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To the Members of the Full Council

  • Cllr Mike Acreman
  • Cllr Jacki Hoskins
  • Cllr Daniel Beauchamp (Mayor/Chairman)
  • Cllr Mark Hoskins
  • Cllr Ailsa Charter
  • Cllr Nigel Hughes
  • Cllr Mahmood Ebrahimjee
  • Cllr Katharine Keats-Rohan
  • Cllr Marcus Harris
  • Cllr Ros Lester
  • Cllr Susan Hendrie
  • Cllr Diana Margarido
  • Cllr Stephen Holder (Deputy Mayor)
  • Cllr Len Pannett
  • Cllr Claire Holford
  • Cllr Christine Sandall

 

25th March 2025

Dear Councillors

You are hereby summoned to attend the meeting of the Full Council on Monday, 31 March 2025 at 7.00 pm in the Town Hall for the transaction of business as set out on the attached agenda.

Apologies for the meeting should be sent to the Locum Town Clerk at: townclerk2@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

Yours sincerely

Karen Crowhurst

Locum Town Clerk & Interim Responsible Financial Officer

MEETING OF THE FULL COUNCIL
MONDAY, 31 MARCH 2025, 7.00 PM
WALLINGFORD TOWN HALL

AGENDA

1. Meeting protocol

The Mayor to remind Council Members of the protocols to be followed in the meeting.

2. Apologies

To receive and accept apologies for the meeting and the reasons for absence (RESOLUTION REQUIRED).

3. Declarations of interest

To receive and record declarations of interest.

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 their right to participate and vote on the matter.  Guidelines are available at the meeting and all councillors have received a copy prior to the meeting.

4. Minutes

To accept and approve the minutes of the ordinary meeting of the Full Council held on 24 February 2025, and the Extraordinary Full Council as a true and accurate records of the meetings and for the minutes to be signed by the Chairman. (MINUTES PREVIOUSLY CIRCULATED) (RESOLUTION REQUIRED).

5. Public participation

To hear from members of the public on any matter on the agenda.

We welcome members of the public at our meetings.  A total of 15 minutes has been set aside for this.  The maximum length for an individual contribution is at the discretion of the Chairman and may depend on the number of people who wish to speak. Members of the public who wish to speak at this meeting should email our Administrator to the Clerk in advance at clerkassistant@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk

6. Actions from previous meetings [public]

To review progress on ‘open’ actions on publicly discussed matters agreed at previous meetings.  The Action Log is reviewed in detail every quarter (January, April, July, and October).  The Log will be reviewed by exception at this meeting.  Actions assigned to County and District Councillors also appear on the Action Log. (SUPPORTING PAPER)

7. Mayor’s Communications

The Mayor to update the Council on recent mayoral activity and any other news.

8. Town Clerk’s Report

To receive the Town Clerk’s Report covering information-only items (SUPPORTING PAPER)

This report will be taken as read and will not be discussed in detail.  Questions arising from the report need to be raised with the Town Clerk before the meeting or in-between meetings.

9. County and District Councillors’ Reports

To receive and note the reports from County and District Councillors.

TRANSACTIONS OF COUNCIL BUSINESS DECISION MAKING

10. Finance 

(a) Bill schedules
To approve the bill schedules for February 2025 (SUPPORTING PAPER) (RESOLUTIONS REQUIRED)
(b) Cost centre report February 2025
To accept and receive the Cost Centre Report for February 2025 which includes actual against budget and note this being the budget position of Council currently. (SUPPORTING PAPER) (RESOLUTION REQUIRED)
(c) Bank reconciliation(s)
To receive and accept Bank reconciliations for the month of February 2025 (SUPPORTING PAPER)
(d) Disposal of assets to consider whether or not to dispose of Town Council assets listed below and how the disposal should happen for example to sell as a job lot.
Epson Projector £4,500
Epson Lense £880
Celexon Screen £840

11. Committee recommendations for Council approval

a) Civic and Ceremony Committee 27 February 2025

307/25 LOOKING FORWARD
Civic dinner, 25 April 2025

To receive an update from the Civic Officer and agree any other actions/decisions needing to be made. (RESOLUTION REQUIRED)

This item was discussed in depth considering the capacity of the room. It was agreed to proceed as the previous year. It was further agreed for Members to be able to invite partners to the meal and a list be created for all other attendees.

Action – Recommendation to Full Council to recommend the above.

308/25- Past Mayors and consorts Insignia

I. To consider presenting past Mayors and consorts with past Mayors and consorts insignia badges.
II. To agree a budget amount for this.

