Services A-Z
Minutes
Those Present:
The Mayor, Councillor Harris
Councillors Cattermole, Beauchamp, Gibbon, Hendrie, Holder, Hughes, Keats-Rohan, Kidley, Lester, McGregor, and Whelan
In Attendance:
The Town Clerk/RFO, Miss Michelle Taylor
The Estates Officer, Mr Robert Workman
The Senior Government Officer/Minute Taker, Mrs Tracey Collins
Public Attendance: There were 3 members of the public present
The meeting commenced at 7.00PM
550/21.THE CHAIRMAN TO ADVISE THOSE IN ATTENDANCE OF THE PROTOCOL FOR THE MEETING
Councillors to note the protocol for the meeting
The Mayor, Councillor Harris, advised attendees of standard meeting protocol and reminded Members to raise their hand should they wish to speak and to stand when speaking
551/21.APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Councillors Beatty, Holford, Newcombe and Sinkinson
552/21.DECLARATION OF INTERESTS
A Councillor with voting rights who has a disclosable pecuniary interest or another interest as set out in our Council’s Standing Orders code of Conduct (Item 13) in a matter being considered at a meeting is subject to statutory limitations or restrictions under code of conduct and his right to participate and vote on the matter (guidelines are available and all Councillors have received a copy prior to the meeting)
Declaration of Interest declared by Councillors McGregor and Whelan, item 24b
553/21.MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS
The Mayor to communicate any news to Council:
Annual election of the Mayor is almost nigh
Councillor Harris announced due to his Mayoral term coming to an end in May he would be contacting all Councillors before the next meeting to see who may be interested in taking on the role as Mayor in the next Municipal year
554/21.MINUTES
(To note that the Agenda on the 9th February stated Minutes to be approved from 13th December 2021, this should have stated minutes of the 10th January 2021)
To resolve that the minutes from the meeting of Full Council on the 10th January 2021 2021 as set out on pages 537 – 549 are a true and accurate record of that meeting, and authorise the Chairman to sign them (previously circulated to Councillors):
It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, seconded by Councillor Whelan and RESOLVED THAT the minutes from the meeting of Full Council on the 10th January 202 as set out on pages 537 -549 are a true and accurate record of that meeting, and the Chairman is authorised to sign them
555/21. ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING
Members to review progress on the following actions generated by the last Full Council meeting on the 10th January 2022 (action list previously circulated):
- · The Local Government Officer: to update the minutes from 13th December
- · The Town Clerk/RFO: to update the Financial Risk Assessment
- · Councillor Holder: to update the PowerPoint previously circulated to show the Chairs of the Working Parties
- · Councillor Whelan: to forward across the document for the Wallingford Beach to the Town Clerk/RFO
- · The Senior Officer: to advertise the Tourism role as soon as possible
- · The Local Government Officer: to submit Council’s comments regarding the Community Governance Review
- · The Town Clerk/RFO: to approve the Unilateral Undertaking document and proceed
- · Councillor Lester: to report back to Full Council on the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations as a rolling future agenda item
- · Councillor Whelan: to report back to Full Council on 14th February regarding a response from Greene King regarding the Accessible Boat Club
- · The Estates Officer and Town Clerk/RFO: to report back to Full Council regarding costings and options enabling the Castle Gardens to be reopened as soon as possible after March
Members noted the following actions from previous minutes had been progressed
556/21.PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
From Wallingford Town Council’s Standing Orders:
E) Members of the public may make representations, answer questions and give evidence at a meeting which they are entitled to attend in respect of the business on the agenda.
F) The period of time designated for public participation at a meeting in accordance with standing order 3(E) above shall not exceed 15 minutes unless directed by the chairman of the meeting.
G) Subject to standing order 3(F) above, a member of the public shall not speak for more than 10 minutes.
Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting please email the Senior Administrator at senioradmin@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk
Mr Liam O’Brian invited all Councillors to attend the launch of Wallingford Radio FM, Of which will be held at the new Ayres Yard station on 30th April 2022
557/21.REPORTS FROM DISTRICT AND COUNTY COUNCILLORS
Members to note the reports from County Councillor Peter Sudbury, and District Councillors George Levy and Sue Roberts- Councillor Levy’s report circulated to all members
Councillor Sue Roberts whom was in attendance updated members on the tree planting at the Radnor Road Field on 26th February from 9.30am, expressing all were welcome to attend. Wallingford Accessible Boat club will soon benefit from improvements to the existing path and ramp for wheelchair users following SODC allocating of £150,000 to the budget.
