Dover Town Council

Minutes 5.2.08

DOVER TOWN COUNCIL

Minutes of the meeting of the TOWN & ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE held on Tuesday 5th February 2008 at 6.00pm in the Town Council Offices, Maison Dieu House, Biggin Street, Dover.

PRESENT

Councillor Mrs L D Young (Chairman) (To Item 13)
Councillor Mrs S J Jones
Councillor D J Lloyd (To Item 16)
Councillor R R Markham (Town Mayor)(To Item 13)
Councillor Mrs V L Philpott (Vice-Chairman)(Took the Chair from Item 13)
Councillor N T Rix(From Item 5)
Councillor Mrs J F Tranter (From Item 5)

Councillor C Precious was also in attendance but did not speak on any item.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Mrs A Smith and Cllr Mrs J Morgan.


588. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

Members present made no declarations of either personal or prejudicial interest.


589. MINUTES

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the meeting of the Town and Environment Committee held on the 8th January 2008 be approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.


590. ORDER OF BUSINESS

RESOLVED: That, in accordance with Standing Order 20(d), the order of business be changed so that Agenda Item 4 be considered after Agenda Item 5.


591. TOWN ISSUES

The Committee noted Wildest Dreams presentation regarding a proposal for funding for ‘Dazzleville’ in Dover. The matter has been deferred to a future meeting after receipt of financial records and programme of envisaged events.


592. BUDGET

The Committee noted the latest out-turns against the Committee’s 2007/08 budget.


593. PERFORMING ARTS PLATFORM – PENCESTER GARDENS

The Committee noted that the Performing Arts Platform is to be used on Saturday 19th July 2008 for the Community Safety Day.


594. DOVER SEA SPORTS

The Committee considered Minute No: 504 from the Finance & General Purposes Committee, held 2nd January 2008 regarding on-going financial support for Dover Sea Sports.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND: That the Town and Environment Committee agree to £5,000 as on-going financial support for the work of the Dover Sea Sports Committee from the 2008/2009 Water Sports budget provision.


595. P.A.C.T

The Committee considered an oral report from Cllr Mrs S J Jones and Cllr Mrs V L Philpott regarding a P.A.C.T meeting held 31st January 2008.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND: That all Town Councillors be asked to pass on their ward constituents’ concerns to the Town and Environment Committee regarding policing, safety and anti-social behaviour, for consideration at future P.A.C.T. meetings.

596. RIVER DOUR

The Committee noted the Project Development Officer’s report of the 21st January 2008 regarding insurance cover for the Charlton Green area of the River Dour, including a letter from Zurich Municipal.

The Committee considered the Technical Support Officer’s report of the 29th January 2008 regarding a meeting held on the 28th January 2008 concerning proposed improvements to the Charlton Green area of the River Dour including quotations received for the First Stages of the work to be carried out.

RESOLVED: (a) That Land Drainage consent be obtained from the Environment Agency, at no cost to the Town Council, for the erection of a 1.1m fence and gate, half a metre from the river bank edge;

(b) That, subject to obtaining Land Drainage consent, quotations be sought for erection of fence and gate, to be presented to a future meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND: That Mr M Jones Tree Surgeons (Quotation 3) for clearance of overgrowth, pollarding and removal of trees, turfing of area, fencing of one boundary line and inserting mesh inlets to existing boundary line fencing, be agreed at a cost of £10,150.00 (net of Vat) to be met from the River Dour Project provision in the Committee’s 2007 / 08 budget and that the provisions of Standing order 70A be set aside on this occasion, due to ecological timescales;


597. FESTIVAL OF DOVER 2008

The Committee noted an oral report from Cllr Mrs V L Philpott regarding the progress to date of the Festival of Dover 2008.





598. DOVER TOWN COUNCIL NOTICE BOARD

The Committee considered the Technical Support Officer’s report of the 22nd January 2008 regarding quotations received for repairs to the Town Council Notice Board.

RESOLVED: That Wiley Maintenance (Quotation 2) for repairs to the Town Council Notice Board be agreed at £185.00 plus Vat the cost to be met from the War Memorial Fabric provision in the Committee’s 2007 / 08 budget.


599. SPORT

The Committee noted the Project Development Officer’s reports of the 29th January 2008 regarding the Cultural Olympics and of the 28th January 2008 regarding a Sports Forum meeting held 21st January 2008.


600. WESTERN HEIGHTS SPORTS FIELD

The Committee noted Curzon Rangers Football Club’s e-mail of the 23rd January 2008 regarding the use of the Western Heights Sports Field.


601. FESTIVE LIGHTS

The Committee noted an oral report from the special responsibility member regarding the Christmas Lights.

The Committee considered the Technical Support Officer’s report of the 22nd January 2008 regarding quotations for a 4 year contract for the Dover Town Council’s Festive Lights.

