Meeting Agenda:
Full Council
| Meeting Date: | Monday 4 Jul 2022 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 19:30 |
| Councillors | Jon Aldridge, Angela Baker Vice-Chairwoman, Sarah Compton, Alan Damodaran, Michael Gemmell Smith, Vic Jennings, Alan Layland, Nick Lloyd, Margot McArthur, Stuart McGregor, Angela Read, Peter Smith, Stephen Sumner, Steve Taylor, Bob Todd Chairman. |
| Committee: | Full Council |
| Venue: | Rickards Hall. 72a High Street Edenbridge, TN8 5AR Kent |
| Notes: | |
| Summary: |
Agenda
Minutes
The disclosure must include the nature of the interest. If an interest becomes apparent to a member during the course of a meeting that has not been disclosed under this item, the member must immediately disclose it.
Dual hatted members of the District Council wish to state that although they would be considering planning applications at this meeting they would be reconsidering them at the district level, taking into account all relevant evidence and representations there.
Members of the public, and members with prejudicial interests on items on the Agenda, may make representations, answer, ask questions and give evidence at this meeting in respect of items on the Agenda. (This is the only opportunity for members of the public to make a contribution during the meeting.)
Both public and members are limited to three minutes per person to speak and the total time designated for public questions shall not exceed fifteen minutes unless directed by the Chairman of the meeting.
NALC has updated its Model Standing Order 18 (financial controls and procurement) to bring it into line with the procurement position post-Brexit and the recently reissued Legal Topic Note (LTN) 87, which contains the current procurement threshold figures. It has also simplified the model standing order and taken out references to the European Union.
The NALC model Standing Orders was updated April 2022; the Town Council had based its in 2020 update. Having checked there are no differences apart from Standing Order 18.
There are also some other minor recommendations:
5.1 Annual Meeting of the Town Council – some other good practice procedural housekeeping has been suggested (these were included on the agenda for the Council’s Annual meeting in May).
19 Handling staff matters – typo correction in item ‘e’.
Do Members confirm and adopt the amendments to the Standing Orders (items 5.1, 18 and 19)?
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
Three quotes for the renewal have been requested based on the existing levels of cover, and to provide some playground cover. Zurich, Gallaghers (were Came and Company, use Hiscock’s) and James Hallam (were Royal Sun Alliance RSA, now use Aviva as RSA no longer insure councils). Zurich would not quote as there is an outstanding claim (The Depot breakin).
At the time of preparing the Council papers we were waiting for the full quotes from the other two. It is hoped to have these for the meeting.
The full detailed policy will be presented to the Finance Committee at its meeting on 18 July. The renewal date is 20 July. Hallam’s will continue to cover the Council until a decision is confirmed.
Important information affecting the new premium
2021/22 insurance premium was £11,702.64.
James Hallam, our current broker, has advised predictions throughout the industry of at least 35% increases, if not more. This would bring Council costs in the region of £15,800. Hallam’s has said this would be a best-case scenario.
Insurance industry has seen a large rise in cover partly due to Brexit, which has reduced the number of insurers splitting the risk combined with reduced exposure limits, has impacted on the supply of available insurance contracts, and as a result premiums have increased. In addition, inflation to the aftermath of the pandemic has an impact, as well as the cost of settling claims has risen, and there is an issue with availability and cost of materials.
The higher insurance premium will have an impact on the budget, causing an overspend in the budget codes. This could not have been predicted at the time of setting the Council’s budget. (Current policy is on the website here.)
(Council May meeting confirmed the current cover and annual expenditure of £12,500 est.)
Do Members approve the revised insurance expenditure from £12,500 to potentially £17,000? If not, what cover do they want to compromise on?
Do Members approve the recommended insurer? (To be presented at meeting)
Do Members want to commit to a new 3-year agreement?
Do Members approve the Finance Committee to finalise the insurance renewal details?
NB: Should the renewal details be vastly different to the anticipated cost (above), an extraordinary Council meeting would be required.
