EARLEY TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Annual Meeting of Earley Town Council held in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Radstock Lane, Earley, Berkshire on Wednesday, 7th May 2008, which commenced at 8.05 pm.
Present
Chairman – The Mayor, Councillor N Jorgensen
Councillors Mrs A Ames, J Armstrong, A Bradley, Ms T Christidis, M Deegan, Ms P Dunn, C Edmunds, M Firmager, T Holton, G Hughes, I Hussain, Mrs P Jorgensen, S Khan, Mrs J Lissaman, T Maher, K Miall, Ms C Mitchell, P Willis, G Woods.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs L Chambers, T Chambers, D Chopping, W Gothard and N Preston.
The Chairman elected for the Municipal Year 2007/08, Councillor N Jorgensen, commenced the meeting in the Chair.
________________________________________________________________________________
1. ANNUAL REPORT
The Town Mayor reiterated the report given at the Town Electors’ meeting on the Council’s activities during 2007/08.
2. CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL
The Chairman asked for nominations for the post of Mayor. There being only one nomination, on the proposition of Councillor C Edmunds, seconded by Councillor M Deegan, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor A Bradley be elected as Mayor and Chairman of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.
Councillor Edmunds then thanked the outgoing Mayor, Councillor N Jorgensen, for the manner in which he had fulfilled the role in 2007/08 and Chairmanship of the meeting was handed over to Councillor Bradley.
4. DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR
The Chairman asked for nominations for the position of Deputy Mayor. On the proposition of Councillor C Edmunds, seconded by Councillor M Deegan, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor J Armstrong be elected Deputy Mayor of the Council for the ensuing Municipal Year.
5. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING
The Minutes of the meeting of the Town Council held on the 9th April 2008 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
6. PLANNING COMMITTEE
The Minutes of the meeting of the Planning Committee held on the 15th April 2008 were presented by the Committee Chairman, Councillor Mrs P Jorgensen. On the proposition of Councillor Mrs Jorgensen, seconded by Councillor J Armstrong, it was
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on the15th April 2008 (Minute Nos. 158 – 171) be adopted.
7. MAYOR'S COMMUNICATIONS
The Mayor presented the past Mayor’s Ribbon and the Lapel Badge to Councillor N Jorgensen.
8. APPOINTMENT OF STANDING COMMITTEES
The Leader of the Council advised that the make up of the Standing Committees would remain as 8 Conservative and 2 Liberal Democrats. It was
RESOLVED that the composition of the Standing Committees for 2008/09 be as follows
Amenities & Leisure Committee – Councillors Mrs A Ames, J Armstrong, A Bradley, D Chopping, Ms T Christidis, M Firmager, W Gothard, T Holton, K Miall and G Woods.
Policy & Resources Committee – Councillors J Armstrong, A Bradley, M Deegan, C Edmunds, G Hughes, N Jorgensen, S Khan, Mrs J Lissaman, T Maher and P Willis.
9. CHAIRMEN OF COMMITTEES
RESOLVED that Councillor D Chopping be appointed Chairman of Amenities & Leisure Committee for the ensuing Municipal year.
9.2. Planning Committee
RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs P Jorgensen be appointed Chairman of the Planning Committee for the ensuing Municipal Year.
9.3. Policy & Resources Committee
RESOLVED that Councillor N Jorgensen be appointed Chairman of the Policy & Resources Committee for the ensuing Municipal Year.
10. REPRESENTATIVES TO OTHER BODIES
10.1 Appointments
10.1.1. Arc (1)
There being only one nomination received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor P Willis be appointed as the Town Council’s representative to Arc.
10.1.2 Wokingham Arts Forum (1)
10.1.3 Campaign Against Waste (1)
There being only one nomination received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs L Chambers be reappointed as the Town Council’s representative on the Campaign Against Waste.
10.1.4 CResCent Community Association (1)
10.1.5 Earley Community Bus Management Committee (1)
There being only one nomination received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor G Hughes be reappointed as the Town Council’s representative on the Earley Community Bus Management Committee.
10.1.6 Earley Volunteer Care Bureau (1)
There being only one nomination received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor P Willis be reappointed as the Town Council’s representative on the Earley Volunteer Care Bureau.
10.1.7 Highwood Management Conference (2)
There being only two nominations received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillors S Khan and Mrs J Lissaman be reappointed as the Town Council’s representatives on the Highwood Management Conference.
10.1.8 Keep Mobile (1)
It was
RESOLVED that Councillor G Hughes with Councillor Ms T Christidis as reserve should be reappointed as the Town Council’s representatives to the Keep Mobile Management Committee.
10.1.9 Kenton Road Day Centre Management Committee (1)
There being only one nomination received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs A Ames be reappointed as the Town Council’s representative on the Kenton Road Day Centre Management Committee.
10.1.10 Police Neighbourhood Action Group (1)
10.1.11 Public Transport Forums (1 each)
RESOLVED that Councillor A Bradley should represent the Town Council in the Wokingham and Reading Public Transport Forums.
10.1.12 Readibus Management Committee (1)
10.1.13 Waterside Management Committee (1)
10.1.14 Wokingham District Access Group (1)
There being only one nomination received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor D Chopping be reappointed as the Town Council’s representative on the Wokingham District Access Group.
10.1.15 Wokingham District Area Youth Committee (2)
RESOLVED that Councillors I Hussain and K Miall should be reappointed as the Town Council’s representatives on the Wokingham District Area Youth Committee.
