| Time: | 7.30pm | Place: | Baldock Community Centre, Simpson Drive, Baldock |
| PRESENT: | Councillor M.R.M. Muir(Chairman), Councillor I.J. Knighton(Vice-Chairman), Councillor John Harris, Councillor S.K. Jarvis, Councillor M.E. Weeks, Councillor A.D. Young. |
| IN ATTENDANCE: | Ashley Hawkins (Community Development Officer) Susanne Gow (Committee and Member Services Officer) |
| ALSO PRESENT: | A member of the Press. |
| Item | Description/Resolution | Status | Action | |
| PART I | ||||
| 4 |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE There were no apologies for absence for this meeting. |
Noted | ||
| 5 |
MINUTES Minutes RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 5 March 2012 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman. |
Agreed | ||
| 6 |
MINUTES Minutes RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 17 May 2012 be approved as a true record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman. |
Agreed | ||
| 7 |
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business raised at this meeting. |
Noted | ||
| 8 |
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS (1) The Chairman stated that this meeting was the first Baldock and District Committee meeting of the Civic Year 2012/2013 and so his first as Chairman. He thanked the previous Chairman, Cllr Young, for his leadership over the past year and recorded a vote of thanks to Marilyn Kirkland, the outgoing Member for Baldock East, for the good work she had done whilst on the Baldock and District Committee. (2) The Chairman then welcomed to the meeting Cllr Harris, the new Member representing Baldock East Ward, together with all Members of the Committee and officers, a member of the Press and the two members of Hertfordshire Constabulary present: PC Nic Musto, and Inspector Martin Turpin. (3) The Chairman reminded Members that declarations of interest in respect of any business set out in the agenda should be declared as either a prejudicial or personal interest and they were required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared. Members declaring a prejudicial interest were to leave the room and not seek to influence the decision during that particular item. He proposed that Declarations of Interest should be made at the start of each relevant item on the Agenda. |
Noted | ||
| 9 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION There was no participation from members of the public scheduled for this meeting. |
Noted | ||
| 10 |
BALDOCK POLICE OFFICE AND CRIME UPDATE Councillor Ian Knighton declared an interest as he is Chairman of the Baldock Community Association. He would take part in the discussion and would not leave the room while it took place. The Police Neighbourhood Co-ordinator for Baldock, PC Nic Musto, introduced himself and confirmed that he was based at the Baldock Community Centre in what would shortly be the Baldock Police Office. He then introduced his colleague, Inspector Martin Turpin, who was based at Hitchin to replace Inspector Jason Thorne and whose area covered much of North Hertfordshire. PC Musto explained that he had not brought statistics to the Committee, other than that there had been 5 more crimes recorded in Baldock than at this period a year ago. He proposed to give Members an update on the setting up of a Baldock Police Office in the Baldock Community Centre (BCC), which had been given the go-ahead by the Hertfordshire Police Authority. The Police Office would be sited in the Youth Wing of the BCC and there would be general refurbishment and updating through-out the Centre, including the entrance lobby, toilets, flooring etc. Security adjustments would be made, including CCTV, door and window locks, a smartened up entrance way and the provision of 2 parking bays in the car park behind the Centre for the sole use of police vehicles (also covered by CCTV). Everything would be improved and refurbished by the end of summer 2012, in response to requests from the Baldock residents in general. It was what the community had asked for and would get the Youth Wing back into use as well as establish a permanent Police presence in Baldock. Members enquired if the Herts Police Authority approved of the project and this was confirmed. They were also informed that there would be a dedicated communications line to the Police systems from the Baldock Police Office and that this would be one of the first items installed due to its major importance. The Chairman thanked PC Musto and Inspector Turpin for the update on the Baldock Police Office and wished them well with the project. |
Noted | ||
| 11 |
CHAMPION NEWS & FINANCE REPORT REPORT OF THE HEAD OF POLICY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES Report Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Appendix 3 Appendix 4 Appendix 5 Appendix 6 The Community Development Officer (CDO) for Baldock and District presented the report of the Head of Policy and Community Services and explained that there were very few updates to his report as follows: Baldock Youth Council The Youth Council is still struggling for members. The young people are involved in the skate park project, but numbers have fallen drastically and they appear to be in need of a project to give them some interest and impetus. Members were reminded that the Youth Council had been very successful when it was run by Upper Sixth formers who had subsequently left to progress on to university, and the current age of the young people attending was 13/14 years. It was agreed that the best way forward was to close down the Youth Council and relaunch it with a different emphasis and a new name. The CDO was asked to take this forward. Baldock Half Marathon The Committee were updated that around £9,000 profit had been made by this event. The CDO stated that there was nothing else to add by way of updates since the report had been written and published. The CDO then took the Committee through the budget spreadsheet and 12 Fast Track grants to be ratified. There were just two grant applications - for the Saracens Cricket Club and the