MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE FINANCE AND ESTABLISHMENT COMMITTEE HELD IN THE MEETING ROOM, 11 BAKER STREET, ABERYSTWYTH ON MONDAY 15^th JULY 2013 AT 6.30PM

 

Present:Councillor M Jones

Councillor W Morris-Twiddy

Councillor J A Davies

Councillor E Edwards

Councillor B Haines

Councillor B Davies

Councillor D Lewis

Councillor C Davies

Councillor R Price

Councillor A Williams

 

Apologies:         Councillor S Jones-Davies

Councillor M Strong

 

 

1. Declarations of Interest

There were none recorded.

1. External Advice Providers

Contracts had been signed and paperwork sent by Peninsula. Copies of everything sent to date were given to each member present at the meeting. Copies would be sent to those not present.

 

1. Aberystwyth Town Council website

The Town Clerk gave an update on communications with JaNET and Councillor Price gave an update on the development of the new website which would run parallel with the existing site until the new site was live.

The Town Clerk voiced concern that the new hosts were not UK based and were potentially unsafe. It is understood that the company was based in Panama City and run by Russians. Councillor Price stated that this would not be a problem as the company also had other bases which would be used.

 

 

 

1. Review and adoption of accounts for April 2013

Following discussion it was agreed to receive and adopt the accounts for April 2013 subject to virement adjustment of expenditure headings for clarity. The accounts were however accurate.

 

1. Review and adoption of accounts for May 2013

Following discussion it was agreed to receive and adopt the accounts for May 2013.

Questions were asked regarding the reclamation of VAT. The Clerk gave an explanation on this matter which was confirmed as correct by the chairman.

 

1. Review and adoption of accounts for June 2013

Following discussion it was agreed to receive and adopt the accounts for June 2013

It was noted that an account for £21.63 had been paid twice and that one of these amounts  had been repaid to the council. The expenditure codes on the MUGA would be vired for clarity.

 

1. Welsh National Memorial- Flanders

Following discussion it was agreed to send the memorial committee an grant application form for consideration in the next financial year.

 

1. Correspondence

Notice was made of the annual SLCC conference to be held in Leicester in October. The Town Clerk asked for permission to attend. Following brief discussion permission was granted.

 

1. Questions relating to financial matters

Q1-What news of the new lease on Baker Street?

A1- A new draft had been received on that day and had been sent to solicitors for checking.

 

Q2- What was news regarding the Recycling project.

A2- Ceredigion County Council could provide a free service to Aberystwyth Town Council and this had already been agreed by the General Management committee for progress.

 

Q3- Had there been progress on the tree / Traffic calming measure in North Road?

A3- It was assumed that Councillor Strong was dealing with this matter as a Ceredigion County Councillor ward member.

 

Q4- Has the quote for the Mayoral Chain been done yet?

A4- This matter has had to be slightly delayed but will be completed shortly.

 

1. Staffing matters

There was no discussion.

 

 

Minute 55

Planning applications– to consider those applications not covered in the monthly planning meeting and are time sensitive.

The Chairman and Clerk were given deferred powers to consult with members over the summer break and to submit the planning recommendations on behalf of Aberystwyth Town Council.

 

Minute 56

Clerks Report

There was no separate report.

 

Minute 57

Correspondence.

1. Audit

BDO LLP, the external auditor provided a an opinion on the audit which the Town Clerk was pleased to say was completed with no significant matters of concern. Note was made as to the updating of the asset register to record the purchase cost of historical items.

 

1. Brass band competition.

A letter was received from Mr H T Jones asking for consideration of funding a potenetial Brass Band competition in the town.

It was decided to advise Mr Jones as to the protocols and ask him to complete an application form for next years grant.

 

1. Ceredigion County Council Grant

It was RESOLVED to apply for the grant of £500 towards enhancing the Aberystwyth Town Council website being offered by Ceredigion County Council on behalf of the Welsh Government.

 

1. Property Question.

A firm of local solicitors wrote to ask if Aberystwyth Town Council had any interest in a property in Trinity Road. It was agreed to answer in the negative.

1. Welsh Government reply

A reply regarding the replacement of the Pelican Crossing in Gt. Darkgate Street was received. It has been supplemented by an e mail from an official at the TRA that work on a replacement crossing would start soon.

