Agenda and draft minutes

Meeting date changed from 1st October 2024, Spalding Town Forum - Tuesday, 8th October, 2024 6.30 pm

Venue: Council Chamber, Council Offices, Priory Road, Spalding

Contact: Democratic Services  01775 764838

Items
No. Item

58.

Minutes pdf icon PDF 159 KB

To sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2024 (copy enclosed). 

Minutes:

 

Consideration was given to the minutes of the meeting held on 11 June 2024.

Agreed:

That the minutes be signed as a correct record.

 

59.

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:

 

There were none.

 

60.

Actions pdf icon PDF 105 KB

To view actions arising from the meeting held on 11 June 2024

Minutes:

 

The Chairman discussed the actions raised from the previous Spalding Town Forum meeting held on the 11 June 2024, the following points were considered;

 

A2. Opening up of the River Welland

  • Councillor J Le Sage updated the Forum regarding his meeting with Anthony Grunwell from Spalding Water Taxi’s. A possible site may had been identified where potentially a ramp could be built to access the River Welland. Councillor J Le Sage concluded he would keep the Forum updated with any further information on the opening up of the River Welland and the potential of hosting a summer raft race event.

 

A6. Setting up a SHDC Youth Council

  • The Chairman briefed the Forum of the upcoming Local Democracy sessions that would be held in the Council Chamber, on the 17th and 18th of October 2024. All District Secondary Schools had received an invitation inviting them to attend. Proceeding the Local Democracy sessions, South Holland District Council would potentially investigate the feasibility of establishing a Student Council.

 

A7. Update on new Planters for the Town Centre

  • The Portfolio Holder - Community Development informed the Forum that the Town Centre Planters encompassed a wider piece of work which involved, Hall Place, Red Lion Street, and the Riverside. The development would be starting in the following weeks, the new design had been approved and was with the contractors., The construction should be completed before the Town Centre Christmas events commenced.
  • SHDC had been working alongside the Police and multi- agencies to reduce anti-social behaviour within the Town Centre by enforcing  Town Centre injunctions on certain individuals.

 

A8. Provide a CCTV Data Report and update

·        The Portfolio Holder - Community Development notified the Forum that CCTV reports and data updates would be supplied by the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection. The next update would be provided at the next Forum meeting, scheduled on the 3 December 2024.

 

61.

Spalding Special Expenses Q1 report 2024-25 pdf icon PDF 163 KB

To consider the Spalding Special Expenses Quarter1 forecast outturn report for 2024-25 (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 Q1 report 2024-25.

 

The Strategic Finance Manager stated that the report detailed the forecast outturn against budget for 2024-25.

·         A budget of £240,000 had been approved by council in February 2024, the outturn position on the 30 June 2024 was £213.000 which was in line with the forecast budget.

·        The report highlighted the variant in actual and forecasted spend from the original budget. Spend forecast was £33,400 less than budget, any savings realised at year end would be transferred to the earmarked Spalding Special Account Reserve.

·         An underspend of £33,400 was primarily against the Halley Stewart, amidst Spalding United Football Club signing a new lease in June 2024, along with savings from ground maintenance and utilities.

·         Section 4 of the report detailed the reserve position, thus with the inclusion of the 2023-24 surplus, a closing balance of £138,000 was outlined. These reserves were essentially funds for unexpected emergencies or a one-off investment.  Use of reserves would require approval by Cabinet.

 

The recommendation was for the Forum to note the forecast outturn position.

 

The Strategic Finance Manager enquired if the Forum had any questions with regard to the report.

  • It was queried if at present SHDC employed any agency staff.
    • The Strategic Finance Manager responded that whilst it had been forecast within the budget setting at Q1, at present, no cost for agency staff had been utilised.

 

  • The Chairman clarified the position of the £33.400 underspend and invited members of the Forum to put forward any proposals on how a small proportion of the Special Reserves could be spent if approved by Cabinet.
    • Councillor Mark Le Sage suggested utilising the funds to provide or subsidise the cost of hanging baskets for the Town Centre for spring 2025.
    • Councillor James Le Sage proposed to extend the Town Centre Christmas lights for 2025 to include the Victoria Street area, along with purchasing and erecting brackets which small Christmas trees could be fixed in and decorated.
    • Councillor I Sheard, enquired if any of the funds should be used to purchase a Christmas tree for the Town Centre and refurbish the decorations.

 

The Chairman noted the suggestions and said he would liaise with the Portfolio Holder for Community Development on what could potentially be realised.

 

In regard to the purchase of a Town Centre Christmas Tree, the Chairman had already received a quote for the cost of a Christmas Tree and would look into options for delivery/collection. The Chairman enquired if the Forum were in agreement for the Spalding Town Forum’s Chairman’s budget of £750 to be used to offset the expense of the tree.

