Harwich Town Council

01255 507211

9.30am – 1pm Monday, Wednesday & Friday

Full Council Minutes 18th July 2012

MINUTES of the Meeting of HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL held at The 1912 Centre, Cow Lane, Harwich on Wednesday 18th July 2012 commencing at 7.20pm

HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich, Essex CO12 3DS
Tel: 01255 507211

Present: Councillors Brown, C Callender, R Callender, Calver, Day, Double, Flavell, Fowler, Gibbins, I Henderson, J Henderson, King, McLeod, Thompson and Todd

In the Chair: Councillor J Thurlow

Clerk: Mrs Lucy Ballard

Also present: 1 member of the public and 1 member of the press (from 8.50pm)

Prayers were said by Reverend P Mann. The Chairman apologised for the late start to the meeting.

028/12 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None

029/12 CODE OF CONDUCT
RESOLVED: to adopt TDC’s Code of Conduct , as recommended, as HTC’s Code of Conduct under new Localism Act 2011.
FURTHER RESOLVED: To update Standing Orders to reflect changes in Code of Conduct

030/12 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
None.

031/12 PUBLIC QUESTIONS
Betty Holbrook asked if HTC knew how many building inspectors/Planning Officers there are at TDC as there have been occurrences where they’ve not attended site visits to inspect work and may lead to works not being carried out correctly. Cllr Calver confirmed numbers unknown and suggested the Clerk obtain this information direct from TDC and report back at next meeting.

032/12 MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Mayor gave an account of some of the engagements attended since the last meeting, including the Sunship Fellowship Club Jubilee dinner, opening of the Harwich Festival and attending the jazz concert, the Children’s’ Carnival and Armed Forces Day service. He also mentioned the Ghanaian visitors to the Guildhall on 4 July.

Cllr McLeod, as Deputy Mayor, gave an account of a Jubilee event he attended on behalf of the Mayor, in Ipswich.

033/12 MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting of the Town Council held on 6th June 2012 (previously circulated) be approved by the Chairman and signed as a true record.

034/12 MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
Cllr Flavell referred to min 181/11 and 018/12 and informed members of the outcome of the Joint committee meeting between NEPP and TDC at which HTC’s request that ECC/NEPP align parking charges with TDC was made. RESOLVED: to write to NEPP and ask them to justify the income figure they quoted and review their decision to decline HTC’s request. FURTHER RESOLVED: to write to both Robert Overall at ECC Highways and Derrick Louis, Cabinet member, to request ECC consider relinquishing their rights and pass parking responsibility to TDC, copying to TDC representative and MP.

Cllr Flavell referred to min 020/12 in relation to the Market Street fire. RESOLVED: to write to TDC and ask if there’s a timetable for action.

Cllr Double referred to min 178/11 relating to regeneration and employment opportunities expressing disappointment with the response from TDC’s Chief Executive. RESOLVED: to ask Portfolio holder to provide an explanation of the plans for regeneration and employment opportunities and to invite her to a meeting of HTC to discuss these in person.

035/12 TDALC
Cllr Todd stood down as HTC’s representative for TDALC and nominations were requested for a replacement. RESOLVED: to accept Cllr Double’s offer to replace Cllr Todd as HTC’s representative.

036/12 HARWICH FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
Cllr I Henderson stood down as HTC’s representative for The Harwich Festival and proposed Cllr Fowler as replacement. RESOLVED: that Cllr Fowler will replace Cllr Henderson as HTC’s representative.

037/12 BOATING LAKE
Cllr Fowler informed members that the facility was due to open in summer 2011 but was still closed. Further discussion took place about whether the leases had been signed and if a Service Level Agreement was in place.
RESOLVED: to write to TDC, copying Portfolio Holder, to ask a) why leases weren’t signed last year, b) why a FOI request suggested they had been, and c) if there’s a Service Level Agreement associated with the lease to state when the facility should be opened.

038/12 PARKING AT MAYFLOWER MEDICAL CENTRE/FRYATT HOSPITAL/BORNO CHEMIST
Cllr Fowler raised concern over the lack of available parking and following extensive discussion and suggestions it was RESOLVED: to write to North Essex PCT and ACE to request a traffic and management survey be conducted to establish if provisions are sufficient for current demand, and also to include review of pedestrian arrangements.

