Full Council Minutes 11th March 2009

HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
Clerk: Elaine Novorol
Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich CO12 3DS
Telephone: 01255 507211 email: harwichtown_co@btconnect.com
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
HELD ON
11th MARCH 2009 at 7.15pm
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, L Double, G Calver, A Colbourne,
D McLeod, S Henderson, B Howlett, J Wares, S Tyrer,
R Callender, P Burke and M Gardner
The Clerk to the Council, Mrs E Novorol
Also present: 1 member of the press and 9 members of the public.

156/08 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors A Morrison and
L Payne
157/08 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
None
158/08 MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Mayor gave details of engagements he has recently undertaken.
159/08 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting of the Town Council
held on 28th January 2009 (previously circulated) be approved by the
Chairman and signed as a true record accept to amend:
Minute 134/08 – Councillor Rutson’s declaration of personal interest to
read: ‘as previous owner of land in Ashley Road, close to the
Mayflower School Site’.
Councillor Double queried minute 135/08 and asked Councillor Rutson
to confirm his agreement of the content of the previous meeting: that,
through the subject matter of an article in a recent newspaper report, he
had taken the position of Mayor into disrepute because of publicity
showing him dressed in civic robes when the reported issue was not
part of Mayoral duties. Councillor Rutson agreed that this component
was missing from the minute.

160/08 FEASIBILITY STUDY, MAYFLOWER SCHOOL SITE
Further to minute 141/08, Councillor Rutson advised members that he
had problems in obtaining the required £4000 from Tendring District
Council but was hopeful of funding from an alternative source.
Councillor Double reminded the meeting of the resolution that
Harwich Town Council would contribute £1733 to the study when in
receipt of the £4000, regardless of its source.
161/08 INCORRECT NAMING OF BUS STOPS, FRONKS ROAD
Further to minute 110/08, Councillor Calver advised members that two
bus stops on Fronks Road, Dovercourt were still incorrectly named.
RESOLVED: to again write to Essex County Council to request that
the matter receives urgent attention.
162/08 MINUTES OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND HIGHWAYS COMMITTEE
Councillor S Tyrer presented the minutes of the meeting held on 9th
February 2009 (previously circulated).
RESOLVED: that the minutes be adopted.
163/08 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, HIGH STREET, DOVERCOURT
Further to minute 137/08, Councillor McLeod gave a statement in
response to a letter from a member of the Community Representatives
Party regarding issues concerning the Christmas lights in Dovercourt
High Street.
164/08 THE FRYATT HOSPITAL
Reference minute 138/08, Councillor Henderson advised members that
he is dealing with various matters concerning the Fryatt Hospital but
was not prepared to bring them to the attention of this meeting.
Councillor Calver referred to previous allegations made by Councillor
Henderson that the hospital is to be sold with services going out to the
private sector and asked for evidence.
RESOLVED: to write to Dr Zollinger-Reade, Chief Executive of the
Primary Care Trust, and ask for written confirmation that there is no
intention to sell off the hospital.
165/08 STREET CLEANING, HARWICH AND DOVERCOURT
Councillor McLeod referred to newspaper reports that Councillor J
Brown had made derogatory comments regarding Harwich Town
Councillors in stating they ‘should be taking more responsibility’
concerning street cleaning. Councillor J Brown responded that he had
been misrepresented in the local press.
166/08 BRIEF REPORTS OF MEMBERS
Councillor Tyrer thanked all councillors who had attended the tree
planting held on Saturday, 7th March and funded by HEAT. She
advised that the event, with nearly 300 trees planted, had been well

attended by the Harwich Society and members of the public.
Councillor Rutson, a member of the Seafront Advisory Committee,
advised that 3 new toilets will be built with the first, at the West End,
to be completed by the end of July and the others before the end of
August.
167/08 FINANCIAL UPDATE AND RECORD OF PAYMENTS
Payments and receipts, current balances, financial activity against
budgets and earmarked funds were noted.
RESOLVED: to authorise payments as listed in Appendix ‘A’.
168/08 OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMME 2009/10
Councillor Tyrer proposed and it was RESOLVED: to request that the
Overview and Scrutiny Committee conduct a scrutiny exercise on the
effectiveness of the enforcement process within Planning.
169/08 TENDRING WILDLIFE HABITAT SURVEY INFORMAL CONSULTATION
RESOLVED: to set up a Working Party, Chaired by Councillor Tyrer,
with Councillors Rutson, Gardner, McLeod and Wares, to comment on
the Wildlife Habitat Survey by 27th March 2009.
170/08 HARWICH QUAY FIREWORKS DISPLAY
Members noted the letter thanking Harwich Town Council for its
recognition of the 2008 display and offer of support for this year’s
event.
171/08 EXHIBITION AT THE GUILDHALL, FESTIVAL WEEKENDS 2009
Councillor B Brown advised members that the Honorary Archivists
will be visiting the Association of Jewish Refugees to obtain materials
on loan for the forthcoming exhibition which will focus on the Kinder
Transport which ferried thousands of Jewish children to safety in
England. RESOLVED: to present a Harwich Town Council
paperweight to the Association of Jewish Refugees in recognition of
the link with Harwich.
172/08 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of Harwich Town Council will be held on Tuesday,
21st April 2009 at Long Meadows Community Centre at 8.00pm or at
the rise of the Annual Parish Meeting, whichever is the later.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.30pm.