 

The Chairman thanked the Strategic Finance Manager for presenting the report.

 

Agreed:

That the report be noted, and

That the Chairman’s budget of £750 be used to offset the expense of a Christmas tree for Spalding town centre.

 

 

62.

Hall Place/Market Place/Sheep Market Traffic Regulation Order - Update

The Assistant Director for Strategic Growth and Development to provide a factual update on the Hall Place/Market Place/Sheep Market Traffic Regulation Order.

Minutes:

 

The Chairman introduced the Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development to provide an update on the Traffic Regulation Order to the Forum.

  • The Assistant Director - Strategic Growth and Development provided a brief overview on the history of the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO).
  • The Chairman of the Forum, along with Councillor E Sneath had continued to lead on the said issue.
  • The public consultation had been finalised and the conclusion of the public survey transpired that Spalding Town Centre would be inaccessible to cars during the times of 10am – 4pm, seven days a week.
  • The TRO was being rewritten by Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) to administer a clearer, enforceable document.
  • The formal process had now concluded and LCC were in a position to introduce the updated TRO. 
  • The TRO detailed that luminous signage/notices would be required. Potentially a barrier would be installed, thoughts on how this would be operated/monitored would require discussion.
  • The Business Improvement District had voted on supporting greater enforcement and management of the pedestrianisation of the town centre.
  • Overall, it had been a positive outcome, potentially the project would be completed by spring 2025, with the new enforceable TRO in operation.

 

The Chairman thanked the Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development and enquired if the Forum had any questions with regard to the TRO.

  • Councillor E Sneath informed the Forum that additional disabled car parking spaces would be provided, enabling people with mobility difficulties to access the Town Centre.

 

  • Would the TRO affect local residents who live in the Town Centre, could it impact on the number of additional cars parking along nearby streets?
    • The Chairman responded that the TRO was for the Town Centre only, although a small number of residents live within the locality, they had not been issued with town centre parking permits, therefore parking within the zone would be unauthorised. The Town Centre offered other suitable car parks close to amenities for vehicles to park as an alternative to using the Town Centre pedestrianised area.

 

  • Councillor M Le Sage asked if on market days, would the traders’ vehicles be able to enter the town centre before 4pm enabling the traders to pack up their pitches?
    • The Chairman responded that an arrangement within the TRO was specific to market traders, providing them with a dispensation and movement within the Town Centre.

 

The Chairman thanked the Assistant Director – Strategic Growth and Development for providing the Traffic Regulation Order update.

 

63.

Spalding Christmas Lights Update

 A verbal update on the Spalding Christmas Lights will be provided.

Minutes:

 

The Chairman introduced the Portfolio Holder - Community Development to present the Christmas Lights update.

 

The Portfolio Holder - Community Development shared that an announcement from the Communications team had been released regarding purchasing new Town Centre Christmas Lights.

  • At the Town Board meeting, Christmas lights and the requirement for the lights to be improved and enhanced had been discussed. The current lights had been in use for 12 years and covered a small geographical area of the town centre and were at the end of their life span. 
  • The proposal was to invest £64,000 to purchase new Christmas lights that would encompass a wider area, including Spalding Market Place, the Crescent, Francis Street, and the Sheep Market, with the potential that Victoria Street could be explored for future years.
  • The aim was to make Spalding vibrant and festive at Christmas and encourage visitors into Spalding for shopping and to experience our Christmas events, including the Christmas tree lights switch on.
  • This was a major investment for Spalding not just for this Christmas but for many Christmases ahead.

 

The Portfolio Holder - Community Development enquired if the Forum had any questions regarding the Spalding Christmas Lights.

 

  • Councillor Chauhan enquired if contributions had been received from the private sector and housing developers under the S106?
  • The Portfolio Holder - Community Development responded, that a S106 was part of the planning process and this particular project had been funded by the Town Board.
  • The Assistant Director - Strategic Growth and Development added that there was scope for contributions from the private sector, as the work had been commissioned through the public realm and was partially funded through section106.

 

 

  • Councillor Sheard asked if the current Christmas lights could be recycled or refurbished to potentially use in the extended areas of the Town Centre - Ayscoughfee Gardens was suggested.
  • The Portfolio Holder - Community Development confirmed that whilst attending a Town Board meeting this had been raised and support was in favour to recycle/repair the old Christmas lights, if viable, and they complied with safety regulations and passed electrical inspections. The possibility would be investigated.

 

The Chairman thanked the Portfolio Holder – Community Development for the update and concluded that all points would be considered and noted.

 

64.

Spalding Town Forum Christmas Events

The Chairman of the Forum to provide details of the upcoming Christmas Events 2024

 

Minutes:

 

The Chairman asked Councillor Sheard to provide an update to the Forum on the forthcoming Spalding Christmas Events.

