CROWTHORNE PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES OF A MEETING OF CROWTHORNE PARISH COUNCIL HELD ON TUESDAY 13 JANUARY 2015 AT THE PARISH HALL, HEATH HILL ROAD SOUTH, CROWTHORNE AT 7.30PM __________________________________________________________________________ Cllr R H Wade – in the Chair Cllr J Bolton Cllr N R Kilvert Cllr B McKenzie-Boyle Cllr Mrs C M McKenzie-Boyle Cllr J B Newland Cllr R M Price Cllr C G Robertson Cllr S M Thompson Mrs A Swadling – Clerk Mrs J Robertson - Assistant Clerk 0 members of the public 0 member of the press Present: Apologies accepted: Cllr J G Finnie MINUTE 364 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND DISPENSATIONS None. MINUTE 365 APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING The minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council held on 2 December 2014 as circulated, were taken as read, confirmed and signed by the Chairman as a true record. MINUTE 366 MATTERS ARISING FROM MEETING HELD ON 2 DECEMBER 2014 1 Morgan Centre Roof (Min 352.2) Cllr Kilvert inspected the roof on 6 December 2014 and identified one slight snag which the contractor has completed. Therefore, he was happy that Council proceeds with the payment of the invoice as received. 2 Crowthorne Fire Station (Min 352.3) Mr Parson (RBFRS) has confirmed that their contractor has been instructed to provide a quote for the works to the Fire Station doors, which he hopes to receive early in the New Year. MINUTE 367 CLERK’S REPORT 1 Royal Garden Party 2015 The Berkshire Association of Local Councils has been allocated 2 invitations to attend the Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace on 12 May 2015. As a result they are giving their members the opportunity to nominate a Mayor or Chairman in recognition of their past service. Names will be chosen randomly from those most eligible to attend. Members decided not to put any nominations forward. Council Meeting 13.1.15 1 2 Annual Parish Meeting The following special guests have confirmed attendance at the Annual Parish Meeting taking place on Wednesday 25 March 2015 at the Morgan Centre from 7.30pm; Mayor and Mayoress of the Borough of Bracknell Forest Cllr Andy Blatchford and Mrs Anne Blatchford, Sergeant Lorna Rivett (Crowthorne) and Mr John Nike, OBE, DL. 3 Cllr Information File Work to update the Information Files is to commence in readiness for the elections in May. Could all Cllrs please return their files to the Parish Office at the earliest opportunity. Action: All Cllrs 4 Ebola Briefing Update All Cllrs have received via email, a copy of a recent member briefing on the Ebola Virus Disease, which included actions for Local Authorities and a Downing Street statement following the confirmation of an Ebola case in Scotland. 5 Annual Grants The closing date for the submission of grant applications was 12 December 2014. The Administration Working Group (WG) must now meet to review the requests and allocate grant funding prior to the 3 February Council meeting. Cllrs Mrs McKenzie-Boyle, Price and Robertson agreed to meet and review all the grant requests and bring their recommendations to the February Council meeting. Action: . Cllrs Mrs McKenzie-Boyle, Price and Robertson MINUTE 368 FIFTEEN MINUTE QUESTION TIME There were no members of the public present. PLANNING MATTERS MINUTE 369 PLANNING APPLICATIONS The following planning applications were studied and commented on: - 14/01201/FUL Recommend: Refusal - 14/01261/LB Recommend: Approval - 14/01278/FUL Recommend: Approval - 14/01281/FUL Recommend: Approval MINUTE 370 APPEALS None. MINUTE 371 PLANNING INFORMATION ITEMS AND ANY MATTERS ARISING Matters Arising from meeting held on 2 December 2014: 1 Consultation on Draft Arborfield & Newland Village Design Statement (Min 357.6) The MD Planning Committee had agreed not to respond to this consultation. 2 Proposed Methodology for Bracknell Forest Functional Economic Area Study – consultation (Min 357.8) As instructed, correspondence has been sent to BFC requesting that consideration be given to extending the response time of future consultations/surveys which sit within a 2 week period. A response is awaited. Council Meeting 13.1.15 2 Planning Information: 3 TPO Applications The updated list was circulated. 4 List of other planning applications received by BFC for information The updated list was circulated. 