OPEN SESSION:

There were no members of the public present.

 

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF RINGWOOD TOWN COUNCIL

Held on Wednesday 23rd November 2011 at 7.00pm

PRESENT:    

Cllr B H Terry (Town Mayor)

Cllr S Burgess-Kennar

Cllr N J Chard

Cllr R Frampton
Cllr J D Heron
Cllr G J O’Reilly
Cllr W S Rippon-Swaine
Cllr M A Steele
Cllr S M Stokes
Cllr J Terry                 
Cllr M H Thierry
Cllr A C Wiseman

Cllr B Woodifield

                                                                                   
IN ATTENDANCE:    

Mr T Simpson, Town Clerk
Mrs J Stannard, Deputy Town Clerk
Martin Townsend, Finance Manager

Prior to the meeting, the Town Clerk reported that apologies for absence had been received from Cllr L C Ford and Student Advisor Amy Bower.

C/5215 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

There were none.

C/5216 POLICE REPORT

Inspector Simon Tribe had sent his apologies. However, he had provided a written report, which was circulated at the meeting (Annex ‘A’).

C/5217 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the Meeting held on 26th October 2011, having been circulated, be approved and signed as a correct record.

C/5218 RECREATION, LEISURE AND OPEN SPACES COMMITTEE

Cllr B Terry presented the minutes of the Recreation, Leisure and Open Spaces Committee meeting held on 2nd November 2011.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the Recreation, Leisure and Open Spaces Committee meeting held on 2nd November 2011 be received.

C/5219 PLANNING, TOWN & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE

 

Cllr Steele presented the minutes of the Planning, Town & Environment Committee meeting held on 11th November 2011.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the Planning, Town & Environment Committee meeting held on 11th November 2011 be received.

C/5220 POLICY & FINANCE COMMITTEE

 

Cllr Heron presented the minutes of the Policy & Finance Committee meeting held on 16th November 2011.

 

F/4773: Members considered the official opening of the Ringwood Gateway in September 2012 and it was agreed that, as it was a building for the local community, a local person should be invited to open it.

 

F/4777: Cllr Heron asked if it would be possible to reduce the proposed net budget for 2012/13 to the figure originally proposed.  The Finance Manager explained that, with a small adjustment in the transfer to the general reserve, a net budget of £404,560 could be achieved.  It was therefore agreed to adjust the recommendation to this effect.

 

RESOLVED: 
1) That the minutes of the Policy & Finance Committee meeting held on 16th November 2011, with the exception of F/4777, be received.

2) That Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Dame Mary Fagan DCVO, be invited to officially open the Ringwood Gateway in September 2012.

3) That the figure in recommendation numbers (5) and (6) of F/4777 be amended to £404,560.

C/5221 COUNCIL BUDGET AND PRECEPT 2012/13

Members considered the recommendation F/4777 from Policy & Finance Committee, as amended above, which outlined the Council’s budget and precept for 2012/13. 

 

It was noted that a significant addition to the budget was for the provision of a youth worker, due to a reduction in the service offered by Hampshire County Council.  Cllr Heron was delighted that the Town Council would now be able to provide this essential service, which was vital for the young people of the town.

 

RESOLVED:

• That the recommendations of the Policy & Finance Committee relating to the Council budget, at minute F/4777 of the meeting held on 16th November 2011 and as amended above, be approved to provide for a net budget of £404,560;
  
  and

• That the Council’s precept for 2012/13 be set at £404,560.

C/5222 COMMUNICATIONS TO BE RECEIVED

The Town Mayor reported the following:

• Concerns had been raised regarding Hampshire County Council’s ditch alongside Bickerley Road. This was in need of maintenance and repair to help prevent illegal access by vehicles. The County Council had now agreed to clear the ditch and reinstate the fallen banks. The work was scheduled for the New Year.
  
• The County Council had also advised that the finger post at the junction of Gravel Lane with Northfield Road was being refurbished and would be repositioned on the green opposite.  It was also noted that the finger post outside the old cinema building in Market Place had been damaged and removed.  It would however be repaired and replaced as part of the pedestrian signing scheme.
  
• Former Student Advisor Maisie Jenkinson has been awarded a Scholarship by Mansfield College, Oxford. This college award was given to a very small number of students who perform consistently well academically and who are considered to have the potential to achieve a first in their finals.
  
• A letter of thanks had been received from the Royal British Legion for the Council’s grant towards the cost of the Pipe Band for Remembrance Sunday.
• A letter of thanks had been received from Ringwood Table Tennis Club for the grant of £150, to help with kitting out the Juniors and renewing some of their equipment.

C/5223 REPORTS FROM COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLORS

District Councillor Woodifield reported on the Appeal decision for Merryfield Park.  Of the 19 enforcement appeals, only 5 had been allowed and the District Council was very pleased with the result.  She thanked Pip Williams, who was present at the meeting, and her team for all the hard work they had put in to achieve this success.  The District Council would continue to monitor the site, and in particular the injunctions which had been served on the three residential units.

 

She also commented on a suggestion made in a recent training session that it would be beneficial for District Councillors to attend town and parish council planning committee meetings.  She felt that District Councillors could make a positive contribution, for example by giving advice on policy.

 

District Councillor Thierry reported that Cllr Woodifield had been elected Vice Chairman of the Planning Development Control Committee.  Members congratulated her on her new role.

 

District Councillor Heron reported on the need to achieve significant savings in the Council’s budget in the coming and future years.  There had been a need to look diligently at cutting costs across all services, whilst trying to protect frontline services.

 

County Councillor Rippon-Swaine presented his written report (Annex ‘B’).  He also reported on a meeting he, Cllr Ford and Cllr Thierry had attended to facilitate residents in the area of Highfield Drive and Broadshard Lane and the owners of a nearby nursery to resolve issues with inappropriate parking. 

 

Cllr Heron was concerned that the proposal to create a pedestrian crossing in Christchurch Road had been in the traffic management programme for many years but did not appear to be a priority.  He said that the road was getting busier and was dangerous to cross, particularly for elderly and partially sighted residents. 

 

Cllr Rippon-Swaine said that it had not yet been possible to find a suitable location that met all the requirements for a crossing.  However, he would relay the concerns to the County Council.  It was also agreed that the matter should be referred to the next Traffic Management Liaison meeting.        

C/5224 Forthcoming Meetings

There being no further business, the Town Mayor closed the meeting at 8.15pm.  

APPROVED

14th December 2011

TOWN MAYOR