Full Council Minutes 10th September 2014
MINUTES of the Meeting of the HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
held at
The 1912 Centre, Cow Lane, Harwich
on Wednesday 10th September 2014 at 7.00pm
| Present: | Councillors Brown, Calver, Day, Flavell, Fowler, I Henderson, J Henderson, King, McLeod, Nicholson, C Powell, F Powell and Thurlow |
| In the Chair: | Councillor Todd |
| Clerk: | Mrs Lucy Ballard |
| Also present: | 2 members of the public and 1 member of the press |
| 65/14 | APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Cllr P Morrison and Cllr H Thompson |
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| 66/14 | DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS Cllr I Henderson declared a non-pecuniary interest in the LOFC grant application under item 14. |
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| 67/14 | PUBLIC QUESTIONS Betty Holbrook asked about the NYE fireworks and the need to keep the street lights on. She asked if there was any way we can ask to keep them on or to write to Essex County Council with this request? She expressed her content to write independently. Cllr I Henderson confirmed that the permissions would come from Cllr Rodney Bass and that perhaps HTC could write to him making him aware of the event and request the lights remain on to cater for it. Cllr Calver thought that NYE was an exemption anyway and that we should check. Cllr Calver asked if HTC had received a grant request for the fireworks as yet. The Clerk said no. Cllr Flavell said the police had the power to request the lights remain on so perhaps we could write to them also. Dr Rogers made reference to his question at the last meeting regarding a Loop system at the 1912 Centre and asked what action had been taken. Cllr Day Said we’ve done some investigative work and it’s fairly impractical to do this at the current location but it will be considered by F&GP Committee when the Guildhall undertakes its disability access scheme. He thanked him for raising this. |
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| 68/14 | MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS The Mayor gave an account of some of his engagements since the last meeting, which included opening the Dovercourt Art Club Exhibition at the Waterfront; attending a Commemoration of WW1 service at St Nicholas Church and an open day at Bobbit’s Hole for hedgehog day; the Secret Gardens presentation day; the Clacton Air Show; a100-year birthday presentation at the Tower hotel; Acorn village to see the new wing; Merchant Navy Day civic ceremony; Harwich International Port railway station to welcome the Kindertransport train and the Air Ambulance Motorcycle Rally. |
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| 69/14 | MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING RESOLVED: That the Minutes and Confidential minutes of the meeting of the Town Council held on 30th July 2014 (previously circulated) be approved by the Chairman and signed as a true record. |
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| 70/14 | MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
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| 71/14 | MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS Cllr J Henderson asked about the progress with the CCTV at Dovercourt Station. The Clerk confirmed that final confirmation following its installation had not been received. Cllr King asked if this could be chased up. The Clerk agreed to do this.
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| 72/14 | POLLING DISTRICT AND POLLING PLACE REVIEW Members considered whether to submit comments or suggestions regarding the polling district boundaries. Cllr J Henderson said district councillors received the map and that she didn’t have any issues in her ward. Cllr Calver said that the Labour Group raised an issue direct regarding the Chase Lane station as it’s not user friendly. Cllr Brown confirmed that the main gate is left open allowing vehicular access on polling days, and any historical problems have been resolved. Cllr C Powell said there was no problem in East Ward. |
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| 73/14 | VESSELS ENTERING UK WATERS Cllr Todd provided an update on the impact of the proposed new regulations on sulphur emissions. He referred to the request to the MP to submit an EDM (Early Day Motion). Cllr Todd received a reply on Friday and said there had been no feedback on the consultation. The first drafts have been looked at on the EDM and will be submitted shortly once final wording had been agreed. He has also chased Richard Howitt MEP and to date has not received a response. He had also asked Stena how they are going on with their scrubbers and the response was OK but they felt they would still need to make changes. Thompson Celebrity is not returning next season due to the regulations as they are also sailing the Mediterranean where the regulations won’t come into force until 2020. Cllr Calver said it’s unacceptable that we’ve not heard from the MEP and props we write to him for his views and what he’s doing urgently. He also clarified that the MP said he was considering whether an EDM is necessary and that following our request to submit this, he felt it was a very quick job and is unacceptable with the delay. He proposed that we write to the MP to seek some firm action. RESOLVED: To write letters to both the MP and the MEP. |
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| 74/14 | PART NIGHT STREET LIGHTING Cllr Calver brought to the attention of members that a member of the public felt the Council may have obligations under Section 17 of the Crime & Disorder Act 1998 in relation to the Part night Street Lighting Scheme, and asked that it was considered accordingly. Initial advice was sought, from a solicitor, and his opinion was to the contrary; however HTC do have the right to be consulted. HTC have not been consulted, under the act, by ECC when considering the PNSL scheme. Cllr Calver proposed we ask the appropriate officer from TDC to brief HTC on our rights and responsibilities under section 17 at the next meeting on 22 October. RESOLVED: To request attendance by TDC officer. |
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| 75/14 | MINUTES OF THE LAST ENVIRONMENT & COMMUNITY COMMITTEE MEETING RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting of the Environment & Community Committee held on 15th July 2014 (previously circulated) be received. |
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| 76/14 | MINUTES OF THE LAST FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE MEETING RESOLVED: that the Minutes and Confidential Minutes of the meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 12th August 2014 (previously circulated) be received. FURTHER RESOLVED: To accept the recommendations of the committee in relation to grant funding application from Little Oakley Football Club. |
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| 77/14 | MINUTES OF THE LAST ALLOTMENTS COMMITTEE MEETING RESOLVED: that the Minutes of the meeting of the Allotments Committee held on 26th August 2014 (previously circulated) be received. FURTHER RESOLVED: that the Confidential Minutes of the meeting of the Allotments Committee held on 26th August 2014 (previously circulated) be received. |
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| 78/14 | ACCOUNTS Payments and receipts, current balances, financial activity against budgets and earmarked funds were noted. RESOLVED: to authorise payments as presented. |
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| 80/14 | BRIEF REPORTS BY MEMBERS
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| 81/14 | CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED IN THE POST OR RAISED BY MEMBERS
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| 82/14 | DATE OF NEXT MEETING The next meeting of Harwich Town Council will be held on 22nd October at The 1912 Centre, Cow Lane, Harwich, at 7.00pm, or at the rise of the Town Planning Committee, whichever is the later. |
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The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.41pm.