DRAFT
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Minutes of the Town Council meeting held on Monday 8th January 2007
in the Town Hall, Hungerford
6.30pm Finance & General Purposes:
Present: G. Bullock, P. Harries, R. Hudson, R. Scorey, D. Small and J. Hutchings (Clerk)
Cheques in the sum of £15131.64 were signed by Cllrs Bullock and Hudson. Cllr Harries audited.
7pm Public Forum:
Neale and Mary Marney were in attendance to receive the Council’s congratulations on Neale being awarded
an MBE for his many commitments to the community of Hungerford.
Cllr Rod Desmeules was presented with a photographic record of the Christmas tree and lights for the season
of 2006, as a thank you for the many hours spent organising our most successful display ever.
The idea and financing of the record came from Cllr David Liddiard.
7.15pm District Councillor’s Report from Cllr Gaines
- Cllr Gaines gave apologies from Cllr Mole as he was unable to attend this evening
- A338: the cat’s eyes have been installed and are working.
- Prospect Road: no entry signs had been taken down by WBC as there was no traffic order for them.
This has now been rectified and they are re-instated.
- H1 bus service: Weaveaway has discontinued the contract. The Lambourn bus is now covering the
route but with a reduced timetable.
- Parking Study: implementation should start in July.
- Croft Field: There are no planning, legal or other reasons to prevent an Arts Centre being run here and
West Berkshire Council has no objections to the Arts Centre being built.
Cllr Thompson said that the next step was to find out what the community wanted from an Arts Centre and
also pointed out that there is very little performance space in Hungerford and even that was inadequate.
Cllr Small said that storage and rehearsal facilities are also needed.
- The WBC meeting to set the Council Tax and the Precept will be held on Thursday 15th February 2007.
- The new Library: there is no information beyond what we already know.
- Cllr Scorey asked what happens when the traffic warden is off sick – Cllr Gaines said that there is no cover
available.
- Cllr Harries asked what is happening re Bulpit Lane Playground, as the Clerk has received conflicting information.
Cllr Gaines will try to verify what stage the project has reached.
7.30pm Town Council Meeting
Present: G. Bullock (Mayor), D. Small, P. Harries, R. Hudson, R. Thompson, R. Scorey, D. Liddiard, M. Wilson,
R. Desmeules, W. Acworth, E. Cardwell and J. Hutchings (Clerk)
1) Apologies for absence
Apologies were received on behalf of R. Ballard and C. Ticehurst.
2) Declaration of Interests
D. Small declared a personal interest in the letter (for information) from the Town & Manor.
3) Minutes of 4th December 2006
07/001 Proposed: Cllr Wilson, second: Cllr Acworth. Agreed unanimously. The minutes were signed as a
true and accurate record by Cllr Bullock.
Matters Arising: Audit Report – distributed to each Councillor.
BALC Councillor Training – Module 3 distributed to each Councillor.
DisExtra – All Councillors should now have read the planning issues.
Letter from the Town & Manor re Football Club lease of Mast Site. – for info
5) Under Lease – Rugby Club
The Council are not in a position to sign the under lease or agreement but can agree the terms and
then forward under lease and agreement to Colin Broughton at WBC.
07/002 Proposed: Cllr Bullock, second: Cllr Cardwell, that Standing Orders be suspended to allow members
of the Rugby Club to speak. Agreed.
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Steve Mills, President of the Rugby Club, explained that the Club is holding its annual School’s
Tag Rugby Competition on the 24th of this month and the Club would like to take advantage of
publicity surrounding this event by holding a Ceremonial ‘First Dig of Turf’ to mark the advent
of the new Clubhouse.
The Council is happy for this to take place.
The start of an under 7’s group is imminent; initially it will meet once per month.
Also on the 24th the children would like to bury the time capsules that they have prepared.
The Council also has no objections to this.
07/003 Proposed: Cllr Bullock, second: Cllr Liddiard, that Standing Orders be re-instated. Agreed.
07/004 Proposed: Cllr Harries, second: Cllr Liddiard, that the Council agrees the terms of the Under Lease
and Agreement. Agreed unanimously.
07/005 Proposed: Cllr Liddiard, second: Cllr Cardwell, that the Under Lease and Agreement be forwarded
to Colin Broughton (WBC) for approval. Agreed unanimously.
6) Mayor’s Report
- Library: there are to be no solar panels in the new building – reason: too expensive.
Cllr Harries thought that the costing for the library included solar panels. Cllr Bullock
has tried to verify this but has been unable to speak to anyone at WBC who might be able to
help.
- The Council has requested that the Mayor arrange a public showing of the Al Gore film ‘An
Inconvenient Truth’; Cllr Bullock will be speak to the Manager of the Corn Exchange, Newbury
for advice and has provisionally booked the Corn Exchange, Hungerford for the 25th February 2007.
- The Mayor asked Councillors to deliver the new Town Guide to households in their area.
7) Chairmen’s Reports
i) Finance & General Purposes - Cllr Small
ii) Recreation, Amenities and War Memorials - Cllr Cardwell
iii) Highways and Transport - Cllr Hudson
iv) Environment & Planning - Cllr Scorey
v) HTC Newsletter - Cllr Thompson
vi) Triangle Field Development - Cllr Harries
4) Finance
07/006 Proposed: Cllr Small, second: Cllr Harries that accounts in the sum of £15,131.64 be authorized for
payment. Agreed unanimously.,
07/007 Proposed: Cllr Bullock, second: Cllr Harries that the public and press be asked to withdraw for the
discussion of the following two items. Vote: 9 in favour with 2 abstentions. The press and public
withdrew.
i) Precept requirement: £183,830
07/008 Proposed: Cllr Thompson, second: Cllr Harries, that the above figure be agreed as this Council’s precept
requirement for April 2007 – March 2008. Vote: 9 in favour, 1 against, 1 abstention.
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ii) Credit Balances: after lengthy discussions it was
07/009 Proposed: Cllr Hudson, second: Cllr Small, that £5,000 should be used from the credit balances to
lower the precept request to £178,830. Agreed unanimously.
Meeting closed: 9.30pm
Date of next meeting: Monday 5th February 2007.
Signed………………………………
Mayor
5th February 2007