 

Councillor Sheard provided the details for the “Christmas in the Crescent”, late night shopping event.

  • Friday 6 December 2024 from 5 – 7pm
  • A variety of bespoke stalls running along the centre of the Crescent selling unique Christmas theme gifts.
  • An assortment of various themed food stalls, including Afro Caribbean and pulled beef brisket rolls.
  • Children could visit Santa in Bookmark and receive a free gift. Bookmark store would be supplying Christmas themed refreshments and nibbles.
  • Music included - Christmas carols led by Spalding Community Choir, alongside a Brass Band and upcoming musician Jordan Raven to close the evening.
  • The event would include all shop traders in the Crescent.
  • The Chairman had organised road closures to be in place for the duration of the event.

 

Councillor Sheard provided details for Ayscoughfreeze in Ayscoughfee Gardens.

  • Saturday 21 December in Ayscoughfee Gardens.
  • Time – 4 - 7pm, free entry.
  • A variety of Christmas themed carols and music around the Gardens.

 

The Chairman asked if the Forum had any questions on the Spalding Town Forum Christmas events.

 

  • Councillor J Le Sage enquired had Victoria Street been approached to partake in the Christmas Crescent shopping event?
    • Councillor Sheard responded that all the shops and business on Victoria Street had been approached and included in the conversations.
    • It was discussed to extend the event to be inclusive of the Sessions House and Victoria Street, this would be dependent on the attendance and success of this year’s event.
    • The new owners of the Sessions House had communicated that were enthusiastic and wanted to be involved in community projects and work in unison with the council for future events.

 

The Chairman raised the point that road closures were costly to implement. For the evening to be successful, the Chairman appealed to the public to attend the event.

 

  • Councillor Spencer suggested, could a group of volunteers help to tidy up the crescent before the Christmas event, as weeds were unsightly and overgrown.
    • It was agreed that this was an excellent idea, and the Spalding Town Forum would volunteer to clean and tidy up the crescent area.
      • The Chairman replied that he would look at some likely dates and circulate those to the Forum. The Chairman would reach out to the Wombles and seek their assistance.

 

The Chairman thanked Councillor Sheard for updating the Forum.

 

65.

Any other business

To discuss any other business that the Chairman deems significant.

 

Minutes:

 

Student Cinema Event

 

The Chairman voiced he wanted to host a cinema/film event for students in the district. This would take place at the South Holland Centre. The Chairman asked the pupils from the Grammar School to brainstorm some ideas of films they would like to watch. A provisional date of 25 January 2025 had been highlighted.

 

Carpark Signage

 

Councillor M Le Sage asked if improved signage could be sought to signpost visitors to our Town Centre carparks, potentially to be place when the new TRO comes into play, enabling shoppers to find alternative places to park.

 

Homeless sleepers in Abbey Passage

 

Councillor M Le Sage broached the subject of the homeless people occupying the area in Abbey Passage. Had every avenue been explored to help the homeless people?

  • The Chairman responded that alternative arrangements had been offered to them, which had been declined. Further steps would be taken to resolve the situation.

 

New cycle rack in Sheep Market

 

Councillor E Sneath announced that a new cycle rack had been installed in the Sheep Market, making cyclists feel welcome, while offering a place to store their bikes.

 

Duke of Edinburgh Volunteering

 

The students in attendance were asked if they currently had volunteering positions as part of their Duke of Edinburgh award.

  • The Duke of Edinburgh award required 6 -18 months volunteering within an organisation, group, or business, it was noted that finding volunteering positions could be challenging. Could the council open up any volunteering opportunities for students?
    • The Assistant Director - Strategic Growth and Development responded that a scheme through the shared partnership had been launched to recruit more volunteers into the community.
    • The Assistant Director - Strategic Growth and Development said he would liaise with fellow officers and collate some further information, providing contact details to assist the students.

 

Improvements to Saturday bus routes

 

It was raised that the current bus routes, particularly the B13 only runs a few times on Saturday, making it difficult for students to travel into Spalding.

  • The Chairman responded that as a council we were not responsible for the bus routes or times, however, talking about it could raise awareness to the situation.

 

The Chairman thanked the Forum for their questions, which the Chairman noted.

 

The Chairman thanked the students from Spalding Grammar School and the members of the Spalding Town Forum for attending.

 

 

 

66.

Date and Time of Next Meeting

 The next meeting of the Spalding Town Forum is scheduled to take place on 3 December 2024 in the Council Chamber commencing at 6.30p.m. 

 

Minutes:

 

The next scheduled meeting was to be held on 3 December 2024 at 6.30pm.

 

The meeting ended at 7.35pm