Climate and Nature, SODC have allocated £150,000 to each climate works and tree planting although this was still not a sufficient amount.
Councillor Roberts confirmed a meeting will soon take place with David Johnstone to discuss the standard of building at the new housing estates that should be zero carbon, but are not. Update to follow
558/21.INTERNAL AUDIT
To be adopted by Full Council as recommended by the Finance and Properties Committee on the 31st January 2022 at minutes 541/21 (i), (ii), and (iii)
RESOLUTION REQUIRED
It was proposed by Councillor Cattermole, seconded by Councillor Keats Rohan and
RESOLVED THAT the internal audit be adopted following the recommendation by the Finance and Properties Committee on 31st January 2022 minute 541/21 (i), (ii),
(iii)Councillors thanked the Town Clerk/RFO for all her hard work
559/21.AMENDMENTS TO 2022 CALENDAR
Members to approve the following amendments to the 2022 calendar (previously circulated):
- – Add Remembrance Sunday and the Andrew & Wilding Memorial
- – Switch the Bull Croft Trust & Planning Committee meetings in March
- – Move the AGAR forward from F&P on the 27th June to Full Council on the 20th June
RESOLUTION REQUIRED
It was proposed by Councillor Whelan, seconded by Councillor Kidley and RESOLVED THAT the following changes be made to the annual calendar.
- – Add Remembrance Sunday and the Andrew & Wilding Memorial
- – Switch the Bull Croft Trust & Planning Committee meetings in March
- – Move the AGAR forward from F&P on the 27th June to Full Council on the 20th June
560/21.KEEP BRITAIN TIDY
Members to note:
(i) The date for the Wallingford Litter Pick: 12th March 2022, 8.00AM
1.00PM at the Comrades Club; full details available on the Wallingford 1155 website
(ii) The Great British Spring Clean initiative takes place between 5th March and 10th April 2022
Noted by members
561/21.FLAG SCHEDULE
Members to approve the proposed 2022 flag schedule; previously circulated
RESOLUTION REQUIRED
It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, seconded by Councillor Whelan and RESOLVED THAT Council approves the flag schedule, implementing the Jubilee flag of which will be flown from Thursday 2nd to Monday 6th June 2022
Action: Office to update Flag Schedule
562/21.EPC UPDATE
The Estates Officer to give an update; supporting document previously circulated;
The Estates Office confirmed that all tenanted properties now had an Energy Performance review. The four properties that were outstanding, Town Hall, 1B St Martin’s, Flint House (museum) and the Boathouse have all now passed with an E rating or higher. The Estates Officer reported that one property had received a rating below the required standard of which will need attention before 1st April 2024. Investigations in to boilers, insulation upgrades, secondary glazing etc were being looked at in order to bring up the building to an E rating
563/21.COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND WORKING PARTIES
Members to approve the Committee and Working Party Structure
RESOLUTION REQUIRED
It was proposed by Councillor Holder, seconded by Councillor Lester and RESOLVED THAT Council approves the committee and working party structure following updated amendments; to add Councillor Whelan as the Chair of the Riverside Working Party and remove Councillor McGregor from the Arts Working Party
Office to update Committee and Working Parties Structure
564/21.MICHAELMAS FAIR
Councillor Holder to report on the Charter and how to move forward
RESOLUTION REQUIRED
Councillor Holder reported on the Wallingford Charter of 1652 and how the Michaelmas Fair is allowed to trade in the town. However, an update to the deed occurred in 1981 which states “there is a right to permit Showman and Amusement Caterers and occasional Fairs or similar for no more than 21 days per annum on the Kinecroft”
Point 4 states “Wallingford Michaelmas Fair has been held for longer than in living memory in the Kinecroft on the Michaelmas Day and the day following or the nearest possible there to. It was thought at one time that the fair in the Kinecroft was a Charter Fair, but from John Kirby Hedges history of Wallingford appears that the amusements fair in the Kinecroft is no more than the remnants of a statute held under the statutes of labourers. To conclude; it doesn’t appear the Michaelmas Fair have any rights, it’s just occasional fairs or similar and amusements for no more than 21 days
Councillor Keats-Rohan explained that the Charter entitles the town to hold the fair, it does not entitle the Showman’s Guild to attend each year behaving badly, taking it for granted they can turn up, flouting our rules and being rude to our staff. They do not have rights. The question is whom should we choose to provide that fair. We do not have to choose them; they have caused us trouble year in and year out for a number of years now
