  |
Church House, Silver Street, Nailsea, BS48 2DS Tel: 01275 855277 Fax: 01275 854155  |
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
COMMITTEES
During the year the Council had five committees:- Chairman Finance & General Purposes Mr D Packham Leisure Facilities Mrs E Frappell Planning & Environmental Mr R Lees Church House Management Mrs V Smith Policy Mrs A Heappey CHAIRMAN’S REPORT It has been another busy year again this year and I think I can say without fear of contradiction the busiest this Council has known. We started the year with a full compliment of 20 councillors and I am relieved to say that has remained the status quo throughout. I trust this will remain the position up to the elections in May 2011. Precept We have worked hard to keep our spending under control and this Councils finances are in a healthy position, Don’t let anyone mislead you on this. We have set next years precept at £399,762 which is exactly the same as for this past year. This represents a charge of £63.42 for a band D property (this is a small reduction on last year when it was £63.80) which can only be good news. Our close neighbours Wraxall & Failand have seen an increase in theirs which is now higher than Nailsea at £71.48 for a D Band. I would like to thank David Packham Chair of the Finance Committee for the watchful eye he has kept on our expenditure during this year which has not been easy with the Tithe Barn expenditure but we will come to that later. Grants We are awarding 58 grants this year at a total of £74,411 which is an increase of 34% over last year when we awarded 51 at a cost of £55,195, and we have still managed to maintain the same level of precept! This year we are giving 7 new grants to Alzheimer’s Society, Nailsea and Backwell Youth Group, Penny Brohn Cancer Care, Nailsea Army Cadets, Dial (Disability Information and Advice Line), Vitalise and Novas Group which stands for North Somerset against domestic abuse. We seek to support as many groups and organisations as we can without putting an intolerable burden on the rate payers. We have worked hard on behalf of our Town to ensure that our Parks and Open Spaces are at all times a nice and safe environment for both old and young alike. This year we have again worked closely with North Somerset Council this time in the refurbishment of Pound Lane Park which was long overdue for a major refurbishment, plus a smaller upgrade to the park off Trendlewood Way. Last year I reported that we would be looking to purchase smart/trendy fencing to enhance further the BMX area of Scotch Horn Park. Unfortunately Health and Safety issues prevented us from carrying this out. We have been concerned that there has been an increase in dogs fouling at both The Grove and Millennium Park. Although there are clear signs saying dogs must be kept on leads this is being ignored. We are giving consideration to both these areas being restricted to dogs. My colleagues on the Planning Working Party have been busy with the “Core Strategy”. It has been identified that Nailsea as a town is shrinking and if it doesn’t embrace limited growth we run the risk of schools having to close. We need to find a way, working with North Somerset Council to meet the need for smaller more affordable homes. I know some of you have real concerns about the number of empty shops we have in the Town but seeing as we have been through a recession and are not yet clear of one this Town is not doing badly. We need to put this in perspective. We have supported the Nailsea in Bloom Society and I am truly delighted once again to be in a position of congratulating them on achieving Gold. Well done to all who work so hard to make the planters and planted areas a delight to look at. Our thanks also to the ladies of the WI, their bed at the end of the High Street is outstanding. As a Town Council we have provided the hanging baskets. We have sought this year to tidy up areas in our Town such as the Village Green and the Golden Valley Bridleway. Farmers Market I would like to congratulate Gina on the hard work she has contributed to making our monthly farmers market such a success. I recently received an e-mail from one of the traders, Snackology, which stated that they wanted to say what a well organised market we run in Nailsea. Tithe Barn The Town Council took the decision to continue with the Tithe Barn project although the cost to Nailsea residents will be more than we had hoped. It was felt after much soul searching and a long and full debate that it would not be correct to “board up” this ancient building, after all it is part of what makes Nailsea the place it is. So the project will go ahead and I am confident that the residents of Nailsea will when it is finished think as we do that it was worth the cost and soul searching. The contract has been awarded to W Coombes & Sons Ltd of Ilminster and the schedule of works should be completed by the 11th April 2011. I would like to add that the lowest tender received was from Coombes & Sons. Glassworks Site Meetings have also taken place with the joint owners of the Glassworks site and with English Heritage to discuss just what can be done to enhance the site. The aim is to seek ways of conserving the exposed historic structure and interpreting the history of the site/monument within an attractive open green space. We have asked architects to come up with three different options and then we will decide on a final option with the agreement of the joint owners and English Heritage who will be part funding any development of the site. This is the first stage in what will be a long process but I am confident that this time things will go ahead. I mentioned last