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Minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 10th October 2007
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 10TH OCTOBER 2007 AT 7.00 P.M. AT THE TOWN HALL, GREAT WESTERN HOUSE, 9 DEVON SQUARE, NEWTON ABBOT
PRESENT Councillor D Corney-Walker (Chairman) Presiding
Councillor Mrs D. Watts (Vice-Chairman)
Councillors Mrs C. Bunday
H.L.J. Cole
C. Davieson
Mrs A. Fry
Miss J. Fry
M. Hocking
D. Howe
Mrs G. Leeper
R. Leeper
K. Lewis
C. Parker
K. Purchase
K Smith
In attendance:
Representatives of the Press: Nigel Canham – Mid Devon Advertiser
Representatives of the Public: Mr Bill Brough – Teign Reach Credit Union
Mr R Wills
228. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Mrs G Gaskell, Mrs S Maddicott and A D Vizor.
229. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 22nd August 2007 were received and signed as correct record.
230. INTERESTS
Nil.
231. TEIGN REACH CREDIT UNION
The Committee received a presentation by Mr Bill Brough on the activities of the Teign Reach Credit Union (TRCU) in Newton Abbot.
With the aid of slides Mr Brough detailed the creation and operation of the Credit Union which covered the Teignbridge District, was a branch of the Plough and Share Credit Union Ltd and was also a registered member of the Financial Services Authority. The following was explained:-
What is a Credit Union?
Who operates the TRCU?
How to become a member of the TRCU;
Where the TRCU operates
What are members’ rights?
Are savings safe?
How to join;
Current progress.
In conclusion, Mr Brough suggested that the Town Council could assist the TRCU by helping with the marketing by including details in its documents and newsletters, Members and staff could volunteer to assist or join the Management Committee and join the TRCU as investors.
Members were then invited to ask questions or make comments upon the presentation. Chairman then thanked Mr Brough for his attendance whereupon he left the meeting.
232. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr R Wills addressed the Committee with a request for the Council to approve the addition of a commemoration to the Second World War Memorial of a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve whose life was lost at the attack on St Nazaire on March 28th, 1942 (minute 238(a)/10/07 below refers).
The Committee received an account of the attack on St Nazaire by Mr Wills which went some way to explaining why Lieutenant H S Chambers had been missed from the existing memorial.
The Chairman thanked Mr Wills for his address and explained the Committee would consider the request later in the meeting.
233. POLICE MATTERS
The Chairman welcomed Inspector Mark Backhouse to his first meeting of the Committee. Inspector Backhouse made statements in respect of the crime statistics in Newton Abbot for the period 1st April – end of September 2007. The Committee noted that for the Newton Abbot area all crime had reduced by 10%. With regard to the four key areas of measurement the following was noted:-
Category Performance No. of incidents
Violent Crime 18.5 % reduction 235
Criminal Damage 19% reduction 400
Vehicle Crime 9% increase 161
Burglary 40% reduction 30
Inspector Backhouse explained the reason for the figures for vehicle crime which for a short period in May increased to 8 per week; the incidents were now down to 3/4 per week.
He then explained in some detail the staffing resources available to him in the area and his approach to neighbourhood policing. The Committee noted that Inspector Backhouse’s approach will be to identify community priorities and focus from evidence collected from the various communities through direct consultation and Parish Plans. Once the information was collected he and his staff will produce Parish Improvement Plans which will of course be shared with the Parish and Town Councils. The Committee was also informed of the introduction of ‘Cop Cards’ which were being used as a vehicle to engage with primary school children. In conclusion Inspector Backhouse referred to consultation events to be held on 3/4 November and a local initiative entitled ‘Operation Hobgoblin’. He then responded to Member’s questions and comments, including the following:-
The inclusion of Broadlands in the targeted approach;
‘Red Time’;
A number of incidents in the Buckland Ward;
Reasons for fewer local resources;
Use of quad bikes in the area;
Public House licensing;
Issues surrounding anti-social behaviour;
The availability of a map showing the neighbourhood beat areas.
At the conclusion of his presentation the Chairman thanked Inspector Backhouse for his attendance whereupon he left the meeting.
