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Minutes of the Town Council meeting held on Monday 4^th September 2006 in the

Town Hall, Hungerford.

Finance and General Purposes meeting commenced at 6.30pm.

Present: G. Bullock, P. Harries, R. Ballard, R. Hudson and J. Hutchings (clerk)

Cheques to the value of £7,531.49 were signed by Cllrs Bullock and Harries. The accounts were audited by Cllr Ballard.

s137 application considered. It was decided that the Council should be advised to agree the full amount of £500.

Meeting closed at 7pm.

The Open Forum commenced at 7pm during which Neale Marney, our paramedic, thanked the Council for the grant aid awarded him and demonstrated the piece of equipment purchased with the funding.

The Council meeting commenced at 7.15pm.

Present: G. Bullock (Mayor), R. Ballard, R. Thompson, M. Wilson, D. Liddiard, R. Scorey, P. Harries, R. Hudson,

C. Ticehurst, R. Desmeules, W. Acworth, E. Cardwell (7.30pm.), District Councillor D. Gaines and

J. Hutchings (Clerk). Inspector Peter Edwards.

4 members of the public

Prior to commencement the Mayor asked Council to remember the three soldiers killed today and give thought to the great loss to their families.

District Councillor’s Report

- Regents Close: appeal denied.

- Bins being placed in Fairview Road along with dog-fouling signs and increased cleaning.

- Accidents in Church Street: 2 in 2003 – minor and with no injuries.

- CCTV: possibility of extending coverage, perhaps through s106 funding.

- Arts Centre Update: progressing well. Funding from the Big Lottery may be available for the project.

Up to £250,000 no matched funding necessary, over this amount matched funding is required.

WBC Planning and sub-committee of the Arts Group to meet and discuss the site at the Croft Field.

- Parking Survey: District Councillors Gaines and Mole will not make a response to this until after the

public consultation on the 12^th and 13^th of this month.

- Speed Activated Signs at Hungerford Newtown: not working effectively. Funding is now available for

further signs.

- Library: negotiation of contract is now in progress and should be settled within the next couple of weeks.

1) Apologies for absence

Apologies were received on behalf of Cllr Small.

2) Declaration of Interests

There were no declarations.

3) Minutes of 3^rd July 2006

06/052 Proposed: Cllr Liddiard, second: Cllr Harries, agreed but with 2 abstentions – Cllrs Scorey and Acworth

unable to vote as they were not present at the 3^rd July meeting

Part Two Minutes of 3^rd July and 5^th June 2006

06/053 Proposed: Cllr Harries, second: Cllr Liddiard. Agreed.

4) Finance

i) Authorization of accounts

06/054 Proposed: Cllr Ballard, second: Cllr Wilson, that the accounts in the sum of £7,531.49 be authorized for

payment. Agreed with 1abstention.

ii) Cricket Club request for help with legal fees

06/055 Proposed: Cllr Harries, second: Cllr Cardwell, that the Council agrees to contribute towards the Cricket

Club’s legal fees in regard to its new lease, but delegates to the Finance and General Purposes committee the

negotiation of the amount. Agreed unanimously.

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iii) s137 – Hungerford Newtown

06/056 Proposed: Cllr Liddiard, second: Cllr Wilson, standing orders to be suspended to allow applicant to speak.

Agreed.

Mr Candler explained that the idea of a notice board for Newtown had been well received by the

residents and that they are happy to take on its maintenance. The notice board will be displayed in the

bus shelter once the shelter has been re-instated following its re-siting during the conversion of St Mary’s

Church to a private dwelling.

Standing orders were re-instated and the Council agreed s137 grant aid in the sum of £500. This was

06/057 proposed: Cllr Liddiard, second: Cllr Wilson. Agreed unanimously.

5) Co-option

06/058 After lengthy discussion it was proposed: Cllr Wilson, second: Cllr Ticehurst that the Council co-opt to

fill the vacant seat. Vote: 10 in favour, 2 against.

06/059 Proposed: Cllr Scorey, second: Cllr Ballard that the cut-off date for applications should the 18^th September

with attendance at the October meeting for the selection process. Vote: 11 in favour with 1 abstention.

