Harwich Town Council

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Finance Minutes 29th July 2009

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
HELD at the PARK PAVILION, HARWICH
on 29th July 2009 at 7.00pm

Present: Councillor L Double in the Chair
The Mayor, Councillor J Wares
Councillors: B Brown, P Burke, D Rutson, L Payne and G Calver

The Clerk to the Council, Mrs E Novorol

Also present: Councillor D McLeod and 1 member of the public

F01/09 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors S Tyrer and M Gardner.

F02/09 APPOINTMENT OF VICE-CHAIRMAN
RESOLVED: that Councillor B Brown is appointed Vice-Chairman for the municipal year 2009/2010.

F03/09 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
Councillors Double and Calver declared a personal interest in Harwich and Dovercourt Cricket Club.

F04/09 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 14th April 2009 (previously circulated) be approved by the Chairman and signed as a true record.

F05/09 LITTLE OAKLEY FOOTBALL CLUB
Request for grant funding of £1200 to expand the club by renting adjoining land for a minimum of 10 years.
RESOLVED: to refuse the request in line with Harwich Town Council’s policy of grant funding to organisations in the Parish of Harwich only.

F06/09 HARWICH AND DOVERCOURT CRICKET CLUB
Request for grant funding of £719.64 to cover 2009 running costs of the Club’s Junior Cricket.
RESOLVED to recommend: s.137 funding of £719.64

F07/09 ROCK-SCHOOL CLUB
Request for grant funding of £3960.96 (or minimum of £1490) towards works on the premises including installation of heating and increased security measures.
RESOLVED to recommend: s.137 funding of £1500.

F08/09 DOVERCOURT CHORAL SOCIETY
Request for grant funding of £500 towards the Autumn Concert.
RESOLVED: that the Council is not minded to support the organisation this year as its balances are sufficient to the support the concert.

F09/09 HILL SCHOOL SITE
a) The Committee discussed future uses of the land at the rear of the site.
RESOLVED: to arrange a survey of the site to ascertain its suitability for future use.
b) Members were advised that repairs to the site’s rear gate are needed.
RESOLVED: to deal with the matter when results of the survey are received.
c) The Committee were advised that Rock-School is the new tenant of Building no. 4 and paying rent at the agreed rate of £1500 per year. Members discussed the group’s use of the building and welcomed the provision of activities for local children.

F10/09 LEISURE FACILITIES
a) The Committee noted the planning application for the erection of a canopy over the existing skate park.
b) Members discussed current and future use of the tennis courts and putting greens. The Clerk advised that Dovercourt Tennis Club was experiencing difficulties with paying its annual rent and that options of addressing this problem were under consideration. A meeting has been arranged between the Clerk, the Chair of this Committee and Tendring District Council to discuss a way forward. Members raised concerns regarding the poor condition of the tennis courts and the surrounding site: these will be reported at the meeting with Tendring District Council.

F11/09 PARISH IN DEPENDENT REMUNERATION PANEL (IRP)
Members considered the recommendations of the IRP to increase Councillors’ allowance from the current level of £726 per year to £762.
RESOLVED: to freeze the allowance at £726 for the next 12 months.

F12/09 KING GEORGE’S AVENUE ALLOTMENT SITE
RESOLVED: to defer the item to the next meeting of this Committee.

F13/09 INTERNAL AUDIT
Members considered the effectiveness of the Internal Audit.
RESOLVED: to thank Mr Len Broadhurst and present him with a tankard and goblet in recognition of his services to this Council.
FURTHER RESOLVED: to appoint Mr Ron Laurie as Internal Auditor to Harwich Town Council.

F14/09 PERFORMANCE TARGETS
The Clerk advised that performance targets will, in future, be presented in a new format and made available to the next meeting of this Committee. The Chairman advised members that Ingleton Wood has been approached with regard to carrying out a feasibility study to remedy accessibility issues as the Guildhall. A fee proposal of £2924 has been submitted.
RESOLVED to recommend: that a feasibility study of accessibility at the Guildhall is carried out with the cost of £2924 to be met from the Quality Status/Newsletter budget surplus.

F15/09 HARWICH CONNEXIONS TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRE
The Committee noted a letter of thanks from Harwich Connexions Tourist Information Centre for grant funding of £5000.

F16/09 THE HARWICH FESTIVAL
The Committee noted a letter of thanks from The Harwich Festival for grant funding of £2500.

F17/09 HARWICH SHANTY FESTIVAL
The Committee noted a letter of thanks from Harwich Shanty Festival for grant funding of £500.

F18/09 EXCLUSIONOF PUBLIC AND PRESS
RESOLVED: that pursuant to Section 1 of Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the meeting is closed to the press and public for the transaction of the under-mentioned business.
a) Part B Minutes of the meeting held on 14th April 2009.
b) To consider storage and protection of archive material and other Harwich Town Council valuables.

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