year that during my first year and second year as Chairman I had tried to raise the profile of the Council that we can be known by all as fair and honest in all our dealings and once again I have sought to achieve this, although at times this has been hard, when there have been false statements and reporting in the press. I have been proud to be the Chairman of Nailsea Town Council and have considered it an honour. I have again this year attended over 130 meetings and functions and would finish by saying that the highlight for me has again been meeting so many of the residents of Nailsea as I have attended your various organisations and functions. My thanks to my colleagues who have spent their time week after week in this room administering the various business of this Council. As residents of Nailsea you owe them all a debt of gratitude. I could not end without thanking the Clerk and his team who have worked so hard and achieved so much. Thank you Ian, to you, and all your staff. Nailsea Town Councillors are outstanding and do a great job for this Town without payment or seeking reward and I am proud to be one of them. REPORT OF PLANNING & ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE The Planning & Environmental Committee meets twice a month to exam and discuss planning applications in and affecting the town. Meetings are open to the public and residents can speak and make comments (with prior consent of the Chairman) on any applications that are under discussion. Written observations are also welcome and drawn to the attention of Councillors. The Local Planning Applications Concern has been raised with the Future Planning Policies
The Government Office South West should have published the Regional Spatial Strategy last year but challenges to the process elsewhere in the country and the forthcoming General Election mean no firm date for publication has been decided. Alongside this, North Somerset Council will prepare the County’s Local Development Framework up to 2026 and has published the Draft Core Strategy Document which will be part of the Local Development Framework. The Council is responding to this and is including important data collected from the Parish Plan Survey. Part of the Core Strategy is to allocate Travellers’ sites and suggested locations are anticipated to be published by North Somerset Council in July 2010 dependent on them finding a suitable site. Parish Plan
The report on the Parish Plan has now been published and key issues are being addressed by the Councils Committee’s. Planning and Environmental Committee
Leisure Facilities Committee
Finance and General Purposes Committee
Town Centre
The Town Centre has been purchased last year by Development Securities and the Council are looking forward to seeing their proposals for the future. As part of the National Cycle Routes the Bristol to Nailsea route is proposed to go through the Golden Valley Bridleway and works have now been completed to make it more accessible for all users and an annual maintenance programme will be carried out by the Council. The Bridleway may be part of a Heritage Trail and research is to be carried out by N.E.A.T. (Nailsea Archaeological and Environmental Team) into the history of the area and wild life issues. Amenity Land and Open Spaces Around Nailsea is an abundance of Open Spaces, small and large, which should have been transferred into Local Authority ownership once developed and then maintained. Many have not and are in private ownership which may put them at risk for development. The Council with North Somerset Council is looking at ways to protect these. Cllr REPORT OF LEISURE FACILITIES The Leisure Facilities Committee has delegated powers from the Town Council to consider acquisition, management, disposal and co-ordination of open spaces and leisure facilities and provision of entertainment, in Nailsea; to incur expenditure in carrying out the aims within the budget imposed by the Town Council in its annual budget. The Committee gives grants to many organisations helping them to provide enjoyment and sport for the whole town. The main driver for the discussions has been the results of the Parish Plan. Which were:- Open Spaces The numerous open spaces in and around Nailsea, including amenity space in residential areas, are highly valued by its residents and the Town Council. Leisure Facilities The Town Council agreed to support the development of sustainable recreational facilities to meet the present and future needs of the people of Nailsea. The aim of the Town Council is to have a swimming pool in Nailsea. We have two allotment representatives who attend our meetings and give reports and make suggestions on how to improve the allotment sites. Allotments have certainly become the current issue and demand continues to increase. At the present time we have a 2 ½ year waiting list for allotments so the Council are looking for suitable land that could be used as an allotment site, but this is proving quite difficult. Improvements have been made to the Village Green during the year and all the old shrubs have been removed and the whole area has been re-turfed. It is now beginning to look like a Village Green and hopefully will look good when the Town is judged for the “In Bloom” competition. The Nailsea in Bloom group continue to make the town look really attractive with its Spring and Summer planting and has once again achieved a Gold award for the second year running. The Farmers’ Market has gone from strength to strength and as well as the Craft Market the Council are looking at having a Continental Market during the year. Cllr Elizabeth Frappell – Chairman of the Leisure Facilities Committee.
FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE The delegated powers of the Finance and General Purposes Committee are:- “to incur expenditure within the delegated budget; to consider and make decisions on financial or other matters referred to it by the Town Council or its Committees; to manage the financial procedures including those required by legislation and regulations; to recommend appropriate changes to Financial Regulations and procedures; to manage public communications and to make decisions on matters requiring urgent attention”. The Committee started the year by agreeing to purchase 18 canopies for the monthly Farmers Market. This purchase gives the Council flexibility and security in the operation of the market. During the year the Committee considered three issues raised in the Parish Plan. These were:- · Perception by the population of anti-social behaviour of young people · Concerns over irresponsible road useage · Desire to see an increased police presence The Town Council will endeavour to ensure the extent of these problems is fully understood and are adequately explained to residents. In particular it will seek regular reports on policing, to include statistical information on levels of crime and will continue regular dialogue with appropriate representatives of the police.
The Council will continue both to encourage relevant parties to take appropriate steps to address problems and also to provide support and encouragement to local organisations seeking to maintain and improve safety in the Town. These parties include, but are not limited to, the police, North Somerset Council Youth Services, other youth groups, the Local Action Team, the Chamber of Trade and Commerce and the National Health Service.
The restoration of the Tithe Barn has moved forward in the year. As a representative for the Council I have attended the Trustee meetings throughout the year and have also sat on the Project Board, created to manage the design and construction process. Planning has been obtained and a tender was issued to select a contractor to undertake the restoration works. Following an extensive and thorough tender process W Coombes & Son of Ilminster have been selected as the Council’s contractor and work will start on site in early May. Consideration has been given to creating a new logo for the Council to be adopted when the Council moves to its new home in the Tithe Barn in 2011. No final decision has been made to date but a logo based around the Glassblower is being considered. The Council has to make decisions which often involve sensitive information, such as during the tender process for the Tithe Barn. Whilst recognising the public interest in all Council matters the Committee did agree three categories for the release of confidential papers, as follows:- 1. Never to be disclosed unless by due process of law (such as paper containing information relating to personnel) 2. Papers should remain confidential for an indeterminate period 3. Items that the date when they may become non-confidential is known. The Clerk and the Chairman of the various committees to decide prior to the issue of the paper which category is relevant. All papers in categories 2 an 3 should be reviewed on a 6 monthly basis to change the status if so required. The Council has accreditation as a Quality Council. It has been agreed that this status should be renewed in 2011 and a Working Party has been set up to work towards achieving this. Discussions have taken place with English Heritage and North Somerset Council with a view to developing the Glassworks site. The cost of any agreed scheme would be principally met by English Heritage. Following submissions from the Council’s Committees the F&GP submitted a recommendation to the Council that there should be no increase in the Precept for 2010/2011. Detailed information about the Council’s finances continues to be available through the Town Clerk’s office on request. Cllr David Packham – Chairman of the Finance & General Purposes Committee. CHURCH HOUSE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE This is the last report of Church House, Silver Street which has been the home of Nailsea Town Council since 1983. The Town Council are vacating these premises in August 2010 and will be moving to temporary offices in Ivy Court, High Street, until the refurbishment of the Tithe Barn in Church Lane has been completed. The Councillors had a very difficult decision to make regarding leaving Church House and selling to Nailsea Baptist Church, but other commitments did not give us much choice. We did not think we could inflict Nailsea residents to a big increase on the community charge. We trust that when we are able to move to the Tithe Barn we will be occupying a much enhanced property which will be an asset to all residents. We are hoping to take our existing caretakers with us to the Tithe Barn and the handyman’s position is an ongoing daily one of opening and closing the gates to the Garden of Rest along with inspecting the play equipment and bus shelters. Some of this year has been taken up with the relocation of the office and various items ie: piano, map, office safe etc, and we have endeavoured to keep our existing hirers informed of the changes. Our utilisation figures have been kept up by several new hirers and we hope many of these will follow us to the Tithe Barn. July and August will be a testing time for all, especially the staff and I would like to thank them for what they have done this year. Cllr Val Smith – Chairman Church House Management Committee. POLICY COMMITTEE The Policy Committee only meets when there are matters that are under discussion within it’s remit. The Committee met early in the Council’s year for it’s usual initial meeting. However in the last quarter of the council’s year we have met on a more regular basis to complete a thorough review of all the Council’s Policies and Standing Orders, to ensure they are in line with the national model, and comply with all legislation. This has been a mammoth task and as a result the Committee has now put in place a rolling programme to ensure everything is reviewed on a regular basis. Cllr Anita Heappey – Chairman Policy Committee
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
[ Main Page ] [ Credits ] [ Contact Us ] [ Legal ] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