The Community Warden did provide a report for the May meeting, but here is a further update:
I meet with PCSO Sam Rustrick and liaise about local issues including anti-social behaviour and continue to lobby about activities in the recreation car park which annoy local residents.
I organised a litter pick after the very successful Jubilee celebrations. Eleven volunteers came along early on Friday 3 June and collected litter from Stangrove Park. We have another litter pick scheduled for Thursday 7 July at Spitals Cross estate.
I work closely with Tenancy Officer from West Kent housing to solve issues and the caretaker at Spitals Cross.
Fly-tipping can be a problem and I work closely with SDC enforcement and assist with evidence gathering if required; and liaise with other agencies regarding community issues.
I have recently met with SDC’s Private Sector Housing Officer regarding Community disability grants for ramps, showers, smoke alarms and key safe installations. I have already made a couple of referrals.
Recently, I spoke at Bridges café at their Friday afternoon club and have been helping them to source other speakers for future.
I attended the Rotary Club strawberry tea and invited three people from the Games and Puzzles Club which I run on a Monday morning. The latter has encouraged people aged over 55 to get out and about again, meeting new people over a cup of tea or coffee and playing board games and cards. Hopefully, this will continue with funding from Involve Kent.
I also run the Speedwatch group and download data from the Speed Indicator Device – this is forwarded to Cllrs Aldridge and Lloyd to review. Data from this will be presented to Planning and Transportation Committee.
The Jubilee celebrations on 2 June with the lighting of the Beacon was extremely well received by the community with over 1,000 people attending the event. The Town Band played a selection of known tunes and the official music for Beacon ceremony. The Bonfire Society ensured the success of the actual Beacon lighting. All food venders did well. The children’s crown making competition was popular and the mother of the girl who won the overall Chairman’s trophy messaged to say, “I just wanted to message say to thank you for all your hard work that you put into making last night a massive success. I came with my family and couldn’t believe the effort you had gone to along with flags, hats and free face painting. We are still in shock my daughter the crown competition…. She spent ages painting and decorating it. The trophy was amazing, we never expected something like that to be the prize and the goodie bags were brilliant”.
As part of the Museum’s Jubilee celebrations for the town it organised two afternoon tea and activities events on 2 and 3 June in Rickards Hall. The Council was asked to consider allowing the use of the hall free of charge. This was considered outside of a meeting and supported.
Members to ratify free use of Rickards Hall on 2 and 3 June by Eden Valley Museum.
Currently only the RFO can raise payments. The Town Clerk position has previously been a second person for raising payments.
Do Members approve to have the Town Clerk as a secondary officer named person on the bank mandate?
Charities status update: At the December 2020 Finance Committee a number of questions were raised with the administration of the Recreation Ground and Blossoms Park Charities. Advice had been taken from Mulberry & Co (November 2020), a firm of accountants, who also advised clarity to be sought from a solicitor. Following legal advice, questions were raised directly with the Charities Commissions. This has since been looked at by the solicitor. The Land Registry has the Town Council as sole proprietor for both the Recreation Ground and Blossoms Park, and Indentures show the Parish (Town) Council to be the sole trustee, therefore as a corporate body, it is properly the sole trustee.
The legal advice is to correct the listing from individually named councillors to the Council as the sole trustee. I have asked the solicitor to complete the on-line application form to correct this information.
Council January 2021 resolved: the expenditure of up to £4,000 for legal fees to look at the governing documents for both charities’ accounts (Recreation Ground Lingfield Road; and Blossoms Park) and prepare a memorandum deed of transfer of each charity. £768 has so far been spent on legal fees (February 2021).
The Council as the sole trustee does not require the memorandum but does need the Charities Commission listing updated for both charities.
The Council, as trustee of each charity, should have a separate annual meeting at which the councillors forget that they are councillors and think only that they are running a charity. The procedures for this are already in place, with annual meetings. Day to day management can of course be carried out by officers.
Do Members confirm the corrections to the Charities Commission listing correction - Lingfield Road ‘Recreation Ground’ charity number 302733; and Blossoms Park ‘Public Recreation Ground’ charity number 3027322 - to Edenbridge Town Council as sole trustee?
