| Time: | 7.30pm | Place: | Committee Room, Royston Town Hall, Melbourn Street, Royston |
| PRESENT: | Councillor Fiona Hill(Chairman), Councillor Bill Davidson(Vice-Chairman), Councillor P.C.W. Burt, Councillor Jean Green, Councillor A.F. Hunter, Councillor R.E. Inwood, Councillor Gerald Morris |
| IN ATTENDANCE: | Alan Fleck (Community Development Officer) Susanne Gow (Committee and Member Services Officer) |
| ALSO PRESENT: | Honorary Alderman F J Smith Royston Town Councillors Lindsay Davidson and Robert Smith 1 member of the Press 1 member of the public. |
| Item | Description/Resolution | Status | Action | |
| PART I | ||||
| 58 |
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE There were no apologies for absence at this Committee Meeting. |
Noted | ||
| 59 |
MINUTES Minutes RESOLVED: That the Minutes of the Royston and District Committee Meeting held on 11 January 2012 be approved as a true record of the proceedings, and be signed by the Chairman. Arising from the Minutes, the Chairman advised the Committee that the Working Party on Intermediate Care in Royston and Royston Hospital referred to in the Minutes had met. A response had been submitted to the Primary Care Trust for the consultation ‘A Vision and Strategy for Intermediate Care Services in Hertfordshire'. This had been put forward jointly by the Royston and District Committee and the two Herts County Councillors for Royston and for North Herts Rural. |
Agreed | ||
| 60 |
NOTIFICATION OF OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business raised at this meeting. |
Noted | ||
| 61 |
CHAIRMAN'S ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) The Chairman welcomed the Committee, Honorary Alderman F J Smith, Royston Town Councillors Lindsay Davidson and Robert Smith, the Press, the speaker and the public to the meeting; 2) She informed the Committee that the subject of Item 6 on the Agenda would still be presented by Royston Town Councillor Lindsay Davidson, but the subject would now be ‘Royston 2012: A Year of Celebration'; 3) The Committee was advised that there was an additional grant application since publication of the Agenda, at Appendix J of the Champion News and Finance Report. The subject of this was the Jubilee Fun Day in Royston on 3 June 2012 in Priory Memorial Gardens; 3) Members were reminded that any declarations of interest, in respect of any business set out in the agenda, should be declared as either a prejudicial or personal interest and are required to notify the Chairman of the nature of any interest declared at the commencement of the relevant item on the agenda. Members declaring a prejudicial interest can speak on the item, but must leave the room before the debate and vote. |
Noted | ||
| 62 |
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION Andy Williams of The House Drop-In Centre addressed the Committee on two separate subjects. First was the SG8 Project, which puts old and young residents together through activities and projects such as art and photography. Despite initial misgivings from the young people, both young and old interacted very well and enjoyed the experience. The young people also visited a Fire Station and were shown the effects of a car accident, which they found interesting. They were told that the Fire Station were looking for young people to join the Fire Cadets. Next, Mr Williams gave the background to The House Drop-In Centre, explaining that it had been set up over 10 years ago because of the need for somewhere safe and welcoming for young people to go instead of loitering on the streets of Royston. The young people came from differing backgrounds and they had built sound relationships with them. They have freedom, but Mr Williams explained that he and his wife look for the good in each young person and challenge inappropriate behaviour, expecting them to behave reasonably. They demonstrate their own values of respect, care, stability and commitment to the young people and use the relationships formed with them to manage them and change the bad behaviour. He was convinced, and this was confirmed by the young people themselves, that attending The House had made a difference to the lives of many young people. Mr Williams informed the Committee that the cost of keeping The House running for one year was currently £19,400 and he thanked Members for their moral and financial support over the years. He advised them that there would need to be a change of leadership at The House in a few years' time, and this needed to be taken into account when planning long term. Members enquired who used The House and when it was open and were informed that approximately 80 young people aged between 12 and 18 years were catered for: about 30 on any one night. The facility was open on Tuesday and Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons, as well as additional afternoons during the school holidays. The Chairman and Vice-Chairman stated that they had seen the good work done by Mr Williams and his team at The House over the years and other Members were also well aware of their efforts and commended him and his staff. The Chairman thanked Mr Williams on behalf of the Royston and District Committee, for his interesting presentation and the valuable work done by himself, his wife and the team at The House, for the young people of Royston over the last 10 years. |
Noted | ||
| 63 |
ROYSTON 2012: A YEAR OF CELEBRATION Verbal update Royston Town Councillor Lindsay Davidson, Chairman of the Royston 2012 Co-ordinating Committee, introduced the progress report, reminding Members that the Year of Celebrations was seen as a way to involve the whole community in events and activities over the 12-month period that included the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. She went through the programme of events and projects one by one and reported that the local MP, who is the President of the 2012 Committee, is fully supportive. The 2012 Celebrations mural by Meridian School was going really well and so was the collage by Roysia School. Councillor Davidson expressed the Committee's thanks to all the organisations who had assisted with funding, including Johnson Matthey and North Herts Homes. They hoped for further support for the variety of activities and events taking place and looked forward to working closely with the many people who had volunteered. The dedicated website had recorded hits worldwide, not just from the local area and the United Kingdom. Further funding support from Royston businesses and organisations had been promised and Councillor Davidson again thanked the Committee for their moral and financial support. The Chairman thanked Councillor Davidson for her hard work for Royston as Chairman of the 2012 Co-ordinating Committee. Members commented that they were impressed with the list of activities and that it was likely to be a very good year. They thanked Councillor Davidson and the whole 2012 Committee for their remarkable efforts. |
Noted | ||
| 64 |
