Callington Outside Services Committee 10th February 2009

Present: Cllr Lumley [Portreeve & Mayor], Cllr Mrs Winfindale [in the Chair], Cllr Mrs Gold, Cllr Gist, Mrs M Coakley, Cllr Thomas, Cllr Mrs Jones

The minutes of the meeting of 7^th April 2009 were approved as a correct record of proceedings and duly signed.

a) Summary of accounts. The summary of the accounts to the 30^th April were received.

Cheques for approval on 5th May 2009
FGP	7008	BT	Telephone & Broadband lines	£370.68	£55.60	£426.28
OS	7009	Tavistock Woodlands	Hinge sets	£90.00	£13.50	£103.50
TH	7010	Reactive Fire Solutions	Annual test	£31.50	£4.72	£36.22
OS	DD	Arval	Fuel	£15.30	£2.30	£17.80
				£507.48	£76.12	£583.80

St Mary’s Church have written back to express their sincere thanks for this years grant towards the upkeep of the church yard

It has come to the town clerk’s attention that the Public Conveniences Agency Agreement expires on the 31^st May 2009. The town clerk has contacted the relevant officer (Chris James) at Cornwall Council to discuss future service delivery and announced at the meeting that he had since received a reply back asking the council to extend the agency agreement for a further year.

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed to allow the extension of the agreement by a further year and ask that Cornwall Council re-evaluates the service provision for the public convenience in New Road as soon as possible.

The play areas, Saltash Road, Tamar Close, Rosemullion Gardens, Launceston Road and Skate Park at Saltash Road have now been inspected by an independent inspector. There are a number of issues arising that are currently being dealt with.

The matter is still being considered by the clerk and the chairs of the respective committees, any firm proposals will be brought back to this committee at the next meeting. It is estimated that the cost of maintaining the play area will cost in excess of £255,000 over a 20 year period.

There have been two observations made by members of the public regarding the condition of the flora at St Mary’s Square. The clerk has instructed the groundsmen to tackle the planting as soon as time and other commitments allow. In the meantime the Clerk has made initial contact with Cornwall Council to establish responsibilities following the call out of the pest controller to deal with a rat problem there. Although it is understood that the Lions Club previously agreed (possibly a gentlemen’s agreement) to maintain this area the matter of ultimate responsibility is still unclear and the issue will be brought back to this committee once further information becomes available.

The matter of grant funding for the Lions Club was considered at the Finance & General Purpose Committee on the 21^st April and the issue of free use was referred to this committee for decision.

The issues that where raised at that meeting included litter clearance and ground re-instatement, the town clerk was asked to contact the organiser (Jamie Dowdall) to re-affirm that they would accept full responsibility for site clearance of rubbish and that any re-instatement (prior or subsequently) would be at their own cost as it was recognised that there was still an outstanding invoice presented by Mr Dowdall to the council for an event that took place in 2007.

It is strongly recommended that the Lions Club (or any future event organiser) is required to complete and sign the relevant booking form regardless before it is released as a ‘free’ event.

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Lumley and unanimously agreed to allow the Lions Club of Callington free use of Saltash Road Recreation Ground on the 11^th July and that the Lions Club be required to sign the relevant booking condition form, and that they liaise with Cornwall Council with regard to the removal of rubbish after the event has closed.

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Gold and unanimously agreed to pay the outstanding invoice for grounds re-instatement following the 2007 circus event

Miss H J Pound has approached the Town Clerk looking for regular work experience (one day per week) within the grounds maintenance team. Considering the pressures already being experienced by the team the Clerk recommended that Miss Pound be accepted for work experience for at least the current year and if found to be doing well continue through to the end of her studies at Duchy College.

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed to offer Miss Pound a regular work placement with Callington Town Council.

Mr Cockburn has written a letter asking that he be allowed to re-instate his mother’s memorial in the cremation garden. His letter refers to the new memorials that have been allowed since the removal of his mother’s memorial and he reasons that as the memorials are no longer just flat stones his should be allowed.

Following discussion on recent changes to cemetery policy with regard to size and type of memorials the committee:

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed to allow Mr Cockburn to re-instate his mother’s memorial at the appropriate grave so long as it does not protrude from the ground no more than 6” as dictated by current policy.

Cllr Mrs Gold reported that the matter of the plaque had now been resolved and that it will be completed very shortly

Cllr Mrs Gold asked the Clerk to verify the situation with regard to making good the entrance to the Haye Road allotment site and resetting of the gate? The Clerk reported that the entrance had been levelled off and the potholes backfilled but the gate was still outstanding due to staffing issues which will be tackled as soon as possible once there is a full compliment of staff.

Cllr Mrs Gold asked when the matter of the Memorial Trees in Launceston Road will be brought back to this committee? The Chair explained that the talks had taken place with the Royal British Legion and that the matter was to be referred back to the next Planning Committee.

Cllr Mrs Gold asked for an update on transforming the old shelter in Launceston Road Play Area to a planter? The Clerk reported that this was still outstanding due to staffing issues which will be tackled as soon as possible once there is a full compliment of staff.