As Inspector Edwards was not present the agenda moved to item 8.

8) Hungerford Town Band

Mr Brian Fisher, representative of the Band, was present as an observer.

Cllr Harries précised the letter from Mr Chris Sketchley, secretary of the Band, expressing the

Band’s wish to build a band room at the Triangle Field – planning permission already granted.

Cllr Harries drew attention to the Triangle Field lease which allows sports only and referred to the

plan, as yet in its early stages, to try to establish an arts centre at the Croft Field which will be for

use of the Band and other arts groups.

06/060 Proposed: Cllr Harries, second: Cllr Cardwell, that the Triangle Field remain for sports use only

and, therefore, the Band cannot develop a band room there. Vote: 10 in favour, 1 against.

Mr Fisher was invited to speak – he expressed his sympathy for the predicament that the Council

found itself in and appreciated the fact that the Triangle Field was for sport only, a fact of which he

had been unaware.

Cllr Bullock will reply to Mr Sketchley’s letter. GB

6) Police Community Support Officers

The Mayor welcomed Inspector Edwards to the meeting.

Inspector Edwards explained the role of the PCSO and that Hungerford will be getting one as soon as

recruitment and training is completed. The question is will Hungerford pay for a second PCSO?

If the Council funded a second the PCSO would be dedicated to Hungerford only. After a full discussion

of the pros and cons of funding a second PCSO it appeared that the majority were in favour, initially, with

just one PCSO and reviewing performance after approximately one year. Therefore, it was:

06/061 Proposed: Cllr Thompson, second: Cllr Cardwell, that the Council gives full support to Neighbourhood

Policing and do all it can to support one PCSO. Vote: Unanimous.

06/062 Proposed: Cllr Thompson, second: Cllr Acworth, that the Council approach commercial interests in

Hungerford to ascertain a need for a second PCSO and request financial assistance with the funding of.

Vote: 8 in favour, 4 abstentions.

7) Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG)

The group will prioritise the needs of policing in Hungerford and will work closely with the PCSO.

The group will be made up of a cross-section of the community and will meet approximately every six weeks.

The NAG will not be a ‘talking shop’ but a hands-on working group.

06/063 Proposed: Cllr Thompson, second: Cllr Liddiard, that Cllr Scorey represents the Council on the NAG.

Vote: Unanimous.

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06/064 Proposed: Cllr Liddiard, second: Cllr Thompson, that Cllr Cardwell should also represent the

Council on the NAG. Vote: Unanimous.

06/065 Proposed: Cllr Thompson, second: Cllr Cardwell, that Cllr Desmeules should also join the NAG.

Vote: Unanimous.

Cllr Bullock volunteered to deputise should the need arise.

The Mayor and Councillors thanked Inspector Edwards for attending.

9) Request from the Chamber of Commerce to place a steam engine on Bridge Street War Memorial

site during the Victorian Extravaganza

The British Legion think this inappropriate as does the Council. Cllr Bullock suggested that one might

be placed in the area of Roxtons/Methodist Church.

Cllr Bullock will write to the Chamber of Commerce. GB

10) West Berkshire Parking Proposals

Draft comments have been submitted to WBC by Cllr Hudson. The Council is awaiting the Public

Consultation on the 12^th and 13^th of this month before making final comments.

11) 2010+ Town Plan

There is a meeting at the British Legion on the 20^th of this month to report the progress of the various

projects resulting from the Town Plan. All Councillors asked to attend.

12) Mayor’s Report

The mayor’ report had been distributed previously.

Hungerford Primary School: the Governors will meet at the end of this month and select a replacement

following Cllr Wilson’s resignation.

Letter from Newbury College: replacement needed for the College committee following Mansil Morgan’s

resignation from Council. Letter to be distributed. JKH

13) Chairmen’s Reports

The following reports were given:

Highways and Transport - Cllr Hudson

Recreation, Amenities & War Memorials - Cllr Cardwell

Environment & Planning - Cllr Scorey

Newsletter - Cllr Thompson

Triangle Field Development - Cllr Hudson

Part One meeting ended: 9.30pm

Signed:…………………………………

Mayor

2^nd October 2006