5 Street Naming and Numbering – 210A Dukes Ride The schedule for the above property now known as 210A Dukes Ride, was circulated. 6 Street Naming and Numbering – Inglemere Mews 58 Waterloo Rd The schedule for the above properties, now known as 1-3 Inglemere Mews, 58 Waterloo Rd, was circulated. 7 Parish and Town Council Planning Liaison Meeting – 9 .12.14 An outline of the main points of interest arising from the above meeting was circulated. Any Cllr wishing to view the complete set of minutes should contact the Assistant Clerk. Members noted that the matter of guidance being provided by BFC for Government Consultations was raised at the meeting. Vincent Haines advised that he is happy to help with any queries on consultations if need be. 8 Proposed upgrade to base station installation at Co-op, High Street, Crowthorne As emailed to Cllrs on 17.12.14 regarding the above base station upgrade, a reply of ‘No Comment’ has been sent. 9 TPO 1178 - Land at The Waterloo Hotel, 99 Dukes Ride As emailed to Cllrs on 16.12.14, BFC made the above TPO on a provisional basis for a further 6 months or until the Order is confirmed permanently, to replace TPO 1164 which had lapsed. 10 Major Development Planning Committee - Notes of a Working Group meeting held on 12 November 2014 The notes from the above meeting were circulated. 11 Neighbourhood Planning - Policy Writing Workshop To assist with progressing Neighbourhood Plans, BFC have organised a planning policy writing workshop which will be facilitated by Planning Aid England. This workshop is aimed at Town and Parish Councils currently drafting plans and also those who intend to produce a plan in the future. The workshop will be held at Easthampstead Park Conference Centre between 9.45am - 3pm on Thursday 5 March 2015. Cllrs Bolton, B McKenzie-Boyle and Price expressed an interest in attending this workshop. MINUTE 372 TO AGREE A STRATEGY FOR THE PROPOSED TRL COMMUNITY HUB Following some debate the following recommendation was proposed by Cllr B McKenzie-Boyle, seconded by Cllr Wade and unanimously AGREED: Council Meeting 13.1.15 That CPC is fully committed to investigate the ownership, management and maintenance of the proposed TRL Community Hub, as defined in the s106 agreement associated with 13/00575/OUT, with the assistance, guidance and information from Bracknell Forest Council and that BFC be formally informed of this decision. Action: Clerk 3 That in the event that CPC believes that this commitment may be better served by either partnering with or transferring to a third party organisation, CPC will facilitate that process with the aid of BFC, as appropriate. That sources of funding will be identified and developed with the assistance of BFC guidance, as appropriate. That consultation with all relevant parties will take place to ensure suggested uses are catered for in the TRL Community Hub, if feasible within the limitations of the budget and site. That the facilities of the building, reflecting the above requirements, will be communicated to BFC for translation into plans for submission to Legal & General. That CPC has no specific budgetary allocation within the 2015/16 financial year for this investigation, other than administration costs. Members further noted Cllr McKenzie-Boyle’s recommendations for continued investigations as follows: What facilities would be required at the base level? What additional facilities would the wider community want to see incorporated? What income could be generated? This of course would vary according to what facilities are available, but it will be possible to model potential income based on the experience of other Community Centres. What would be the costs of additional staffing? This would include both on-site and Parish Office expansion. What other costs would there be? What alternative management models are available? What would be the implications of these alternative management models? This work will continue within the MDPC in co-operation with BFC, and we will report quarterly to full Council. It may be valuable to employ external consultants to help us through the process and BFC have offered to give details of suitable practices. This would have to be brought to Council for decision. FINANCIAL MATTERS MINUTE 373 AUTHORISATION OF PAYMENTS Payments totalling £25,431.52 between 3 December 2014 and 13 January 2015 were RESOLVED. See attached sheet for details of payment. MINUTE 374 TO RECEIVE AND NOTE THE SECOND DRAFT OF