Draft Minutes                                                                        (94)

FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

                                                                  9th January 2007

PRESENT       Councillors:                  P.Baker                        (Chairman)

                                                            Mrs.P.D.Baker

                                                            Mrs.A.Daymond

                                                            M.V.Daymond

                                                            A.R.Dedden

Mrs.L.Dedden

P. Irving

Mrs.L.A.K.Nicholls

V.Redpath

                                                            Ms.J.Russell

                                                            E.J.F.Whatmore

                                                            Mrs.M.R.Whatmore

                                                           

Also in attendance Cllr: A.R.Nicholls.

Also in attendance: Mrs.V.Bright, Town Clerk, Mrs.J.Gaskell, Assistant to the Town Clerk & Mr. W.Wells, Mayor’s Advisor.

Apologies were received from: Sgt. Richard Partridge.

284/06 Declarations of Interest.

            None.

285/06  Policing.

A written report was circulated to all members at the meeting which included crime figures for December and information on Anti-Social Behaviour.

286/06 Clerk’s Report.

a) Minute 258/06 (b) Payment of Staff by Autopay.  Information has now been received and as an

example for 20 cheques, 10 credits per month and maintenance it would cost £270.00 per year, this is compared with free banking now. After discussion it was proposed, seconded and

RECOMMENDED that the staff would continue to be paid by cheque.

b)      Minute 263/06 Speed Indicator Device. Information on the guidance on requests for SID’s had

been received from the County Council which was copied to all Members.  A new policy and hand book regarding the SID is due to be sent out.  Some suggestions had been received for siting SID’s in the town. The suggested sites were: Verwood Road - 3X junction to the bend & just before 30mph from 3X entering Verwood; Lake Road between Woodlinken Drive and Ringwood Road;

Woodlinken Drive stretch that connects with lower part of Lake Road; Newtown Road; Romford Bridge; both Distributor Roads; by the bridge at Ebblake after entering 30mph zone.

Any suggestions should be prioritised and possibly the top three should be sent for consideration. Members were reminded that there are already three SID sites in Verwood. After much discussion, where the criteria and sites were discussed, it was proposed, seconded and

RECOMMENDED that the Clerk write asking that the following sites be considered for the siting of a SID: Ringwood Road entering Verwood from Ringwood; Verwood Road, Three Legged Cross, towards the mini roundabout; Newtown Road between Lake Road junction and the roundabout. Members also requested that a further site be considered, which is on the boundary of the Parish on the B3081 before Romford Bridge.

c)      DAPTC Chief Executives Circular 15/06. This was copied to all Members and included

information on: Standing for Election - the minimum age; Disability Discrimination; Sec. 137 Indexation for 2007-08; Bill Following-White Paper; Speed Indicator Devices; Events; NALC AGM; Newsletter; Dorset County Training Partnership.

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d) East Dorset District Council, Council Tax. The annual meeting to consult with parish and town councils on the Council Tax 2007/2008 has been arranged for Thursday 1st February 2007 at 7.30pm in the Council Chamber, Furzehill. Four Councillors and the Clerk are invited to attend. After discussion it was agreed that Councillors P.Baker, Mrs.L.Dedden and Ms.J.Russell would attend the meeting with the Town Clerk.

            e) South & East Dorset Patient and Public Involvement Forum. Invitation to a Community

Engagement Event which will focus on cross border health issues will be held on 29th January 2007. The event will start at 10.00a.m. and run until approximately 1.30p.m. with lunch included. This is an opportunity for people to state what their priorities are for local health care and for the Forum to use this information to help plan their work for the coming year and to be an effective voice for the local community. Councillor Mrs.L.Dedden wished to attend.

            f) Borough of Poole, Dorset Heathlands Interim Planning Framework. As a consequence of over

60 representations received to the IPF, some changes have been made to it  and a revised document is currently passing through the decision making process of the five local authorities with responsibility for determining residential planning applications.  Subject to adoption by the local authorities the commencement date for the IPF will be 1st January 2007. Therefore any planning application between 400 metres and 5 kilometres from a designated site proposing a net increase in residential units determined after this date will be subject to the requirements of the framework.  The Clerk was instructed to ascertain what the changes were in the document and report to the Plans Consultative Committee.

g) Dorset Association of Parish and Town Councils. A May election democracy pack had been received to encourage people to stand for Local Councils and to vote.

