STRATFORD-UPON-AVON TOWN COUNCIL
GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE MEETING
14 JULY, 2015
TOWN CLERK’S OPEN REPORT
1)
Commonwealth War Graves

To consider the installation of a War Grave sign at the
Cemetery
The Town Council has been contacted by the Commonwealth War
Graves Commission (CWGC) regarding the advent of the 100th
anniversary of the Great War, and is looking at raising awareness of
the work of the Commission and its cemeteries within the UK.
As the Town Council’s Cemetery contains war graves, the CWGC
are requesting if an identification sign can be placed outside the
cemetery as part of an awareness raising scheme. An example of
the sign is attached as Appendix ‘A’; dimensions 43cm long and
23cm high. The installation and future regular maintenance of the
sign will be carried out at the expense of the CWGC.
Members are asked to consider the request.
2)
Tranquillity Garden
 To receive an update on the Tranquillity Garden project
In December 2012, the embryonic idea of a Tranquillity Garden in
the Evesham Road Cemetery was brought to the General
Purposes Committee. Due to various factors, this idea was not
developed until the autumn of 2014 when design ideas and
quotes were sourced from potential companies who could create
the garden.
Since that time, 3 designs and quotes have been received and
discussed with the Mayor and members who registered an interest
in serving on the Cemetery sub-committee, at the Town Council
meeting on 18 May, 2015. At the last meeting on 3 June 2015, the
Town & GP Clerks were instructed to contact the
preferred
company and arrange for them to create an amended design for
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the Tranquillity Garden. A meeting interested members was held
on Monday 6 July 2015, where they viewed an amended design by
the preferred designer.
It is recommended to appoint Spartacus Gardens to design
and create the Tranquillity Garden. The general design, as
submitted by Spartacus (Appendix ‘B’), is recommended to the
committee but there will be a few alterations and further
amendments, to be discussed in more detail with Spartacus. Once
the Cemetery sub-committee has been sanctioned, the members
will continue discussions with Spartacus if this design is approved
by the General Purposes Committee.
Furthermore, a comprehensive response has been received from
the Coventry Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) regarding the
Faculty Petition, attached as Appendix ‘C’. A Faculty is required
because the Council is proposing work on consecrated ground.
Attention should be drawn to the last paragraph of the first page of
Appendix ‘C’, where advice is given regarding the strewing lawn.
The fee for the Petition is £244.60.
The next stage is to display the Public Notices for 28 days, after
which, the Public Notice and the Certificate of Display is returned
to the Registry ready for the Chancellor to make the final decision.
However, the Public Notices cannot be displayed until there is a
proposed plan for the public to view. Once the design has
been approved by the General Purposes Committee, the Public
Notice can be displayed and the 28 days will commence.
3)
Sofas in the Ante Room
 To consider the reupholstering of the two large sofas in
the Ante Room
The two large sofas in the ante room are currently stained with what
is thought to be wine. Professional cleaning attempts have failed to
remove the marks and it has been suggested that the only way to
make them more presentable would be to have them reupholstered.
In order for members to make an informed decision, two quotes
have been received as an estimate of how much the work will cost
and what is involved. A further quote will be sourced if members
determine that the sofas should be re-upholstered.
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According to the first quote, the work will take 2 weeks to complete.
This is for the re-upholstering of both sofas and will cost,
approximately, depending on fabric, £1,320 + VAT (Appendix ‘D’).
The second quote is a little more in depth and includes the
collection and return of the sofas, stripping of existing outer and
inner fabric and filling and the preparation to receive new treatment.
Additionally, they have added the replacement of existing webbing
and straps, rebuilding the seat platform and smooth off to receive
new fabric, reinforce back inside panel and fit new fabric. Excluding
fabric, the cost for both sofas is £1,560.00 (Appendix ‘E’).
There is currently £9,000 in the ‘General Repairs and Maintenance’
budget but it should be noted that although there appears to be
ample funds available, £9,000 of expenditure was incurred in
2014/15, which did not include any large specific project and the
budget for 2015/16 was determined accordingly.
4)
Freedom of Information Act: Model Publication Scheme
 To review the updated Model Publication Scheme and
consider whether there should be a cost implication
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, members of the public
can have access to information held by public authorities.
The Town Council therefore has a duty to inform the public of what
information is available to them and how they can access it. This is
the model publication scheme, attached as Appendix ‘F’. Members
are asked to note the updated document.
The Town Council does have a right to charge for any copies of
documents it produces for members of the public if they request a
hard copy. Currently the council does not charge for this service but
members are asked to consider whether a charge of 10p per sheet
would be appropriate, to cover the cost of ink and toner, in line with
the Model Publication Scheme. This would especially be helpful
when reproducing large documents.
