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Present

Members:        

  • Cllr Steve Beatty
  • Cllr Dan Beauchamp (Deputy Mayor)
  • Cllr Giles Cattermole
  • Cllr Paul Gibbon
  • Cllr Marcus Harris (Chairman/Mayor)
  • Cllr Sue Hendrie
  • Cllr Steve Holder
  • Cllr Nigel Hughes
  • Cllr Katharine Keats-Rohan (from Minute 530/22)
  • Cllr Michael Kidley
  • Cllr Rosslyn Lester (up to Minute 546/22)
  • 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:           

  • 0 District or County Councillors
  • 4 members of the public
  • 0 members of the press

 

524/22     MEETING PROTOCOL

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

525/22     APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from Councillors Holford and McGregor and County Councillor Sudbury.

Councillor Sinkinson did not attend.

526/22     DECLARATIONS OF INTERESTS

Councillor Lester declared an interest in the items that would be considered in the confidential part of the meeting (Minutes 547/22 to 549/22)

527/22     MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS

The Mayor reported on his recent activity, including the Christmas carol concert, a recording for the Talking Newspaper, visits to the St Leonard’s Ward of Wallingford Hospital and the Barchester Home, participation in workshops at the Corn Exchange and at St Mary-le-More, and judging the window display for the Advent Calendar which the Deli had won.   He had received a lot of positive feedback from residents about the Christmas lighting. The Civic Dinner was currently being organised and would be held on 14 April 2023.

528/22     MINUTES

It was proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, and seconded by Councillor Hendrie, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 12 December 2022 be approved as a correct record and the Chairman is authorised to sign them.

It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, and seconded by Councillor Kidley, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the Extraordinary meeting of the Full Council held on 16 January 2023 be approved as a correct record and the Chairman is authorised to sign them

529/22     ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING [see also Minute 547/22]

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.

530/22     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Mrs Pat Hayton, Chairman of the Trustees, spoke about the work of the Wallingford Municipal Charities (WMC) and the Town Council’s role in making appointments.  The Town Council nominated seven out of the thirteen councillors from a list of applicants.  The seven nominees then co-opted the six remaining trustees.

WMC had two principal responsibilities: Wallingford Relief In Need and Angier’s Almshouses.

Mrs Hayton express her hope that the new Team Rector, replacing the Reverend David Rice, would become a trustee when they took up their position towards the end of 2023.

Councillor Keats-Rohan joined the meeting during this item.

531/22     COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS

There were no reports from the District or County Councillors.

532/22     INTERNAL AUDITOR’S REPORT

The Council considered the Internal Auditor’s Report for 2021-2022 which was positive and where the small number of recommendations had already been actioned.

(a)   It was proposed by Councillor Whelan, and seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and RESOLVED that the Internal Auditor’s Report for 2021-2022 be received

(b)   It was proposed by Councillor Newcombe, and seconded by Councillor Lester, and RESOLVED that the effectiveness of the Internal Audit for 2021-22 be confirmed

(c)    It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, and seconded by Councillor Beauchamp, and RESOLVED that it be noted that no further action had been recommended by the Internal Auditor

The Town Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer was thanked and congratulated for her work in managing the Council’s finances.

533/22     QUARTER 2 ACCOUNTS, 2022-2023

It was proposed by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and seconded by Councillor Hendrie, and RESOLVED that the Quarter 2 Accounts for 2022-2023 be approved.

534/22     COMMUNITY INSFRASTRUCTURE LEVY (CIL) – STRATEGY

Councillor Hughes thanked others for their input to the emerging strategy, including former Mayor Lee Upcraft and the Council’s Grants Officer, Jo Emmerson, and updated the Council on some changes to the strategy, including the removal of matched funding, additional contextual information from South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC) and the publication of a Section 123 List.

The Council’s approach would be heavily tied to the Neighbourhood Plan which was considered sufficiently broad in scope and would be periodically reviewed.

Grant applications could still come to a Full Council or Finance and Properties Committee meeting, but some applications might be more complicated requiring a dedicated meeting.

Councillor Hughes explained how the strategy and the availability of grants would be promoted.

535/22     COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH

Ms Lynda Bowyer, the new group co-ordinator of Wallingford Community Speedwatch, spoke about current priorities, including the identification of ‘hot spots’ within the Town.  This initiative had been set in motion by the Town Council itself and was being treated as primarily educational.  Speedwatches like this had proved effective across the country in curtailing speeding.

Some Members expressed concern at speeding during late evenings and at night time.  Unfortunately the Thames Valley Police insurance did not cover monitoring during these hours

The Mayor thanked Ms Bowyer for her willingness to lead the group and the action that she had already undertaken.

