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Present

Members:        

  • Cllr Steve Beatty
  • Cllr Dan Beauchamp (Deputy Mayor) (Chairman for Minute 479/22)
  • Cllr Giles Cattermole
  • Cllr Paul Gibbon
  • Cllr Marcus Harris (Chairman/Mayor) (except Minute 479/22)
  • Cllr Sue Hendrie
  • Cllr Steve Holder
  • Cllr Nigel Hughes
  • Cllr Katharine Keats-Rohan
  • Cllr Michael Kidley
  • Cllr George Newcombe
  • Cllr Deborah Whelan

Officers:        

  • Michelle Taylor, Town Clerk & Responsible Finance Officer
  • Duncan Kent, Head of Parks & Estates
  • Luke Whitcomb, Meetings Officer

Others:         

  • County Councillor Pete Sudbury
  • 3 members of the public
  • 0 members of the press

 

466/22     MEETING PROTOCOL

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

467/22     APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from Councillors Holford, Lester & McGregor

Councillor Sinkinson did not attend.

468/22     DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

No interests were declared.

469/22     MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS

The Mayor reported on the turning-on of the Christmas lights in the Market Place, the Santa Dash, and the upcoming Carols event.  He had also been speaking to potential candidates for the Town Council elections in May 2023.

He welcomed Duncan Kent who had joined the staff team that day as Head of Parks and Estates.

He indicated there was a confidential item he would like to bring the attention of the Council later in ‘closed’ part the meeting (see Minute 485/22)

470/22     MINUTES

It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, and seconded by Councillor Hendrie, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 14 November 2022 be approved as a correct record and the Chairman is authorised to sign them.

471/22     ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING [see also Minute 485/22]

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.

472/22     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Three members of the public attended and spoke on two issues: a parking and transport needs survey of those living in St Leonard’s Lane and a proposal for a Natural Netwalking initiative in Wallingford (see Minute 480/22).

The County Council were presently consulting on proposals to introduce residents’ parking areas in Castle Street, Croft Road, St John’s Road, and Reading Road.

473/22     COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS

County Councillor Sudbury spoke on the success of securing a pedestrian crossing between Brightwell-cum-Sotwell and Wallingford at the Slade End part of the bypass (A4130).  This would mean that the speed limit on that part of the bypass would ultimately need to be reduced to 50 mph.  Another crossing on the bypass was also being considered.  He was still intent on securing a pedestrian crossing outside Lidl.

He was also concerned about the impact of the planned Didcot bypass on traffic to Wallingford and was seeking to hold a workshop of all interested parties to develop an acceptable compromise that could be put to the County Council.  Another Highways issue that he was addressing was traffic along the Shillingford Road.

474/22     DRAFT ESTIMATES FOR 2023-2024

The Council reviewed the Draft Estimates for the following year which had been revised since consideration by the Finance and Properties Committee on 5 December 2023.  The Town Clerk had been able to find further savings since that meeting to minimise the increase at a time when there was significant cost of living pressures.

It was proposed by Councillor Keats Rohan, and seconded by Councillor Hughes, and RESOLVED that the Draft Estimates as presented to the Full Council at this meeting be approved

475/22     PRECEPT FOR 2023-2024

In the light of the approval of the Draft Estimates for 2023-2024 above (Minute 474/22), it was proposed by Councillor Keats Rohan, and seconded by Councillor Cattermole, and RESOLVED that the Precept be increased by £10.10 based on Band D household, which is equivalent to £1.02 per paying month (10), for 2023-2024

476/22     BANKING HUB

The Mayor reported that he would be meeting with local MP David Johnston on 16 December 2022 to discuss this and would report back at the next Council meeting in January 2023.

477/22     COST OF LIVING CRISIS – WARM HUBS

Councillor Holder drew the Council’s attention to a national registration scheme of available community ‘warm hubs’ over the winter months due to the rising energy costs.  Four venues had so far registered in Wallingford on the national site: the Library (all days except Wednesday and Sunday), the Fountain Café (Tuesday to Friday), the Baptist Church (Monday) and the Methodist Church (Tuesday).

478/22     ELECTIONS 2023

Councillor Hendrie reported on planned events to encourage and support residents to stand for election to the Town Council on 4 May 2023.  Nominations would open on 20 March 2023 and close at 4.00 pm on 4 April 2023.

Councillor Harris temporarily left the meeting chamber and Councillor Beauchamp took the chair

479/22     COMMUNITY USE OF TOWN HALL

It was proposed by Councillor Newcombe, and seconded by Councillor Holder, and RESOLVED that the concessional hire policy for community groups be updated as proposed by the Community, Business and Tourism Development Officer

Councillor Harris resumed chairing the meeting

480/22     NATURAL NETWALKING

Earlier in the meeting (Minute 472/22), the Council had heard from one of the co-founders of Natural Netwalking, an initiative to encourage networking whilst walking.  So far, around 150 events had been held, including in the South & Vale District area.  Typically, a walk was 5-7 kilometres long and attended by 10-12 people.

The Council did not feel that the Town Council was the best ‘home’ for this interesting initiative and that there were more pressing priorities for the Grants Officer.

481/22     WALLINGFORD SCHOOL GERMAN EXCHANGE

The Council considered a request from Wallingford School for a reciprocal gesture of hospitality to be offered by the Town Council to German students from Bad Wurzach when visiting Wallingford on an exchange.

It was proposed by Councillor Hughes, and seconded by Councillor Newcombe, and RESOLVED that Wallingford School be encouraged to make a Section 106 application to the Town Council

482/22     COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

A recommendation of the Finance and Properties Committee was considered as part of the discussion on the Draft Estimates for 2023-2024 (see Minute 474/22)

483/22     FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

The following items were identified for future meetings:

  • Elections 2023 (rolling item) (Cllr Hendrie)
  • Councillor Induction Guide (January 2023)
  • 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 (Head of Parks & Estates)
  • Renaming and reshuffling of Committees to establish the Estates Committee
  • Alderman Emeritus (to consider making new appointments)
  • Civic and Ceremonial Working Party update
  • Regal update (rolling item)
  • Banking hub (Mayor to update on next steps)
  • Follow-up discussion on CIL spending strategy (Cllr Hughes) (January 2023)
  • Proposed residents’ parking area in St Leonard’s Lane, as requested by residents following an independent survey
484/22     EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

It was proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, and seconded by Councillor Kidley, and RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting due to the confidential nature of business to be transacted

 

The meeting ended at 8.43 pm

 

Minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on12 December 2022, signed as a correct record

 

Chairman

2022-12-12 FC minutes PUBLIC