Agenda item

a.  Victoria Gardens - Cornwall Council Service Level Agreement; 

 

The Town Clerk informed Members that Cornwall Council’s Licence to Occupy is to permit the Town Council for a period of 5 months to tidy the lower lying areas (shrubs and bedding plants) at Victoria Gardens in time for Spring and the King’s Coronation celebrations in May.

 

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

 

1.  To approve the Licence to Occupy at Victoria Gardens to allow the Town Council to tidy the lower lying areas (shrubs and bedding plants) for a period of 5 months;

 

2.  At a sum of £1 if demanded;

 

3.  To provide delegated authority to the Town Clerk to sign the Licence to Occupy on behalf of the Town Council.

 

 

 

b.  Victoria Gardens - Cornwall Council Tree Condition Survey and Maintenance Report;

 

Members discussed the report received and dated January 2021 and that an updated Tree Condition Survey and Maintenance report was due to be undertaken in the following months.

 

It was proposed by Councillor Martin, seconded by Councillor Bullock and RESOLVED to note Cornwall Council’s Tree Condition Survey and Maintenance report dated January 2022 and to request a copy of Cornwall Council’s future survey and maintenance report.

 

 

c.   Victoria Gardens - Cornwall Council revised Heads of Terms.

 

The Chairman informed Members that Cornwall Council are offering Saltash Town Council a leasehold or a freehold for Victoria Gardens and the Maurice Huggins Room by way of revised Heads of Terms.

 

The Chairman informed Members that the Town Council’s Building Surveyor is due to undertake a Building Survey Report on Victoria Gardens only on the 20^th April 2023.

 

The Town Clerk advised Members await the results of the Building Survey Report and Cornwall Council’s Tree Condition Survey and Maintenance Report.

 

The Town Clerk informed Members that CC may take a view to add a covenant on the sale of MHG for it to be kept for community use only. Any such covenant may not permit commercial businesses to use the property.

 

The Town Clerk informed Members that if the Town Council wished to pursue with a freehold the general maintenance of the area could have an operational impact on the Service Delivery Team therefore the matter would need to be considered at a Personnel Committee meeting.

 

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

 

1.    To approve Cornwall Council’s revised Heads of Terms for a freehold to Saltash Town Council at a price of £1 for the Maurice Huggins Room and Victoria Gardens;

 

2.    To accept Cornwall Council’s offer to provide Saltash Town Council a grant in the sum of £5,000 to undertake repairs and maintenance works to the railings;

 

3.    Points 1 and 2 above are subject to;

 

i.              The results of Cornwall Council’s Tree Condition Survey and Maintenance Report;

 

ii.            The Town Council’s Building Survey Report;

 

iii.           Confirmation of insurance cover and related cost;

 

iv.           The Personnel Committee identifying additional work levels to efficiently discharge the work required by the Town Council.

 

 

d.  Climate Change and Environment Working Group short-term vision for Victoria Gardens; 

 

Councillor Gilles provided a verbal update on the initial thoughts received from Saltash Environmental Action (SEA) which included planting lower levels of Victoria Gardens as low maintenance as possible, to ensure minimal maintenance works are required.

 

Councillor Gillies added that SEA had stated in the short-term the group would look to tidy up existing hedges and investigate the possibility of planting native hedges. The Climate Change and Environmental Working Group had discussed the idea of incorporating the Big Green Week by holding a plastic free picnic in conjunction with a gardening party to assist with the tidying and planting of the lower levels within Victoria Gardens.

 

Members discussed the timescales and the requirement to commence planting as soon as possible with Spring upon us.

 

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

 

1.      To note the update received from SEA;

 

2.     To form a ‘Friends of Victoria Gardens’ working in conjunction with SEA;

 

3.     To hold the next scheduled Meet Your Councillor Session on Saturday 15^th April at Victoria Gardens followed by a site meeting with those who wish to be part of the ‘Friends of Victoria Gardens’ to discuss the way forward;

 

4.     To provide refreshments at the Maurice Huggins Room;

 

5.     Publicise the ‘Friends of Victoria Gardens’ meeting location, date and time at the earliest opportunity to provide sufficient notice.

 

 

Councillor Peggs gave her apologies and left the meeting.

 

 

e.  Saltash Town Council’s long-term vision for Victoria Gardens and the Maurice Huggins Room. 

 

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

 

1.  To set the Town Council long-term vision as a living document:

 

             i.    Music in the park;

            ii.   To encourage people to use the area for picnics;

           iii.    Ensure the MHR is used to support the community;

           iv.    The area to be a welcoming and safe place for everyone to enjoy;

            v.    Engage with the local residents;

           vi.    Create a ‘Friends of Victoria Gardens’;

          vii.   Use the bandstand area;

        viii.    To make the space a community asset to the town;

           ix.    Memorial benches;

            x.    Hold markets.

 

2.  The priority is the formation of ‘Friends of Victoria Gardens’ to be community led with progression via Meet Your Councillors, flyers, website page and the Town Council’s social media platforms.