287/06 Monthly Budgets.

These will be provided at the Full Town Council meeting as the bank statements have not yet been received.

288/06 Access & Disability Audit.

The kissing gate has now been installed and the area around the gate will be surfaced in the next couple of weeks.

289/06 Re-allocation of Funds.

A report was prepared by the Clerk with the following proposals for members’ consideration:

£2,900 is taken from the Three Legged Cross Youth Facility, which will leave £5,000 in the fund, and moved to the Play Area Repair and Renewal Fund.  £9,463.08 is taken from the Verwood Youth Facility Fund, which will leave £5,000 in the fund, and moved to the Play Area Repair and Renewal Fund. £3,000 is taken from the Three Legged Cross Recreation Ground Fund, which will leave £5,000 in the fund, and moved to the Play Area Repair and Renewal Fund. After some discussion it was proposed, seconded and

RECOMMENDED that the report be accepted and the changes made to the Funds in the next financial year.

290/06 The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (CNEA), sections 55 to 67 (part 6 chapter1) details the powers to make dog control orders. The District Council are giving parish and town councils the opportunity to contribute to a portion of a Dog Warden at an hourly rate of £15, which would give them a bank of hours. The District Council would carry out all the administration and oversee the Dog Wardens in the district.  Extra costs could possibly include signage and any extra dog bins the Town Council felt were necessary. The timescale of this coming into force is still not known but the District Council have requested towns and parishes to inform them if they would like to contribute, how many hours would be required and what areas of land are in their ownership.

A proposal is that £2,500 is allocated to a fund which would give 3 hours per week plus 10 extra hours if necessary. Discussion took place which included: costs of employing extra staff; the areas visited by the dog warden; limitations of the areas; criteria of designated land; which other larger councils are participating; the administration for the new dog control orders which would be carried

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out by the District Council; deployment of dog warden in areas not owned by the Town Council; the regulations of five offences which may be prescribed in a Dog Control Order. It was proposed, seconded  and

RECOMMENDED that £2,500 be allocated to a fund to enable coverage by a Dog Warden for Verwood and Three Legged Cross for 3 hours per week plus ten extra hours if required.

291/06 Consultation on Street Scene Enforcement Strategy

The document has been copied to all Members and comments are required by 22nd January 2007.

After discussion members were requested to send their comments to the Clerk before the Full Town Council meeting in order for a response to the document to be formulated.

292/06 Tree Planters for the blocked off end of Edmondsham Road.

Information was attached of some costings for planters as requested (minute 265/06 (c) refers). Discussion took place on the type of planter, possible sponsorship, costings and planting. It was proposed, seconded and

RECOMMENDED that in principle, two floor-standing planters made of plastic be purchased and sponsoring be sought prior to purchasing the planters.  The Clerk would contact the County Council to seek permission to site the planters on their land.

293/06 Estimates for Expenditure for 2007/2008

A schedule for the ensuing year had been submitted, the schedule was duly approved and it was proposed, seconded and

RECOMMENDED that a precept of £226,836.92 be levied in accordance with the requirements of the schedule, a copy of which is attached to these minutes.

294/06 Reports on Health and Safety aspects from the relevant Chairmen.

A report had been received from the Chairman of the Cemetery Committee and the Vice Chairman of the Recreation Ground and Open Spaces Committee. The Clerk would arrange for any necessary work to be carried out.  The report from the Verwood Leisure Centre had not yet been received.

295/06  Other reports and items for future agendas.

a) Minute 262/06 Purchasing of a Mayor’s Escort Badge. The purchasing of a bar inscribed with ‘Mayor’s Escort’ was still being investigated.

b) Information was given that an enquiry had been made to book a wedding reception at the Hub.

There being no further business the meeting closed at  8.40p.m.

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       Chairman