10.1.16 Wokingham Borough/Parish Liaison Conference (2)
There being no further nominations received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillors J Armstrong and Mrs P Jorgensen should be reappointed as the Town Council’s representatives on the Wokingham Borough/Parish Liaison Conference.
10.1.17 Wokingham District Sports Council (1)
There being only one nomination received, it was
RESOLVED that Councillor M Firmager be reappointed as the Town Council’s representative on the Wokingham District Sports Council.
10.1.18 Wokingham Job Support Centre (1)
10.1.19 Sonning and District Educational and Welfare Trusts
Mr A Eastwood was currently the Town Council’s representative, and the Town Clerk was requested to establish whether Mr Eastwood wished to continue in this role.
10.1.20 Trustees of Earley Charities
It was noted that these appointments were subject to a 4-year term, currently until May 2009, and the Town Council’s representatives were Mrs M Eastwell and Mr R Ames.
10.2 Reports of Representatives
10.2.1 Highwood Management Conference
Councillor Mrs J Lissaman said that she had recently attended one of the bi-annual meetings of the Highwood Management Conference. Whilst the Conference were extremely grateful to the efforts of the Borough Council’s Rangers, concern was expressed that, due to a reduction in funding, the Rangers would have less time available to assist. The Conference was, therefore, intending to submit a formal question to a Borough Council meeting concerning the reduction in funding.
11. WOKINGHAM DISTRICT ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL COUNCILS
Councillors were reminded that Minute 88 of the meeting of this Committee held on 9th April had resolved that Councillor K Miall should represent the Council at a meeting of WDALC which was due to take place on 10th April. Councillor Miall reported that, unfortunately, due to ill health, he was unable to attend the meeting.
The Town Clerk was able to report to the meeting that he had just received a letter from the Chairman of the Berkshire Association of Local Councils indicating that the Berkshire Association was being re-launched, and asking whether the Town Council wished to rejoin the National Association. The Town Clerk indicated that he had various supporting information from the Berkshire Association, and that the Chairman had offered to address a future Council meeting. it was
RESOLVED that this matter be deferred to a future meeting of the Policy & Resources Committee, to which the Chairman of BALC would be invited.
12. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
12.1 Risk Assessment
Councillors were advised that as part of the Account and Audit Regulations, the Town Council was required to carry out risk assessments for all its assets and operations. It was
RESOLVED that the Chairman be authorised to sign off the current Risk Assessment, as appended to these minutes.
12.2 Financial Transactions for the year ended 31st March 2008
A first draft of an Income & Expenditure Account for the financial year 2007/08, prepared on a cash basis, had been circulated with the agenda for Councillors’ information. Councillors were advised that, at this stage, this document was purely for information and noted that the figures would be subject to amendment prior to presentation of the final accounts to the Town Council.
A copy of the accounts is appended to these minutes.
13. FINANCIAL REGULATIONS RELATING TO CONTRACTS
Councillors were advised that Financial Regulation 11.1 (e) provided that, where it was intended to enter into a contract for the supply of goods or materials or for the execution of works for an amount exceeding that fixed by the Council, a defined tender procedure should be followed. It was
RESOLVED that the £10,000 limit be retained.
14. DEEDS
In accordance with Standing Orders, it was noted that the various deeds relating to the Council’s interests in land were held by the Town Clerk and were available for inspection at the closure of the meeting.
15. BANK ACCOUNTS
Councillors were asked to confirm the signatories for the 2008/09. It was
RESOLVED that
1. the signatories to the Town Council’s main bank account and the National Savings account should be Councillors A Bradley, D Chopping, M Deegan, N. Jorgensen, Mrs P Jorgensen, N Preston
2. Councillors N Jorgensen and Mrs P Jorgensen should not both sign cheques/electronic transfers at the same time.
16. ORDERS FOR PAYMENT
It was
RESOLVED that the various accounts as set out in the list attached to these minutes (Vouchers 582 – 622 and 1 – 29) and Imprest Account (Vouchers 247 – 259) be noted.
17. COUNCILLORS' ATTENDANCE
A schedule of attendance of meetings of the Town Council during 2007/08 municipal year had been circulated with the agenda.
The Town Clerk read out one amendment to the schedule where Councillor T Holton had been listed as being absent from a meeting of the Amenities & Leisure Committee but had, in fact, tendered his apologies due to his attendance at a Borough Council meeting.
Councillors noted details of the amended schedule as appended to these minutes.
18. APPROVED CONTRACTORS
It was requested that U H Y Hacker Young should be removed and that the current trading status of Acorn Hire and Lammis should be confirmed. It was
RESOLVED that the list as amended, and as appended to these minutes, be adopted as the Council’s Approved Contractors List.
19. PUBLICATIONS
It was noted that the following had been received and were available for perusal in the Council Offices:
|
Wokingham Borough Council: |
Agenda for Meeting of the Extraordinary Meeting of the Executive held on 22nd April 2008. |
|
Maiden Erlegh Residents' Association: |
Minutes of the meeting held on 10th April 2008. |
20. PRESS RELEASES
It was
RESOLVED that the following items should receive special press attention:-
The appointment of Councillor A Bradley as Mayor and Councillor J Armstrong as Deputy Mayor.
The appointments to the various Standing Committees
The recipient of the Service to Earley Award.
21. TERMINATION OF MEETING
The meeting was declared closed by the Chairman at 9.00pm.