Councillor Hendrie explained the Michaelmas Fair is traditionally a hiring fair, it’s when labourers got hired for a year and the Fair was held in the Market place where they stood about advertising what sort of job they could do. When that wound down it went to the Kinecroft as a Funfair
It was proposed by Councillor Harris, seconded by Councillor Holder and RESOLVED THAT the office write to the Showman’s Guild inviting them to apply to attend this year, explain they don’t have any rights to trade on the Kinecroft so we expect positive engagement going forward and will review this going forward and add to the Full Council agenda in February 2023
Action: Office to write to the Showman’s Guild
565/21.PUBLIC LIABILITY THRESHOLDS FOR EVENTS BASED ON RISKS
The Town Clerk and Estates Officer to give an update
RESOLUTION REQUIRED
The Town Clerk reported that the insurance provider has been consulted with regard to Excess at Risk Insurance which turned out to be was very costly. Council agreed some years ago the minimum public liability would be £10,000,000 for any event on Council owned land. There is an option to base the insurance required on a risk-based basis so case by case basis
It was proposed by Councillor McGregor, seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan and RESOLVED THAT Council public liability insurance requests would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis ensuring the correct cover is obtained
566/21.JUBILEE UPDATE
Councillor Lester to give an update
Councillor Lester updated Members on plans for the Queens Jubilee weekend
- · These will be advertised on the website and social media
- · 3rd to 5th June, Display in the Town Hall by David Beasley, 70 years of Wallingford
- · 5th June, Castle Gardens open for community picnic where we hope to have a fun band, singers, and children’s entertainment
- · We hope to have a peel of bells
- · The town will have usual flower displays but in the red, white and blue colours
- · There will be flags and banners all over town and the carnival committee are working on a “decorate your house or garden” event
- · The shops have been invited to decorate shop windows and I’m working alongside the Corn Exchange, 1155 Society and the Railway so many more things to come
Councillor Lester thanked the office team for their hard work and support to date
567/21.QUEENS CANOPY UPDATE
The Estates Officer to give an update on the type of tree(s) to be planted
The Estates Officer passed the floor to Councillor Keats-Rohan: –
Councillor Keats-Rohan updated members of the type of trees that might be planted for this event and informed hedges could also be an option, but a final decision will be made in April 2022
568/21.VISIT FROM LUXEIL-LE-BAINS FOR THE QUEENS JUBILEE
Councillor Holder to give an update; Members to discuss
Councillors Harris and Holder have been in discussions with the Mayor of our twin town in France to start a conversation about visiting at one of our events, from that a discussion was then had with the Mayor of our twin town in Germany.
The Mayor of Luxeil-Le-Bains will be visiting Wallingford for the Jubilee weekend and the Mayor of Bad Wurzach will be attend the Bunkfest weekend
569/21.CIVIL WAR RE-ENACTMENT
The Senior Officer to give an update; Members to discuss potential new dates for the Civil War Re-enactment. Relevant correspondence previously circulated
The Senior Officer informed members that the Earth Trust/SODC would prefer the re-enactment to take place August/September so not to damage the grassland, this would prove a difficult time due to the organisers/volunteers being involved in another big event in the Town.
This item was deferred following further information
Action: Councillor Harris to contact the Civil War society to discuss alternative dates
570/21.WALLINGFORD ACCESSIBLE BOAT CLUB
Councillor Whelan to give an update with regards to the agreement between Wallingford Town Council, the Wallingford Accessible Boat Club, and Greene King
Councillor Whelan informed members that following the support of Wallingford Town Council, Greene King and Pure Boating a three way agreement will be issued allowing the Accessible Boat WOW 1 to moor at the front of the Boathouse
Members thanked Councillor Whelan for all her work on this to date
Action: Councillor Whelan to send the Town Clerk a copy of the agreement which allows WABC to moor at the front of the Boathouse
571/21.CASTLE GARDENS UPDATE
(i) The Town Clerk/RFO and Estates Officer to update Members on plans to open the Castle Gardens by April
The Estates Officer informed members that to open the gardens in April and for the Castle ruins work to continue, a safety fence will need to be erected across the width of the Castle Gardens approx. 10m in front of the ruins.