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5)
Warwickshire County Council Small Scale Flood Alleviation Grant
Scheme
 To consider the offer of a Small Scale Flood Alleviation
Grant Scheme
An email has been received from Warwickshire County Council,
attached as Appendix ‘G’, stating that they are launching their
‘small scale flood alleviation grant scheme. The scheme is intended
to help communities affected by flooding take steps to remove or
reduce the risk of property flooding within their locality. WCC are
making up to £50,000 available each year, until 2018, to fund the
scheme.’
On 8 July 2014, members of the General Purposes Committee
were faced with a similar scheme, this time issued by the District
Council, and commented that the money on offer (£1,000 - £4,000)
was not enough to complete worthwhile defence systems. It was
therefore:
‘RESOLVED:
That Stratford on Avon District Council would be
asked to fund one issue of Bridging the Gap in
which flood awareness and prevention was the
main topic.’
Unfortunately this idea was rejected by the District Council as it
was stated that the money had been allocated for physical defence
systems rather than training and publications.
Members are asked to consider whether the Warwickshire County
Council offer is something they feel the Town Council should take
advantage of, bearing in mind that the maximum available is
£5,000 per location, per year.
6)
Allotments
 To receive an update on the allotments
The Allotment Officer has provided an update on the status of the
allotments.
There are four allotment plots at the Park Road allotments; 3
rented and 1 vacant.
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For the last three years the Town Council has been trying, albeit
unsuccessfully, to rent out the fourth and final allotment plot. Out
of the remaining three plots, two are cultivation, but due to the
appalling condition of the growing site, it is unlikely that the other
tenant will decide to renew her tenancy, which is now up for
renewal.
Unfortunately the fourth plot runs immediately behind the industrial
units of Maybrook Road, which means that the growing area is
almost permanently in the shade and therefore not as appealing to
potential tenants as the other three plots.
£20,423.19 spent in 2013, when the allotments were first
established, and although very good security fencing and
equipment sheds were installed, not enough consideration was
given to the state of the ground.
The land behind Park Road was formally used as a hard standing
area for chalets and following the removal of these structures, a
great deal of compacted rubble was left beneath a relatively thin
layer of top soil. Although the tenants have tried to dig it out to
allow for better growing conditions, this has proved almost
impossible. It is understood that forks and spades have been
broken and even the rotavator, hired to cultivate the soil, failed to
do so.
The Open Spaces Team continue to keep the perimeter paths
under control but currently, they also have the vacant plot to
maintain, in order to stop weeds encroaching on to the other plots
nearby.
There is no water on site, and although this was investigated in
2010, it was resolved at the time not to install this amenity as it
was considered to be too expensive. We do, however, provide
water butts but levels vary and from time to time the Open Spaces
team assist by keeping them topped up.
It is recommended that an Allotment Sub-Committee is reestablished in order to investigate the current concerns, and bring
a recommendation to General Purposes on how these present
difficulties can be resolved.
Charles Wilson
Allotment Officer
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7)
The Consideration of General Purposes Sub-Committees 2015
 Members are requested to determine membership of the
Cemetery, Emergency Plan and Market Operation SubCommittees
At the Town Council meeting held on 18 May, 2015 it was
determined that the Cemetery, Emergency Plan and Market
Operation sub-committees be retained.
At the time of writing, the following councillors have volunteered for
the sub-committees as detailed below:
Cemetery
C Bates
T Bates
Brain
Jackson
Rolfe
Wall
Emergency Plan
Applin
Brain
I Fradgley
Short
Market Operation
T Bates
J Fradgley
In light of the previous agenda item, the General Purposes
Committee may also wish to instigate an Allotment sub-committee
at this time. As an allotment sub-committee
was
considered
unnecessary at the Town Council meeting, when the subcommittees were determined, if an Allotment sub-committee is to
be set up, membership is to be open to other members of the
Town Council, for a period of 5 working days.
8)
Friends of the Guild Chapel – Damage to the Mace Stand
 To consider the request to restore the Mace Stand in the
Guild Chapel at the expense of the Town Council
Members will have noted in the press that the Guild Chapel has
suffered vandalism, which includes the snapping off of the Mace
Stand.
Attached as Appendix ‘H’ is the self-explanatory letter from the
Chairman of the Friends, Tim Raistrick, and members are
requested to give consideration to the Mace Stand being properly
restored and whether the Town Council would pay for the work to
be undertaken.
GP Clerk
8.7.15
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