536/22     PEDESTRIANISATION OF FRONT AREA OF TOWN HALL

The Council considered a report of a recent meeting with traffic and road safety officers of Oxfordshire County Council (OCC)

It was proposed by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and seconded by Councillor Hughes, and RESOLVED that a public consultation exercise be initiated focused on the views and needs of local shops and transport providers

537/22     CASTLE MOTTE

Councillor Keats-Rohan reported on the condition of the Norman Motte which was considered as an outstanding example of such a structure.  The current focus however was on the repairs to the St Nicholas ruins.

538/22     ELECTIONS 2023

Councillor Hendrie and The Mayor reported on a series of three events to encourage residents to stand for election to the Town Council.

539/22     AGATHA CHRISTIE STATUE

Councillor Beatty reported on the positive progress on this planned public statue which was on schedule.  Two films of the sculptor at work were being created for PR purposes and for use on the Council’s own communication platforms.

Councillor Beatty was thanked for his work on this project.

540/22     INFORMATION BOARDS

The Council considered a proposal from the Community, Business and Tourism Development Officer for Section 106 Public Arts funding to be used to commission new information boards within the Town.  Existing ones had been discoloured over time.

It was proposed by Councillor Newcombe, and seconded by Councillor Beatty, and RESOLVED that Section 106 Public Arts funding be used in principle for this but that a strategic approach be taken to the issue of information boards within the Town and that a more detailed proposal – including quotations – be brought back to Council, drawing on good examples from other towns and sectionalising the different types of information that needed to be communicated.

541/22     COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS

(a)   Internal Auditor’s Report for 2021-2022

The recommendation of the Finance and Properties Committee (Draft Minute 516/22) had already been considered as part of Minute 532/22.

(b)   Terms of reference review

It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, and seconded by Councillor Whelan, and RESOLVED that the proposal of the Finance and Properties Committee (Draft Minute 511/22) to increase their Quorum to 6 from 4 be approved

All other committees had reviewed and were satisfied with their existing terms of reference.

542/22     CIVIC AND CEREMONIAL WORKING PARTY

The Mayor reported on the recent meeting of the Civic and Ceremonial Working Party which had focussed on the forthcoming Coronation of King Charles III

Buckingham Palace had since outlined plans for the Coronation weekend and the Council agreed that its activities should align with the Palace’s steer.  So far the Working Party had agreed to screen the ceremony using Castle Gardens as the venue, as had been done for the broadcast of the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

The Parks, Gardens, Allotments and Open Spaces Committee was also developing a proposal for a commemorative art installation (a hanging basket tree) in the Rest Garden opposite the St Martin’s entrance of Waitrose.

Members noted that the Coronation was falling in the same week as the Town Council Elections.

543/22     APPOINTMENTS

This item was deferred to the next meeting of the Full Council on 20 February 2023.

544/22     FLAG AND BANNER SCHEDULE

It was proposed by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and seconded by Councillor Kidley, and RESOLVED that the flag and banner schedule for 2023 be approved

Councillor Kidley was thanked for his physical work in raising flags.

545/22     FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

The following items were identified:

  • Activities and installation to mark the Coronation of King Charles III
  • Appointments: Bridge Estates Charity and Wallingford Municipal Charities
  • Junior Members of the Town Council (Cllr George Newcombe)
  • Elections 2023 (rolling item until May 2023) (Cllr Sue Hendrie)
  • Councillor Induction Guide (FC February 2023)
  • Proposal for structure of Annual Town Meeting (FC February 2023)
  • Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) strategy (Cllr Hughes)
  • Pedestrianisation of front area of Town Hall (rolling agenda item)
  • The Regal (rolling agenda item)
  • Lighting within our public spaces (once the Parks, Gardens, Allotments and Open Spaces Committee has considered this issue)
  • Castle Motte – what it would take to open this up to the public again
  • Horse chestnut tree, Kinecroft – costs associated with the Council’s decision to retain
  • Information board strategy (once it has been considered by the Tourism and Economic Development Committee)
  • Zebra crossings within the Town
  • CCTV within the town (FC February 2023)
  • Upgrade to consumer unit in Town Hall
  • Staff team building/volunteer days
  • Estates Portfolio Review (assigned to Head of Parks & Estates)
  • Renaming and reshuffling of Committees to establish the Estates Committee
  • Alderman Emeritus (to consider making new appointments)
546/22     EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

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

Councillor Lester left the meeting, having declared an interest in the following matters

 

The meeting ended at 9.16 pm

Minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 23 January 2023, signed as a correct record

 

Chairman

 

 

2023-01-23 FC minutes CONFIDENTIAL