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Present

Members        

  • Cllr Steve Beatty
  • Cllr Dan Beauchamp (Deputy Mayor) (in the chair for Minute 723/22)
  • Cllr Giles Cattermole (up to 728/22)
  • Cllr Paul Gibbon
  • Cllr Marcus Harris (Mayor/Chairman (except for Minute 723/22)
  • Cllr Sue Hendrie
  • Cllr Stephen Holder
  • Cllr Claire Holford
  • Cllr Nigel Hughes
  • Cllr Katharine Keats-Rohan
  • Cllr Michael Kidley
  • Cllr Rosslyn Lester (up to 729/22)
  • Cllr George Newcombe

Officers:         

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

Others:  

  • County Councillor Pete Sudbury (for 714/22 only)
  • 5 members of the public
  • 0 members of the press

 

707/22     MEETING PROTOCOL

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

708/22     APOLOGIES

Apologies were received from Councillors McGregor, Sinkinson and Whelan.

709/22     DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Councillors Cattermole, Hughes and Lester declared interests the items minuted as 728/22, 722/22 and 729/22 respectively.

710/22     MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS

The Mayor reported on recent mayoral activity, including his attendance at a Hockey Club dinner and drinks event, the Civic Dinner and the launch of the Community Speedwatch.

711/22     MINUTES

It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, and seconded by Councillor Lester, and RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 20 March 2023 be approved as a correct record and the Chairman is authorised to sign them.

712/22     ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING [see also Minute 725/22]

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

713/22     PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Mr Bernard Stone expressed his shock and repugnance at the derogatory way he had been referred to by Councillor Cattermole at the previous meeting of the Full Council when an appointment to the Bridge Estates Charity had been made, particularly given Mr Stone’s long service to the town.  Minute 650/22 refers.

He reminded Members that trustees were appointed to the Bridge Estates Charity to serve the interests of the Trust, not to further the objectives of the Town Council or a faction of the Town Council.  He listed the many roles he had played in the life of the Town, including during challenging times.

In response, the Mayor expressed his highest regard for Mr Stone and the contribution he had made to the well-being of the Town.

714/22     COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ REPORTS

County Councillor Sudbury gave a verbal report of his recent activities.  He had been concentrating primarily on transport matters, including the need to encourage the use of the Wallingford bypass, as opposed to drivers cutting through the centre of the Town, particularly as Didcot grew, and the challenges caused by the decision of Thames Valley Bus Company to discontinue the X39 bus service.  The journey times to and from Oxford and Reading were being considerably increased by the buses stopping at all the bus stops from the outskirts to the centres of the towns.

715/22     BILL SCHEDULES

It was proposed by Councillor Holford, and seconded by Councillor Hughes, and RESOLVED that the bill schedules for February and March 2023 be approved

716/22     QUARTER 3 ACCOUNTS, 2022-2023

The Chairman explained that this matter would be deferred to the next meeting of the Town Council on 24 May 2023.

717/22     FINANCIAL RISK ASSESSMENT

The Council reviewed the Financial Risk Assessment. Members were encouraged by the prominence of low risk and thanked the Town Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer for her work.

718/22     INTERNAL AUDIT, SECOND INTERM REPORT, 2022-2023

The Council considered the Second Interim Report of the Internal Auditor for 2022-2023.

(a)   It was proposed by Councillor Hendrie, and seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and RESOLVED that the Second Interim Report for 2022-2023 be received

(b)   It was proposed by Councillor Holford, and seconded by Councillor Cattermole, and RESOLVED that the effectiveness of the Internal Audit be confirmed

(c)    It was proposed by Councillor Holford, and seconded by Councillor Cattermole, and RESOLVED that action taken by Town Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer to implement the single recommendation of the report, be noted

719/22     INSURANCE POLICY

The Town Clerk reported that a couple of areas which had not been previously covered by the Insurance Policy were being investigated, namely the walls around the Council’s parks and structures within the moorings.

It was proposed by Councillor Keats-Rohan, and seconded by Councillor Holford, and RESOLVED that the Insurance Policy be approved

720/22     COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH

The Council received an update report from the Community Speedwatch Co-ordinator.  The Mayor, who had attended the launch of the Community Speedwatch, praised the impressive work that the volunteers had already undertaken to reduce speeding within the Town.

721/22     INFORMATION BOARDS

The Chairman reported that 21 applications had been received from artists for the Information Boards.  These had been shortlisted to 5, favouring local artists in particular, and the successful artist would be selected at a meeting of the Public Arts Working Group on 26 April 2023.

The Engagement Manager was thanked for her outstanding work on this project.

Councillor Hughes declared an interest in the following item

722/22     GRANT APPLICATION – OXFORDSHIRE PLAY ASSOCIATION

The Council reconsidered this grant application because the Wallingford/RAF Benson Play and Activity Day was being held on the Kinecroft – on 17 June 2023 – and would coincide with the Carnival.

It was proposed by Councillor Holford and seconded by Councillor Beatty, and RESOLVED that a grant of £500 be awarded from the 2023-2024 Municipal Year

Councillor Beauchamp took the chair for the following item

723/22     RETIRING MAYOR

It was proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, and seconded by Councillor Lester, and RESOLVED that this Council records its sincere thanks Councillor Marcus Harris for the excellent manner in which he has performed his duties as Mayor of Wallingford during the 2021 and 2022 Municipal Years and do assure him that his courtesy in carrying out the many duties devolving on the high office of Mayor, his concern for the welfare of residents both young and old, that he has upheld in true measure the traditions of his predecessors in office and gained the high esteem of both Members of the Council and the residents of Wallingford

It was further proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, and seconded by Councillor Lester, and RESOLVED that the seal of the Town Council be applied to this engrossment

Councillor Harris resumed the chair

724/22     EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC

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

 

The meeting ended at 8.03 pm

 

Minutes of the meeting of the Full Council held on 24 April 2023, signed as a correct record

Chairman

 

 

2023-04-24 FC minutes PUBLIC