To: The Chairman – Cllr Mike Facey and all members of the Town Council
You are hereby summoned to attend the next meeting of the Town Council to be held at 7pm on Monday 10th May 2021 at the conference room, The King Alfred School, Burnham Road, Highbridge. Please note that there is no hearing loop at the venue.
In order to comply with public health requirements, all attendees are asked to follow instructions from the town clerk and town Mayor given at the meeting and are required to:
- wear a face covering that fits over the nose and mouth (unless you have a medical exemption, when a face shield will be permitted)
- use the hand sanitiser at the entry point
- take your seat on arrival and remain seated throughout, at the set distance
- leave promptly at the end of the meeting
Yours sincerely
Samantha Winter
Town Clerk
5th May 2021
A public participation session will be held prior the commencement of the formal agenda. Anyone wishing to speak on any matter should give notice to the Clerk by midday on the last working day before the meeting. No resolution can be made on any matter that is not on the agenda.
Please be aware that meetings are recorded
AGENDA
- To elect the Town Mayor (Chairman of the Town Council) for the year 2021/22
- To receive the declaration of acceptance of office signed by the Mayor (Chairman of Council)
- To elect the Deputy Mayor (Vice-Chairman of the Town Council) for the year 2021/22
- To receive the declaration of acceptance of office signed by the councillor elected through bye-election on 6th May 2021
- To elect a second Deputy Mayor for the year 2021/22
- To present past Mayor’s badge & appoint a Mayor’s Cadet.
- To receive any apologies for non-attendance
- To receive any declarations of interest in items on this agenda & note any dispensations granted
- To receive reports from the police or other emergency services
- To approve the committee structure, as the table below, and elect councillors to committees for 2021/22
| Committee | Councillors |
| Planning | TBD + Ex O |
| Town Improvements | TBD + Ex O |
| Finance & Resources | TBD + Ex O |
| Princess Management Committee | TBD + Ex O |
| Burial Committee | TBD + Ex O |
11. To consider and agree the Terms of Reference and Scheme of Delegation.
12. To receive and approve the council’s Financial Regulations
13. To receive and approve the council’s Standing Orders
14. To receive and approve the members’ Code of Conduct
15. To note the Asset Register, as approved 1st March 2020 min ref:29/21/TC
16. To receive and approve the council’s Publication Scheme
17. To note the data audit has been updated and data disposal is undertaken in line with the approved schedule for document destruction & retention
18. To note the subscriptions made to other bodies, 2021:
| a. | Community Council Membership £40 |
| b. | Visit Somerset £900 per year |
| c. | ICCM £95 |
| d. | SALC £2037.61 |
| e. | AAT £99 |
| f. | ICO £35 |
| g. | Somerset Playing Fields Assoc. £15 |
| i. | Rural Services Network membership £150 |
19. To consider the Town Council representation on outside bodies:
| Outside Body | Representatives |
| Highbridge Festival of Arts Committee | 2 |
| Somerset Association of Local Councils | 1 (with the clerk) |
| Town Twinning – Fritzlar (German) | The Mayor is Patron to the Society |
| Highbridge Community Hall Management Committee | 2 |
| Sedgemoor Cycle Group | 2 |
| BAY Centre | 2 |
| Friends of the Princess Group | 1 (with the BDO) |
| Sedgemoor Community Partnership (Morland Hall) | 1 |
| Sea Cadet Corps | 1 |
| Air Training Corps | 1 |
| Hinkley Point Community Forum | 1 |
| Burnham Chamber of Trade | 1 |
| Burnham & Highbridge Abbeyfield Society | 1 |
| 67 bus forum | 1 (with the RFO) |
| Rural Services Network | 1 |
| Coastal Cluster Group | 1 (with the Town Clerk) |
| Seed Arts Panel | 1 (Cllr Carey & BDO(as invited)) |
| BiARS Management Committee | 1 |
| Abbeyfield Society | 1 |
20. To receive and approve minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 1st February 2021
21. To note updates to the Action List
22. To receive the Chairman’s announcements
23. Reports by Members (for information only)
23.1 To receive any reports from county councillors on county council relevant matters
23.2 To receive any reports from district councillors on district council relevant matters
23.3 To receive any reports from town council councillors on town council relevant matters
- Motions for note/resolution
24.1 To receive a recommendation from the Finance & Resources Committee (min ref:16/21/TIMP) that the council enters into partnership agreement with Seed and offers a financial contribution of £1500 towards activities (with acknowledgment that the contribution might increase or decrease to reflect any future agreement).
24.2 To review the Pension providers’ strategy statement and offer suggestions for inclusion.
24.3 To note the letter sent to the internal auditor confirming the dates of Exercise of Public Rights for the financial year 2020-2021
24.4 To receive a request from Cllr Dawn Carey that she is authorised to pursue the development of a youth council, with support provided by the town clerk in drawing up matters of establishment and governance for approval by the town council.
24.5 To receive an update on the tasks completed or underway in relation to the council’s corporate plan.
24.6 To review the arrangements with other local authorities and contributions made to expenditure incurred:
| Authority | Annual contribution £ | Matter | Agreement detail |
| Sedgemoor District Council | £38,055 £5256.19 | Public toilets Crosses Penn toilets | 50% contribution towards cleaning of BOS public toilets and 100% contribution towards Highbridge public toilets. Discretionary service since Jan 2013, no SLA. 50% contribution towards opening Crosses Penn toilets all year round. Discretionary service agreed 2021, SLA for approval by F&R. |
| Sedgemoor District Council | £24,000 | Dog waste bins | This was an estimated cost for emptying all of the dog waste bins in Burnham and Highbridge, frequency does depend on location. All are at least twice per week with some emptied daily. Service agreed Jan 2013, no SLA |
| Sedgemoor District Council | £15,000 | CCTV | To cover costs of cctv. Discretionary service since Jan 2013, no SLA For review due to faults notified April 2021 |
| Sedgemoor District Council | £6,000 | Extra street cleaning | Contribution to the salary of Burnham town centre street cleaning operative, who provides street cleaning on evenings and on weekends. Current working hours Friday to Tuesday 10.30 – 6.30pm. Discretionary since November 2010 service, no SLA |
Accounts
25.1 To receive and approve details of expenditure during February and March 2021, as circulated
25.2 To receive the town council accounts up to the 31st March 2021, as circulated (please note that the end of year adjustments are to be finalised)To note that those authorised to submit and approve payments will remain unchanged for 21/22 (Cllrs Allen, Clayton, P Harvey, Carey, Matthews & Keen)
25.3 To receive a recommendation from the Finance & Resources Committee that the payment made in error by Sedgemoor District Council to apply small business relief to the town council should be repaid as: £10,000 repaid out of the 20/21 accounts and £4678.67 repaid from the general reserve (min ref: 27/21/F&R)
26 Minutes of previous committee meetings:
To receive the minutes of the following committees, as previously circulated and published on the town council website:
Tuesday 9th February Princess Management Committee
Monday 8th March Finance & Resources Committee
Wednesday 31st March Planning Committee
27. Items of correspondence: As previously circulated by email. (Members are requested to notify the office ahead of the meeting if they wish to have further information on any item)
28. Dates of next Meetings:
| May | Wednesday | 12th | Planning |
| Monday | 17th | Town Improvements | |
| Monday | 31st | Bank Holiday | |
| June | Wednesday | 2nd | Planning |
| Tuesday | 8th | Princess Management | |
| Wednesday | 16th | Burial | |
| Monday | 21st | Town Council (AGAR) | |
| Wednesday | 23rd | Planning |