(ii) Members to discuss provisional expenditure of £5,000 to be agreed as a contingency
RESOLUTION REQUIRED
It was proposed by Councillor McGregor, seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan and RESOLVED THAT up to £5000 would be authorised to spend on a security fence to protect the castle ruins to allow the gardens to open safely to members of the public in April 2022
572/21.WIGOD WAY, WALLINGFORD FAMILY CENTRE, SERVICVE LEVEL AGREEMENT AND LEASE RENEWAL
The Town Clerk/RFO and Estates Officer to give an update
The Town Clerk informed members that the agreement and renewal needed to be tied together rather than two separate documents but was progressing and further documentation would be presented to Council in due course
573/21.RECOMENDATIONS FROM COMMITTEES
A) From the meeting of the Parks, Gardens, Allotments and Open Spaces Committee on the 24th January 2022 (relevant minutes previously circulated):
(i) To approve the allotment agreement between Wallingford Town Council and Highcroft (Estates Officer has previously circulated the supporting documents) and to approve the use of the Town Seal on the signed agreement
It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, seconded by Councillor McGregor and RESOLVED THAT Council approves the agreement between Wallingford Town Council and Highcroft and also the use of the Town Seal
Action: Town Clerk to sign and seal the agreement between Wallingford Town Council and Highcroft
To note Councillors McGregor and Whelan left the room as an interest had been declared.
B) From the meeting of the Finance and Properties Committee on the 31st January 2022 (relevant minutes previously circulated):
(i) Castle Yard Car Park bollards and annual charge increase
It was proposed by Councillor Cattermole seconded by Councillor Kidley and RESOLVED THAT Council approves the increase in the annual charge and the bollards to be installed
Action: Office to arrange installation of bollards and send charges update to all current car park users
C) From the meeting of the Planning Committee on the 7th February 2022 (relevant minutes previously circulated):
(i) The response to South and Vale’s draft Joint Design Guide
It was proposed by Councillor McGregor, seconded by Councillor Hughes and RESOLVED THAT Council submit the response to South and Vale’s draft Join Design Guide as follows:
– The JDG was too simplified, leaving a lot open to interpretation; the example given was green walls and the lack of acknowledgement for how difficult they are to manage in a real-life situation
– The JDG did not include much regarding the current communities or community engagement
– The JDG was not as inclusive as expected; the example given was regarding the Space and Layout section: car parking was mentioned 30+ times within the section whereas bicycles and electric scooters were mentioned significantly less, and mentioned alongside bins.
– Members concurred that the JDG included a lot of “well-intentioned text” but that unfortunately the design principles did not seem to follow it up.
– It was noted that Active Travel was a statutory consultee for any development over 150 houses and that this was not mentioned within the JDG; Members raised concerns that the JDG did not align completely with the Connectivity and Transport Plan, and more consistency across the authorities needed to be implemented in order to make this a more successful document.
Action: Office to submit response to South and Vale in reference to the draft Joint design guide
(ii) The Wallingford Neighbourhood Plan monitoring template; Councillor Hendrie to give an update
It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan and RESOLVED THAT Council implement the Neighbourhood Plan monitoring template drawn up by the Local Government Officer in all future Planning minutes
Action: Office to implement monitoring template in all future planning minutes
574/21.RECOMMENDATION FROM THE BULL CROFT TRUST
Following the recommendation from the Bull Croft Trust on the 17th January 2022, Members to resolve that the Bull Croft Trust may spend in the region of £25,000 – £30,000 on professional fees, using £14,000 of CIL money initially
It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, seconded by Councillor Holder and RESOLVED THAT Council approves Bull Croft Trust to spend CIL monies of up to £14,000 for professional fees
575/21.FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
- – Staff team building/volunteer days
- – Music in the Castle Gardens
- – Community Emergency Plan
- – Reinstatement insurance quotes
- – Market Place poles
- – Triangle space adjacent to Kinecroft
- – Councillor Beatty to report back after liaison with the Arts and Development Officer
- – Update on Committees and Outside Bodies
- – Twinning
- – Jubilee update
- – Wallingford Town Signs
- – Elections 2023 – Councillor McGregor
- – March/April 2022: Estates Portfolio Review
May 2022: Renaming and reshuffling of Committees to establish the Estates committee
576/21.PUREBOATING-
(This item was brought forward from Confidential)
Members to approve the use of the Town Seal on the renewed lease
It was proposed by Councillor Whelan, seconded by Councillor Cattermole and RESOLVED THAT the Town Seal be used on the renewed lease
Action: Town Clerk to sign and seal the agreement between Greene King, Pure Boating and Wallingford Town Council
577/21.EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
To resolve that due to the confidential nature of the items about to be transacted that the Press and Public are asked to leave the meeting:
It was proposed by Councillor Hughes, seconded by Councillor McGregor and RESOLVED THAT due to the confidential nature of the items about to be transacted that the Press and Public are asked to leave the meeting
Here the press and public left the meeting
It was noted that Councillor Cattermole left the meeting at 20.39
CONFIDENTIAL SESSION CONTINUES ON PAGE 218
Item 31: PUREBOATING was heard in non-confidential
The meeting ended at 8.55pm
