ASHINGTON TOWN COUNCIL
Minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee Meeting held at 6pm on
Tuesday, 28 October 2014, at Ashington Town Hall, Station Road, Ashington.
PRESENT:
Councillors: Stephen Fenwick (Chair)
Victor Bridges
Keith Chambers
Glyn Davies
Liam Lavery
Louis Brown (Ex Officio)
Les Alderson
Vicky Brown
Avril Chisholm
Lawrence Henderson
Wyn Stewart
Mark Purvis (Ex Officio)
IN ATTENDANCE:
Mike Slaughter – Town Clerk & Responsible Financial Officer
Stephen Humphrey – Funding & Projects Officer
Sue Coulthard – Snr. Admin. Officer
Cllr. Marjorie Chambers – Non-Committee Member
FGP 14/473 1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSCENCE
Apologies were received from Councillors Maggie Lang and Kris
Lavery.
FGP 14/474 2. DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS
Cllrs. Liam Lavery, Vicky Brown, Louis Brown and Les Alderson made
disclosures of personal and prejudicial interest with regard to any
discussions regarding Ashington Community Football Club.
FGP 14/475 3. MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING
The minutes of the meeting held on 30 September 2014, were agreed
and signed as a true record.
FGP 14/476 4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
14/466 Budget Report 2013/14 : Cllr K Chambers (Chair of the
Neighbourhood Partnership Board) reported that since the last meeting,
he had met with Amanda Cryer, the newly appointed Northumberland
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County Council (NCC) Neighbourhood Services Team Manager for
South East Northumberland. Cllr. Chambers informed members that
he informed NCC that Ashington Town Council was extremely
disappointed with the lack of a visible presence of Neighbourhood
Officers, the lack of financial and management information forthcoming
from the County Council and that there was a general emerging view
that the town was not receiving the promised service enhancement.
Cllr.Chambers reported that the invoice for the second half-year
payment of £125,000 had been received from the County Council in
accordance with the Partnership Agreement; it was requested however
that this invoice be put into dispute until the issues of concern had been
addressed to the satisfaction of the Town Council.
Cllr.L.Brown stated that the way in which the Neighbourhood Services
Partnership was being currently operated called into question the
transparency, honesty and trustworthiness of the whole process.
The Town Clerk reminded members that the Town Council decision to
enter into a Partnership Agreement with the County Council and
contribute £250k per annum towards neighbourhood services in
Ashington had been made in order to provide an enhancement to those
services. The Town Clerk reported that there was a clear perception
under the current arrangements that the town council was funding in
excess of 50% of the staffing costs of the Neighbourhood Services
Team in Ashington.
Following a lengthy discussion the Leader of the Council reported that
he would be seeking an early meeting to discuss the current situation
with NCC Leadership.
It was agreed that any decision to withhold the payment to NCC of
£125k be deferred until the next meeting of the Environment &
Amenities Committee.
14/469 Community Feedback Day: The Town Clerk reminded
members that the Community Feedback Day had been arranged for
Monday, 10th November 2014.
Members were informed that
presentations made during the feedback sessions would inform the
decision-making process during the budget preparations for 2015-2016.
Cllr.Chambers encouraged as many members as possible to attend the
event.
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FGP 14/477 5. SMALL GRANTS AND DONATIONS
The following requests for financial support were submitted for
consideration by the Committee:

Ashington Woodhorn Lane Ladies Football Club
Friends of Ashington Community Woods
Resolved:
That:
(i) A decision regarding Ashington Woodhorn Lane Ladies
Football Club be deferred pending further information
being obtained; and that
(ii) A grant of £200 be made to the Friends of Ashington
Community Woods
FGP14/478 6. SCHEDULE OF PAYMENTS
The Town Clerk submitted a full schedule of payments, made in
accordance with Council and Committee resolutions, for the period
26 September - 23 October 2014.
Resolved:
That the full schedule of payments for the period 26 September to 23 October 2014, be
agreed as set out below:
W.L.Straughan & Sons (Full Roadway/Footpath Works - Nursery Park Allotment Site)
S.Humphrey (Crockery and Office Equipment - Town Hall Remscheid Room)
D.G.Allan ("We Steal Flyers" - music performance - Town Twinning Visit)
D.G.Allan ("We Steal Flyers" - music performance - Town Twinning Visit) - CANCELLED
M.Allan ("We Steal Flyers" - music performance - Town Twinning Visit)
Tino's Deli (Buffet - Town Twinning hosting event)
W.L.Straughan & Sons (Fly Tipping/Hazardous Waste & Asbestos Removal - High Market Allots.)
