (1^st June) but has advised that the matter may have to be referred to Entrust for further approval should the equipment be split across the two sites.

             Report received and noted.

8.         For Decision – Staffing Arrangements for Outside Services

             The committee discussed staffing issues with regard to the provision of outside services and the implications that arise when staff are on holiday or off sick.

             Mr Roger Denley was invited to the meeting to provide members with a better understanding of existing issues and the pressures.

             Many options were considered during the debate including Mr Denley’s recommendation to employ the work experience person as a summer casual which could provide a workable solution to the current years problem.

Resolved

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Mrs Winfindale and unanimously agreed to ask the work experience person if they would like to be employed as a summer casual during their college holiday period

And that

The clerk investigates the cost of employing temporary grounds maintenance staff versus contracted summer casual staff for the future determination of estimates, this should be brought back to this committee next month for further discussion.

9.         For Decision – Mergence of Town Hall & Properties Committee with Outside Services Committee

Members of the Council recently held an informal debate at a Forward Planning meeting regarding the committee structure and its administration process.

Following on from this informal debate there was some consensus (bearing in mind that this was an informal discussion) that there was merit in merging the two direct service committees, i.e. merging The Town Hall & Premises Committee with the Outside Services Committee thus reducing the need for repetition of standing items such as apologies, financial information and declarations and to help facilitate fortnightly meetings rather than weekly.

The matter was discussed at the Town Hall & Properties Committee on the 14^th April 2009 and it was resolved to merge the two committees.

Resolved

Proposed by Cllr Long, seconded by Cllr Gist and unanimously agreed that this committee supports the proposal that a trial merger with the Town Hall & Properties Committee should commence from 1^st September 2009 until 28^th February 2010 and then the matter be reconsidered for formal adoption at the March 2010 meetings with a view to making the necessary amendments to Standing Orders (to be effective from the 2010/2011 Civic Year) should the trial be successful

There being no further business the meeting was declared closed at 8:20pm

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