MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE TOWN COUNCIL

Held on 03 March 2008

Present: Cllr A Howard (in the Chair)

Cllrs Mrs I Daw B Dobbs G Gooding Mrs J Gooding P Jackson Mrs C Lewis Mrs M Morgan Miss H Parkhurst S Pratley P Prince G Richards E Rolls Mrs M Rolls R B Shields MBE Mrs J Taylor C Tebbutt

Town Clerk

Cllr D Andrews, East Lindsey District Council

2 members of the public

The meeting was opened with prayers by the Town Clerk.

94. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
An apology for absence was received and accepted from Cllr G Parkhurst (personal).

95. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Cllr Mrs C Lewis declared a personal and prejudicial interest in minute 101 payment to J W Atkinson, due to friendship and business association , and payment to Trusthorpe PCC due to membership of the PCC.
Cllrs Mrs J Gooding and G Gooding declared a personal and prejudicial interest in minute 101, payment to J W Atkinson, due to business interests in the town.
Cllr P Prince declared a personal interest in minute 98(ii) due to family relationship with an employee of the Neighbourhood Management project.
Cllrs G Gooding, A Howard and R B Shields, MBE declared a personal interest in minute 98(i) due to membership of the District Council.
Cllr P Jackson declared a personal interest in minute 98(i) due to knowing the employee involved.
Cllr A Howard declared a personal interest in minute 101, payments to Post Office Ltd, due to business interest.

96. MINUTES
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That minutes of the Council meeting held on 21 January 2008 and the extraordinary meeting held on 28 January 2008, having been previously circulated, be approved as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

97. MINUTES OF COMMITTEES
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That the acts and proceedings of the following committees be adopted:-
Coastal and Amenities Committee of 14 January 2008
General Purposes Committee of 28 January 2008
Finance, Policy and Development Committee of 4 February 2008
General Purposes Committee of 18 February 2008
Finance, Policy and Development Committee of 18 February 2008

98. REQUESTS FOR ADDITITONAL RESOURCES
(i) Community Development Officer
The Council considered a request from East Lindsey District Council for a contribution towards the cost of the Community Development Officer post.
It was noted that the post holder had been employed in various roles since August 2000. During that time the remit of the post had included supporting community groups in the area, particularly with funding bids.

Members of the Council recognised the invaluable work carried out but raised two concerns: First, the timing of the request from the District Council after the Town Council’s budget for 2008/09 had been set. Secondly, the lack of any information on contributions from other Town and Parish Councils in the area covered by the post.

In response to a question regarding the use of reserves to make a contribution, it was explained that the external auditor had given a qualified opinion on the 2006/07 audit. The auditor’s concern being that the Town Council did not have sufficient general reserves.

It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved:
(1) That a contribution of £2,500 be made to East Lindsey District Council towards the funding of the Community Development Officer post.
(2) That East Lindsey District Council be advised to seek a contribution from other Town and Parish Councils that have benefited from the post.
(3) That East Lindsey District Council be advised that requests for funding should be submitted prior to the annual budget setting.

(Note: Cllr Richards requested that, in accordance with Standing Order 9, his vote against the proposal be recorded.)

(ii) Environment Officer
The Council considered a report on the implications of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. Of particular relevance was the new powers for Town and Parish Councils to undertake enforcement of various environmental provisions, including dog fouling, litter, graffiti and fly posting.

A number of concerns and questions were raised by members including:-
• The role and powers of Police Community Support Officers;
• Training and equipment required for an Environment Officer;
• Difficulty of dealing with offenders.

It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That further consideration be given to the creation of a new post of Environment Officer when more details are available.

99. CLERK’S CORRESPONDENCE
(i) Citizens’ Advice Bureau – letters from Sir Peter Tapsell, MP, Lincolnshire County Council and East Lindsey District Council in response to correspondence on the funding for the CAB.

(ii) Coastal Action Zone – details of an award of £2 million from the Rural Development Programme for England to fund business development on the East Lindsey coastal strip.

(iii) Linkage Green – details of a 70’s Flood Event on Thursday
13 March 2008.

(iv) Themed Markets – information on proposed markets in
Sutton-on-Sea on 2 and 3 August 2008 and in Mablethorpe
on 20 and 21 September 2008.

(v) Lincolnshire Probation – details of an initiative to help the public better understand how sentencing decisions are reached. The offer of a free event to be followed up by the Town Clerk.
(vi) Shoreline Management Plan – details of a stakeholder workshop to be held on Thursday 13 March 2008 at Alford Corn Exchange.

(vii) Flood Fair – notification of a flood fair to be held on Wednesday
2 April 2008 at the Mablethorpe Library and Community Access Point.

(viii) Chairmanship Training – a report from Councillor Pratley on a training course provided by Voluntary Action East Lindsey.

100. MAYOR’S COMMUNICATIONS
Notification of the Mayor’s Charity Ball to be held on Saturday 8 March 2008.

101. ORDERS FOR PAYMENT
It was proposed, seconded and
Resolved: That the schedule of payments, totalling £19,497.97, be approved.