Soham Town Council - Minutes of Meeting

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of Soham Town Council will be held in The Council Chamber, The Walter Gidney Pavilion, Fountain Lane, Soham on Monday 11th June 2007 commencing at 7.30pm on Agenda Items, followed by the formal business, and you are summoned to attend for the transaction of the following business:-

Minutes of a meeting of the Soham Town Council held at The Walter Gidney Pavilion, Fountain Lane, Soham on Monday 16th May 2007.

Present:	Councillors Mrs FE Ross (Chairman), Mr C Palmer (Vice-Chairman), Mr PG Beer, Mr HJ Davies, GR Ginn, G Fisher, Mr CK Hempstead, Mr AJA Hinsley, Mr J Kirkham & Mr PS Lane and Mesdames Mrs RR Aitchison, Mrs M Count, Mrs ME Dwyer, Mrs PL Gibbon & Mrs PA Tuite.
In Attendance:	County Councillors Mr JA Powley & Mrs J Broadway
Apologies:	District Councillors Mr JH Humphreys, Mr J Palmer & Mr C Fordham
64/07	PUBLIC COMMENT TIME There were no representations from members of the public.
65/07	CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS The Chairman announced that Councillors Mrs ME Dwyer, Mrs M Count, Mr H Davies & Mr CK Hempstead had decided not to re-stand in the forthcoming elections and thanked them for their contributions throughout their terms of office. She also wished 'Good Luck' to all other Candidates.
66/07	DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST There were no declarations of interests made for this meeting.
67/07	MINUTES OF MEETING HELD 15th APRIL 2007 RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting be approved and signed as a true record.
68/07	MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES. St. Andrews Church Hall. Soham (49/07) NOTED that East Cambridgeshire District Council had agreed that the £5,000 funding should be used for a broader Community Consultation exercise, to identify whether there is evidence of need for additional community facilities in the town. The Clerk would be meeting with officers of East Cambridgeshire District Council to ascertain the best way in which this can be achieved. 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery (51/07) NOTED that the Clerk was still awaiting more detailed information from Soham Action 4 Youth concerning its request for financial assistance to=wards a statue and stained glass window in memory of Olaudah Equinao. Andrézieux-Bouthéon - Summer Fete NOTED that Councillor Mrs PL Gibbon was unable to represent the Town Council at the forthcoming Summer Fete being held in Andrézieux-Bouthéon. RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison take her place.
69/07	MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF STANDARD COMMITTEES RESOLVED that the minutes of the following committees which are printed and attached to these minutes be confirmed and approved and the recommendations contained therein be adopted: Finance & Policy - 12th March 2007 Planning - 28th March 2007 Matters arising Planning Committee RESOLVED that the list of possible Section 106 projects produced by Councillor Mr AJA Hinsley be included with the minutes of the next Town Council meeting for information..
70/07	PAYMENTS AND SCHEDULE OF ACCOUNTS - MARCH 2007 RESOLVED that the schedule of payments and statement of balances, and Summary of Income and Expenditure as at 31st March 2007 and the Quarterly Budget Statement as at 31st March 2007 attached to these minutes as appendices, be confirmed and approved, and are in accordance with Council's financial regulations.
71/07	PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO STANDING ORDERS RESOLVED that the proposed amendments to Standing Orders be unanimously approved subject to the following additions/alterations:- 2.1 Paragraph 53 Addition of Item d. Planning Committee 2.3 Paragraph 64 'The Finance & Policy shall consist of five members. This shall include the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council and the elected Chairman of the other Standing Committees, or in his/her absence, a member delegated by the Standing Committee Chairman as a substitute. The Chairman of the Council, or in his/her absence the Vice Chairman, shall be Chairman of the Committee'. 3.1 Paragraph 17(i) 'At the commencement of every Council meeting, except the Annual Town Council Meeting, and meetings of Standing Committees time shall be allowed for members of the public to address the Council or Committee on any item listed on the agenda for that meeting providing notice in writing has been previously given to the Clerk to the Council. The total time allowed for Public Speaking shall not exceed 15 minutes and the written notice shall be received by the Clerk not less than one working day before the day of the meeting'. 3.2 Paragraph 94 - re-titled 'Council contact with the media' 94a) 'Only official spokespersons appointed by the Council shall speak with the media on policy issues and matters of public concern on which the Council has discussed and taken a decision. All related media questions should be referred to the official spokesperson or the Clerk'. 94b) Councillors in contact with the media on all other issues shall make it clear that they speak in a personal capacity and not on behalf of the Council.
