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Minutes of the Town Council meeting held on Monday 5th February 2007 in the Town Hall, Hungerford.

 

                6.30pm.   Finance and General Purposes

                Present:  G. Bullock, R. Ballard, E. Cardwell, P. Harries, D. Small (6.40pm) and J. Hutchings (Clerk)

                Apologies received from R. Hudson.

                Cheques in the sum of £7666.48 were signed by Cllrs Bullock and Cardwell.   Cllr Ballard audited.

 

                7pm-7.15pm Public Forum

 

                7.15pm    Council meeting commenced as District Cllr D.Gaines is ill and therefore no District Councillor’s Report.

 

                Present:  G. Bullock (Mayor), R. Ballard, D. Small, P. Harries, E. Cardwell, R. Thompson, M. Wilson,

                                D. Liddiard, W. Acworth and J. Hutchings (Clerk)

 

                1)             Apologies for absence

                                Apologies were received on behalf of District Cllr D. Gaines and Cllrs R. Hudson, R. Desmeules,

                                C. Ticehurst and R. Scorey.

 

                2)             Declaration of Interests

                                Personal interests were declared re: 4(ii) Grants by Cllr Thompson – Community Theatre Group

                                and Cllrs Bullock and Wilson – St Lawrence Church

 

                3)             Minutes of the 8th January 2007

07/010                   Proposed:  Cllr Liddiard, second:  Cllr Wilson.   Agreed unanimously.   The minutes were signed as a

                                true and accurate record by Cllr Bullock.

 

                4)             Finance

                                i)              Accounts for Authorization

07/011                   Proposed:  Cllr Small, second:  Cllr Harries, that accounts in the sum of £7666.48 be authorized for payment.

                                Agreed unanimously.  

 

                                ii)             s137 and HTC Grants

07/012                   It was resolved that the Council in accordance with its powers under sections 137 and 145 of the Local

                                Government Act 1972 and section 79 of the Charities Act 1993, should incur the following expenditure which,

                                in the opinion of the Council, is in the interests of the area or its inhabitants and will benefit them in a manner

                                commensurate with the expenditure.

 

                                The s137 grants total £9,450:

                                Alzheimer Society West Berkshire                                    £ 500

                                CHAIN                                                                                   £1000

                                CRUSE                                                                                   £ 250

                                H/fd Archers                                                                         £ 150

                                H/fd Blind Club                                                                    £ 200

                                H/fd Bowling Club                                                               £ 300

                                2nd H/fd Brownies                                                 £ 100

                                H/fd Camera Club                                                 £ 250

                                H/fd Cricket Club                                                 £ 300

                                H/fd Round Table                                                                £ 500

                                H/fd Town Football Club                                                    £ 300

                                H/fd Town Junior Football Club                                        £ 300

                                H/fd Young Fire Fighters                                                    £ 500

                                Ladybugs Toddler Group                                                   £ 150

                                Macmillan Cancer Support                                 £ 500

                                MS Therapy Centre                                                             £ 350

                                Morley Lunches                                                                   £ 300

                                RELATE Berkshire                                                               £ 200

                                Samaritans                                                                             £ 500

                                St John Ambulance Hungerford Branch                          £ 500

                                St Lawrence Bellringers                                                      £ 350

                               

 

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                                St Lawrence Church                                                            £ 750

                                Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance                       £ 500

                                14:21 Time to Talk                                                                £ 200

                                Tuesday Club                                                                       £ 500

                               

                                Hungerford Town Council Grants Total £4,650

 

                                Community Theatre of Hungerford                                   £1000

                                HADCAF                                                                              £1750

                                Hungerford Town Band                                                      £1500

                                West Berkshire Citizens Advice Bureau                          £ 400

 

                Proposed:  Cllrs Small, second:  Cllr Thompson.   Agreed unanimously.

 

                                iii)            Atlas Publishing

                                                The Council agreed that it was not in a position to sign the Contract presented.

                                                Cllr Liddiard suggesting forwarding it to the Chamber of Commerce.

07/013   Proposed:  Cllr Acworth, second:  Cllr Harries, to inform Atlas Publishing that the Council is not in

                a position to sign the Contract, but would forward it to the Chamber of Commerce.   Agreed unanimously. JKH

 

                                iv)           Under Lease and Agreement

                                                Cllr Small will meet with Martin Digweed (Rugby Club representative) to discuss further

                                                amendments from West Berkshire Council.

                                                Cllr Small will report on this at the next meeting.

 

                5)             Youth Council

                                Cllr Thompson spoke to the Youth Council and invited it to send a representative to attend a Council

                                meeting.   The Youth Council would rather a Councillor went to talk to them.

                                Cllr Cardwell suggested that the Youth Council be invited to attend an RAWM meeting.

