Finance Minutes 25th November 2009
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
HELD at the PARK PAVILION, HARWICH
on 25th November 2009 at 7.00pm
Present: Councillor L Double in the Chair
The Mayor, Councillor J Wares
The Deputy Mayor, Councillor S Tyrer
Councillors: B Brown, P Burke, D Rutson and G Calver
The Clerk to the Council, Mrs S Anderson
Also present: Councillor J Brown
F19/09 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Gardner and Payne.
F20/09 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
Councillor Calver declared an interest in item F30/09 as he is a member of The Harwich Society Executive Committee. Councillor Double declared a prejudicial interest with regard to TIC and Community Association grants and stated that he would leave the meeting if discussion took place on either.
F21/09 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 29th July 2009 (previously circulated) be approved by the Chairman and signed as a true record.
F22/09 HARWICH AND DISTRICT CRIME PREVENTION PANEL
Request for grant funding of £250 towards costs of rosettes, certificates, monetary prizes, books and other prizes
RESOLVED: to recommend s.137 funding of £250.
F23/09 HARWICH QUAY FIREWORKS DISPLAY
Request for grant funding of £300 towards costs for the New Year’s Eve fireworks display at Harwich Quay.
RESOLVED: to recommend s.137 funding of £300
F24/09 HILL SCHOOL SITE
Further to Minute F09/09, the Committee discussed the possibility of future uses of the land at the rear of the site. RESOLVED: to obtain costs to have a geophysical survey carried out at the site.
F25/09 BANDSTAND IN CLIFF PARK
A letter was noted from Paul Skeet at Essex County Council requesting a contribution from Harwich Town Council towards the restoration of the Bandstand in Cliff Park.
RESOLVED: to recommend that £1000 is paid to Essex County Council towards the restoration works, at an appropriate time in the future.
F26/09 KING GEORGE’S AVENUE ALLOTMENT SITE
Further to Minute F12/09, a member informed the committee of actions agreed, at a recent meeting of the Allotment Committee.
a) To contact Tendring District Council regarding the acquisition of a piece of their land that adjoins the allotment site.
b) To approach the Secretary of State regarding procedure.
c) The final stage would be to have a tri-party meeting in the New Year.
The Committee were advised that this item would remain with the Allotments Committee until it became a matter for the Finance and General Purposes Committee to take the matter forward.
F27/09 FRIENDS OF HISTORIC ESSEX
RESOLVED to recommend the annual subscription of £10 be paid to Friends of Historic Essex.
F28/09 CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR – GUILDHALL CLOSURE
RESOLVED: to close the Guildhall from Thursday 24th December 2009 until Monday 4th January 2010.
F29/09 HARWICH AND DOVERCOURT CRICKET CLUB
The Committee noted a letter of thanks from Harwich and Dovercourt Cricket Club for grant funding of £719.64.
F30/09 BUDGET/PRECEPT 2010/2011
The Committee considered estimates of expenditure and income for the financial year 2010/2011. RESOLVED: to recommend that the council precept on Tendring District Council for £172,319 based on a summary of the detailed figures in Appendix A which would have an impact of £29.86/annum to a Band D council tax payer based on a tax base of 5770 (equivalent to an increase of less than 5p per week/per tax payer).
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.55pm