THE PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES The second draft of the preliminary estimates was noted. Members queried several items, including the cost of the Napier Road toilets and noted that the refurbishment of the Morgan Centre had to be commenced within 12 months as an earmarked reserve. Council Meeting 13.1.15 4 MINUTE 375 TO RESOLVE TO APPOINT AN INTERNAL AUDITOR FOR FINANCIAL YEAR ENDING 31 MARCH 2015 Local Councils in England with an annual turnover of 6.5 million or less must complete an annual return in accordance with proper practices, summarising their activities at the end of each financial year. Part of this process it to appoint an Independent Auditor to carry out an evaluation of the Parish Council’s financial procedures and produce a report on the basis of their findings. Mrs Connell completed a thorough review of the Council’s systems of accounting and internal control for CPC for year ending 31 March 2014 and in doing so acquired an understanding of Crowthorne Parish Council’s financial procedures. It was therefore proposed by Cllr Price, seconded by Cllr Kilvert and unanimously RESOLVED to appoint Mrs C Connell as the Council’s Internal Auditor for year ending 31 March 2015 at a cost of £630 + vat. COUNCIL MATTERS MINUTE 376 REPORTS FROM REPRESENTATIVES OF OUTSIDE BODIES 1 Cllr Price reported that he had attended the Parish and Town Liaison meeting on 7 January 2015, during which several presentations had been given, including presentations on: Neighbourhood Plans, Bracknell Urgent Care Centre, Bracknell Town Centre, BFC Budget 2015-16, Bracknell Forest Survey of Children & Young People 2013, Feedback from Bracknell Forest Partnership Board. MINUTE 377 TO RECEIVE AND NOTE THE ANNUAL TREE SURVEY FOR THE MORGAN RECREATION GROUND Members noted the annual tree survey for 2014 for the Morgan Recreation Ground. Due to the amount of work which has been carried out over the last five years, the work required this year mainly involves routine dead wooding of the Oaks and monitoring where concerns have been identified. It was proposed by Cllr Thompson, seconded by Cllr Bolton and unanimously RESOLVED to: Approve the annual maintenance works as recommended within the survey for the Morgan Recreation Ground at a cost of £595.00 + vat Remove extensive dead wood and ivy to T41 at a cost of £375.00 + vat Action: Clerk MINUTE 378 REVIEW AND NOTE INFORMATION ITEMS PREVIOUSLY CIRCULATED None. MINUTE 379 MEMBERS INFORMATION ITEMS 1 Cllr Wade reported that he and Cllr Price were working on redrawing an accurate plan of the Social Club. Council Meeting 13.1.15 5 MINUTE 380 ITEMS FOR INCLUSION ON FUTURE AGENDAS - Neighbourhood Plan – Cllr Price - WWI Commemorative Plaque – Cllr Bolton - Repeal of s.150 LGA 1972 – Cllr Price - Local Government transparency code – Cllr Price - Electronic agendas – Cllr Price - Parish Plan – Cllr Price - Community Hub on TRL site – Cllr B McKenzie-Boyle - Final Estimates – Cllr Price - Napier Road Toilets Meeting closed: 9.03pm Signed ….…………………...…………….. Dated ………………………...…………… Council Meeting 13.1.15 6 Pursuant to section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, it is resolved that, because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, the press and public are excluded from the meeting whilst the following confidential item is considered: MINUTE 381 STAFFING MATTERS The National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services has negotiated with the Local Government and Trade Unions to agree annual pay awards and reached agreement on the following: New pay scales for 2014-2016 to be implemented from 1 January 2015. A non-consolidated (one off) payment for employees on SCPs 5 - 49 in December 2014 and employees on SCPs 26 - 49 in April 2015. As the Caretaker and Groundsman positions are not currently pegged to a SCP this has introduced an inconsistency in managing pay awards for these positions. To conform with the NJC terms, it was proposed by Cllr Kilvert, seconded by Cllr Wade and unanimously RESOLVED that a nationally recognised SCP is pegged to the following positions: Morgan Centre Caretaker/Handyman - SCP 15 Parish Hall Caretaker - SCP 8 Part Time Groundsman - SCP 6 Members also noted that the annual appraisals have been completed with assistance from the Staffing Committee. Meeting closed: 9.06pm Signed ….…………………...…………….. Dated ………………………...…………… Council Meeting 13.1.15 7