Agenda for Annual Town Council meeting to be held on Monday, 15th May 2023
You are summoned to the ANNUAL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING of Mere Town Council to be held on Monday, 15th May 2023 at Duchy Manor, Springfield Road, Mere. BA12 6EW at 7.00 pm. The meeting will consider the items set out below.
Before the meeting there will be a public session to enable the people of Mere to ask questions of, and make comments, regarding the Town Council. Questions not answered at this meeting will be answered in writing to the person asking the question, or may appear as an agenda item for the next meeting. Members of the public are asked to restrict their comments, and/or questions to three minutes.
Please Note: By entering the meeting room you are consenting to the use of your name being recorded in the Minutes. The meeting may also be recorded by the press or members of the public. Any person or organisation choosing to film, record or broadcast any meeting of the Council or its committees is responsible for any claims or other liability resulting from them so doing and by choosing to film, record or broadcast proceedings they accept that they are required to indemnify the Council, its members and officers in relation to any such claims or liabilities.
Any person who may find difficulty in access to the meeting through disability is asked to advise the Clerk by email (lindseywood@merewilts.org) at least 24 hours before the meeting so that every effort may be made to provide access.
Yours sincerely,
Lindsey Wood,
Town Clerk & RFO
Public Participation Session
Members of the public are invited to address the Council on any issue over which it has a power. This session will be limited to 15 minutes (3 minutes per speaker). The Chairman will convene the Town Council meeting after the public session (please note that once the meeting has been convened members of the public are no longer permitted to speak unless invited to do so by the Chairman).
AGENDA
- To elect Chairman of Mere Town Council for 2023/24 and to receive the Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office
- To elect Vice-Chairman of Mere Town Council for 2023/24 and to receive the Vice-Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office.
- To receive apologies for absence.
- To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests and other interests from Councillors on matters to be considered at the meeting.
4.1. To receive declarations of interest from councillors on items on the agenda
4.2. To receive written requests for dispensations for disclosable pecuniary interests (if any)
4.3. To grant any requests for dispensation as appropriate
A request for dispensation must be made on an individual basis.
Members are invited to declare disclosable pecuniary interests and other interests in items on the agenda as required by the Mere Town Council Code of Conduct for Members and by the Localism Act 2011. The disclosure must include the nature of the interest. If you become aware, during the course of a meeting, of an interest that has not been disclosed under this item, you must immediately disclose it. Whether you can remain in the meeting and the extent to which you can participate depends on the type of interest you have.
- Minutes – To resolve that the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on Monday, 3rd April 2023 be approved as a correct record. (attached)
- Sergeant Matthew Roberts from Wiltshire Police to talk about local policing issues.
*7. To review and adopt the Standing Orders & Financial Regulations for Mere Town Council (distributed)
- Internal Audit
To appoint/re-appoint an Internal Auditor
- To review Committee Structures and appointment of any committees in accordance with standing order 4 and, if appointing committees, to consider terms of reference etc.
- To appoint members, including Convenors, to serve on Working Groups as required.
- To appoint members, including the Chairman, to serve on the Staffing Panel
- To appoint members, including the Chairman, to serve on the Appeals Committee
- To appoint/re-appoint Trustees for Forest Charities
- Review of representation on or work with external bodies and arrangements for reporting back:
Organisation | 2022/23 Representative | 2023/24 Representative |
Youth Club, Seeds4Success, CAYPIG (Community Area Young People) | Cllrs. Hazzard, L. Bennett & R. Coward. | |
Cricket Club | Cllr. Ings | |
Health & Community Care | Cllr. Hill | |
Tennis Club | Cllr. Jeans | |
Football Club | Cllr. Bennett | |
Public Transport & CATG | Cllr. Debbie Beale | |
Mere & District Linkscheme | Mrs. Adrienne Howell | |
Museum Committee | Cllr. Jeans | |
Footpaths & Rights of Way | Cllr. Jordan | |
Chamber of Trade | Chairman & Cllr. Colman | |
Friends of Mere Museum | Cllr. Jordan | |
School Governor | Cllr. Hansford | |
Mere Bowling Club | Cllr. Ings | |
Carnival Committee | Cllr. Jordan & Cllr. Nick Beale | |
Area Board & CATG | Chairman & Vice-Chairman | |
Mere Film Shows | Mrs. Rosie Jordan-Barr | |
Rivers Group | Cllr. R. Coward, Cllr. Debbie Beale & Cllr. Symonds | |
Mere Parochial Church Council | Cllr. Traves | |
Trustees for Mere Forest Charity | Cllrs. R. Coward, E. Mitchell, G. Jeans + Mrs. Anne Rich |
*15. Review of delegation arrangements to committees, sub-committees, staff and other local authorities; (Scheme of Delegation attached)
- To review the Council’s banking and signatory arrangements and mandate for direct debits.
*17. To review the Council’s asset register (asset register summary attached)
*18. Confirmation of arrangements for insurance cover in respect of all insurable risks (renewal insurance schedule attached)
- To fix the dates and times of ordinary meetings of the Council and Committees for the ensuing year.
