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Minutes of the Town Council meeting held on Monday 6th March 2006 in the Town Hall, Hungerford.
Present: M.Morgan (Mayor), D. Small, G. Bullock, D. Liddiard, M. Wilson, R. Hudson, C. Ticehurst, R. Thompson,
M. Barletta, W. Acworth, R. Ballard, P. Harries, D. Gaines (District Councillor), J. Hutchings (Clerk).
F&GP held at 6.30pm
Present: D. Small, G. Bullock, R. Hudson, R. Ballard.
Cheques signed by Cllrs Bullock & Small. Auditor: Cllr Hudson.
Lushglen invoice withdrawn; this will be discussed at the next Highways & Transport meeting.
Clerk’s subscription to SLCC withdrawn as Cllr Bullock wished to look into the legality of paying the Clerks membership fee.
The committee declined to pay for room hire on behalf of Richard Benyon MP for his surgery on Saturday 25th March 2006.
Before commencement of the Agenda the Council was addressed by Mr Wheen re: Extended Services in and around schools.
Mr Wheen works from the Hungerford Nursery School at present.
Extended School offers: - Quality Child care from 8am – 6pm at the Nursery on weekdays.
- Varied activities for children and the community, including drama, sport, music and languages.
- Parenting support, family learning, swift and easy referrals to professional specialists.
- Plans for raising achievements locally – both within and after school.
Hungerford is in the forefront of this.
- Children’s centre which extends to outlying villages, has 2 full time support workers and offers
anti-natal classes and parenting classes amongst others.
Cllr Gaines reported:
- There is now a Yellow Pages recycling bin in Station Road Car Park
- A338 Hungerford Newtown: The southbound sign is working but questions are still being raised by
residents who live near the northbound sign pole.
- Pigeons: Cllr Gaines has contacted WBC about this problem and is awaiting a reply.
- Parking survey: now completed. All traffic orders will be dealt with at the same time as from April,
after which there will be consultation and then plan of work by the end of May.
- Cllr Gaines asked if the District Councillor’s surgery should continue – perhaps every two weeks or monthly
or every two months? Cllr Bullock suggested every two months. Cllr Gaines agreed and also thought the
time should be changed to 10am – 12 noon.
- Library: the design and plans are completed. This week there will be a meeting with the architects and
J. George from the 2010+ group will attend. In future there will be consultation with the Town Council
and 2010+ during the design process for new public buildings. The planning application will be submitted
next week if the result of Wednesday’s meeting is satisfactory.
- Charnham Street Crossing: J. Winstanley (WBC), Cllrs Hudson, Gaines and Mole visited the site and it
was decided that a Puffin Crossing should be placed near Casanova’s. Cllr Gaines has asked if funding can
be found for a crossing near Eddington Bridge/A4 Hire.
1) Apologies for absence
Apologies were received on behalf of Cllr Scorey (on holiday) and Cllr Desmeules (in Canada on business).
2) Declaration of Interests
Cllr Harries declared a prejudicial interest in agenda item 7) Accounts for authorisation.
Cllr Small declared an interest in agenda item 8) Cricket Club Lease
3) Minutes of 6th February 2006
06/017 Proposed: Cllr Liddiard, second: Cllr Bullock. Agreed.
Cllr Hudson queried whether he should have signed the minutes of the special meeting 12th December 2006
as he had chaired it. The Mayor signed the minutes at the February meeting. The Clerk advised that she
believed that to be in order.
4) Matters Arising
i) From the last meeting : the Clerk has written to WBC Western Area Planning and the Triangle Field
Development plan now has the Hungerford Rugby Club named as the applicant.
ii) Adventure Dolphin – The Mayor will meet with the group before the litter-pick and suggest
areas to be concentrated on.
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iii) Quality Parish Council Scheme – the Mayor asked all Councillors to read the document
in preparation for discussion at the April meeting.
iv) West Berkshire Minority Ethnic Forum – for information
v) Gas price rise – for information. It was suggested that the Clerk look into the possibility of
using another supplier.
5) Mayor’s Report
Attended a performance of the Theatre Club’s production of the ‘Flower Drum Song’ and found it excellent
entertainment.
25th Anniversary of Newbury Building Society.
6) Chairman’s Reports
F&GP report given by Cllr Small
06/018 Suspend Standing Orders to discuss the meeting arranged for Monday 13th March 2006.
Proposed: Cllr Bullock. second: Cllr Barletta. Agreed.
06/019 Proposed: Cllr Small, second: Cllr Thompson, that the meeting arranged for Monday 13th March 2006
should be a general forum i.e. a special Town Council meeting and not a meeting of the F&GP committee.
Agreed.
Standing Orders reinstated.
RAWM report given by Cllr Cardwell
H&T report given by Cllr Hudson
E&P report given by Cllr Harries
Newsletter report given by Cllr Thompson.
7) Authorization of Accounts
06/020 Proposed: Cllr Small, second: Cllr Ballard, that the accounts in the sum of £8080.54 be authorized for
payment. Agreed.
8) Cricket Club Lease
The Mayor asked Cllr Small to explain the lease.
- Rent £10 per annum to be reviewed every seven years.
- Main changes in the schedule: Trustees Obligations:
Obligation 2 Club to pay water rates
- Obligation 4 Club to keep trees and boundary hedges trimmed and gates in good repair.
- Obligation 8: refers to club insurance
- Obligation 9: refers to public liability
Obligations of Council : 1) Boundary walls and fences
2) An annual contribution towards costs and expenses – pursuant to paras 2 & 4
of the first part of the Schedule.
06/021 Proposed: Cllr Ticehurst, second: Cllr Liddiard, that the lease is accepted.
06/022 Proposed: Cllr Hudson, second: Cllr Acworth, Amendment: that the Council’s Obligations 1 and 2 should be removed from the lease. Vote: 6 in favour, 3 against, 1 abstention. Amendment carried.
Cllr Small requested clarification of what he has to take back to the Cricket Club. Clerk to write.
9) Hungerford Library
Cllr Harries had drawings (not plans) for Councillors to look at. Cllr Mole has assured Cllr Harries that there
will be no need for the car park to be closed. The provision for temporary toilets has not been included in the
building costs and has yet to be resolved.
J. George of the 2010+ group will be meeting with WBC on Wednesday and will report to the next E&P
meeting the results of his visit.
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10) Risk Assessments
Cllr Harries queried who had not yet seen the assessments and impressed on those Councillors the need
for speedy action.
Signed………………………….
Mayor, 3rd April 2006