Community Services Minutes (Signed) 08-04-2019

Minutes of a Meeting of the Community Services Committee
Held on Monday 8th April 2019 at 6:00 pm at the Memorial Hall Newmarket

Attendance:
Councillor P Winter (Chairman)                                               Councillor P Hulbert
Councillor A Appleby                                                                   Councillor M Jefferys
Councillor J Clarke                                                                       Councillor J Lay
Councillor R Hood                                                                        Councillor R Nobbs
Councillor D Hudson                                                                   Councillor C O’Neill
Councillor A Starkey

Also Present: Cathy Whitaker RFO, Julie Ashton – Minute Assistant, 1 Member of the Press and 1 Member of the Public.

C/19/04/1 Chairman to read fire safety notice and announce that proceeding may be filmed of recorded.
The Chairman opened the meeting and read out the Fire Safety Notice and announced that proceedings may be filmed or recorded.

C/19/04/2 Apologies for absence
Apologies were received from Cllrs Drummond, Hirst, Morrey and Wadham. Cllrs Anderson and Wright were absent.

C/19/04/3 Declaration of members interests and to remind councillors of the need to keep up to date their register of members interests and to consider any requests received for members dispensation.
None noted.

C/19/04/4 To receive and confirm for accuracy the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 11sth March 2019 and any matters arising.
Members received the minutes of the Community Services Committee meeting held on 11th March 2019 and the following amendment was made:

Page 2 – C/19/03/7.01 Recommendation was changed to read the following:

C/19/03/7.01 Recommendation
That the revised SLA from West Suffolk at a cost of £82,785.82 per annum, representative of a x% increase like for like, (5.3% increase) to include CCTV and the additional graveyard area for a period of 3 years from 1st April 2019 be accepted.

Subject to the amendment being made, the following was agreed:

C/19/04/4.01 Resolved
That the minutes of the Community Services Committee meeting held on 11th March 2019 be adopted and signed as a true record by the Chairman of the Community Services Committee.

There were no matters arising.

C/19/04/5 Public participation an invitation to members of the public to put questions/statements of not more than 3 minutes duration. No resolutions can be made but councillors are very happy for matters to be brought to their attention.
None noted.

C/19/04/6 To receive the accounts for March 2019
Members were advised that there was a surplus of £28,314 from the 2018/19 budget and the following was agreed:

C/19/04/6.01 Recommendation
That the surplus of £28,314 from the 2018/19 budget be carried forward to the Town Centre Regeneration earmarked reserve to cover the costs of the Clock Tower Planting Project.

A member of the Press joined the meeting.
The accounts for March 2019 were received and noted. RFO agreed to check 1100 – Grants Received and 4325 – Cemetery SLA.

C/19/04/7 Cemetery – headstone safety testing
The Chairman advised that the three quotes received were not like for like and this item was deferred to the next meeting.

C/19/04/8 To consider installing a bus shelter
The Chairman advised that there was no further update available.

C/19/04/9 Feedback on the Memorial Gardens opening event
The Chairman gave a verbal report on the opening event which was a very successful and happy day for a large number of adults and children. Sadie Frost was the winner of the writing competition “What Community means to me” and read out her moving poem. This entitled her to cut the red ribbon with MP Matthew Hancock to officially open the Gardens and she also received 4 tickets for Disney on Ice this Autumn.

Special thanks were given to Cllr Starkey who had insisted that edging was added to the resin pathway and for ensuring that the Gardens opened on time and to Cllr Nobbs for sponsoring 570 tubs of ice-cream, hundreds of balloons and three of his staff to help with the finishing touches. A vote of thanks was taken and the following was agreed:

C/19/04/9.01 Recommendation
That thanks be given to the all of those on the Working Committee, to NTC and all of the other sponsors who helped with the Masterplan.

A debrief meeting would be held and further signage would be considered for CCTV and no smoking along with a maintenance plan. The Gardens had been very busy since the opening and the emptying of bins would need to be done more frequently and the SLA would need to be changed. A litter picking project involving the Community would also be considered.

The Committee agreed that the project had been a huge success and thanked the Chairman for her efforts.

C/19/04/10 Stagecoach
The Chairman advised that there was no further update available.

C/19/04/11 To consider quotes for tar to St Mary’s churchyard path
The Chairman advised that various pathways needed repair some more pressing than others and presented a number of quotes for the options identified. The following was agreed:

C/19/04/11.01 Recommendation
That the quote from A Mead Construction for £3,990 + VAT to repair the path in front of the Church in consultation with the Vicar be accepted.

C/19/04/12 Correspondence
None noted.

C/19/04/13 Date of next meeting
Monday 20th May 2019 6:00pm at the Memorial Hall.

C/19/04/14 Items for next agenda
• Cemetery Headstone Testing
• Installation of a bus shelter
• Stagecoach update
• Memorial Gardens debriefing
• Clock Tower Planting Project
The Chairman advised that this was the last Community Services meeting of the year and thanked the Committee for their support.

Meeting closed at 6:35pm

 

Signed ______________________________ Date ______________________