                                It was agreed that Cllrs Cardwell and Wilson would contact the Youth Council and invite it or

                                its representatives to a Recreation, Amenities and War Memorials meeting.

                                The Mayor will reply to the letter from Thomas Isaac.                                                                  GB

 

                6)             Civic Links with Marlborough

                                Cllr Bullock has invited the Mayor of Marlborough to the screening of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’

                                and has since met with both the Mayor and Clerks to Marlborough Town Council.

                                Cllr Bullock told the Council that she understood that many Marlborough residents travel into

                                Hungerford to shop at Somerfield and have their goods delivered to their homes.

                                Cllr Bullock is interested to see how Marlborough’s four PCSOs deal with traffic/parking problems in

                                Marlborough and its hinterlands, as traffic wardens are no longer to be employed.

                                Cllr Bullock assured the Council that the links would be civic only i.e. between the Mayors and Clerks

                                of both towns.

                                There were no objections to this from the Councillors present, therefore, the Mayor will investigate

                                further.

 

                7)             Agenda 21/Global Warming

                                                i)              ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ – four updated flyers given to each Councillor for distribution.

                                                                Richard Benyon MP will attend to answer questions after the film has been shown.

                                                ii)             Formulate a Policy for reducing emissions of CO2.

                                                                Cllr Acworth met with members of the Chamber of Commerce and discussed the broad

                                                                 issues of Global Warming.   Concerns were expressed re crime if street lights

                                                                are reduced but shop lights being low energy consumption and switched off after a

                                                                certain time in the evening found favour.

                                                iii)            Letter to Parish Councils in the Hungerford Area

                                                                This is held over until after the showing of the Al Gore film on Global Warming.

                                                                Cllr Acworth commented that everything is interlinked and other Councils may have

                                                                valuable suggestions.

                                                                Cllr Harries said that the Council must beware of apathy.   There will be difficulties

                                                                in asking Industry to change its ways of manufacturing and also in asking individuals

                                                                to change their way of life.

 

 

 

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                8)             Teddy Bear Headstone

                                Held over until next meeting.

                                Clerk to check burial regulations in regard to this Memorial.   Clerk to get coloured illustration of

                                headstone, if possible.                                                                                                                                        JKH

 

Cllr Thompson left the meeting at 8.10pm.

 

                9)             Mayor’s Report

                                -               The Mayor reported that the Inglewood redevelopment at Kintbury is likely to start in May this year

                                                and that units will be sold as from June.

                                -               Neil Marney is to receive his Honour on the 7th March 2007.

                                -               6 Bridge Street – Mr Eke (WBC) has inspected the property and been in touch with the owner.

                                                Mr Eke will send a copy of his report to the Clerk.

                                -               The Mayor attended 19 functions over the Christmas period (list already distributed) and two in January.

                                -               The Mayor met with Inspector Emily Roberts and discussed amongst various issues, the PCSO about

                                                to be appointed.

                                -               Sgt Caroline Harrison and a representative of the 2010+ group will each be allowed 5 minutes to give

                                                a report at the Town Meeting on the 22nd March 2007.

                                -               The Mayor thanked Mr Chris Dod for his help in delivering the new Town Guide.

                                                The following Councillors have taken responsibility for delivering as follows:

                                                Cllr Cardwell          -               Smitham Bridge (roads off) and Cherry Grove

                                                Cllrs Bullock, Ballard and Small – Priory Road (meet 10am on Saturday just past Foxes in

                                                                                                Fairview Road).

                                -               Cllrs  Scorey and Wilson - High Street

                                -               Cllr Bullock            -               Leverton and outlying district

                                -               Clerk                       -               Shalbourne Close and the bottom end of Smitham Bridge Road

 

                10)           Chairmen’s Reports

                                                Finance and General Purposes                          -               Cllr Small

                                                Recreation, Amenities and War Memorials     -               Cllr Cardwell

                                                Highways and Transport                                    -               Cllr Harries

                                                Environment and Planning                                 -               Cllr Harries

                                                Triangle Field Development                               -               Cllr Harries

                                Cllr Thompson was not present to give a report on the latest edition of the Newsletter.

               

                                Cllr Harries wished it to be minuted that Cllr Small has worked tirelessly on behalf of the Triangle Field

                                Development sub-committee in dealing with all the legal issues involved in the Development Plan.

 

07/014                   Proposed:  Cllr Bullock, second:  Cllr Liddiard, that a vote of thanks be given to both Cllr Harries and

                                Cllr Small for their endeavours in driving the Triangle Field Development Plan forward.   Agreed unanimously.

 

Meeting closed: 8.48pm

Date of next meeting:  5th March 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signed:……………………………………….

Mayor

5th March 2007