Items
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32. |
Minutes PDF 245 KB
To sign as a correct record the
minutes of the meeting held on 29 November 2023 (copy
enclosed).
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the minutes of the
meeting held on 29 November 2023.
AGREED:
That the minutes be signed as a correct
record
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33. |
Actions. PDF 87 KB
To view actions arising from
the meeting held on 29 November 2023.
Minutes:
The Chairman of the Spalding Town Forum
discussed the actions from the previous Forum meeting and updated
on each further development.
- Action AN16 – Funding for
Spalding In Bloom and recruiting volunteers.
- Councillor Mark Le Sage had sent an
update to the Chairman, informing that
he had touched base with a couple of people regarding the Spalding
In Bloom baskets.
- The Spalding In Bloom representative
role had not been replaced, and with no one currently standing
forward to take on the voluntary position, it looked unlikely that
baskets would be sourced for 2024.
- Although Councillor M Le Sage would
not personally have the capacity to take on this role, he would
however offer assistance and support to Spalding In Bloom
volunteers.
- Flower baskets could conceivably be
overlooked for 2024, anticipating funding would be available for
2025.
- Action AN17 – Officers to
visit other Towns to view the seating offering and choice of
materials used – Assistant Director for Strategic Growth
and Development.
- This had been noted, with designs
and materials used for seating from similar towns taken into
consideration.
- Action AN19 – To review
access from the Spalding bus station to Sainsbury’s, &
Action AN19a – Assets site visit 21st December
2023.
- The Strategic and Operational
Property Manager convened with the Portfolio Holder for Strategic
Housing, Leisure Centre Delivery and Spalding Town Improvement,
accompanied by David Jones from PEDALS, they surveyed the area in
further detail and agreed a plan of action.
- This would include the removal of
inappropriate graffiti, improved cleanliness, and additional
information boards.
- Some developments to the site,
regarding access and safety had already been made, further
improvement to the pedestrian crossing was needed.
- Finger posts had been secured to
welcome visitors.
- Departure timetables had been
displayed.
- The meeting was deemed positive and
actions moving in the right direction.
- Lincolnshire County Council had been
approached to provide costings for a Zebra crossing for the site,
which would be in the region of £150/200k.
- It was suggested that there could be
enhancement to the frequency of buses going to and from Spalding to
Peterborough.
- Some additional services had already
been implemented.
- Action AN20 – To assemble a
young adult’s group to present their views on what they
require in Spalding Town Centre at the Spalding Town Forum
Meetings.
- Cllr Chauhan had spoken to Spalding
Grammar School to ascertain if a group of young students, perhaps
with an interest in law and politics would be interested in
attending and presenting their ideas to the Spalding Town
Forum.
- The Spalding Grammer School would be interested in working
alongside the Spalding Town Forum and would been keen to explore
the aforementioned in further detail.
- Although attending bi monthly
meetings would require the schools support it would be something
the Forum would be keen to facilitate.
- Possibilities could be identified
after the half term break.
- Action AN21 – To liaise
with the Portfolio Holder for Communities and Operational Housing
regarding film showings and comfortable seating at the South
Holland centre.
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34. |
Declaration of Interests.
Where a Councillor has a Disclosable Pecuniary
Interest the Councillor must declare the interest to the meeting
and leave the room without participating in any discussion or
making a statement on the item, except where a Councillor is
permitted to remain as a result of a grant of dispensation.
Minutes:
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35. |
Spalding Special Expenses and Quarter 2 Forecast 2023-24 PDF 253 KB
To consider the Spalding
Special Expenses and Quarter 2 forecast outturn 2023-24 (report of
the Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Development) (S151)
enclosed)
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the report of the
Deputy Chief Executive (Corporate Development and S151) which
considered the Spalding Special Expenses and Quarter 2 forecast
outturn 2023-24.
- The Strategic Finance Manger stated
that the Spalding Special Expenses budget had been approved at
£241,000 at the Council meeting in March 2023.
- As currently stands at Quarter 2,
September 2023, the forecast outturn for the year was expected to
be broadly in line with the budget.