- Matters Arising from Public Session
- Matters Arising from previous Meetings
*a) Minute Ref: 286a) Lease/Licence for Car Club
*c) Lynch Close Sheltered Housing Review – Newsletter May 2023 (attached) & correspondence
- Reports & Consultations
- a) Wiltshire Councillors Report
*b) Report from Project Co-Ordinator (reports [2] attached).
- Planning
- a) Applications for consultation response:
Application No: | PL/2023/02665 |
Application Type: | Householder planning permission |
Proposal: | Installation of solar panels on roof of garage within the grounds of Prospect House. |
Site Address: | PROSPECT HOUSE, SHAFTESBURY ROAD, MERE, WARMINSTER, BA12 6BN |
Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z00001AZ1r4 |
Application No: | PL/2023/02925 |
Application Type: | Householder planning permission |
Proposal: | Loft conversion with Velux roof lights |
Site Address: | 4A Underdown Mead, Mere, BA12 6EQ |
Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z00001AZe3c |
Application No: | PL/2023/02919 |
Application Type: | Full planning permission |
Proposal: | Install solar panel array on south roof of south aisle |
Site Address: | St Michael The Archangel Church, Church Street, Mere, BA12 6DS |
Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z00001AZdz6 |
Application No: | PL/2023/03190 |
Application Type: | Householder planning permission |
Proposal: | DEMOLISH EXISTING LEAN-TO & CONSTRUCT NEW SINGLE STOREY EXTENSION |
Site Address: | Chapel House, North Street, Mere, BA12 6HH |
Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z00001AaDqZ |
Application No: | PL/2023/02755 |
Application Type: | Full planning permission |
Proposal: | Retention of glazed single storey extension. |
Site Address: | Walnut Tree Inn, Shaftesbury Road, Mere, Warminster, Wilts, BA12 6BH |
Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z00001AZFZV |
Application No: | PL/2023/03410 |
Application Type: | Notification of proposed works to trees in a conservation area |
Proposal: | Beech tree – remove 3 limbs back to main stem and reduce 2 smaller limbs to clear building by 3m |
Site Address: | HARTFIELD, SALISBURY STREET, MERE, WARMINSTER, BA12 6HA |
Planning Register Link: | https://development.wiltshire.gov.uk/pr/s/planning-application/a0i3z00001AaeAF |
- b) Planning Appeal Notification – PL/2022/06387 – Breaches Barn, Barrow Street, Mere, Warminster – APP/Y3940/W/23/3319335
- c) Report on Strategic Planning Committee meeting held for planning application 20/07643/FUL – Full Planning Permission Address: Land at Jane Oaks Farm, Mere, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 6LH Proposal: Change of use of land to use as a residential caravan site for 4 gypsy families. Laying of hardstanding, access improvements and erection of two amenity buildings.
*d) DLUHC Consultation On Infrastructure Levy – Final NALC Request To Circulate Briefing To Member Councils, (consultation document attached)
*e) NALC response to the government’s consultation on permitted development rights (response attached – for information)
- Highways, Rivers, Footpaths, Traffic & Transport
- a) To identify jobs for the Parish Steward, Sparkle Team and MyWiltshire reports.
*b) Traffic Management in Mere – response from Traffic Engineer
- Buildings, Open Spaces, Play Areas, Sports Grounds, Car Parks, Allotments & Cemeteries
*a) Review of football provision and facilities in view of proposals to change football fixtures for Mere Town Football Club
- Finance, Policy & Resources
*a) Payments – To review and authorise schedule of payments (attached)
- b) To confirm approval for S.137 payments for 2023/24 financial year (as listed in payment schedule)
*c) To consider quotation for insurance renewal.
*d) To review and approve end of year Budget/Expenditure Report including revisions to reserves and to discuss debtors/creditors and End of Year Summaries (report attached)
*e) Wiltshire Towns Programme – funding for 2023/24
- f) Actions from Interim Internal Audit Report
- i) Specialist advice on requirement for VAT Registration – deferred.
- General Items & Consultations/Briefing Notes
- a) The Tower Stories – Heritage Lottery Bid.
- b) Briefing Note 23-10: Guidance for Neighbourhood Planning within Wiltshire
- Future meetings and events
Ask the Leader of the Council event in Salisbury 17th May 2023
- Future agenda items
Note: Members are reminded that the Town Council has a general duty to consider the following matters in the exercise of any of its functions: Equal Opportunities (race, gender, sexual orientation, marital status and any disability), Crime and Disorder, Health and Safety and Human Rights.
*Further information on these items enclosed/attached
MERE PEACE MEMORIAL SPORTS AND RECREATION GROUND
Registered Charity No. 1093497
For Trustees:
- To receive report on end of year accounts and approve end of year accounts (summary is included in Budget/Expenditure Report)
- To approve payments to:
Mere Town Council – Maintenance charges for 2022/23 £????????????
*In order to pay this, Mere Town Council has agreed to provide a donation to the Mere Peace Memorial Sports & Recreation Ground Charity for £?????????. The reason for these contra payments is to separate the Charity Accounts from the Town Council’s accounts.