RESOLVED: (a) That Electricians on Call (Quotation 1) for the installation, maintenance and dismantling of the festive lights for a 4 year contract, be agreed at a cost of £6,560.00 plus VAT per year, this cost fixed for the life of the contract, costs to be met from the Festival Lights provision in the relevant Financial Year’s Committee’s budgets;

(b) That arrangements be made for the contractor to sign the contract agreement, subject to the special responsibility member making some minor amendments to the contract prior to signing;

(c) That the quantity of Christmas tree lights obtained be checked and brought back to a future meeting of the Committee in case further purchases need to be made.


602. ALLOTMENTS AND GRAZING LAND

The Committee considered a report from the special responsibility group concerning Grazing Land.

The Committee considered draft documents from the special responsibility group including a new Allotment Agreement, Dover Town Council Aims for the future regarding allotments, a “Plotters Guide” handbook for allotment tenants, a poultry / bee permission request form, and an allotment structure permission request form.

The Committee considered a date for a public meeting, to discuss the situation to date of the Maxton Regeneration Project.

The Committee considered a report from the special responsibility group regarding Municipal Charity Allotments.

The Committee consider the Technical Support Officer’s report of the 22nd January 2008 regarding quotations received for maintenance and fencing works at the Goschen Road and Northbourne Avenue Allotment site.

RESOLVED: (a) That letters be sent to interested parties offering lease of an area of grazing land at Prospect Place / High Meadow at a cost of £150 for the 2008 / 09 Financial Year and an area of grazing land at Whinless Down at a cost of £250 for the 2008 / 09 Financial Year, giving 21 days for replies;

(b) That notice be given on the Town Council notice board for 21 days for any members of the public to acquire the lease;

(c) That on the last day of February 2008, all interested parties for the grazing land areas be invited to attend a public lottery at the Town Council Offices, the public lottery to be conducted by the Town Clerk;

(d) That the “Plotters Guide” handbook, Poultry / Bee permission request form and the Allotment Structure permission request form be accepted and can be used from this Committee meeting date;

(e) That the draft Agreement Form be sent to KCC Legal Services to check that it’s legality, at a cost of £170 plus Vat, cost to be met from the Statutory Allotment provision in the Committee’s 2007 / 08 budget;

(f) That a meeting be held on the 25th February 2008, at the Town Council Offices from 6.00pm for the previous Maxton tenants and waitlist tenants for the Maxton Allotment site, to discuss the situation to date of the Maxton Regeneration Project;

(g) That the proposal for the Dover Town Council to manage 2 Municipal Charity allotment sites be accepted and that the Town Clerk be asked to authorise an officer to negotiate two separate leases with the Municipal Charities, for the leases to be brought back to a future meeting of the Committee for consideration;

(h) That consideration of the Technical Support officer’s report on 22 January 2008 regarding Northbourne Avenue and Goschen Road be deferred to a future meeting of the Committee.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND: That the document “Dover Town Council Aims for the Future” and, subject to legal approval the draft Allotment Agreement, be adopted.


603. EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC

RESOLVED: That in view of the confidential nature of business about to be transacted it would be advisable in the public interest that the public be temporarily excluded and they be requested to withdraw.


604. WESTERN HEIGHTS SPORTS PAVILION AND GROUNDS

The Committee considered the Project Development Officer’s reports of the 18th December 2007 and the 7th January 2008 regarding a review of the Western Heights Project and options on the Western Heights pavilion provision.

The Committee considered the Project Development Officer’s reports of the 8th January 2008 and the 5th February 2008 regarding meetings held with Braddon residents, including results from an opinion survey carried out, concerning the Western Heights project.

RESOLVED: (a) That the Project Development Officer approach the Football Foundation, KCC and DDC planning office, to investigate the quickest method of completing this project;

(b) That the Project Development Officer contacts the DDC planning office regarding approval of the re-aligned fencing scheme;

(c) That the Project Development Officer contact selected fencing contractors to arrive at a working figure on the realigned fence for report and grant funding purposes.

RESOLVED TO RECOMMEND: That the Project Development Officer’s reports of the 18th December 2007 and the 7th January 2008 regarding a review of the Western Heights Project and options on the Western Heights pavilion provision be considered by the Full Town Council due to minimum attendance at the Committee.


605. MAXTON ALLOTMENTS REGENERATION PROJECT

The Committee considered GPM Partnerships report of the 23rd January 2008, consisting of notes of a meeting held 17th January 2008, complete budget estimate and revised budget estimate for the regeneration project.

RESOLVED: (a) That GPM Partnership gain further quotations for the initial ecology survey and report to a future meeting of the Committee;

(b) That CAD Solutions continue with the planning application;

(c) That on approval of the planning application, the erection of the new entrance gates and fence and removal of trees at proposed entrance be put out to tender and be considered at a future meeting of the Committee.






The meeting closed at 8.05 pm.













CHAIRMAN
Mrs L D Young