234. ACCOUNTS PAID SINCE THE LAST MEETING
(a) Accounts paid since the last meeting
The Committee noted the accounts together with the balance sheet for the months of August and September 2007:-
INTERNAL AUDIT
31st August 2007
Opening Balance Business Call Account/Current Acc £44,814.20
ADD Misc. Income £ 745.88
End of fixed £50,000.00
TOTAL INCOME £ 95,560.08
LESS:
Expenditure £27,507.95
TOTAL EXPENDITURE £27,507.95
BALANCE 31st August 2007
Business Call & Current Account: £68,052.13
Balances as at 31st August 2007
Current Account 100.00
Business Call Account 67,952.13
Treasury Account 0.00
Petty Cash Account 75.17
Total Reserves £68,027.30
Alliance & Leicester 170,000.00
(Reinvested to 30.11.07 – interest accruing £4983.03)
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Total: £238,127.30
INTERNAL AUDIT
30th September 2007
Opening Balance Business Call Account/Current Acc £68,052.13
ADD Misc. Income £ 1200.36
2nd half of precept £127,607.00
TOTAL INCOME £196,859.49
LESS:
Expenditure £15,843.89
TOTAL EXPENDITURE £15,843.89
BALANCE 30th September 2007
Business Call & Current Account: £181,015.60
Balances as at 30th September 2007
Current Account 100.00
Business Call Account 180,915.60
Treasury Account 0.00
Petty Cash Account 75.17
Total Reserves £181,090.77
Alliance & Leicester 170,000.00
(Reinvested to 30.11.07 – interest accruing £4983.03)
--------------------
Total: £351,090.77
(b) Other financial matters
The Town Clerk requested approval to purchase a portable PA system, commission an audit of the Council’s information technology systems and upgrade its website.
Members were supportive of the need to purchase a more flexible and practical PA system and the importance of adopting a three to five year IT Strategy. However, although sympathetic to the needs and benefits of upgrading the website requested the current website provision and that proposed be included in the proposed audit.
Arising from the above it was agreed that the Town Clerk be authorised to purchase a portable PA system at a cost of £243 + VAT and to commission an IT audit at a cost of £1,500 + VAT. The audit to include an assessment of the Council’s current website provision and proposal to upgrade.
235. STRATEGIC WORKING PARTY
The Committee received report of Strategic Working Party held on 5th September 2007 (previously circulated).
Arising from receipt of the report, consideration was given to a report by local community artist, Kate Green, inviting the Council to commission a project to create artwork to celebrate the history of the town of Newton Abbot using large-scale banners. Phase 1 of the project had been the creation of a series of banners for installation into the refurbished Market Hall. Members were of the opinion that its priorities lay elsewhere. Consequently, it was agreed to thank Ms Green for her proposal but decline the request.
236. REVIEW OF POLLING DISTRICTS, POLLING PLACES AND POLLING STATIONS
Further to minute 177/8/07 the Committee received a letter from Teignbridge District Council in response to the Council’s views on its review of polling districts, places and stations.
Members requested that to following be drawn to the attention of Teignbridge District Council:-
College Ward – The suggestion that the Scout Hut is not in the most convenient situation for this ward was not agreed. However, in view of the Council’s view that schools should not be used for polling stations where alternatives were available, suggest the ATC Centre be utilised.
Bushell Ward – The Council’s reference to the ‘Community Centre’ being utilised was referring to the ‘Courtenay Centre’ and therefore request that it should be reconsidered.
237. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
(a) Larger Councils Committee AGM – Councillor K C Lewis reported on his attendance at County Hall, Exeter on 6th September 2007;
(b) Newton Abbot & District Community Plan - Councillor K C Lewis, Chairman of the Community Plan, reported on discussions that had taken place at the Steering Group meeting held on 27th September 2007;
(c) Devon Association of Parish Councils – AGM - Councillors K C Lewis reported on attendance on Saturday 29th September 2007;
(d) Society of Local Council Clerks – Regional ‘One Day’ Conference – Councillor D Howe and the Town Clerk reported on Conference held on 4th October 2007 in Plymouth (Appendix);
(e) National Association of Local Councils – Annual Conference – The Mayor, Councillor K Smith, reported on his attendance in Bournemouth on 5 – 7 October 2007;
(f) Seale-Hayne Future Group - The Mayor, Councillor K Smith, reported on his attendance on 8th October 2007;
(g) Twinning Association - The Mayor, Councillor K Smith, reported on his attendance on 8th October 2007.
238. CORRESPONDENCE
(a) Newton Abbot War Memorial – The Clerk reported on a request to add a commemoration to the Second World War Memorial of a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve whose life was lost at the attack on St Nazaire on March 28th, 1942. He explained that the Council’s staff had attempted through the Devon Records office to substantiate Lieutenant Chambers’ residency at his time of birth/death. Their enquires had, however, proved inconclusive.
Members were of the opinion that the request be deferred to the next meeting of the Committee to allow the Clerk to make enquiries as to the criteria for including commemorations on memorials together with the practicalities of including the request on the 1939-1945 section of the memorial. The Chairman, Councillor Corney-Walker undertook on the Council’s behalf to research Lieutenant Chambers’ credentials.
During discussion on the above item, the Council’s Standing Orders were suspended to allow member of the public Mr R Wills to further address the Committee.
(b) Street Naming and Numbering – Further to minute 216(a)/9/07 of the Transportation Committee meeting held on 26th September, to give further consideration to a request from a developer to name its new housing development at St. Marychurch Road, Newton Abbot either ‘The Sand Martins’ or ‘Chestnut Mews’.
RESOLVED that Teignbridge District Council be informed that Newton Abbot Town Council recommends that the development be named ‘The Sand Martins’.
239. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Wednesday 12th December 2007.
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Chairman