- It was recommended that the Spalding
Town Forum members note the forecast for 2024.
- The Strategic Finance Manager was
currently working on the Quarter 3 forecast which would be
presented at the next Forum meeting.
The Forum had no questions regarding the
report and thanked the Strategic Finance Manager for their
attendance
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36. |
Draft Budget 2024/25 PDF 229 KB
To consider the draft Spalding
Special Expenses budget for 2024/25(report of the Deputy Chief
Executive-Corporate Development) (S151) enclosed)
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Consideration was given to the report of the
Deputy Chief Executive (corporate Development and S151) which
considered the Draft Spalding Special Expenses budget for
2024/25
The Chief Finance Officer informed the Forum
that part of the 24/25 budget setting process would be to consult
with the Forum regarding the post budget and the level of council
tax that would be recommended to Cabinet for the coming financial
year.
- The papers contained the proposed
Special Expenses Budget setting for the current financial year
which was shown in appendix A.
- The aforementioned represented a
budget of £246.418 for 24/25, an increase of approximately
£5k over the current financial year, this equates to a
Council Tax Band D charge of £25.83 per Band D property, an
increase of £1.26 per annum, per property.
The Chief Finance Officer wanted to specify
that the level of council tax was governed by central
government.
- Central government limit the amount
of increase allowed to go through on the council tax charge,
equally taking into consideration SHDC B and D charge, therefore
the calculations showed that the £1.26 increase was the
maximum permission without incurring or breaching any referendum
limits.
The report in Appendix A details further
information regarding the budget.
- In essence it was a stand still
budget, with reflections of inflationary increases.
The Chief Finance Officer would be happy to
answer any questions.
The Chairman had previously convened with the
Chief Finance Officer, the Chairman briefed the Forum that although
the budget remained equivalent, any excess funds would be
transferred to the Spalding Special Reserves.
- The reserves had previously been
used to fund events, such as the King’s Coronation, subject
to Cabinet approval.
- The Chairman would like the Forum to
be aware of the reserve funds and how they could be utilised.
- The Spalding Special Expenses budget
was for the Forum to note and feedback any comments.
The Chairman informed the Forum that Spalding
Play Parks did not currently receive any funding in the budget, he
wished the Chief Finance Officer to note this when considering
future budget setting.
Members asked the following questions;
- Why had the budget for the Christmas
lights/decorations been reduced?
- The Chief Finance Officer explained
that compared to last year, the current electricity charges had
fallen along with reduced inflation costs, hence the decrease to
the Christmas lights budget.
- Could the brackets that had
previously been mounted on the sides of shop walls be utilised?
- Cllr J Le Sage informed the Forum
that in previous years brackets had been mounted on the sides of
walls in which small Christmas trees could be displayed. Some of
these existing brackets are still visible and could be reused for
tree decorations if funding was available.
The Chairman of the Forum made reference to
the quality of the lights being outmoded and essentially should be
replaced.
- It was deemed that various other
funding areas would be necessary to renew the town centre Christmas
lights and decorations.
- Funding could be available from
UKSPF, this would need to ...
view the full minutes text for item 36.
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37. |
Spalding Town Forum Summer Event 2024
The
Spalding Town Forum Chairman to provide an update on
the Spalding Town Forum Summer Event
2024.
Minutes:
The Chairman provided an update on the
Spalding Town Forum Summer Event.
The Chairman had discussed the possibility of
the Forum hosting a summer event at the previous Forum meeting.
Councillor Sheard provided an update;
- Ayscoughfee had been approached and would, along
with the Town Forum, host an Ayscough-
Fest event.
- The event would take place on 27
July 2024 from 12 – 8pm, with a selection of local bands
playing.
- Publicity and advertising would
shortly be made public.
- The event would be a themed carnival
style music event, centred around families, with a host of
entertainment.
It was noted that the event would require
promoting to generate footfall, looking to emulate previous
successful town events, such as the Pumpkin festival and Spring
into Spalding.
- The Chairman of the Forum responded
that all events need to be on everyone’s radar and suggested
an itemised upcoming event list added to the Forum agenda.
