Full Council Minutes 13th August 2008

HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
Clerk: Elaine Novorol
Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich CO12 3DS
Telephone: 01255 507211
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
HELD ON
13th AUGUST 2008 at 7.45pm
held at the 1912 CENTRE, COW LANE, HARWICH

Present: The Mayor, Councillor D Rutson, in the Chair
The Deputy Mayor, Councillor J Brown
Councillors: B Brown, S Tyrer, J Wares, L Double, G Calver,
A Morrison, A Colbourne, L Payne, S Henderson and B Howlett.
Councillor D McLeod until 8.10pm
The Clerk to the Council, Mrs E Novorol
Also present: 1 member of the press and four members of the public.
Public Question Time: A member of the public asked why he could not be present
for item 17 of the agenda ‘Exclusion of the public and the press’.
Councillors explained the legality of the exclusion for certain matters to be discussed.
38/08 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Callender,
Burke and Gardner.
39/08 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
Councillor Calver declared a personal interest in the item regarding
Essex Tourism Association and The Harwich Society of which he is a
member.
40/08 MAYOR’S ANOUNCEMENTS
The Mayor gave details of engagements undertaken since the last
meeting including details of a meeting he had attended regarding the
possible implementation of a Men’s Health Screening Scheme at the
local hospital. Councillors gave their unanimous support of the
scheme.
41/08 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting of the Town Council
held on 2nd July 2008 (previously circulated) be approved by the
Chairman and signed as a true record with the amendment to 30/08 to
read ‘Cllr Oxley will arrange for a site visit. All East Central Ward
members of Harwich Town Council will be invited to attend’.

Cllr Calver referred to the report given by Cllr J Brown regarding a
meeting of the Conservation Panel and comments regarding the 10p
parking scheme at Milton Road car park. Cllr Calver advised that the
minutes of that meeting actually state that members believe the car
park is under-used and that it should be better advertised.
RESOLVED: to ask Tendring District Council to promote the 10p
parking scheme.
42/08 MILL LANE TUNEL, DOVERCOURT
Members noted the response from Essex County Council confirming
that the Bridges and Structures Section have arrangements in hand to
inspect the structure and to undertake repairs to any safety defects
identified.
43/08 MINUTES OF THE ALLOTMENTS COMMITTEE
Cllr Colbourne presented the minutes of the meeting held on 30th June
2008 (previously circulated).
RESOLVED: that the minutes be adopted.
44/08 MINUTES OF THE GUILDHALL COMMITTEE
Cllr B Brown presented the minutes of the meeting held on 23rd July
2008 (previously circulated). RESOLVED: that the minutes be
adopted, including the recommendation to carry out repairs to the Coat
of Arms on the front of the Guildhall.
45/08 MINUTES OF THE ENVIROMENT AND HIGHWAYS COMMITTEE
Cllr S Tyrer presented the minutes of the meeting held on 4th August
2008 (previously circulated). RESOLVED: that the minutes be
adopted with the amendment to E23/08 to read ‘Cllr Calver confirmed
that parking issues were dealt with by Tendring District Council and
that the request for a Residents Only parking scheme was refused
because it was considered that it would not solve the problems’.
Members referred to minute E20/08 and acknowledged the hard work
and perseverance of the Assistant Clerk to the Council, Mrs Susan
Anderson, in obtaining the grant towards the restoration of the
Minesweepers War Memorial, which will now go ahead.
46/08 BRIEF REPORTS OF MEMBERS
Councillor Morrison advised members that he would not be able to
attend the next Harwich International Port LALC meeting on 17th
September 2008 and any councillor who wishes to go in his place will
need to complete the confirmation form.
47/08 FINANCIAL UPDATE AND RECORD OF PAYMENTS
Payments and receipts, current balances, financial activity against
budgets and earmarked funds were notes.

RESOLVED: to authorise payments as listed in Appendix ‘A’.
48/08 COMMUNITY FLOWER FESTIVAL, 19th – 21st SEPTEMBER 2008
RESOLVED: for Harwich Town Council to take part in the Festival
with an arrangement at a cost of £50.00 to be placed in the Mayor’s
pew of St. Nicholas Church.
49/08 ESSEX COUNTY COUNCIL COMMUNITY INITIATIVES FUND
(HIGHWAYS)
Cllr Double referred to the need for resurfacing of the piece of land in
front of the Citizens Advice Bureau, at the end of Pattricks Lane and
advised the meeting that a grant of up to £25,000 can be requested
from the Community Initiatives Fund which could be used for this
purpose. RESOLVED: to lodge an application for Community
Initiatives funding to carry out this work.
50/08 FREE USE OF THE GUILDHALL
Members considered a request from the Pre-School Leaders for free
use of the Guildhall on 4th November 2008.
RESOLVED: to grant free use of the Guildhall on that date.
51/08 ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL
Members noted the letter of thanks from St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary
School regarding the welcome and tour of the Guildhall given to the
Tendring Education Trust and visiting head teachers from Ghana.
52/08 FRIENDS OF HISTORIC ESSEX
A letter from Friends of Historic Essex thanking Harwich Town
Council staff for the arrangements for the AGM held at the Guildhall
on 19th July 2008 was noted.
53/08 SERVICE PERSONEL AND VETERANS AGENCY
Members noted the invitation for a representative of Harwich Town
Council to attend the Veterans Agency conference on 8th October 2008.
54/08 THE LICENSING ACT 2003
Application for grant of premises licence – Star Coffee Shop, 184 High
Street, Dovercourt – Members noted that the objections of Harwich
Town Council have not been accepted as a breach of Licensing
Objectives.
55/08 THE BILLY PUBLIC HOUSE, HARWICH
Members noted that, as the required lobby at The Billy Public House,
Harwich has not been built, the matter will be returned to Sub-
Committee “B” and that Tendring District Council will advise when a
date for the hearing has been set.

56/08 HARWICH AND DOVERCOURT BAY BEACH HUT ASSOCIATION

Councillors noted the letter from the Beach Hut Association.
RESOLVED: to request that Tendring District Council consider
giving parity of parking charges to non resident beach hut owners.
57/08 ESSEX TOURISM ASSICATION

Members considered the invitation to the Essex Tourism Association
AGM on 21st October 2008. RESOLVED: to pass the invitation to
The Harwich Society.
58/08 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of Harwich Town Council will be held on 24th
September 2008 at 7.15pm at the 1912 Centre, Cow Lane, Harwich.
59/08 EXCLUSION OF THE 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:
Dealing with habitual/vexatious requests and complaints.