-

 

Present

 

Members:

  • Cllr Giles Cattermole
  • Cllr Paul Gibbon
  • Cllr Marcus Harris (The Mayor) (Chairman) (up to Minute 297/22 and then again from Minute 299/22 onwards)
  • Cllr Sue Hendrie
  • Cllr Steve Holder
  • Cllr Claire Holford (Chairperson for Minute 298/22)
  • Cllr Katharine Keats-Rohan
  • Cllr Michael Kidley
  • Cllr Deborah Whelan

Officers:         

  • Michelle Taylor, Town Clerk & Responsible Finance Officer
  • Luke Whitcomb, Meetings Officer

Others:           

  • County Councillor Pete Sudbury
  • 1 member of the public (Mr Colin Dolton), representing Bunkfest
  • 0 members of the press

 

275/22     MEETING PROTOCOL

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and advised those present of the protocols that would be followed.

276/22     APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from Councillors Beatty, Beauchamp, Hughes, Lester, McGregor and Newcombe.

Councillor Sinkinson did not attend.

277/22     DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

Councillor Harris declared an interest in item 24 (Committee Recommendations/Finance & Properties Committee) on the agenda, minuted as 298/22 below, and he absented himself during discussion of that matter.

No other interests were declared.

278/22     MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS

The Mayor reported on the sad news of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, and how the Council had marked this event through a public screening in Castle Gardens of the funeral, a photographic exhibition of the Queen in Wallingford (based on her visit to the town in 1956) and the public proclamation of King Charles III on the steps of the Town Hall.  Local schools and a care home resident had contributed to the exhibition and the Guides had provided refreshments at the screening of the funeral.

The Mayor also reported on the success of Bunkfest which had been held for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.  This would be discussed later on (see Minute 284/22).  He also praised the recent event organised by the OX10 Community Group as part of the Great Big Green Week and to which the Council had contributed.

279/22     MINUTES

It was proposed by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and seconded by Councillor Kidley, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 22 August 2022 be approved as a correct record and the Chairman is authorised to sign them.

280/22     ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING [see also Minute 299/22]

The Council reviewed progress on the actions agreed at the last meeting and ‘open’ actions from previous meetings.

The Chairman indicated that some of the items would be considered later in the ‘closed’ part of the meeting.  See Minute 299/22.

281/22     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Other than Mr Colin Dolton, a director of Bunkfest, who would speak to a later item (minuted as 284/22), no other members of the public attended.

282/22     COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS

County Councillor Pete Sudbury presented an update on his recent activities as a Member of Oxfordshire County Council.  These included various highways matters, including the extent to which a 20 mph speed limit could be applied within the town, the potential of a one-way system and the potential consequences for Wallingford of the planned Didcot bypass.  He also spoke about the provision of ‘warm shelters’ for those who were struggling to afford to heat their homes over the winter months due to soaring energy prices, and ‘cool shelters’ for periods of excessive heat as we experienced during the summer of 2022.  He took questions from the Town Councillors.

283/22     BILL SCHEDULE

The Council considered the bill schedule for June 2022 and the Town Clerk as Responsible Finance Officer answered queries.

It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, and seconded by Councillor Holford, and RESOLVED that the bill schedule for June 2022 be approved

284/22     BUNKFEST 2023 – DEBRIEF

Mr Colin Dolton, one of the directors, attended and gave a report of Bunkfest 2023.  Although the figures were still to be confirmed, it was likely that 30k people had attended the event over the weekend.  Fifteen venues within the town had signed up to be part of the festival and this had clearly served the town’s restaurants and cafes well.  Seventeen bands had played on the main stage, the largest number ever.  Four hundred people had camped at Hithercroft.  Thames Travel had supported the event but not to the same extent as previously due to a shortage of drivers.  Thames Valley had commented that the festival had been a ‘joy to police’ because of the festival organisation, the good nature of people and the minimal number of incidents.

Mr Dolton thanked the Town Council for the use of the Kinecroft and indicated that the directors would be invited to Town Council to send a representative to a working party that was considering the future expansion of the festival.  He took questions and heard feedback from Town Councillors.

It was proposed by Councillor Harris, and seconded by Councillor Cattermole, and RESOLVED that a vote of thanks to the directors of Bunkfest be passed for the outstanding 2023 festival and the extent to which the event had prospered the town.

The Council showed their appreciation through a round of applause

285/22     PEDESTRIANISATION OF FRONT AREA OF TOWN HALL

The Chairman updated the meeting on how the plans for pedestrianising the front area of the Town Hall were progressing.  Quotations were currently being gathered for a range of options before a firm decision and before a consultation exercise, including with bus operators, tradespeople and staff who would be managing the bollards.