039/12 FLOOD SIREN WORKING PARTY
Cllr I Henderson gave a report of the meeting of the working party and suggested that in due course clarification was sought from TDC as to the procedures under their Emergency Plan as there is a lack of understanding currently. Cllr Flavell thanked Cllr Henderson for securing a location for the siren.
RESOLVED: to write letters of thanks to both Trinity House, for agreeing to house and activate the siren, and to the Environment Agency for assisting in sourcing a siren.

040/12 REQUEST FOR USE OF GUILDHALL FOR BOOK LAUNCH
RESOLVED: to defer this item until further information is obtained as to whether request is for free use, and report back at next meeting on 29 August.

041/12 PARKING IN KINGSWAY
RESOLVED: to ask MP for update on measures taken on HTC’s behalf.

042/12 MINUTES OF LAST ENVIRONMENT & HIGHWAYS MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting of the Environment & Highways Committee held on 14 June 2012 (previously circulated) be received.
FURTHER RESOLVED: to follow up letter to Cllr Bentley to ask why no response has been received and to state that the problem of congestion and delays continues to worsen, and to write to TDC to draw to their attention that their facilities are being affected as a result and ask them to lobby ECC.

043/12 MINUTES OF LAST FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 25 June 2012 (previously circulated) be received.
FURTHER RESOLVED: to accept recommendations made for grant funding for a) Mayflower Project, b) Shanty Festival and c) RBLBB Saturday morning music school.

044/12 MINUTES OF LAST GUILDHALL MEETING
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting of the Guildhall Committee held on 27 June 2012 (previously circulated) be received.
FURTHER RESOLVED: to accept recommendation for Cllrs Calver and J Henderson to take necessary action to clarify the procedures for civic events and findings to be reported for final decision to set protocol.

045/12 ACCOUNTS
Payments and receipts, current balances, financial activity against budgets and earmarked funds were noted.
RESOLVED: to authorise payments as listed Appendix A

046/12 BRIEF REPORTS FROM MEMBERS
Cllr Todd confirmed attendance at a meeting of the Merchant Navy Association and informed members of an EU directive, which, by 2020, would prevent vessels with excess sulphur emissions from entering an EU port.

Cllr Thompson confirmed attendance at a meeting of the British Legion and confirmed that due to funding problems they would be handing back their lease for their current premises.

Cllr J Henderson confirmed attendance at a Teen Talk meeting and was surprised to learn that no rep had attended in the previous 3 years despite HTC having nominated one.

Cllr Thurlow confirm that the lease for the premises of the H&D Pensioners Association was due to expire on 11 August 2012 and new premises were being sought.

Cllr Thurlow confirmed that the Crime Prevent Panel meetings were suspended, in the first instance, until September.

047/12 CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED IN POST OR RAISED BY MEMBERS
A letter of thanks and request for support from Fordhaven was noted and it was suggested to refer them to both TDC and ECC for potential funding opportunities.

A letter from Essex Police in relation to station closures was discussed and concern was raised that the information provided would give the wrong impression to the public that Harwich Station was not attended 24 hours. The Clerk offered to call Essex Police to clarify the situation and report back at the next meeting on 29 August.

A note of thanks from the organisers of the Blackeberg students’ visit was read by the Clerk and noted.

A copy of a complaint letter to Greater Anglia, from a local resident, was noted.

The Clerk informed members of notification from St Helena’s Hospice of their arrangements for the Lighthouse Walk 2012. Cllr Double said that since he was unable to partake personally, he would gladly sponsor someone else.

048/12 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of Harwich Town Council will be held on Wednesday 29th

August 2012 at The 1912 Centre, Cow Lane, Harwich, at 7.00pm, or at the rise of

the Town Planning Committee, whichever is the later.

049/12 EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC AND PRESS
Pursuant to Sub-section 2 of Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the meeting was closed to the press and public by virtue of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.

The Chairman closed the public part of the meeting at 9.10pm.