Agenda and minutes

Venue: Gallery Room, The Corn Exchange, Witney. View directions

Contact: Democratic Services Officer 

Items
No. Item

SC450

Apologies for absence

To consider apologies and reasons for absence.

 

Committee members who are unable to attend the meeting should notify the Democratic Services Officer (nicky.cayley@witney-tc.gov.uk) prior to the meeting, stating the reason for absence.

 

Standing Order 30(a)(v) permits the appointment of substitute Councillors to a Committee whose role is  ...  view the full agenda text for item SC450

Minutes:

Apologies for their absence were received from Cllrs Bolger and King.

 

SC451

Declarations of Interest

Members are reminded to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests in any items under consideration at this meeting in accordance with the Town Council’s Code of Conduct.

Minutes:

Cllr Ashbourne declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 8 as she was a volunteer for West Oxfordshire Community Transport; Cllr Enright declared a non-pecuniary interest in agenda item 8 as he was a member of West Oxfordshire Community Transport  and Cllr Aitman declared an interest in the same item  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC451

SC452

Minutes pdf icon PDF 517 KB

a)            To adopt and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2019.

b)            Matters arising from the minutes not covered elsewhere on the agenda. (Questions on the progress of any item).

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the minutes of the meeting held on the 16 September 2019.

 

RESOLVED:  that the minutes of the meeting held on 16 September 2019 be agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair with the following amendments:

 

Cllr J Aitman to be added to  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC452

SC453

Public Participation

The meeting will adjourn for this item.

 

Members of the public may speak for a maximum of five minutes each during the period of public participation, in line with Standing Order 42.  Matters raised shall relate to the following items on the agenda.

Minutes:

The Committee adjourned so that Members of the Youth Council and Margaret Burden, on behalf of West Oxfordshire Community Transport (WOCT), could address the Committee.

 

The Committee reconvened after the public participation.

 

SC454

West Oxfordshire Community Transport

To receive and consider the request from WOCT for funding for 3 years to run the town centre bus service – Margaret Burden will be in attendance to give a short presentation under public participation.

Minutes:

This item was moved up the agenda with the express permission from the Chair, so that Margaret Burden could hear the discussion. The Town Clerk explained that any grant given for a period of years would give the bus service security, but would also assist the Town Council in its  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC454

SC455

Officer's Work Programme pdf icon PDF 1003 KB

To note the above programme of works.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the Officers’ Schedule of Work.  The Town Clerk was pleased to advise that some items were now complete.

 

A member asked where the bus shelter that was moving from Marriott’s Walk to Market Square would be sited.  The Operations and Estates Officer explained that unfortunately  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC455

SC456

Operational Report - Progress since last meeting pdf icon PDF 101 KB

To receive and consider the report of the Operations and Estates Officer.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the report of the Operations and Estates Officer.

 

RESOLVED:  that the report be noted.

 

SC457

Street Furniture and Infrastructure

To receive a verbal update on the progress of the Community Piano Project from the Chair/Town Clerk.

Minutes:

The Chair and Cllrs Collins, Enright and Aitman gave a verbal update on the art project relating to the Street Piano, which was recently undertaken in conjunction with students from Abingdon & Witney College.

 

Members discussed the proposed designs from the college students - which had been reduced to four final  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC457

SC458

Antisocial Behaviour and Vandalism pdf icon PDF 116 KB

a)      To note the report of the Operations & Estates Officer regarding vandalism;

b)     Youth Have Your Say 2020 – To work in partnership with TVP & the Community Safety Partnership by providing the free use of the Corn Exchange on 13 March 2020 for this event – the Town Clerk will  ...  view the full agenda text for item SC458

Minutes:

a) Vandalism Report – Operations and Estates Officer

 

Members received and considered an updated vandalism report from the Operations and Estates Officer.

 

b) Youth Have Your Say 2020

 

The Committee received and considered a verbal report from the Town Clerk, in which she explained the history behind the Youth Have  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC458

SC459

Grounds Maintenance - Trees, Floral Displays and Pesticide Policy pdf icon PDF 116 KB

To receive and consider the following reports of the Operations & Estates Officer:

 

a)      Trees

b)     Church Green & Welch Way Commemorative Bed – planting scheme

c)      Pestacide Policy

 

To also consider the Council’s entry in the Thames & Chilterns In Bloom Competition for 2020 – the In Bloom Sub-Committee decided not to  ...  view the full agenda text for item SC459

Additional documents:

Minutes:

a) Trees

 

The Committee received and considered the report of the Operations and Estates Officer, in which he reported that the Council’s Tree Surgeon had advised that it was not possible to reduce the canopy of trees to get better air flow to the West Witney Bowls Green.  There followed  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC459

