TUXFORD TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting of Tuxford Town Council held on
Tuesday 15 December 2015 at 7.30pm at The Old Grammar School.
Present:
Councillors Moulds (Chairman), Nicholls (Vice-Chairman), Atkin, Bett,
Moorhouse, Silcock and Taylor.
Also present: Mrs Lisa A Hill (Clerk), Mrs Nicky Grewcock (Assistant Clerk) and one
member of the public.
Absent:
Councillor Crow and Griffiths.
C118/1516 Apologies for absence
Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors Mitchell, Phillips and Richards
and Student Advisor Lucas Georgiou and these were accepted.
C119/1516 Declarations of Interest
Councillors Moulds, Bett and Silcock expressed an interest in agenda item 9.
C120/1516 Minutes of the previous meeting
It was Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting held on 17 November 2015 were
accepted as a true and accurate record. The Minutes were signed by the Chairman.
C121/1516 Declaration of Acceptance of Office – Co-opted Councillor
Mr John Robinson read out and signed his Declaration of Acceptance of Office. This was
countersigned by the Clerk.
C122/1516 Declaration of Acceptance of Office – Student Advisors
The Student Advisors were unable to attend this meeting.
C123/1516 To receive updates from the Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held
on 17 November 2015
C123.1 Minute C107.1 - the Clerk reported that a temporary interactive speed sign had
recently been installed on Eldon Street. The permanent sign would be installed in the
New Year.
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A survey was being conducted by Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC) to ascertain
whether an interactive speed sign should be installed on Newark Road. Action – Clerk.
The Clerk reported that a planning application for the new village hall would be submitted
to Bassetlaw District Council (BDC) late December 2015/early January 2016. It was
hoped to be built by July 2016.
The Clerk reported that The Beeches Community Centre would not be closing. A regular
user of the centre had recently paid rent for the forthcoming year.
C123.2 Minute C107.3 - the Clerk reported that Mr Richard Blagg at BDC had taken over
responsibility for the CCTV system in Tuxford. It was hoped that this would be fully
operational by the end of the year.
C123.3 Minute C107.5 - the Clerk reported that no further information had been received
from Mr Simon Britt, Conservation Officer at BDC, following a recent survey of 11 Eldon
Street. The Clerk would follow this up. Action – Clerk.
The Clerk reported that it was not yet known if the application to make The Old Grammar
School an Asset of Community Value had been successful.
C123.4 Minute C109 – the Clerk reported that application forms were awaited to enable
the Council to open deposit accounts with The Yorkshire Bank and The Cambridge
Building Society.
C123.5 Minute C115 – the Clerk reported that enquiries had been made with NCC
regarding the lack of information provided by them to the Council regarding changes to
local footpaths. NCC advised that they are under no legal obligation to provide
information in this respect.
C123.6 Minute C116 – the Clerk reported that NCC had advised that the new bus shelter
for Ashvale Road had been ordered.
The Clerk reported that she had spoken to the proprietor of the local garage regarding the
complaint received from a blue badge holder regarding the amount of vehicles in the
public car park awaiting works. Alternative parking arrangements had been offered to the
garage. The proprietor was grateful to the Council for making him aware of the issues
raised.
The Clerk reported that a petition would need to be raised in order to gain a disabled
parking bay outside the school.
It was suggested that BDC were contacted to request that a Parking Enforcement Officer
visit Tuxford at an appropriate time of day to issue tickets to those illegally parking.
Action – Clerk.
The Clerk reported that concerns had been raised with A1 Housing regarding the
condition of a property on Fleming Avenue. The property is not an A1 Housing property
but BDC’s Building Control Officer has investigated. Building works had commenced at
the property and a review would be carried out at the end of January 2016.
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C124/1516 – District Councillor and County Councillor reports
No reports had been received from District Councillor Keith Isard or County Councillor
John Ogle.
The meeting was adjourned to allow questions from members of the public.
There were no questions from members of the public.
The meeting was re-convened to discuss the following items:
C125/1516 Financial monitoring and invoices for approval
C125.1 The Clerk circulated copies of the monthly financial monitoring sheet that
monitored actual versus budgeted expenditure for each budget head. The sheet covered
the first eight months of the 2015/16 financial year and showed that total expenditure for
the year was under-budget. The Clerk gave reasons for the variances between budget
and actual expenditure and answered questions on the financial information.
C125.2 The Clerk circulated copies of the income and expenditure sheet to 31 November
2015.
C125.3 The Clerk reported on invoices approved for payment at the Finance and
Services Committee meeting held on 18 December 2015. An additional payment had
been received from EES Showhire and approval for payment was requested. The
Council Resolved: to approve the payment to EES Showhire. Action - Clerk.
