Agenda and minutes

The Chairman informed those present of the actions required in the event of a fire or emergency.

a.  To receive any declarations from Members of any registerable (5A of the Code of Conduct) and/or non-registerable (5B) interests in matters to be considered at this meeting.

b.  The Town Clerk to receive written requests for dispensations prior to the start of the meeting for consideration.

a.  To receive any declarations from Members of any registerable (5A of the Code of Conduct) and/or non-registerable (5B) interests in matters to be considered at this meeting.

b.  The Town Clerk to receive written requests for dispensations prior to the start of the meeting for consideration.

None.

Please note: Any member of the public requiring to put a question to the Town Council must do so by 12 noon the day before the meeting.

None.

Please see a copy of the minutes on the STC website or request to see a copy at the Guildhall.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor P Samuels and RESOLVED that the minutes of the Policy and Finance Committee held on 10^th January 2023 were confirmed as a true and correct record.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was RESOLVED to note.

It was RESOLVED to note.

Members thanked the Town Clerk for her continued hard work due to the current vacancy of the Finance Officer and the Town Council’s Finance Consultants being unavailable until the end of March 2023.

It was proposed by Councillor P Samuels, seconded by Councillor Peggs and RESOLVED to ratify the Town Clerk’s delegated authority to spend.

No report.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor P Samuels and RESOLVED to:

1.  Ratify the appointment of James Hallam Brooker for the year 2023/24 for ERS the underwriter to provide motor insurance cover at a cost of £2,902.28 including applicable taxes;

2.  Allocate the cost to budget code 6205 Insurance.

Councillor Dent declared an interest in the next agenda item and left the meeting.

The Town Clerk provided a brief verbal overview of the report received and contained within the reports pack.

It was proposed by Councillor Griffiths, seconded by Councillor B Samuels and RESOLVED to appoint Coodes Solicitors as the Town Council default Solicitorsubject to the nature of the work and timescales involved.

Councillor Dent was invited and returned to the meeting.

Members discussed Cornwall Council’s formal off-street parking order. Members expressed concern and objection to the details contained within the proposal.

Members concerns included:

·         lack of flexibility for town and parishes;

·         Sunday charging will cause additional inconvenience for residents by visitors displaced from free car parking, and carriageway obstruction due to more street parking on single yellow lines.  Hopefully a fear of the overall effect of increased charges on deterring people from casual visits to the town centre, further reducing footfall, has also been incorporated;

·         Sunday charging will have a negative impact on residents attending church;

·         Plymouth as the neighbouring city could influence people to travel to Plymouth and park in many ‘district’ car parks for free on any day for up to two hours;

·         lack of parking scheme for Saltash residents who utlise the car parks on a regular basis due to limited on street parking.

It was proposed by Councillor Stoyel, seconded by Councillor Bullock and RESOLVED to provide delegated authority to the Town Clerk working with Councillor Bickford to respond to the public consultation on behalf of the Town Council.

Members were encouraged to individually respond to the public consultation.

Councillors B Samuels, P Samuels and Stoyel declared an interest in the following agenda item and left the meeting.

RECOMMENDATION:

38/22/23         TO RECEIVE A REPORT FROM THE TOWN COUNCIL BUILDING SURVEYOR TOGETHER WITH TENDER SUBMISSIONS RELATING TO THE CHURCH WALL OF ST STEPHENS AND TO CONSIDER ANY ACTIONS AND ASSOCIATED EXPENDITURE.

Members received the evaluation from the Town Council’s Building Surveyor and discussed the three quotes received.

It was proposed by Councillor Dent, seconded by Councillor Bullock and RESOLVED to appoint Company B to carry out works on the partially collapsed wall between St Stephens Courtyard and private residence ‘Kellywyth’, in accordance with the Specification of Works dated 2nd December 2022 at a total cost of £14,366.67+vat to be taken from budget code 6170 BB EMF Repairs to Cemetery Wall.

It was proposed by Councillor Dent, seconded by Councillor Lennox-Boyd and resolved to RECOMMEND to Full Town Council to vire £14,366.67+vat to budget code 6170 BB EMF Repairs to Cemetery Wall from General Reserves.

It was proposed by Councillor Dent, seconded by Councillor Lennox-Boyd and resolved to RECOMMEND to the Policy and Finance Committee to provide delegated authority to spend of £1,437.00+vat to the Town Clerk for the associated costs for the Town Council’s Building Surveyor to be taken from budget code 6224 PF Professional Costs, relating to management of works to  the partially collapsed wall between St Stephens Courtyard and private residence ‘Kellywyth’.  

It was proposed by Councillor Dent, seconded by Councillor Gillies and RESOLVED to approve the above Policy and Finance recommendation.

Councillors B Samuels, P Samuels and Stoyel were invited and returned to the meeting.

7/22/23           TO RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON THE TOWN COUNCIL'S IDENTIFIED DEVOLUTION ASSETS AND LAND PROGRAMME AND CONSIDER ANY ACTIONS AND ASSOCIATED EXPENDITURE:

b.  Cornwall Council Standard Heads of Terms for the Maurice Huggins Tea Room and Victoria Gardens; 

The Town Clerk expressed concerns regarding items contained within Cornwall Council’s Heads of Terms, such as, the use of the Maurice Huggins Room and the responsibility to repair Victoria Gardens in its current state (Grade II Listed monument, the walls, footpaths, railings, any gates and large trees).

