10 September 2024 – Minutes (draft)

THAME TOWN COUNCIL

Minutes of a Meeting of the Community Services Committee held on 10 September 2024 at 6.30pm in the Upper Chamber, Thame Town Hall.

Present:

Cllrs D Bretherton, N Champken-Woods, P Cowell (Chairman), D Dawson (Deputy Mayor), A Dite, M Dyer, L Emery (Deputy Chairman), A Gilbert (Town Mayor), C Jones and S McGarry.

Officers

M Sturdy, Town Clerk
C Pinnells, Community Services Manager
A Slater, Business Administrator Apprentice

 

1) Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Dollman (personal).  

RESOLVED:

  1. To accept the apologies and reason given from Cllr Dollman (personal).

 

2) Declarations of Interest and Dispensations

Cllr Cowell declared an interest in Lea Park Residents Association (Item 13b) as a member. This is not a pecuniary interest and did not preclude Cllr Cowell from debating or voting on this item.

Cllr Emery an interest in Thame Museum.

 

3) Public Participation and Public Questions

There were applications to address the committee by two representatives from Lea Park Residents Association, the Chairman of LPRA and a resident, regarding item 13b.

It is noted that they have planned a protest on 29th September at 10:30am at the Skate Park.

The representatives want to bring more awareness to Lea Park and surrounding areas, with their main objective being to make more people aware of the hassles in the area.

They have motioned for a chance to display flyers in the Information Centre and for an article in the weekly newsletter.

It was questioned if there was a direct engagement with the Football Club. The Chairman of LPRA shares that they held a meeting with the representatives from the Football Club and had general support from all, with signs now displayed on their gates.

 

4) Minutes

The Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on 16 July 2024 were received.

RESOLVED that:

  1. The minutes of the meeting held on 16 July 2024 are confirmed as a correct record, and signed by the Chairman.

Proposer Cllr Jones
Seconder Cllr Dite
Unanimous Vote

 

5) Recent Events Feedback – Thame Town Awards 2024

The report was noted.

Recommendations have been put forward on how the ceremony of the Town Awards can be improved.

It was questioned how many attended this year, the Community Services Manager shared that only 70 attended due to it being an invite only event. It was then suggested that it should be made a larger event with a relocation of where it is hosted.

 

6) Upcoming Events

a. Thame Art Crawl 2024

The report was noted.

The Community Services Manager shares that the Art Crawl has grown with involvement, with 37 businesses taking part compared to the 23 last year and 18 new artists have been secured.

Cllr McGarry proposes having artist contact details in the windows so on weekends when shops are closed you can still enquire about purchasing artwork.

 

b. Unveiling of War Memorial Plaques (Moreton)

It was noted that the Town Council and Thame Remembers are working with the Moreton Residents Association to organise an event to unveil the additional names on the Moreton War Memorial. The event is expected to take place prior to Remembrance Sunday.

 

c. Service of Remembrance & Armistice Day 2024

It was noted that the Service of Remembrance will take place on, Sunday 10 November 2024, 10.30am assemble in car park at Town Hall ready to process to the Memorial Gardens.

It was noted that Armistice Day will fall on Monday 11 November 2024. A trumpeter has been organised to play last post and reveille to enable the community to observe the two minutes silence at 11am outside the Town Hall.

 

d. Senior Citizens Tea Party 2024

It was noted that the annual Senior Citizens’ Christmas Tea Party will take place on Wednesday 11 December 2024 from 2pm – 4pm. It is being organised by the Town Council with support from Thame & District Rotary Club and Thame Inner Wheel.

 

e. Thame Charities Fair 2024

It was noted that the event will take place on Saturday 30th November 2024 (day after Christmas lights switch on).

 

f. Healthy Thame Fayre 2025

It was questioned whether funding will be secured and if people would support the event. The Community Services Manager shared that money will be needed to start the project off, but some funding has already been secured.

RESOLVED:

  1. To approve Officer administration and a cost code up to £500 to support Cllr Gilbert with an event taking place in 2025.

Proposer Cllr Champken-Woods
Seconder Cllr Bretherton
Unanimous Vote

 

g. Thame Pride 2025

The report was noted.

 

7) Event Dates 2025

The following event dates for 2025 were noted:

  • Exhibition on John Henry Smythe, Friday 25th October 2024
  • Romanian Fair, Saturday 7th December 2024
  • Spring Market, Friday 7th – Sunday 9th March 2025 (if approved under Item 9)
  • Music in the Park, Sunday 4th May 2025
  • Taste of Thame, Saturday 24th May 2025
  • Thame Carnival, Saturday 14th June 2025
  • Duck Race, Sunday 15th June 2025
  • Thame Pride, Saturday 21st June 2025
  • September Street Fair, Thursday 18th – Saturday 20th September 2025
  • October Charter Fair, Friday 10th October 2025
  • World Village Autumn Market, Friday 24th – Sunday 26th October 2025 (if approved under Item 9)
  • Service of Remembrance, Sunday 9th November 2025
  • Thame Charities Fair, Saturday 29th November 2025
  • Christmas Lights Switch-On, Friday 28th November 2025
  • Carols Around the Tree, Wednesday 24th December 2025

It was noted that the following event dates are to be confirmed:

  • Thame Country Fair (usually Easter weekend)
  • CPM Thame 10k (usually a Sunday, end of June)
  • Town Awards (usually a Thursday, mid-July)
  • Market Community Fun Day (usually a Tuesday, mid/end August)
  • Thame Food Festival (usually last weekend in September)
  • French Market (usually early October) (if approved under Item 9)
  • Thame Art Crawl (usually 5 days in mid-October)
  • Thame Fireworks Display (usually a Saturday end of October / early November)
  • Charity Tractor Run (usually a Sunday mid-December)

 

8) Themed & Street Food Markets

The report was noted.