Both items were taken together. After a short discussion it was agreed to purchase silver badges with the combination of the portcullises and the horse on the mayoral chain. It was further agreed to purchase the badges and make them available from the supplier, the cost of which would be on a cost for cost basis, should past mayors wish to purchase a badge.

Action – To recommend the above to Full Council for consideration.

12. Mayor for the municipal year 2025-2026.

To elect the Mayor for 2025-2026 [Decision Required]

13. Youth Council

a) To accept and adopt the Youth Council constitution.
b) To accept and adopt the Youth Council Code of Conduct.

14. Frequency of Committee and Council Meetings from June 2025

a) Option 1
To continue with the current arrangement and frequency with Committee meeting and Committees having delegated authority to make decisions by passing resolutions

b) Option 2
To hold two Full Council meetings per month which will include all the business of the Committees except for the Personnel Committee and the Finance Committee (for the purpose of reviewing the end of year annual return, budget, and precept).

c) Option 3
For all Committees to be granted delegated authority to make decisions and pass resolutions and include this in the new Scheme of Delegation as part of the Committees Terms of Reference.

15. Arts funding

a) To consider appointing a Working Group to work with the current ratified artist.
b) To revisit the concept and form a Working Group to work alongside the Engagement Manager and Parks Manager.

16. Tree Working Group

To agree to dissolve the tree working group. [Decision Required]

17. Curfew Bell

To reconsider the running of the Curfew Bell.

Minute reference from the Tourism and Economic Development Committee 4th November 2024

Town Council non-civic events programme for 2025

The Committee considered the non-civic events programme for the next calendar year.

It was proposed by Councillor Pannett, and seconded by Councillor Acreman, and

RECOMMENDED unanimously that the following programme proposal for 2025 be endorsed by the Full Council

– The Pancake Race be supported (not run) by the Town Council, through administration for the road closure and the free use of the Town Hall (if available)
– No support (including staff time) be provided to any activities associated with the Easter holiday period
– No support (including staff time) be provided for the Oxfordshire Artweeks
– The Curfew Bell event, which will be in its third year, be supported (not run) by the Town Council
– Four band concerts be run by the Town Council in the Castle Gardens, mitigating recent concerns expressed by neighbours
– The Agatha Christie weekend be supported (not run) by the Town Council
– Christmas celebrations directly provided by the Town Council be limited to the Christmas tree and the lighting of the town centre (to be treated as a civic event) and a carol-singing event, all of which would be treated as ‘civic’ activities – and that the Town Council undertake a review (only) of the outsourcing of the 2024 Christmas market in February 2025 on behalf of voluntary groups and stall holders with no intention for the Town Council to take on the direct management of the market
– An annual budget of £14k for non-civic events be included in the Town Council’s 2025-26 budget, based on an assumption of £2k per non-civic event, with some costing more and others less

18. To agree when bye elections are called to request or not to request polling cards

19. Future agenda items

To identify agenda items for future meetings

The following items have already been identified or requested and these will be included in the Town Clerk’s Report unless a decision is required:
• Pedestrianisation of front area of Town Hall (Town Clerk and staff team leading)
• Community emergency plan proposal (once formalised by the working group)

20. CLOSED SESSION

Exclusion of press and public
To resolve that the press and public be excluded from the meeting due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted. (RESOLUTION REQUIRED)
21. Actions from previous meetings [confidential]
To review progress on ‘open’ actions relating to confidential matters agreed at previous meetings (SUPPORTING PAPER)
22. Quotation for Additional Verge Cutting
To consider the quotation received for verge cutting for areas in Wallingford as per the map provided.
23. Maintenance provision closed churchyards
To decide whether the parks team should continue to maintain closed churchyards.
24. 10b St Martins
I. To consider widening the user clause to allow for residential use of the upper floors and extend the lease. Decision required. Papers previously circulated.
II. To consider granting consent to the long leaseholder to sublet to the bookshop who require consent for knocking a walkway from 10c to 10b.
25. IT quotations and Briefing Paper from the Locum Clerk
To consider the four quotations presented and note the briefing paper from the Locum Clerk.
26. Locum support
To consider the extension of Locum Clerk support. (RESOLUTION REQUIRED)

To close the meeting

The quorum for the Full Council is 8

The next ordinary meeting of the Full Council will be held on Monday, 28 April 2025.

Members of the public are welcome and have a right to attend.

Distribution: Town Council website and Town Hall noticeboard.

Non-confidential supporting papers (identified above) have been published on the Town Council website and can be downloaded from there.

We welcome members of the public at our meetings.  Any member of the public wishing to speak at the meeting should contact the Clerk Assistant in advance by emailing clerkassistant@wallingfordtowncouncil.gov.uk