The Town Clerk informed Members that the condition and health and safety aspect of the pine tree (photos provided) had been reported to Cornwall Council’s Environment Team as this property falls under their management.

The Town Clerk brought Members attention to the Building Survey report conducted in 2018, five years on.

The report included concerns around the condition of the surrounding walls, railings, pathways and large trees situated in Victoria Gardens.

Members discussed in length their reasons for requesting to devolve as a Freehold Victoria Gardens and the Maurice Huggins Room (MHR) to the Town Council.

The Town Clerk advised Members that the Town Council has a responsibility to ensure due diligence has been met and advised Members to get an up to date Building Surveyors report together with full costing prior to committing the Town Council to a Lease or Freehold with Cornwall Council.

The Town Clerk further confirmed she understood Members frustration and that should they wish to undertake low maintenance works (bedding plants, grass cutting, shrub work) ready for the Spring/Summer months to request from Cornwall Council a Licence to work in Victoria Gardens for that period.

It was RESOLVED to note that Cormac are currently addressing uneven footpaths and trip hazards caused by tree roots in Victoria Gardens and that works will raise the paths with a special method that doesn’t harm the trees and allow for future growth.

It was RESOLVED to note that Cornwall Council have given permission for Saltash Town Council to occupy the Maurice Huggins Room under an implied tenancy at will until such time as devolution is agreed.

It was proposed by Councillor Martin, seconded by Councillor Peggs and resolved to RECOMMEND to Full Council;

1.  To request a Licence or Service Level Agreement (SLA) from Cornwall Council to allow the Town Council to tidy the lower lying areas such as, the shrubs, grass cutting and bedding plants, during the months of Spring/Summer 2023;

2.  The Climate Change and Environment Working Group to consider a short term vision to tidy Victoria Gardens working with the Town Council and relevant volunteer groups, reporting back at the next Devolution Sub Committee Meeting;

3.  To appoint the Town Council’s Building Surveyor to provide an updated Building Surveyors Report and associated cost for Victoria Gardens only to be received at future Devolution Sub Committee meeting;

4.  To request the latest Cornwall Council’s tree condition survey and maintenance works for Victoria Gardens;

5.  The Town Clerk to continue to liaise  ...  view the full minutes text for item 166/22/23

It was proposed by Councillor P Samuels, seconded by Councillor Martin and RESOLVED to approve the request for the Service Delivery Department to deliver and collect necessary items for Meet Your Councillors sessions outside Bloom Hearing Specialists on Fore Street.

a.  Festival Funds

It was proposed by Councillor Gillies, seconded by Councillor Peggs and RESOLVED to award £3,000.

a.  FF112 – Saltash Christmas Festival

It was RESOLVED to note.

Members considered a request received from the Saltash May Fair Committee contained within the reports pack, to provide a funding contribution to the Coronation event.

Members discussed the Coronation celebrations and spoke of the money previously budgeted by the Town Council for the event.

It was proposed by Councillor Bickford, seconded by Councillor B Samuels and RESOLVED to approve £1,500.00 to the May Fair Committee for the extra Coronation elements for the event allocated to budget code 6202 Civic Occassions, subject to the relevant receipts and Town Council funding agreements being met.

a.  Town Council Playpark Match Funding

(Pursuant to Services Committee held on 9.2.23 minute nr. 118/22/23)

It was proposed by Councillor Peggs, seconded by Councillor Martin and resolved to RECOMMEND to Full Council to be held on Thursday 13^th April 2023.

Councillor Martin left the meeting.

b.  Hire of Public Loudspeakers

(Pursuant to Services Committee held on 9.2.23 minute nr. 118/22/23)

Councillor Martin returned to the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Bickford, seconded by Councillor Peggs and RESOLVED to defer to a future Policy and Finance meeting the Hire of Public Loudspeakers until the levels of sound have been further investigated and associated expenditure for PPL/PRS licensing has been explored and considered.

The Town Clerk requested an additional Town Council document – Receiving Public Questions, Representations and Evidences at Meetings be considered in the delegation for review due to its correlation to Standing Orders.

It was proposed by Councillor Dent, seconded by Councillor Miller and RESOLVED to approve:

1.  Delegated authority to the Town Clerk to review Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Scheme of Delegation, Receiving Public Questions, Representations and Evidence at Meetings and Agenda templates, reporting back at a future Policy and Finance meeting;

2.  To terminate the Standing Orders Working Group as it is no longer required.

a.  Livewire

It was RESOLVED to note.

b.  The Core

It was RESOLVED to note.

c.   Junkyard Skatepark

It was RESOLVED to note.

a.  Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group

No further updates at this time.

b.  Saltash Team for Youth

It was RESOLVED to note.

c.   Section 106 Panel

No report due to meeting not taking place.

To resolve that pursuant to Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to meetings) Act 1960 the public and press leave the meeting because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

To resolve that pursuant to Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the public and press leave the meeting because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

None.

To resolve that the public and press be re-admitted to the meeting.

To resolve that the public and press be re-admitted to the meeting.

None.

Councillor Stoyel left the meeting.

It was proposed by Councillor Miller, seconded by Councillor Dent and RESOLVED to issue the following Press and Social Media Releases;

1.  Awarded Festival Fund Grant – Saltash Fair Committee;

2.  Coronation funding liaising with the Saltash May Fair Committee;

3.  Cornwall Council’s Formal Off Street Parking Order.