Baldock Cemetery Group. The Herts Highways Work Programme, the Area Committee Work Programme and the Baldock Town Partnership Calendar of Events were appended. He also outlined the list of seven organisations that currently receive a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) grant from the Committee, two of which (Baldock Town Twinning and Baldock Rotary Club) were still waiting to be processed. FUNDING DECISIONS Fast Track Grants The 12 Fast track grants detailed in the report at para 4 were ratified by the Committee as follows: An award in the sum of £323 from the Baldock Town 2011/2012 base budget to the Baldock Museum and Local History Society to assist with purchasing polyester envelopes to protect the museum photographs; An award to the Rock Solid After School Club in the sum of £500 from the Baldock Town preallocated Town Projects fund and the Baldock East Ward Member's 2011/2012 base budget to assist with room hire charges and the purchase of equipment; An award in the sum of £300 from the Baldock Town preallocated Town Projects fund and the Baldock East Ward Member's 2011/2012 base budget to Football Future to assist with training costs and the purchase of new equipment; An award to Baldock Town Youth Football Club in the sum of £500 to assist with the purchase of new goalposts. This funding was taken from the Baldock Town, Baldock East and Weston and Sandon Ward budgets; An award in the sum of £300 from the Arbury Ward Member's preallocated Rural Community Projects fund to the Hinxworth Village Voice group to assist with the purchase of software for the publication; An award in the sum of £365 to the Hinxworth Allotment Group from the Arbury Ward Member's preallocated Rural Community Projects fund to assist with the purchase of fencing to protect the allotments from rabbits and foxes; An award in the sum of £300 from the Baldock Town 2011/2012 base budget to St John Ambulance for the purchase of new uniforms and safety equipment; An award of £350 to the Ashwell Baby and Toddler Group from the Arbury Ward Member's 2012/2013 base budget for equipment costs and training costs for staff and helpers; An award of £150 from the Weston and Sandon preallocated Rural Projects fund to Weston Parish Council to assist with the costs of equipment for the Weston Jubilee Street Party event; An award of £100 to the Wallington Village Hall Committee from the Weston and Sandon preallocated Rural Projects fund to assist with the costs of equipment for the Wallington Jubilee Street Party event; An award in the sum of £500 to Sandon Parish Council to assist with the costs of purchasing a secure storage facility for equipment at Sandon and Social Club An award in the sum of £60 from Baldock East funds to assist with the marking of a disabled parking area on the Clothall Common estate. Saracens Cricket Club Councillors Young and Knighton declared a personal interest in this item as they are members of the Saracens Cricket Club. They would stay in the room but would not vote on the decision. Funding of £1,000 was requested by the Saracens Cricket Club to assist with the purchase of equipment and to cover the costs of essential coaching training for its members. After some discussion, Members agreed to award £500 split in the normal percentage between Baldock Town and Arbury Ward budgets. Baldock Society for a the Baldock Cemetery Group Project Councillors Muir and Knighton expressed a personal interest as they are on the Committee of the Baldock Society. The Baldock Society had requested the sum of £1,000 from the Baldock and District Committee to help fund a public consultation exercise on the possibility of a new cemetery in Baldock. Members discussed their concerns at granting the application without having sight of a draft of the questionnaire. They agreed that they would like further details and a cost breakdown before they considered granting the application. They proposed delaying this matter until the next meeting on 16 July, when it was hoped that a presentation would be made to the Committee by the Baldock Society. The Chairman thanked the Community Development Officer for his report and for his efforts on behalf of the people of Baldock and the surrounding District. He also recorded his thanks and that of the Baldock and District Committee to the members of the Baldock Town Partnership for all the effort they had made and the events they had organised for the good of Baldock. RESOLVED: 1) That the budgetary expenditure, balances and carry forwards from the Development Budgets be noted; 2) That the Committee acknowledges the 12 recent Fast Track grant awards detailed at para 4 of the Community Development Officer's Report; 3) That the Committee awards the sum of £500 to the Saracens Cricket Club to assist with the purchase of equipment and to cover the costs of essential coaching training for its members, split in the normal percentage between Baldock Town and Arbury Ward budgets; 4) That the Committee defers a decision on granting the application for £1,000 requested by the Baldock Society to fund a public consultation exercise, until further details are presented at the next meeting of the Baldock and District Committee in 16 July 2012. REASONS FOR DECISIONS: 1) To ensure that the Baldock and District Committee are kept informed of the work of the Community Development Officer; 2) This report is intended simply to inform Members of the financial resources available to the Committee. It draws attention to the current budgetary situation, assists in the effective financial management of the Baldock and District Committee's budget and ensures actions are performed within the Authority's Financial Regulations and the guidance in the grants procedure; 3) The awarding of financial assistance to voluntary organisations and the use of discretionary spending allows the Committee to further the aims and strategic priorities of the Council; 4) The allocation of funds will improve the services provided by local organisations and groups that are available and accessed by members of the community. |
Agreed | ||