72/07	REQUESTS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Consideration was given to requests for financial assistance from Soham Town Forum to support its Quality of Place initiative; Soham On-Line towards its operational costs and Cambridgeshire County Council for its Summer Reading Challenge 2007. RESOLVED that the Council in accordance with its powers under sections 137 and 139 of the Local Government Act, 1972 should incur the following expenditure which, in the opinion of the Council is in the interest of the area or its inhabitants and will benefit them in a manner commensurate with the expenditure:- Soham Town Forum - £500.00 Soham On-Line - £600.00 Summer Reading Challenge - £400.00
73/07	STANDARDS COMMITTEE - DISPENSATION BY A PARISH COUNCILLOR A form with guidance was received from the Standards Committee, this was in response to a number of requests in recent years to grant Councillors a dispensation to speak and vote despite having a prejudicial interest. NOTED that the form was also available on the East Cambridgeshire District Council's website.
74/07	EAST CAMBRIDGESHIRE NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS The March edition of East Cambs. Neighbourhood News, distributed by the East Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Policing Team, Ely Sector was received, along with crime figures for the month of March 2007.
75/07	USE OF PAVILION FOR PUBLIC MEETINGS - COUNCILLORS MR PG BEER, MRS PL GIBBON & MRS ME DWYER Following a request from three Councillors for an explanation as to why a refusal was made for the hire of the Pavilion for a recent public meeting, it was explained that due to rules governing public meetings in Council premises in the run-up to a an election and the fact that local elections had already been called, also considering the request for hire had been received from an existing Town Councillor and perspective Candidate he was unable to adhere to this request. It was also noted that Councillors Mrs PL Gibbon and Mrs ME Dwyer, who had supposedly 'signed' the letter of request, had no knowledge of its existence.
76/06	THE COMMONS HIGHER LEVEL STEWARDSHIP APPLICATION TO DEFRA Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison reported on the progress of Councils application. It was likely that Council would be successful in obtaining funding to preserve and enhance the commons landscape. A formal agreement between DEFRA and the Town Council would identify and agree work programme and relevant funding provisions. Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison said that this was a significant step to help preserve these unique features of our townscape and media coverage should be sought early in new Council year. RESOLVED 1) Councillor Mrs RR Aitchison be thanked for her hard work in organising the application and 2) The Clerk be authorised, on behalf of the Town Council, to sign the formal agreement with DEFRA.
	It is hereby resolved in accordance with Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 that as publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential or special nature of the business about to be transacted at Agenda Item 15 namely Grazing Tenders, it is advisable in the public interest that the public and press be temporarily excluded from this meeting and they are herewith instructed to withdraw.
	Meeting was closed to press and public at 8.37pm.
77/07	GRAZING TENDERS The following tenders had been received:- Back Angle Common - Hay Cutting & Animal Grazing ) - Mr AJ Rix - £600 Front Angle Common - Hay Cutting Qua Fen Common - Cattle & Horses Grazing - Mr J Vinden - £650 Back East Fen Common - Cattle & Horses Grazing Front East Fen Common - Grazing & Cutting - Mr J Vinden - £700 Back Angle Common - Hay Cutting - Mr A Barnet - £550 RESOLVED that tenders received Mr AJ Rix for Hay Cutting for Front Angle Common and Grazing Animals on Back Angle Common and Mr J Vinden for grazing horses & cattle Qua Fen Common and grazing horses & cattle Back East Fen Common and tethered grazing & cutting Front East Fen Common be accepted.
	The meeting re-opened to the press and public at 8.40pm.
78/07	SOHAM TOWN FORUM NOTED an Open Meeting of the Soham Town Forum will be held on Thursday, 19th April 2007 at 7.30pm in the Community Lounge, Lodeside.
79/07	EAST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL ASSEMBLY NOTED a series of public engagement events are being held as part of an Issues and Options consultation process to address the provision of Gypsy and Traveller caravan sites in the East of England. NOTED also the Cambridgeshire meeting will be held at 7.00pm on Monday, 21st May 2007 at Robinson College, Cambridge.
80/07	PAPERS TABLED Inspire East - Newsletter, March 2007 Councillor Richard Hobbs - Highlights of the Week, 16/03/07 European Union, Regional Policy - Inforegio news, February 2007 Friends of Magpas - Magpal, March 2007 Andrezieux-Boutheon - No. 96, April 2007 Hereward Housing - Outlook East, Spring 2007 Cambridgeshire ACRE - Community Action, Spring 2007
73/06	DATE OF NEXT REGULAR MEETING NOTED that the Annual Town Meeting of the Council would be held at 8.00pm on Monday 30th April 2007. NOTED that the next regular meeting of the Council would be held at 7.15pm on Monday 14th May 2007.