Northumberland County Council (Fuel Costs/Neighbourhood Services Van)
Lyreco UK Ltd (Printing & Stationery)
Lyreco UK Ltd (Printing & Stationery) - CANCELLED - Reissued as 300901
Viking Direct (Stationery)
Institute of Fundraising (Annual Membership 2014/15)
CNC Property Fund Management Ltd (Lease Rental - Half-Year, Hirst East End Allotments Site)
8,439.60
193.46
300.00
-300.00
300.00
500.00
1,783.68
80.69
54.00
-54.00
41.89
102.00
550.00
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Altodigital Networks Ltd (IT Helpdesk Support/Extended Parts Warranty)
Lyreco UK Ltd (Printing & Stationery)
Citroen Contract Monitoring (Leasing Costs- Neighbourhood Services Van)
Action for Children (Room Booking - Children's Centre)
Northumberland County Council (Pay Costs - October 2014)
National Office Furniture Supplies (Town Hall - Office Furniture - ATC Offices)
National Office Furniture Supplies (Town Hall - Office Furniture - ATC Offices/Remscheid Room)
National Office Furniture Supplies (Town Hall - Office Furniture - ATC Offices/Remscheid Room)
De Lage Landen leasing Ltd (Rental of Photocopier)
Star Framing (Gifted Remscheid Prints - Town Hall Offices)
W.L.Straughan & Sons (Asbestos Removal - Seaton Hirst Allotment Site)
W.L.Straughan & Sons (Additional Works - Asbestos Removal - High Market Allots.)
BT Payment Services Ltd (ADSL Line - ATC Email/IT Service)
BT Payment Services Ltd (ATC Office Line)
Ashington & Hirst Allotment Society (Green Lane Allotment Site - Hire of Skips)
257.40
54.00
305.42
112.50
9,807.98
222.00
537.60
331.34
372.84
65.00
1,231.20
360.00
98.64
98.64
510.00
26,355.88
INCOME RECEIPTS.
Bank Interest for the qtr ended 30 September 2014
FGP 14/479 7.
-178.51
TOWN TWINNING –
PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH REMSCHEID
The Town Clerk reported that, further to the successful hosting
of town twinning visits, over the past few years, the time was
now appropriate for consideration to be given to the drafting of a
new formal Town Twinning Partnership Agreement with
Remscheid.
The Town Clerk reported that the recent visit by the
Luttringhausen Parish Brass Band was within the spirit of
modern town twinning in bringing citizens and organisations
together. Members were informed that the Band had made its
own arrangements and borne the cost of travel and
accommodation and had also drawn up their own agenda and
timetable. The Town Council had helped facilitate and host parts
of the visit, picking up the costs of two of the events (a welcome
at Woodhorn Museum and a farewell buffet meal) and sharing
the cost of a further event with Newbiggin-by-the-Sea Town
Council.
The Town Clerk informed members that a further visit from
Remscheid delegates was to take place early in November in
order to discuss the formalisation of a school exchange
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partnership with the Northumberland Church of England
Academy in Ashington.
The Town Clerk suggested that the Town Council leadership
might take the opportunity of the forthcoming visit to have
discussions with the Remscheid leadership regarding the
content and commissioning of a new Town Twinning Charter.
Resolved:
That:
(i) The Town Clerk be asked to hold informal discussions
with the Remscheid Delegates concerning the drawing up
and wording of a new formal Town Twinning Charter
between the towns of Ashington, Remscheid and
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea,
(ii) Further to satisfactory discussions, the Town Clerk
investigate the possibility of commissioning a
calligrapher to produce copies of the Charter; and that
(iii) The overall cost, and sharing arrangements, be
considered as part of the 2015/16 Budget discussions.