286/22     RIVERSIDE / WALLINGFORD BEACH – APPLICATION FOR CLEAN WATER BATHING STATUS

Councillor Cattermole reported on the development of an application to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for the designation of clear bathing water status at Wallingford Beach.  The focus was on a 25 metre stretch of water and involving at least 20 days of monitoring and data collection, including over some weekends and school holidays.  The aim was to use social pressure to stop further sewage releases upstream and to put pressure on Thames Water.

It was proposed by Councillor Cattermole, and seconded by Councillor Whelan, and RESOLVED that the Town Council lends its full support to the application for clean bathing water status at Wallingford Beach

287/22     RIVERSIDE – CHANGING PLACES FACILITY

The Council considered plans by South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) to install a ‘Changing Places’ facility in Wallingford and two other locations. These facilities were for people with limited mobility and who required the assistance of carers to use toilet amenities.

It was proposed by Councillor Holder, and seconded by Councillor Whelan, and RESOLVED the Council express its full support for these plans, with the preferred location in Wallingford being the Riverside

288/22     KINECROFT – TRIANGLE OF LAND

Councillor Holder reported that following months of investigation, it had now been confirmed that this piece of land had been acquired – through a compulsory purchase order – by Berkshire County Council before the realignment of county boundaries.  Oxfordshire County Council had no objections to the Town Council adopting the land.  There would be a need for some arboricultural work before a transfer could take place.

289/22     COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – WINDOW ON WALLINGFORD (WOW)

The Chairman indicated that this would now be considered in the ‘closed’ part of the meeting because it involved finance.  See Minute 300/22.

290/22     COMMITTEE MINUTES

It was proposed by Councillor Whelan, and seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meetings of the Planning Committee held on 8 and 30 August be 2022 be formally adopted

It was proposed by Councillor Whelan, and seconded by Councillor Hendrie, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Tourism and Economic Development Committee held on 27 June 2022 be formally adopted

291/22     COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS (see also Minute 298/22 for confidential items)

It was proposed by Councillor Whelan, and seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and RESOLVED that

Band Concerts

(a)   the Council adopt the following strategy for the next band concert programme for the next few years:

  • A wider range of music to be showcased, types that were appropriate for the space and setting
  • Local musicians to be used
  • Events to remain free, but that donations to, and sponsorship for, the conservation of the Castle Motte be encouraged and strong links be made to that cause
  • Local organisations continue provide refreshments

Youth Activities – Summer 2023

(b)   a programme of activities for young people for the summer of 2023 be developed, including young musicians in the Market Place and the holding of a young traders’ market

Flower Market Sponsorship

(c)    the number and range of baskets available for sponsorship around the town be increased in time for the 2023/24 Municipal Year, and that any increases in price points be considered as part of the 2023/24 budget discussions later this year

292/22     COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, and seconded by Councillor Whelan, and RESOLVED that Councillor Keats-Rohan be appointed to the Finance and Properties Committee

293/22     CALENDAR OF MEETINGS 2022/23 (FINAL QUARTER) AND 2023/24

The Council considered a proposed timetable of meetings for the period January 2023 through to April 2024.  The proposal assumed the existing committee structure.

It was proposed by Councillor Kidley and seconded by Councillor Gibbon, and RESOLVED that the proposed timetable for the final quarter of the 2022/23 Municipal Year and the full 2023/24 Municipal Year, be approved

294/22     DELEGATIONS

Councillor Cattermole had requested a discussion on delegated powers with the aim of increasing and clarifying delegated powers so that less business had to go through the Full Council.

The general view of the meeting was that the existing terms of reference provided sufficient detail and clarity in most cases.

It was proposed by Councillor Holford, and seconded by Councillor Cattermole, and RESOLVED that committees and working parties be asked to review their terms of reference and bring any recommended changes to their reporting bodies

295/22     FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

The following items were identified for future meetings:

  • CIL spending strategy (October 2022) (Councillor Hughes on behalf of the Working Party)
  • Pedestrianisation of front area of Town Hall (rolling agenda item)
  • Liaison with Arts & Development Officer (Councillor Beatty)
  • Upgrade to consumer unit in Town Hall
  • Staff team building/volunteer days
  • Estates Portfolio Review
  • Renaming and reshuffling of Committees to establish the Estates Committee
  • Alderman Emeritus (to consider making new appointments)
  • Be Free Young Carers have withdrawn their original grant application and will be submitting a new application before the end of the 2022 calendar year
  • Christmas 2022
  • Civic and Ceremonial Working Party update
  • Communications Working Party update
  • Wallingford Accessible Boats Club: update on infrastructure
  • Town transport strategy (Councillor Cattermole)
296/22     EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

It was proposed by Councillor Whelan, and seconded by Councillor Hendrie, and RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded due to the confidential nature of business to be transacted

 

The meeting ended at 8.59 pm

 

 

 

Minutes of the meeting of the

Full Council held on

26 September 2022,

signed as a correct record                                                                 Chairman

 

 

2022-09-26 FC minutes