 

1. Castle CCTV

A letter from Ceredigion County Council was received where it stated that the above project would not be allowed to progress until Aberystwyth Town Council had paid the bill for costs in the Aberystwyth CCTV scheme.

The Clerk explained that he had personally been to see the assistant Director , HPW regarding this matter and had asked for matters to be progressed in Februalry and that the officer in question had been told in a meeting in January to send bills to Town and Community Councils for consideration in their precepts. Nothing had been forthcoming. Other towns had not received bills either and consequently no provison had been made in the precepts. Consequently nothing had been received until June when the precepting exercise had been completed.

Members were of the opinion that this was comparable to blackmail and the Town Clerk was asked to hold urgent meetings with Ceredigion County Council to make progress in this matter.

 

1. Acknowledgement of letter

Acknowledgement was received from Ceredigion County Council chief executive relating to a letter sent voicing concern regarding the use of CPO’s.

 

1. Dyfi Biosphere.

A letter was received asking opinion on whether Aberystwyth should be integrated into the Dyfi Biosphere (DB) plan or be given individual status as part of the DB management and marketing plan.

Following a short discussion it was decided to as for Aberystwyth to be integrated into the plan.

 

 

 

 

Minute 58

Questions relating only to matters in this Councils remit

Q1- Had CADW been invited to address council yet?

A1- Not yet as the Clerk was still awaiting the contact details of the lady who had suggested coming to a meeting.

 

Q2- What progress regarding the draft lease?

A2- The matter was in hand and the new draft lease was recently received and was with the solicitor for checking.

 

Minute 59

To consider expenditure  

Following discussion it was RESOLVED to make the following payments in the sum of £27,86512. It was also asked that the amount to the Aberystwyth University be checked and adjusted if necessary..

NAME	DESCRIPTION	Amount £
CGC Properties	North Rd Maintainance 2013	£1,200.00
Playsafe Ltd	Playground maitainance course and exam	£386.00
ARC	Bottle Bank Emptying June 2013	£720.00
Konica Minolta	Hire of PC machine	£444.02
Purchase Power	Postage charges	£228.38
Aber University	Tiour series sponsorship	£9,000.00
WPS Insurance	Renewal of insurance 2013/14	£4,581.99
Menter Aberystwyth	Summer Ents 2013	£6,000.00
Carm CC	Salaries June 2013	£5,238.73
Martin Shewring	Travel to course in Telford	£46.50
Wendy Morris-Twiddy	Travel to duties in Cardigan	£19.50
TOTAL		£27,865.12

 

Minute 60

Verbal Reports from Ceredigion County Councillors only on matters pertaining to this Council

Councillor Alun Williams reported on the latest regarding the traffic Orders review and he also gave information regarding the proposed hourly train service and how the minister had asked for evidence of need for the service.

 

Minute 61

Written reports from representatives to outside bodies 

Reports were received from:

Aberystwyth Esquel people in Partnership Assoc.- Councillor Endaf Edwards

Aberystwyth GAG – Councillor Endaf Edwards

Aberystwyth Fairtrade Group- Councillor Mererid Jones

Aberystwyth Traffic Committee- Councillor Mair Benjamin

 

Minute 62

RA Board Report- Councillor Alun Williams

Councillor Alun Williams gave an update on the recent ministerial decision to change the focus of funding and the implications for Aberystwyth.

 

 

 

Minute 63

Notice Boards at the request of Councillor Sue Jones Davies

Councillor Sur Jones-Davies suggested that the notice board next to the bus stop in North Parade could be used for diplaying public notices.

It was RESOLVED to write to Ceredigion County Council and aske their permission to use this unit for public benefit.

 

Minute 64

Agenda order at the request of Councillor Carys Morgan

Councillor Carys Morgan suggested that in order to allow extra time for more important issues the agenda items submitted by Councillors should be moved away from the end of the agenda and that reports and items that didn’t need a response be pushed towards the end of the agenda.

Following discussion it was RESOLVED to experiment with this idea to test its usefulness.

 

Minute 65

Commission on Public Service Governance and Delivery at the request of Councillor Mererid Jones

No responses had been received to date and Councillor Jones would continue to wait for responses.