FGP 14/480 8.
ASHINGTON INFORMATION ON-LINE
The Town Clerk read out a letter of request received from Sir
John Hall, Chair of Ashington Town Team. Members were
informed that the request was that Ashington Town Council
consider providing the Town Team with an enhanced webpage
within the Town Council’s website.
The Town Clerk informed members that, although the request
was not contentious in any way, it was important that the
information was properly managed and that there was a clear
distinction between the role of the Town Council and the Town
Team. The Town Clerk reported that the Town Council needed
to properly manage any related risk and it was important that
shared information related to positive stories and facts about
Ashington.
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Members were informed that some of the work suggested by the
Town Team included an enhanced Ashington history section,
information on “Local Heroes” and a general business listing, all
non-contentious items. In response to a question, the Town
Clerk explained that this did not mean that the Town Team
would be in a position to post its own views on the Town Council
website – any additions and/or amendments to the website
would still be directly controlled by the Town Council staff.
Resolved:
That:
(i) the Town Clerk be authorised to hold informal
discussions with Ashington Town Centre Manager
regarding plans for the further development of the Town
Council website; and that
(ii) The extent of any website development and any related
cost be considered as part of the 2015/16 budget
discussions.
FGP 14/481 9.
REVIEW OF TOWN COUNCIL POLICIES
The Town Clerk reported that, following recent legislative
changes, primarily the publication of the Openness of Local
Government Bodies & Regulations 2014 (Open & Accountable
Local Government), there was a need to review the Town
Council’s current Policies including the Standing Orders and
Financial Regulations.
The Town Clerk suggested that a Working Group be set up to
undertake this work early in the New Year.
Resolved:
That:
(i) A Working Group be set up to review and, where
appropriate, revise the current Town Council policies,
(ii) Membership of the Working Group to consist of the Town
Clerk and the following members:Mark Purvis; Les Alderson;
Avril Chisholm; Keith
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Chambers; Lawrence Henderson and Stephen Fenwick;
and that
(iii) Draft policies be presented to the Finance & General
Purposes Committee for consideration and approval.
FGP 14/482 10.
ANY OTHER URGENT BUSINESS
Council Tax Support Scheme 2015/16: The Town Clerk
reported that he had received a letter from Stephen Mason (NCC
Lead Executive Director) concerning the Central Government
Council Tax Support Scheme.
The Town Clerk reported that the letter outlined that, within the
current “fiscal squeeze and austerity” climate, the Government
had left the County Council with no scope to address any
adverse financial impact of the proposed Council Tax Support
Scheme. Members were advised that in effect, as the
Government had not provided any “ring-fenced” grant to NCC to
support any protection for Town and Parish Council’s, then no
grant would be payable in 2015/16, as had been the case in
2014/15, when the Town Council was deprived of an
approximate £80K grant support.
The Town Clerk reported that it was the Government’s view that
funding had been provided to billing authorities nationally to
protect Town and Parish Council’s and that, although not “ringfenced”, they expected that it would be distributed. Members
were reminded that the situation had arisen as there was no
provision in Local Government Finance legislation for direct
Central Government grant support to Town and Parish Council’s.
The Town Clerk informed members that the position regarding
forwarding of grant monies was not consistent across the
country and that 31 billing authorities, including Northumberland,
did not forward any grant money to Town and Parish Council’s in
2014/15. Members were informed that the Local Government
Minister (Kris Hopkins) was to write to the billing authorities who
had not forwarded grant money in 2013/14 to remind them of the
Central Government expectation that there would be local
support for all affected Town and Parish Council’s.
The Town Clerk stated that this matter should be monitored and
discussed further within the budget preparation process.
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FGP 14/483 11. DATE, TIME AND VENUE FOR THE NEXT MEETING
Tuesday, 25th November 2014 at 6:00pm in the Council
Chamber, Town Hall, Ashington, NE63 8RX.
The meeting ended at 7.20pm.
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