HIGHWAYS ISSUES Discussion The Chairman advised that the Phase 1 schemes for the Herts County Councillors' Locality Budgets (introduced for Highways for the forthcoming year) had now been agreed after consultation with District and Town councillors. The schemes in Royston and the surrounding area are: 1) Serby Avenue, Gower Road and Green Street (north side) footpaths; 2) Lower King Street, Studlands Rise, Goodwood Road and Ascot Road; 3) Barley and Kelshall villages. Phase 2 schemes are now being discussed. 4) Issues regarding Reed were raised and these will be reported to Herts Highways. Other items raised by Members included: 5) Development at Church Lane - it was proposed that the relevant planning officer be asked how materials are to be brought on to the site; 6) The trees on the Baldock Road had been taken down by the conservators and approved by Natural England, providing hedging replaced them; 7) The drain near the shop in Burns Road. The Chairman commented that this had been investigated by Herts Highways and no problem was found, but she will ask them to re-investigate; 8) The Chairman also advised that the crossing at the north end of Royston is still being investigated. |
Noted | ||
| 65 |
CHAMPION NEWS AND FINANCE REPORT Report Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C Appendix D Appendix E Appendix F Appendix G Appendix H Appendix I Appendix J The Community Development Officer (CDO) presented the report of the Head of Policy and Community Services and provided some verbal updates. He ran through the items on the Rural Grants Fund and the Update on Royston Civic Centre Site Development Brief. Then under Database and Section 106 Monies he updated the Committee that he had given Therfield Parish Council some guidance on Section 106 monies, since the decision at the last Committee Meeting to include the villages in the Royston area on the list. The list would be updated at each future Royston and District Committee Meeting in the future. The CDO took the Committee through the budget spreadsheet and six grant applications, which were considered and agreed, as follows: a) The sum of £200 was requested by Kelshall Parish Meeting for costs towards a celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The Committee agreed to treat this as a Fast Track grant and delegated the CDO and the Chairman to authorise a sum "up to £200" for this purpose; b) The sum of £1,250 was requested by the Electralite Majorettes to purchase 20 additional sets of uniform, shoes and equipment. After discussion, the Committee agreed to award a sum of "up to £700". c) Cllr Inwood declared a personal interest in this grant application as The House Drop-In Centre is one of his Charities of the Year during his year of tenure as Mayor of Royston. A contribution had been requested towards running The House Youth Drop-In Centre, as the cost for 2012 was £19,400. The organiser had addressed the Committee at this meeting and after Members had discussed this grant request for which a sum was not specified, they agreed to make an award of £1,250 on this occasion and discuss setting up a Memorandum of Understanding for The House at the next Meeting of the Royston and District Committee on 13 June 2012; d) The sum of £200 was requested by Cruse Bereavement Care (Hertfordshire) towards advertising and promotional materials The Committee discussed this grant application and agreed to award it. e) The sum of £700 was requested by the Ignite organisation, for craft resources, hall decorations and to support a theatre group at a 3-day event for young people (9-13 years) to be held at Coombes Community Centre in the week preceding Easter. After some discussion, the Committee agreed to award the full amount. f) The Chairman declared a personal interest in this grant application as she had supported it with funds from her Herts County Council Locality Budget and is on the 2012 Finance Sub-Committee of the Royston 2012 Co-ordinating Committee, as is Councillor Davidson who also declared a personal interest. Councillor Inwood declared a personal interest too, as he has connections to the main church involved. The sum of £500 was requested by Churches Together in Royston and District to support a Diamond Jubilee Fun Day on 3 June 2012 in Priory Memorial Gardens. This would be a Fun Day for all ages and have numerous attractions, following the pattern of the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Committee discussion resulted in Members agreeing to award the full sum. The CDO then updated the Committee on the four current Memoranda of Understanding as follows: - Royston Cave - the Committee will support this - Royston Community Transport - the Committee will support this - Royston Volunteer Centre - the Committee will support this - Royston Town Twinning Association - further information is required The Chairman thanked the Community Development Officer for his hard work and efforts for the residents of Royston and for his support for herself and the Royston and District Committee. RESOLVED: 1) That the Committee thanks the Community Development Officer (CDO) and endorses the actions he has taken to promote greater community capacity and well-being; 2) That the Committee considers and agrees to award the sum of up to £200 to Kelshall Parish Meeting for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations; 3) That the Committee considers and agrees to award the sum of up to £700 to the Electralite Majorettes for financial support; 4) That the Committee considers and agrees to award the sum of £1,250 to The House Youth Drop-In Centre for financial support and also considers establishing a Memorandum of Understanding at the next Committee Meeting on 13 June 2012; 5) That the Committee considers and agrees to award the sum of £200 to Cruse Bereavement Care (Hertfordshire) for advertising and promotional materials; 6) That the Committee considers and agrees to grant the sum of £700 to Ignite for Crack-an-Egg 2012 for craft resources at a young persons' 3-day event during the week before Easter; 7) That the Committee considers and agrees to grant the sum of £500 to Churches Together in Royston and District, to support a Diamond Jubilee Fun Day on 3 June 2012; 8) That the Committee considers and agrees which of the existing Memoranda of Understanding it wishes to continue to support; 9) That the Committee allocates any outstanding funds to 2012 events, Highways or Royston Town Council projects. REASON FOR DECISIONS: 1) To ensure that the Committee is kept informed of the work of the Community Development Officer; 2) To inform Members of the financial resources available to the Committee. The report draws attention to the current budgetary situation, assists in the effective financial management of the Royston 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 | ||
| 66 |
OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS - MEMBERS' REPORTS Verbal updates Coombes Community Centre It was reported that the Community Centre was running well but not making a profit. There would be a meeting on 8 March 2012 to discuss rates of hire. It would be recommended that these be raised. Royston Day Centre All was progressing well. |
Noted | ||