Town Council Meeting

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF CREWE TOWN COUNCIL 4TH AUGUST 2020

In attendance: Cllr Walton; Cllr Minshall; Cllr Houston; Cllr Hogben; Cllr Angier; Cllr Howes; Cllr Palin; Cllr Messent; Cllr Dunlop; Cllr John Rhodes; Cllr Jill Rhodes; Cllr Buckley; Cllr Cosby; Cllr Straine-Francis; Cllr Faddes; Cllr Morrissey; Cllr Toth.

CTC20/1/1 To receive and consider apologies for absence:

Apologies were received and accepted for Cllr Coiley, who was unavailable due to work commitments.

CTC20/1/2 To note declarations of Members’ interests

Cllr Minshall declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 8 (payments)

CTC20/1/3 To confirm and sign the minutes of the Crewe Town Council Meeting held on 31st March 2020

RESOLVED: That the minutes are approved as a true record of the meeting

CTC20/1/4 Public Participation
A submitted statement and question from Cllr Brian Silvester (Woolstanwood Parish Council) relating to proposed changes to NHS UK access to Accident and Emergency Units and their impact on services at Leighton Hospital. Members responded to express the council’s willingness to work positively with organisations relating to local service delivery. It was also commented that the proposed changes are recent and for review in an ever-changing situation, the council will consider how changes may affect services, frontline staff as more information is made available, particularly in light of Covid-19 pandemic.

CTC20/1/5 To receive a report from the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor in relation to civic engagements attended between 26th February 2020 and 3rd August 2020

The Town Mayor gave an account of some digital events attended since the last meeting. The report included Friends for Leisure 25th Anniversary, a meeting with the new Chair of the Town Board, a Locomotive Naming Ceremony and the installation of a local Priest. The Deputy Mayor reflected that engagements had been positive and particularly enjoyed the opening of a BMX track, civic events outside of Crewe and a drawing/art event that include some young people.
 
CTC20/1/6 To receive updates from Committee Chairs in relation to meetings held since the previous Crewe Town Council meeting on 31st March 2020:-
a. Committee: Finance and Governance
Chair: Councillor Jill Rhodes
Meetings held: Monday 28th May 2020
The recognised the detailed work carried to prepare the annual accounts for year end and thanked the Acting Responsible Financial Officer for her hard work
RESOLVED:
i. That it is delegated to the Town Clerk to establish direct debits to service utilities associated with council offices
ii. That it is delegated to the Town Clerk to establish direct debits to service phones, mobile phones and broadband services, in consultation with the chair/deputy chair of the Finance and Governance Committee
iii. That the direct payments are established for Zoom, Survey Monkey and Adobe Pro are established on an ongoing basis, authorisation for annual renewal to be delegated to the Town Clerk
iv. To approve the removal of historic debtors from the accounts as recommended by committee

b. Committee: Operations and Improvement
Chair: Councillor Jamie Messent
Meetings held: Monday 6th July 2020
RESOLVED:
As recommended by the Operations & Improvements Committee relating to Architectural Heritage Funding
i. To confirm the acceptance of the Architectural Heritage Fund and use of the associated town council match funding for 2020/21 as submitted in the funding application.
ii. To make provision for continued match funding in 2021/22 and 22/23 budgeting
iii. Approval of Job Description and Person Specification to be delegated to the Town Clerk in consultation with members of the Personnel Committee (as per Terms of Reference).
iv. To ensure that financial regulations are followed with regard to grants income, partnerships and reporting
(Note Cllr Palin left the meeting at this point)

c. Committee: Marketing and Events
Chair: Councillor Joe Cosby
Meetings held: Tuesday 14th July 2020
RESOLVED:
i. That, as recommended by the Marketing and Events Committee, the awarding of the Lumen delivery contract to Blackpool Council, as the successful competitive tender, for delivery of the amended COVID-19 event format, at a contract value of up to £52,000 is approved
ii. As recommended by the Marketing and Events Committee, a £30,000 payment to Fleetwood Festival of Transport for the delivery of performing arts content, production crew, production support and evaluation by their SpareParts project team for TrAction 2021 within this financial year (2020/21 – TrAction Event budget cost centre). The payment will cover the whole delivery of the SpareParts content for TrAction 2021 with the exception of an extra £5,000, conditional to programming choices to be agreed at a later date, is approved.

