Minutes of Full Council Meeting (Extraordinary) - 3rd June 2021

Minutes of the Extraordinary Virtual TEAMS meeting of Full Council on Wednesday, the 3^rd June 2021 at 7:00 pm

PRESENT

The Mayor, Councillor Marcus Harris

Councillors: Beatty, Beauchamp, Cattermole, Holder, Keats- Rohan, Kidley, Lester, and Whelan

Responsible Finance Officer: Michelle Taylor

Senior Officer in Attendance: Tracey Collins

Administration Officers: Jacqueline Newport and Emilie Perry

Approximately 6 members of the public present

The meeting commenced at 19:06 (7:06PM)

32/21.  THE CHAIRMAN TO ADVISE THE PROTOCOL OF THIS MEETING

33/21.  APOLOGIES

Apologies have been received from Councillors Holford, Hughes and Newcombe.

Councillors McGregor, Sinkinson and Wilder were not in attendance.

34/21.  ADMISSION OF THE PUBLIC

There were no confidential agenda items found to give reason to exclude any  members of the public from this meeting.

35/21. 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 at the meeting and all Councillors have received a copy prior to the meeting) Information for each Member was available at the meeting.

No pecuniary interests were declared.

36/21.  PUBLIC PARTICIPATION – NOTIFIED AND IMPROMPTU (Total 15 Minutes)

(i) Mr Dennis Jackson: Mr Jackson voiced his objection to Agenda item 9; he reported on the already existing difficulties with social distancing on market days on the Market Place, and believes that the Town Council’s benches should not be returned immediately, and at the very earliest be returned on the 21^st June 2021.

No other members of the public wished to speak.

37/21.  FACE TO FACE MEETINGS

To discuss reverting to face to face meetings in an emergency from the 4th to the 21st June if required after which the agreed diary of meetings will resume.

It was proposed by Councillor Beauchamp, seconded by Councillor Kidley, and

RESOLVED THAT this Council will revert back to face-to-face meetings in emergencies only until the 21^st June, when Council hopes to resume the regular schedule of meetings.

38/21.  LOCUM TOWN CLERK

(i)   To approve the appointment of a Locum Town Clerk.

(ii)  In the absence of a clerk, council to approve the Chairman and Vice-Chairman to  sign the contract.

It was proposed by Councillor Kidley, seconded by Councillor Whelan, and

RESOLVED THAT the contract will be signed by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, and the Locum Town Clerk will start on week commencing Monday the 7^th June 2021.

39/21.  HISTORIC ENGLAND GRANT OFFER

Councillor Keats-Rohan to report on the grant offer from Historic England, in the absence of a Clerk; Council to approve the Chairman to sign the contract with Historic England

It was proposed by Councillor Keats- Rohan, seconded by Councillor Lester, and RESOLVED THAT Wallingford Town Council accepts the offer with gratitude and the contract will be signed by the Mayor in the absence of a Clerk.

40/21.  MARKET PLACE BENCHES

The office reported that four Councillors, Councillors Beauchamp, Harris, Keats-  Rohan and Lester, had requested that consideration be given to overturning the Resolution made by the Parks, Gardens, Allotments and Open Space committee on 24th April, minute number 750 (iv) refers, in that the benches are reinstated immediately.

It was Proposed by Councillor Holford and Seconded by Councillor Keats-Rohan

RESOLVED: THAT the benches be returned to the Market Place for the 21st June 2021.

Councillor Lester reiterated that she requested that at least one of the Town Council’s benches be returned on multiple occasions, with consideration for the fact that Wallingford’s elderly and infirm needing somewhere to sit. Councillor Beauchamp supported Councillor Lester’s comment, stating that putting the benches back is more socially conscious.

It was proposed by Councillor Lester, seconded by Councillor Beatty, and

RESOLVED THAT the Town Council’s benches will be returned to the Market Place as soon as possible; the Senior Officer has scheduled this for Monday the 7^th June.

41/21.  KINECROFT AND BULL CROFT- Low Mow Areas: Kinecroft and Bull Croft

Councillor Holder asked Council’s approval that the Town Council’s logo be used on posters in the two agreed ‘low mow’ areas on the Kinecroft and Bull Croft. Council   was reminded with regards to the Conservation Areas in which the posters were to go up.

It was proposed by Councillor Holder, seconded by Councillor Beatty, and

RESOLVED THAT Council approves the use of the Town Council’s logo on the ‘low-mow area’ posters on the Kinecroft and Bull Croft.

42/21.  FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Appointment of the Mayor’s Cadet

Cllr Cattermole to give update on the potential disturbance of tree roots with a proposed pathway between the Railway and Lidl

Proposal for the Town Clerk Candidate to present to Council

The meeting ended at 19:39 (7:39pm)