4 June 2013 – Minutes

THAME TOWN COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the Culture, Leisure & Recreation Committee held on 4 June 2013 at 6.30pm in the Upper Chamber, Thame Town Hall.

  
Present:

Cllrs D W Bretherton, N G Champken-Woods,  A Dite, N M Dixon (Chairman), M L Dyer, L Emery, A Gunn, P Lambert (Town Mayor), D A Laver, J Matelot Green (Deputy Mayor) and M Stiles (Vice Chairman).

Non Voting

Cllr  V Humphries

Officers

H Stewart, Town Clerk

A Oughton, Committee Services Officer

C Pinnells, Community Services Manager

 
1 Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Emery (Business), Gunn (Family) and Stiles (Business).

 
2 Declarations of Interest

Cllr Bretherton declared an interest in item 11 being related to Kira Hutson.

Cllr Laver entered the meeting.

 
3 Public Participation

Mr Jefferies of 26 Park Street addressed the Committee with regard to item 7 the Entrance to Elms Park.  Mr Jefferies said he spoke on behalf Mr Davies of 75 Park Street and Mr Haigh, Head Teacher at John Hampden School.  Twenty-two individual objections had been received by SODC to the retrospective plans for alterations to the existing entrance to Elms Park.  Mr Jefferies requested action be taken to install a self closing gate.

Mrs Bingham and Mr Powell both residents of Harrison Place addressed the Committee with regard to item 8 the exit from Queen Elizabeth Circle onto Harrison Place.  Mrs Bingham asked the committee to consider installing a barrier at this exit and when doing so that the most aesthetic design – option B be installed.  The residents did not like option A and if this was considered as an option they would propose a third option to replicate the barrier arrangement at the entrance to the park from Tythrop Way.  Thanks was expressed to the Council for progressing this matter so quickly.

 
4 Minutes

The Minutes of the Culture, Leisure & Recreation Committee meetings held on 19 March 2013 and 14 May 2013 were confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

 
5 Budget / Finance Summary

Members received the budget summary up to 30 April 2013.  A question was raised regarding income of £3,800 against 206 Churchill Play Area? The Clerk would investigate the query and report back to members of the Committee. 

 
6 Verbal Reports from Town Council Representatives on Outside Bodies

a)    Cuttle Brook Management Committee – Cllr Laver reported that it was hoped to have started work on the new bridge but delays in delivery of some of the materials and clarification on insurance cover had held up the start date.  The intention was to build the bridge in sections at the Council Depot and then transport it to site for assembly, work was now due to start at the end of the month.  Usual maintenance work had been carried out in the reserve but this had been hampered by the bad weather.  An extra drainage pipe had been installed to help elevate potential flooding.  Cllr Laver would circulate copies of the Management report after their next meeting.

b)    Leisure Centre Management Committee – Cllr Laver had attended the last management meeting but there were insufficient members to make the meeting quorate.

c)    Carnival Committee – Cllr Dite reported that plans were well underway and a final committee meeting would take place on Thursday.

d)    Football Partnership – Cllr Dyer would be attending the next Board meeting in three weeks.

e)    Twinning Association – Cllr Humphries had attended the meeting held on 15 May 2013 and reported that the recent visit by representatives from Montesson had gone well.  The AGM would be held on 20 June 2013.

f)     Cricket Club (Cllr Butler) – nothing to report.

g)    Chinnor RFC (Cllr Gunn) – nothing to report.

 
7 Entrance to Elms Park

Discussion took place around the need to install a barrier at the entrance to Elms Park.  The suggestion of a self closing gate was considered, however it would be too heavy to hang on the existing brickwork and would make access for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and double buggies difficult.

Members agreed that a barrier should be installed inside the park gates to slow cyclists and scooters down as they exit the park.  The configuration and location would need to allow vehicle access to the Park.  It was suggested that temporary barriers be located inside the park to enable an assessment of which configuration would work the best and to gauge public reaction to such a barrier.  RosPA and the Open Spaces Association would be contacted for their comment.

RESOLVED:

i)     That a barrier be installed inside the park at right angles to the pedestrian exit.

 
8 Queen Elizabeth Circle Exit onto Harrison Place

A number of incidents had been reported by local residents and concern had been raised around the safety of people exiting the Queen Elizabeth Circle onto Harrison Place on bicycles, scooters and skate boards.  It was agreed that any barrier configuration should be aesthetically pleasing to the surrounding area. 

RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL:

i)     That Option B, a barrier with a paved base, be installed at the exit of Queen Elizabeth Circle and Harrison Place at a cost of £1040 to be met from the Capital Rolling Fund.

 
9 Pearce Way

In accordance with other play areas managed by the Council a management plan had been produced for the Pearce Way Play Area to cover the period 2013-2018.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the Pearce Way Play Area 5 year Management Plan be approved.

 
10 Parliament Road

Members agreed that the path created by pedestrians walking over the grassed area at Parliament Road was unsightly and would be improved by the installation of a tarmac path.

RECOMMENDED TO FULL COUNCIL:

i)     That a tarmac path be installed at Parliament Road at a cost of £3,000 to be met from the Capital Receipts Reserve.

 
11 Lighting Petition, Southern Road

The Lighting Petition had been presented to Cllr Nigel Champken-Woods when he was Town Mayor by Kira Hutson, a member of the Scouts.  Members of the Scouts felt uncomfortable using the car park during the hours of darkness and the fact that the area was unlit led to incidents of anti-social behaviour.

RESOLVED:

i)     That in principal the installation of lighting in the car park at Southern Road be added to the Council’s work schedule.

 
12 Sponsorship of Planters

Following a recent request from a commercial company to sponsor the planting out of the planters at the entrances to the town it was felt that sponsorship of the planters and hanging baskets should be agreed through a Sponsorship Policy.  Concern was raised on the size of advert the sponsor will receive and that this should be limited to meet the criteria set out in the letter sent to potential sponsors.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the Sponsorship Policy be adopted.

ii)    That the offer of sponsorship received from Croudace be approved.

 
13 SODC Market Towns Fund and Infrastructure Grant

Discussion took place around possible projects that the Council could apply for funding through the SODC Market Towns Fund and Infrastructure Grant.   Members wholeheartedly supported the suggestion of tree surrounds in the Upper High Street car park. Any further suggestions should to be submitted to the Clerk in the next two weeks.

 
14 Play Area Strategy

The Play Area Strategy adopted by the Council in 2010 needed to be updated to reflect the Neighbourhood Plan and strengthen any S106 or CIL allocations.  Members agreed to form a Working Group to review all associated documents and update the Play Area Strategy.

RESOLVED:

i)     That the Terms of Reference for the Working Group be approved.

ii)    That the membership of the Working Group would be Cllrs Champken-Woods, Dite, Dixon and Laver.

iii)  That Cllr Dite be elected as Chairman of the Working Group.

 
15 Town Awards

The Town Awards for 2013 had been launched with a front page wrap around in the Thame Gazette.  Ballot boxes and nomination forms had been placed in 10 key areas around the town and members of the Awards Panel had used the Community Market Stall to publise the Awards.  The closing date for nominations was 21 June 2013 after which the Awards Panel would consider the nominations.  Awards would be presented at the Civic Reception on Thursday 18 July 2013 at the Barns Centre.

 
16 Maintenance Team Report

Members noted the report.  
 
 
The meeting concluded at 7.58pm

 

Signed ………………………….

Chairman, 10 September 2013