C125.4 The Clerk reported that the Council insurance was due for renewal in January
2016. The Council were in the second year of a three year fixed contract. It was
Resolved: to remain in the contract with Came & Company. Action – Clerk.
C125.5 The Clerk reported that £230.33 had been received in donations at Santa’s Grotto
which would be donated to a local charity. After discussion, it was suggested that the
Student Advisors at Tuxford Academy decide upon a suitable charity for these funds to
be donated to. Action – Clerk.
Cllr Moorhouse suggested that a picnic bench should be provided at the memorial hall
field. A funding application would be submitted for this. Action – Clerk.
C126/1516 Planning Applications
Councillor Silcock reported that, at its planning meeting on 1 December 2015, the
Planning Committee, under delegated powers, made no objection to planning application
15/01408/HSE, Mr C Patman, Old School House, Newark Road, Tuxford to replace
existing boundary with new railings and gates. However, concerns had been raised
regarding the mass and scale of the proposed double gates.
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Objections were made to planning application 15/01508/FUL, Mr G Finney, land at
Westfield, Ollerton Road, Tuxford, to erect a detached two storey dwelling and construct
new access. The proposed property would overpower neighbouring properties, is too
large for the plot; the distance between neighbours is too small; concerns regarding
shared access to the property, the number of vehicles entering/exiting proposed property
and the neighbouring property onto a busy road; inadequate off street parking for the size
of the property.
A decision regarding planning application 15/01587/FUL, Mr G Clark, Old Blacksmiths
Shop, Blue Bell Yard, Tuxford, to erect a two storey, two vehicle bay workshop was
deferred to full Council as the committee was inquorate. Cllrs Moulds, Bett, Silcock and
Robinson did not participate in the discussion. After discussion, the Council had no
objection in principle to the application and supports local business. However, the
Council disliked the appearance of the solar panels in a Conservation area. Concerns
were raised regarding the exterior of the property and the inclusion of sash windows.
Action – Clerk.
C127/1516 Planning Decisions
Councillor Silcock reported that BDC had granted permission for planning application
15/01253/VOC, Malakbel Limited to vary condition two of planning application
13/01182/FUL to retain works carried out not in accordance with the application, land at
Westwood Farm, Ollerton Road, Tuxford.
C128/1516 Recommendation from the Finance and Services Committee
C128.1 Floral Display the Chairman reported that the quality of the hanging baskets had
once again been to a very high standard. After discussion, it was Resolved: to appoint
the same supplier, Branching Out, again next year. Action – Clerk.
C129/1516 Update on Neighbourhood Plan
The Clerk reported that the Neighbourhood Plan would be submitted to BDC this week for
approval. It was hoped that the referendum would take place in February/March 2016.
Councillors made no objections.
C130/1516 Report from Representatives
The Clerk reported that the Reads Trust Foundation had found a surveyor to undertake a
structural report on the condition of the Old Grammar School. However, the surveyor
was no longer able to carry this out. An alternative surveyor was being sought.
Action – Clerk.
C131/1516 To receive items for information and future agenda items
The Clerk reported that information had been received from Mr Tim Dring from NCC
regarding Superfast Broadband in Tuxford. It was hoped that 93% of Tuxford would
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receive Superfast Broadband by 2018. Residents must contact their service provider in
order to take advantage of this. Information would be emailed to all Councillors. Action
– Clerk.
The Clerk reported that NCC would be issuing penalties to motorists who parked
inconsiderably blocking access to dropped kerbs.
The Clerk reported that articles had appeared in The Retford Times and The Newark
Advertiser in respect of the Christmas market.
The Clerk reported that an electoral review of Nottinghamshire had been carried out.
Details of this were available from the Clerk or on the Local Government Boundary
Commission website, www.lgbce.org.uk.
The Clerk reported that volunteers were required to assist the Handymen with the taking
down of the Christmas lights on Sunday 3 January 2016. Cllrs Atkin, Moorhouse,
Robinson and Silcock volunteered to help. Action – Cllrs Atkin, Moorhouse, Robinson
and Silcock.
C132/1516 Items for exclusion of the public
‘It is proposed that under section100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press
and public be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the
grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in
Paragraph 1 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, namely information relating to any
individual.’
This was Resolved: and the Chairman asked the press and the public to withdraw from
the meeting.
The Staffing Committee gave a report on the proposed pay scales for all members of
staff. After discussion, it was Resolved: to increase pay scales in line with the Staffing
Committee’s recommendations. Action – Clerk.
The Chairman declared the meeting closed at 9.00pm
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