As a consequence of Covid, and other resources, the work to the Market Yard/Church Wall was unable to be done. As time has passed, the faculty has expired and the quote from the builders needs to be revisited and quoted. Other issues include the right working conditions for lime mortar work, and so needs to be carried out ideally in the spring/early summer. Once the faculty has been extended/renewed and there is a new quote, this will be come back to Council for approval together with an updated cost for the Party Wall Notice.
The issue/concern for the Wall, was initiated from the Church following its periodic inspection, and it will be interesting to see if this is raised again from its recent 5-yearly report. It is noted that the Church now has its wildlife garden in this area. The Council ommissioned its own survey in 2017/18; cost £539.
Are Members satisfied, or do they want to commission a new survey themselves? Do Members want to comment further or just note the above?
Kent Highways has now approved, through its internal checking process, the consultation drawings. The consultation is due to be advertised Friday 8th July and will run for three weeks. I have suggested that the Town Council also advertises this and have asked for information.
In May, the Town Council was advised by SDC that it had published its Town Centres Strategy. This project was commissioned by SDC with the help of a consultancy company. It will feed into the policies within the Local Plan, the Economic Development Strategy and ongoing town centre feasibility work. Having circulated to Members, a meeting was then arranged with two officers of SDC Planning Policy team and attended by, Cllrs Aldridge, Baker, Layland, McArthur and myself. We expressed concerns with inaccuracies and assumptions in the document. SDC explained that the strategy was to provide a vision having undertaken surveys, stakeholder engagement and baseline analysis which are referenced in the document. We raised concerns about some of the ideas for Edenbridge that had not been discussed with the Council first, but they said that the vision was the result of the stakeholder and public engagement. Some of the proposed amendments have been changed in the document – these are only some of the descriptive words - but SDC were reluctant to amend the vision. The document sets out a series of possible interventions to help each place develop positivity, providing ideas and showing potential, but does not necessarily mean that all the ideas would be deliverable
The new Market Officer started in June. He is employed for up to 10 hours a week and is currently getting to know the market traders, looking at attracting some new traders, and familiarising with the procedures and guidelines for markets. There is currently between 8-12 traders each week including Lloyds Bank who attend fortnightly.
The Games Club – a Cards, Games and puzzles social club for 55+ residents. This started as a partnership with SDC and Involve Kent, for an initial 12 week-pilot. There are 8-10 regulars and some touching success stories with several also now meeting up outside of the group.
Comments include: “I have made new friends”; “I really look forward to coming here”; “I have learnt new games”. The pilot period is finished but the members felt it worth continuing.
The Community Warden and I have met with Involve Kent who have agreed continued funding for this with the arrangement moving directly between them and the Town Council. Involve Kent has also said there could be scope to expand this with extension of the Club or different activities for people should the Council want to consider this in the future. This is great for the current members of the Club, the community, and for Rickards Hall.
We are now looking at increasing the promotion to attract other members for the group with new flyer.
The Service Level Agreement grants are considered during the budgeting process. HOUSE submit regular/quarterly updates – emailed to Members. A SLA report from the Museum and Twinning has been requested; these are usually provider later in the year.
There had been some outstanding audit action points which have now been updated:
Rickards Hall fire safety latch signs; some record keeping anomalies for the gas and legionella tests; and a violence at work policy (see below). The full annual review with Worknest had been scheduled for July but has had to be moved to 8 September.
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
Last year (June Council) expenditure was approved for all staff to complete an in-house First Aid at Work 3-day training course. Nine staff attended but were only able to complete the one-day certificate in Emergency First Aid at Work, due to days two and three having to be cancelled due to Covid.
The recommendation is to have the Level 3 First Aid at Work. Minimal levels for the Council:
Main office - 2 people; Groundstaff - 2 people.
Level 3 First Aid at Work training cost per person to attend one of the open venues is £285.00 + VAT. The cost for in-house is as follows.