SC460

Community Clean Up pdf icon PDF 75 KB

To discuss how the Community Clean-up Funding of £7,365 should be used/distributed - information from West Oxfordshire District Council (enclosed)

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered communication from West Oxfordshire District Council (WODC) concerning a grant from Central Government for cleaning up the community.  Whilst examples of what the money could be spent on included items such as litter pickers and high visibility jackets, a member had spoken to a number  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC460

SC461

Communications Update pdf icon PDF 79 KB

To receive and consider the reports of the Communications & Events Officer as follows:

 

a)      Press and Media Coverage Update

b)     Web Accessibility

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered an updated report of press coverage and the report of the Communications and Events Officer on web accessibility.

 

RESOLVED:  that the reports be noted.

 

SC462

Suspension of Standing Order 48 a

Minutes:

RESOLVED:  that Standing Order 48a) be suspended in order to allow the meeting to continue as it had now lasted for two hours.

 

SC463

Events Report pdf icon PDF 119 KB

a)      To receive and consider the report of the Operations & Estates Officer (enclosed) regarding third party events;

b)     To receive and consider the report of the Communications & Events Officer (enclosed) regarding civic and community events;

c)      Community Christmas Meal: Making A Meal – verbal update from Cllr R Smith and  ...  view the full agenda text for item SC463

Additional documents:

Minutes:

a) Third Party Events

 

The Committee received and considered the report of the Operations and Estates Officer concerning third party events on The Leys.

 

b) Civic and Community Events

 

The Committee received and considered the report of the Communications and Events officer containing ideas for civic and community events.

 

c)  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC463

SC464

One Witney Vision: Residents Survey pdf icon PDF 653 KB

To consider communicating the draft plan (enclosed) with local residents in order to get feedback and shape the final draft before adopting by full Council.

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the draft strategic plan produced by Cllrs Gwatkin and Ashbourne.  The Town Clerk commented she had some concerns about the wording in its current form, particularly as it encompassed things that were outside the remit of the Town Council.  It was agreed that she would  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC464

SC465

Town Centre Shops

With several town centre shops closed and more to close in the near future - to discuss the state of the ‘high street’ and consider what Witney Town Council can do, if anything, in order to support local business.

Minutes:

The Committee discussed the state of the high street in terms of local businesses as several shops had closed and more were expected.  The Chair advised that this item had been put onto the agenda because District Councillor Andrew Coles had asked the Town Council to support a Small Business  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC465

SC466

Christmas Sub Committee pdf icon PDF 362 KB

To receive and consider the minutes of the Christmas Sub-committee held on 21st October 2019 and request from Witney Day Centre for free use of the Gallery Room, Corn Exchange for the Christmas Lights Switch-on, Friday 29th November 2019.

 

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the minutes of the Christmas Sub Committee held on 21 October 2019.

 

RESOLVED:  that the minutes of the Christmas Sub Committee be noted, and the recommendations contained therein be provided with the following amendment to minute X421, recommendation 2:

 

Add in “and solar powered options”  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC466

SC467

Climate and Biodiversity Sub Committee Minutes

To receive and consider the minutes of the meeting held on 6 November 2019 (enclosed)

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the minutes of the Climate and Biodiversity Sub Committee held on 6 November 2019.

 

RESOLVED:          that the minutes be noted, and the recommendations contained therein be approved.

 

SC468

Twinning Minutes pdf icon PDF 117 KB

To receive and consider the minutes of the Witney Twinning Association Committee held on 2 October 2019 (enclosed) and to also consider the request for a grant towards the Anniversary celebrations in 2020 – in order for the Town Clerk to budget accordingly.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Committee received and considered the minutes of the Witney & District Twinning Association held on 2 October 2019 and a request for a grant towards their Anniversary Celebrations in 2020.

 

RESOLVED:          that the minutes of the meeting be noted and that a grant of £1,000 plus free use of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC468

SC469

Finance Report - Revised Budget 2019/20 and Proposed Budget 2020/21

 

a)      Revised revenue budget 2019/20 and base revenue budget for 2020/21 (Town Clerk’s report to follow)

b)     Revised Capital & Special Revenue Projects Programme 2019/20 (to follow)

c)      Revenue Growth Items and Capital/Special Revenue Projects Programme 2020/21 and beyond (to follow)

 

 

 

Minutes:

a)      Revised revenue budget 2019/20 and base revenue budget for 2020/21

 

The Town Clerk circulated her report on the revised revenue budget for the current year and the first draft of the budget proposed for 2020/21 at the meeting.  She explained that the adoption of this year’s budget was regrettably  ...  view the full minutes text for item SC469