The representative from Churches Together
asked the Forum to look into the criteria for booking events at
Ayscoughfee Gardens and if there are
any restrictions. Are the Gardens inclusive for all events?
- The Portfolio Holder for Health and
Wellbeing, Conservation and Heritage, responded that she would look
into this matter and respond to the representative from Churches
Together directly.
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38. |
Spalding Transport Forum update and Spalding Heritage Strategy update.
Spalding and Peterborough
Transport Forum representative, George Scott to provide an update
on Spalding Local Transport Plan.
Minutes:
The representative of the Spalding and
Peterborough Transport Forum provided a joint update on the
Spalding Transport Forum and the Spalding Heritage Strategy as
detailed;
- Since December 2023 the toilets at
the Railway Station had been out of order but are now scheduled for
repair, this along with the waiting room being closed from 2.30pm
had resulted in lower footfall.
- Railway line electrification
improvements would not be scheduled until 2030, this would be
subject to funding.
- Trains had now been scheduled to
commence from 7am, with the ticket office manned from 6am –
2.30pm daily.
The representative, George Scott, informed the
Forum that he had attended a meeting with East Midlands Railway in
Nottingham and these points were raised;
- East Midland Railway had shown an
interest in the historic station building and this project would
connect with their scope of improving Historic buildings.
- The Station had a number of rooms
which could also be utilised, suggestions put forward include;
- a community hub,
- a museum,
- a health shop and
- a place where people could read up
on the local history of railways.
- Spalding Railway Station was steeped
in history and required ongoing maintenance to continue to attract
visitors into our Town.
- Extra train services should be
available for the Flower Parade as this would generate additional
footfall.
- A Cultural Strategy Event, led by
visitors from London, recently viewed some of our historic
buildings and were very impressed with our cultural buildings,
expressly Ayscoughfee and the
riverside.
The Chairman of the Forum asked if permission
was required from the railway to use the rooms.
- The representative responded that
the Railway would give permission but currently no one had come
forward to adopt the space.
- It was noted that the gardens
surrounding the Station had been well maintained and were
blooming.
The Chairman ask the Forum to note that it was
vital to look at the positive aspects of our Town and focus on the
good elements.
- Councillor J Le Sage stated that an
area for future investigation could be to utilise the river in
Spalding to encourage tourism and visitors. He would be happy to
get involved with any future projects.
The Portfolio Holder for Health and Wellbeing,
Conservation and Heritage informed the Forum that she had attended
a National Portfolio Organisation Workshop in Boston, which would
be providing further funding for the cultural assets in
Spalding.
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39. |
Any other business
To discuss any other
business that the Chairman deems significant.
Minutes:
To discuss any other business that the
Chairman deems significant.
The Chairman of the Forum introduced Christine
Lawton, the President of Johnson Hospital, League of Friends.
- Christine wished to thank the
councillors on behalf of the Johnson Hospital for the councillor
donation which provided updated televisions for individual rooms,
and a large television for the communal lounge.
- Extended thanks were also given to
the volunteers and local businesses who continued to arrange
fundraising events to benefit Johnson Hospital residents.
- It was noted that the Johnson
Hospital was a great asset for Spalding along with the Vernatts Nature Reserve.
On a less positive note, the Chairman of the
Forum wanted to address the matter of graffiti, which had escalated
on council owned and private property.
·
A council policy was in place, and the
Chairman had offered to work with the Portfolio Holder to tackle
this head on, prosecuting for the maximum penalty.
·
Some very impressive art work had been
defaced, alongside the costs of repainting and cleaning up the
vandalised/graffitied area.
It was bought to the Chairman’s
attention that a telephone box with several broken panes should be
removed as it was dangerous and not fit for purpose.
- The Chairman responded that he would
action this.
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40. |
Date and Time of Next Meeting
The next meeting of the
Spalding Town Forum is scheduled to take place on 27 March 2024 in
the Council Chamber commencing at 6.30p.m.
Minutes:
27th March 2024 at 6.30pm.
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