Open Session:

There were no members of the public present.

Present:

Cllr N W Light (Chairman)
Cllr N J Chard
Cllr Mrs B A Charlton
Cllr D Cole
Cllr D E Cracknell
Cllr M F J Daly
Cllr L C Ford
Cllr Mrs N Wood

In Attendance:

Mr T R Simpson, Town Clerk
Mrs L A Wickens, P A to the Town Clerk

OS/4689 Absence

An apology for absence was received from Cllr Mrs V A Sullivan.

OS/4690 Declarations of Interest

Cllr M Daly declared a personal interest in Agenda item 10(b) as he is Chairman of Ringwood Cricket Club and took no part in the discussion on this matter.

OS/4691 Minutes of Previous Meeting

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting held on 5th October 2005, having been circulated, be approved and signed as a correct record.

OS/4692 Budget 2006 ­ 2010

Members viewed the schedule of items prepared by the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Committee to be included in the Committee's budget in forthcoming years. Cllr Light asked for observations from members and for any additional items they considered should be added to the list. It was confirmed that expenditure at Long Lane and Pocket Park would be met from Developers' Contributions, and possibly Grants.

Cllr Ford told members of a new mobile CCTV system which may be available. Cllr Cracknell enquired whether a contingency for Vandalism could be included in the budgets.

RECOMMENDED: that the Policy & Finance Committee considers allocating a contingency for Vandalism and also mobile CCTV in its budget considerations for 2006 ­ 2010.

RESOLVED: that the proposals submitted to the Committee be brought forward for consideration for inclusion in the budget at the next meeting of the Committee.

OS/4693 The Bickerley and Pocket Park

The Town Clerk reported that the legal processes to purchase the land at The Bickerley were being completed. The outstanding Right of Access document in respect of a local farmer had now been signed.

Catherine Harris, NFDC Architect, was working on the design of the scheme for Pocket Park. When this had been produced the Council could proceed with submitting a Planning Application and sourcing Grants.

RESOLVED: that the Clerk's report be received.

OS/4694 Carvers Recreation Ground Hard Tennis Courts

The Town Clerk reported that the Recreation Centre had received few requests for public usage during last Winter and he therefore proposed that the Committee agrees to the Tennis Club having use of the hard courts for the extra hours requested for the whole of the coming winter months.

The Recreation Centre Manager had indicated that if some guaranteed year-round usage of the hard courts was allocated to them, they could include this facility in their programme and thus raise additional income for the Town Council.

The Clerk also advised members that the Tennis Club had no objection to the School's continued use of the hard courts for netball during the school terms.

RESOLVED:

(a) that the Town Clerk confirms the additional use of the hard courts with the Tennis Club;

(b) that the Town Clerk confirms arrangements with NFDC for guaranteed year-round usage of the hard courts to enable the Recreation Centre to take bookings on behalf of the Town Council,

and

(c) that the Town Clerk confirms with Ringwood School the arrangements for continued use of the hard tennis courts for netball during the school terms.

OS/4695 Tree Survey

The Clerk referred to the report from Barrel Tree Care already circulated to members and suggested that the priority works required in the first five areas surveyed should be implemented in full. Six companies from the approved list included in the Arboricultural Association's list had been asked whether they would wish to tender for the work. The Clerk requested the approval of the committee to accept, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice
Chairman of Committee, the lowest or most acceptable tender.

The Clerk also informed members that the contract for the work to the tree line between Ringwood Junior School and the Cemetery would require professional supervision under current Health & Safety Regulations.

RESOLVED:
(a) that the Town Clerk, in consultation with the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Committee, let the contract for tree work to be carried out in the first five areas surveyed by the Council's Consultant,

and

(b) that the Town Clerk check with the Arboriculturalist Association whether the Council needed to employ a Safety Officer to oversee the work to be carried out to the tree line between the Cemetery and Ringwood Junior School.

OS/4696 Summer Planting 2006

The Town Clerk apprised members of the suggested choice of plants and indicative prices for next summer's planting which had been received from the Council's contractor.

Members agreed that prestige plants, such as palms, should not be included in the scheme for the large planters, but that good quality bedding plants should continue to be used. It was also agreed that the Council purchase further planters to enhance the display around the town.

RESOLVED:
(a) that the Council's contractor be advised of the Council's choice of plants for summer 2006,

and

(b) that the Town Clerk source further planters to enhance the Council's summer display around the town.

OS/4697 Urgent Business

(a) Ringwood Junior School ­ New Sports Pavilion.

The Clerk reported that he had received notification of Ringwood Junior School's public consultation proposals. The date set was Monday 14th November with a session for parents and another for local residents to view the proposed plans for the new sports pavilion. Members noted that the letter being sent out to residents did not mention the involvement of the Town Council. The Committee believed that the cost of the scheme and the funding arrangements should be included in the letter being sent to residents.

RESOLVED:
(1) that the consultation arrangements proposed by the School be supported,

and

(2) that the School be requested to include in the letter to residents details of the Town Council's capital contribution to the scheme together with the source of other capital funding.

(b) Fence ­ boundary Ringwood Junior School/Cemetery

The Clerk informed members that vandals had broken down the fence on the school access path between the school and the Cemetery. This was the property of the school.

RESOLVED: that the pathway between Ringwood Junior School and the Cemetery must be separated and the school be requested to repair or replace the fence as quickly as possible.

(c) Land at Long Lane

The Clerk reported that talks were continuing with a landowner regarding the purchase of further land at the site. It had been suggested that there would be benefits in relocating the allotments to a location at the southern end of the land now under discussion.

RESOLVED: that at the appropriate time, consultation be given to relocating the allotments to the southern end of the land, the subject of the purchase negotiations.

OS/4698 Exclusion of Public & Press

RESOLVED: That under section 100 (A) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information. (Annex `A').

OS/4699 ( a) Disability Discrimination Act Audit and Design and Supervision of Works at The War Memorial Gardens and Ringwood Town Football Club Site

The Clerk reported that Richard Eldred had been appointed on a three month contract, one day a week, to supervise the Disability Discrimination Act Audit, the design and supervision of the works at the War Memorial Garden and at Ringwood Town Football Club site. After three months, the contract would continue as a temporary monthly contract, one day a week.

RESOLVED: that the appointment of that Richard Eldred to supervise the Disability Discrimination Act Audit, the design and supervision of the works at the War Memorial Garden and at Ringwood Town Football Club site be approved.

(b) The Clerk reported that quotations had been sought for the design and supervision of refurbishment of Carvers Pavilion. The lowest tender had been received from Bob Tuttle and the Clerk recommended that this tender be accepted. It was expected that the refurbishment work would be completed before the start of the 2006 Cricket Season.

RESOLVED: that the tender from Bob Tuttle in respect of design and supervision of the refurbishment work to Carvers Pavilion be accepted.

OS/4700 Millstream

The Clerk advised members that he was still waiting to hear whether a local fishing club was
interested in leasing the Fishing Rights on the Southern Beat of the Millstream.

RESOLVED: That the Clerk's update on the sale of the Fishing Rights be accepted.