RESOLVED:

  1. To approve that the Community Services Manager to organise the Themed & Street Food Markets in 2025.

Proposer Cllr Dite
Seconder Cllr Emery
Unanimous Vote

 

9) Communications & Community Engagement Report

The report was noted on Town Council communications and community engagement.

The Community Services Manager gives praise to the Communications and Events Officer for making all our information more accessible to all.

Cllr Dawson is in agreement.

 

10) Social Media and Media Relations Policy

The updated Social Media and Media Relations Policy was received.

A proposal to change the wording in the policy to make it more clear about how an issue relating to Officers should be reported.

RESOLVED:

  1. To approve the updated Social Media and Media Relations policy subject to the recommended changes being made.

Proposer Cllr Champken-Woods
Seconder Cllr Jones
Unanimous Vote

 

11) Grants

The updated Grant Awards Policy was received.

It was suggested that the wording of registered organisations should be changed to charities so that smaller un-registered charities can partake.

RESOLVED:

  1. To approve the updated Grant Awards policy subject to the agreed changes.

Proposer Cllr Bretherton
Seconder Cllr Champken-Woods (to amend changes)
Unanimous Vote

 

12) Economic Development & Town Centre Vibrancy

a. Phone Box

It was noted that the Mayor officially opened the defibrillator on Saturday 7 September 2024, along with the sponsors and companies that worked to restore the listed phone box.

Cllr Champken-Woods suggests looking into putting a bleed control kit alongside the defibrillator, all agreed more details about this should be investigated.

 

b. Christmas Lights

The report on the re-tendering process for a new Christmas Lights contract for December 2025 – January 2030 was noted, as was the draft timeline for the installation of the scheme.

RESOLVED:

  1. To agree the terms of reference for a working group to determine the new Christmas Lights contract tender.
  2. To agree that Councillors Emery, McGarry, Jones, Dite, Bretherton and Cowell be members of the Christmas Lights Working Group.

Proposer Cllr Cowell
Seconder Cllr Emery
Unanimous Vote

 

13) Community Support & Networks

a. Thame Good Neighbour Scheme

The committee was asked to suggest ideas to mark the 10-year anniversary of the launch of the Thame Good Neighbour Scheme (March 2025).

The Community Services Manager gives thanks to volunteers for supporting it.

 

b. Lea Park Residents Association

The committee was asked to consider LPRA’s request for support in their publicity campaign raising objections to the planning application at Moorend Lane (MW.0163/22), which Thame Town Council has also objected to. LPRA are seeking support to place leaflets in the information centre and include an item in the Town Council’s weekly e-newsletter.

RESOLVED:

  1. To support LPRA as requested with the publicity campaign regarding the planning application at Moorend Lane (0163/22)

 Proposer Cllr Dawson
Seconder Cllr Bretherton
Unanimous Vote

 

c. Oxfordshire County Council Volunteer Coordination

The report was noted.

The Community Services Manager shared that Oxfordshire County Council have delegated responsibility to Thame Town Council the management of volunteers for sign cleaning.

Concerns were shared about boundaries being set for volunteers and a request for a controlled risk assessment.

It was questioned about where Thame Town Council would stand with insurance. The Town Clerk shared that the volunteers would come under the same insurance as employees.

An amendment to the motion that the agreement will not be rectified until we have more information.

Unanimous Vote

RESOLVED:

  1. Not to approve Oxfordshire County Council’s request for TTC to manage volunteers for sign cleaning at this time and to confirm the details of the OCC agreement.

 

14) Community Safety

a. Policing Priorities and Thame Shop Watch

It was noted that Officers and Councillors met with the local Police Inspector on 25 July 2024 to establish local policing priorities. The next meeting is scheduled for October.

The committee was asked to approve the expenditure of £1,000 from the CCTV Budget to fund the Thame Shop Watch radio system link, subject to a successful bid for the project by Thames Valley Police and South Oxfordshire District Council Community Safety Team.

RESOLVED:

  1. To approve the expenditure of £1,000 from the CCTV Budget to fund the Thame Shop Watch radio system link, subject to a successful bid for the project by Thames Valley Police and South Oxfordshire District Council Community Safety Team.

 Cllr Champken-Woods Proposer
Cllr Bretherton Seconder
Unanimous Vote

 

b. Defibrillators

The report was noted.

The Community Services Manager had received a request from Staying Alive Thame for TTC to take on the administration of the defibrillators and manage the volunteers who monitor the eight defibrillators once a week to ensure they are in working order.

Cllr Dite proposes a consideration of TTC managing the defibs.

Cllr Bretherton Seconder

Unanimous Vote

RESOLVED:

  1. To gather further information about the potential costs and condition of the defibrillators to enable a decision to be made by Thame Town Council about taking over the administration and management from Staying Alive Thame of the eight defibrillators in Thame.

 

The meeting concluded at 8:06pm 

 

 

Signed ………………………………                            Date …………………….

Chairman