d. Committee: Planning
Chair: Councillor John Rhodes
Meetings held: Tuesday 23rd June 2020 and Tuesday 21st July 2020
Items for consideration: None

e. Committee: Community Plan
Chair: Councillor Tom Dunlop
Meetings held: Monday 27th July 2020
RESOLVED:
i. As recommended by the Community Plan Committee, to adopted the revised Grants Scheme Policy is approved
(Note Cllr Toth joined the meeting at this point)
ii. To establish the Grants Working Group and its Terms of Reference is approved
iii. As recommended by the Community Plan Committee, to establish a COVID-19 Community Response Fund totalling £20,000 using funds in the Grants Scheme Budget and that the Grants Working Group has delegation to facilitate, administer and distribute these funds (with the Community Plan Committee to ratify recommendations of the working group).
iv. As recommended by the Community Plan Committee, to establish a Community Project Commissioning Process totalling £40,000 from the Community Plan Budget and should additional support be needed to facilitate and administer to process, delegation is given to bring in external support is approved

v. Committee: Personnel
Chair: Councillor Jill Rhodes
Meetings Held: None
Items for consideration: None

CTC20/1/7 To note any updates from members having attended external meetings

Cllr Jill Rhodes confirmed her attendance on two occasions at the newly created Crewe Town Board

CTC20/1/8 To note, consider and approve payments year to date (1/4/20 to 30/6/20) to the value of £126,563 as shown in the Income and Expenditure Report

RESOLVED: That the spend and payments are approved.

CTC20/1/9 To approve the Council’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) and Internal Audit Report as recommended by the Finance and Governance Committee

RESOLVED: That AGAR and Internal Audit Reports are approved

CTC20/1/10 To consider and approve governance documentation associated with the newly adopted and developing council constitution, considering at this meeting the following draft documents:

RESOLVED:
That the below listed governance documents are approved for adoption.
1. Addendum to Standing Orders 2020;
2. Business Continuity Plan 2020;
3. Business Plan;
4. Committee Terms of References for Planning & Environment, Community Plan, Finance & Governance; Marketing & Events and Operational & Improvements Committees.

CTC20/1/11 To consider the onward Accountancy Support Contract with recommendation to appoint a provider

RESOLVED: That John Greenall & Co is appointed as the council’s ongoing accountancy support

CTC20/1/12 To approve the annual subscription to the Cheshire Association of Local Councils (ChALC)

RESOLVED: That the annual subscription for ChALC of £1470.04 is approved

CTC20/1/13 To consider the request for payment submitted on behalf of ChALC

RESOLVED: That the invoice for interim support services to the value of £10,020.50 is approved

CTC20/1/14 To consider and note the budget setting schedule for the 2021/22 budget

RESOLVED: That the budget setting schedule is noted and adopted

CTC20/1/15 To consider the Human Resources and Health and Safety professional support contract(s)

RESOLVED: That Wirehouse Employer Services is appointed as the council’s ongoing Human Resources and Health and Safety support and advisors at a cost of £1750 per annum

CTC20/1/16 It is recommended that Council considers a resolution under Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to exclude the public and representatives of the press from the meeting during the consideration of Item 16 on the grounds that matters contain sensitive information and by reason of the confidential nature of the business being transacted.

RESOLVED: That the council meeting moves in to closed session

CTC20/1/17 To consider the recommendations of the Operations & Improvements Committee relating to the Streetscene Improvement Officers (SIO)

RESOLVED:
i. That the SIO contracts are extended to 31/3/2020
ii. That the required additional employment costs are vired from within the Operations & Improvements Committee budget
iii. That the detailed source within that budget of the virement is delegated to the Chair and Deputy Chair of that committee (to be reported to the committee for ratification)
iv. That the Town Clerk is directed and authorised to request clear information from Cheshire East Council associated with their internal strategy for the delivery of streetscene enforcement and engagement and to negotiate on behalf of the council the onward delivery of the service as it relates to Crewe.
v. That the Town Clerk is to provide an update report to council at the September meeting.
vi. That consideration of onward service delivery and associated resource requirements is deferred until the council has the requisite information to support appropriate decision making (decision to be no later than the full council meeting of 15/12/20)

CTC20/1/18 The date of the next meeting of Crewe Town Council is Thursday 29th September 2020 at 7pm. Location and meeting format to be confirmed subject to Covid-19 restrictions and considerations.

Meeting ended at 8.15pm

Chair Cllr B Minshall
Clerk P Turner