Open Session:

There were three members of the public present, none of whom wished to speak.

Apologies

Prior to the meeting, the Town Clerk reported that apologies for absence had been received from the Chairman, Cllr M F Daly and Student Advisor, Charlotte Fleming.

Declarations of Interest

Cllr Mrs Wiseman indicated that she wished to declare a personal interest in Agenda Item 2.

Present:

Cllr N J Chard (in the Chair)
Cllr P Chambers
Cllr D Cole
Cllr D E Cracknell
Cllr L C Ford
Cllr B H Terry
Cllr M J Urwin
Cllr A C Wiseman

In Attendance:

Mr T R Simpson, Town Clerk
Mr R Eldred, Technical Officer
Mrs L A Wickens, P A to the Town Clerk
Miss B Scrivens, Student Adviser
Miss Hannah Madge, Student Adviser

The Town Clerk reported that Charlotte Fleming’s school commitments made it difficult for her to fulfil her role of Student Advisor and, in the circumstances, she had resigned from the post and the school had appointed Hannah Madge as her replacement.

The Chairman welcomed Hannah to her first meeting.

OS/4960 Minutes of Previous Meeting

That the minutes of the meeting held on 5th December 2007, having been circulated, be approved and signed as a correct record.

Cllr Wiseman declared a personal, but non-prejudicial interest in the following agenda item. She remained in the room and took part in discussion and voting.

OS/4961 Long Lane Development

The Technical Officer explained to members that whilst alterations to the drainage system serving the existing football clubhouse were carried out last year to accommodate the siting of the temporary toilet block which the Council was providing for the users of the new pitches on the ten acre field, it had become apparent that there were also problems with the existing septic tank.

A CCTV survey of the septic tank and drainage system had confirmed that the inlet pipe was broken and was affecting the operation of the tank. Groundwater was also entering the tank through the outlet pipe, necessitating more frequent emptying of the tank than would normally be required.

The specialist civil engineering contractor who had carried out other work on the site had been asked to provide a quotation for the work set out in the Technical Officer’s report (Annex ‘A’ attached) to rectify the problem. The quotation received was in the sum of £3,500. It was recommended that members waive Financial Regulations and Standing Orders by not obtaining three quotations, due to the specialist nature of the work and accept the quotation submitted by this contractor.

The Technical Officer confirmed that there were sufficient funds in the Committee’s general maintenance budget for the current financial year to enable this work to be undertaken.

After discussion, it was

Recommended to Policy & Finance Committee:

(i) that Financial Regulations and Standing Orders relating to contracts be waived by not obtaining three quotations, due to the specialist nature of the work

and

(ii) that the quotation, as identified in Annex ‘A’, in the sum of £3,500 from the current financial year’s budget be accepted.

OS/4962 Carvers Recreation Ground

The Town Clerk informed the Committee that only 107 tennis bookings had been achieved via the Recreation Centre throughout the summer. This had resulted in takings of £431 which were shared equally between the District Council and the Town Council, with the Town Council receiving £216. The Town Council had spent £282 on leaflets to promote tennis playing on Carvers.

The Town Clerk suggested that tennis continue to be offered on Carvers this year to ascertain a full year’s usage, with the Committee looking again at its use in Autumn 2008. Members were in support of this option.

RESOLVED:

That the Clerk’s report be noted and that tennis continue to be offered on Carvers during summer 2008.

OS/4963 New Housing Development – Transfer of “On-Site” Open Space to the Town Council

The Town Clerk reminded members that historically “off-site” open space was held freehold by the District Council and leased to Parish and Town Councils and small “on-site” open spaces, for example the development on the ex-Nag’s Head site, would be held freehold by the Town Council.

Officers at the District Council were now advising that these small “on-site” open spaces could no longer be held freehold by town and parish councils. This meant that any small neighbourhood event which residents might wish to organise on such an open space would now need the permission of the District Council before it could take place.

The Town Clerk advised that he would be raising this issue at the next meeting of the Leisure Review Panel.

RESOLVED:

That the Town Clerk’s action on this matter be approved.

OS/4964 Community Facilities - Ringwood

The Town Clerk distributed to Members a Paper setting out the District Council’s Cabinet decision regarding the S W corner of the Furlong. That showed that the Cabinet had decided not to proceed with Options 1, 2 or 3 but instead to investigate the improvement of the toilets and Tourist Information Centre.

In the expectation that a community facility should be provided for the town’s residents, the Council had included a sum up to £1.5 to £2 million in its Capital Programme to meet any costs which might have fallen to be met by the Council. However, the facility included in the Option 1 proposal represented the fourth occasion that the Town Council had supported the provision of this type of facility. On each occasion opposition to the suggestion had meant that the scheme could not proceed. In the circumstances, he indicated that retention of any provision in the budget would raise false expectations. It should therefore now be removed and the town’s residents advised that as the Council has no other suitable site available it will not be possible to provide any additional community facilities, which include a cinema/theatre/dance hall or arts facility at the present time.

Recommended to Policy & Finance Committee:

That reference to provision of community facilities in the town be removed from the Committee’s Capital Programme at the present time.

As there was no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 7.21 pm.