4 delegates - £1,140.00 + VAT
6 delegates - £1,395.00 + VAT
12 delegates - £1,545.00 + VAT
Do Members support the expenditure for three-day First Aid at Work course of up to £1,140 for 4 delegates (£285 per person)?
As you are all aware, councillors are also subject to GDPR with processing personal and subject data; and needs to be store data sensitivity and securely. As part of the compliance checks, councillors have their own council email, appropriate anti-virus software security in place, and the Council engages an IT company to manage these email addresses and electronic data storage. However, currently councillors use their own IT equipment which is not unusual in the sector as to provide councillors with laptop/or iPads is a cost to the Council. There is advice on the Information Commissioner Office website on using own devices here. The Council has a Data Protection Policy which is reviewed. In it, it does say:
Information Security: The Town Council cares to ensure the security of personal data. We make sure that your information is protected from unauthorised access, loss, manipulation, falsification, destruction or unauthorised disclosure. This is done through appropriate technical measures and appropriate policies. We will only keep your data for the purpose it was collected for and only for as long as is necessary, after which it will be deleted.
More parish and town councils are beginning to consider the viability of providing councillors with IT equipment to reduce the risk of data being transferred onto personal devices. Another consideration is councillors tend not to claim an allowance, but the cost of running adequate IT and software has increased considerably over the past two years.
The current cost for IT equipment, includes IT set up (but not software licences):
- Apple iPad Pro (3rd Generation) Tablet - 27.9 cm (11") - M1 Octa-core (8 Core) - 8 GB RAM - 128 GB Storage - iPadOS 14: £744.39 plus VAT
- Dell Latitude 5000 5520 39.6 cm (15.6") Notebook – Full HD - 1920 x 1080 - Intel Core i5 11th Gen i5-1135G7 Quad-core (4 Core) - 16 GB Total RAM - 256 GB SSD: £1,148.75 plus VAT
How do Members want to proceed?
BT Openreach has approached the Council for permission to open a section of road along Frantfield to enable fibre optic broadband for the residents. They have the permission of the resident who lives on the corner. Paperwork will be sent through before any works commence. The area will be reinstated (but they will not be able to match the existing stony/pinkish tarmac surfacing).
Do Members permit BT Openreach to carry out works to enable fibre optic broadband at the Frantfield Road section near Market Yard Car Park, and for the Town Clerk to sign the agreement?
| 11.5 Land Reg.pdf |
The next SDC CIL Spending Board will be 1st September 2022. Bids for funding to help deliver local and/or strategic infrastructure projects which will benefit the local community are currently being invited. All applications must be received by no later than midnight on Sunday 17th July 2022.
At the November 2021 Council meeting it resolved to proceed with replacement aluminium framed windows and doors with shutters for the Recreation Ground Pavilion, with funding application to be made to Edenbridge Town Council’s CIL Board. See above note.
Do Members want to submit a CIL Bid to the SDC CIL Spending Board for a contribution towards the Pavilion windows and shutters?
The Free Family Fun Days are held at Stangrove Park, for all ages, and include everything from crafts and games to sports and face painting in a friendly, safe environment. They started in 2011 working with PlayPlace, in more recent years has funded one day with the Town Council funding three. This year, PlayPlace has been able to access funding to provide activities throughout the calendar of school holidays. SDC produces a leaflet for the Fun Days across the district.
Summer 2022 dates:
Thursday 28 July 2.00 – 5.00 pm - include ‘Cascade’ dance and yoga sessions at 2.30pm and 3.30pm (SDC funded)
Friday 22 July 3.30 – 5.00pm; Thursday 4, 11 & 18 August 2.00 – 5.00 pm – include Games, inflatables, face-painting, magic, and craft activities (PlayPlace and Town Council funded).
Under the Terms of Reference, the Planning Committee can receive delegated powers from the Town Council for Council business during the month of August (1.15)
Do Members confirm to delegate powers to the Planning Committee for Council business during the month of August, which requires decision/s?
Does the Council want the Aviation Working Group to respond to this consultation?
| Gatwick Northern Runway Consultation |
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
| Confidential Annex Omitted from Papers. |
12 September