AGM minutes 19 May 2010

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF

AMPTHILL TOWN COUNCIL

held at the Council Offices,

66 Dunstable Street, Ampthill

on Wednesday 19^th May 2010 at 7.00pm

Present: Councillors R A Holden (Chairman), Mrs M Wilson (elected Chairman under item 1), Mrs S Bacon (elected Vice Chairman under item 5), R A D Chappell, P Duckett, P A Eversley, Mrs P Foster, G Pascal, M A Smith, G Summerfield, R Tebbutt, Mrs M Wright, Donna Searle, Deputy Clerk and Mr T Grant (Temp. Office Assistant).

Also present: Mrs R Calvert, Mrs E Summerfield and Mr A Cardwell.

1. To elect the Town Mayor.

Cllr Holden nominated Cllr Mrs M Wilson who indicated her willingness to stand, seconded by Cllr Chappell.

The Chairman asked if there were any other nominations.

Cllr Foster nominated Cllr Mrs S Bacon who indicated her willingness to stand, seconded by Cllr Eversley.

Both nominated Councillors were invited to give a brief introduction as to why they felt they should be elected Town Mayor.

Cllr Mrs Wilson expressed a wish to serve the people of Ampthill and to work together to achieve something for Ampthill.

Cllr Mrs Bacon expressed a wish to take on board the views and aims of the towns people and to work with them to achieve and solve aims of the community.

In accordance with standing order no. 9 a secret ballot was held and cast as follows:

Cllr Mrs Wilson 6 votes
Cllr Mrs Bacon 6 votes

With an equality of votes the Chairman exercised his right to give a casting vote in favour of Cllr Mrs Wilson.

Resolved: That Cllr Mrs Margaret Wilson is duly elected as Town Mayor/Chairman of the Council for the year 2010/11.

Councillor Mrs Wilson then received the Chain of Office and took the Chair.

2. To receive apologies for absence.

There were no apologies received as all members were present.

3. To receive the Town Mayor’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Town Mayor’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office was duly signed and witnessed by the Deputy Town Clerk.

Councillor Mrs Wilson thanked members for electing her as Town Mayor for the coming year. Cllr Wilson later went on to report that for her term of office as Mayor she wished to “work for the greater good of Ampthill”. Her nominated local charities would include the Girl Guides, See-Saw club, Ampthill & District Good Neighbours and Ampthill Festival Committee. Cllr Wilson would also like to hold a fund raising event for Parkside Hall.

4. Presentation of certificate to retiring Mayor.

Cllr Mrs M Wilson, Mayor of Ampthill presented the Past Mayor, Cllr R Holden with a Certificate and Past Mayor’s badge to mark his year as Mayor 2009/10.

Thanks were then given to Cllr Holden for carrying out his mayoral duties so diligently and for his hard work over the past year representing the town at so many official functions.

Mrs Holden was welcomed into the Council Chamber to be presented with a Past Mayor’s consort badge and a bouquet of flowers as a thank you on behalf of the Council for her supportive role as the Mayor’s consort.

5. To elect the Vice Chairman.

The Chairman invited nominations for the Vice Chairman.

Cllr Chappell nominated Cllr M Smith but he declined to stand.

Cllr Foter nominated Cllr Mrs S Bacon who indicated her willingness to stand, seconded by Cllr Eversley.

There being no other nominations it was:

Resolved: That Cllr Mrs S Bacon is duly elected as Vice Chairman.

6. To receive the Vice Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

The Vice Chairman’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office was duly signed and witnessed by the Deputy Town Clerk.

7. To receive updated register of Members interests as at May 2010.

Under Section 81 of the LGA 2000 and the Parish Council’s (model Code of Conduct) Order 2001 every member of a Town and Parish Council is required to notify the relevant District Council’s Monitoring Officer of “Financial or Other Interest” within 28 days of the statutory Code of Conduct being adopted or applied within 28 days of his election or appointment as a Member, and to notify the Monitoring Officer of any change in any such interest within 28 days of becoming aware of that change.

The Deputy Clerk confirmed that all twelve members of the Council had duly reviewed, updated, signed, dated and returned their respective register of interests.

8. To approve and adopt the Standing Orders for Ampthill Town Council – Appended.

Members had been given the opportunity to discuss possible amendments to the Standing Orders.

Amendments were made as follows:

Page 4, no. 2(c) 6pm to be amended to read ‘7pm’ (time of annual meeting).

Page 6, no. iv lection to be amended to read ‘election’.

Page 18, no. 31(a) ………….Committee to be amended to read ‘Central Beds Monitoring Officer’.

Resolved: That the Standing Orders, as amended, be adopted for the year 2010/11.

9. To approve and adopt the Financial Regulations for Ampthill Town Council – Appended.

Members reviewed the financial regulations and had no amendments to make.

Resolved: That the Financial Regulations for the year 2010/11 are adopted.

10. To appoint an Internal Auditor.

Members considered the appointment of the Internal Auditor and the Deputy Clerk reported that the RFO/Town Clerk is very satisfied with the current Internal Auditor.

Resolved: That Landers the Accountants be re-appointed as Internal Auditor for 2010-2011.

11. To consider the adoption of the Internal Audit Review for 2010/11 and the Internal Auditor Effectives 2010/11 – Appended.

Members reviewed the internal audit procedures and effectives and had no amendments to make.

Resolved: That the Internal Audit Review and Internal Auditor Effectives for the year 2010/11 are adopted.

12. To consider the adoption of the Financial Risk Assessment 2010/11 - Appended

A review of the Financial Risk Assessment was considered and no amendments were made.

Resolved: That the Financial Risk Assessment for the year 2010/11 is adopted.

13. To review Committee Structures and Terms of References and to appoint members to serve on the under mentioned Committees.

Having previously considered a review of the Committee Structure members discussed further and agreed that the introduction of terms of reference for each committee and a smaller member representation on each committee was in order.

The introduction of Terms of Reference would enable a more efficient action of Committee decisions with recommendations only having to go to Full Council should the matters under consideration fall outside the delegation or budget of that committee.

Therefore, it was agreed that a total of eight members would sit on each of the three main committees, with a third of the members of each committee retiring at the next Annual General Meeting.

Resolved: That the following members be appointed to each of the three main committees:

a) Planning (8)

Cllrs Mrs S Bacon (Deputy Mayor), R A D Chappell, P Duckett, P A Eversley, R A Holden, G Pascal, Mrs M Wilson and Mrs M Wright

b) Parks & Open Spaces (8)

Cllrs Mrs M Wilson (Town Mayor), P Duckett, P A Eversley, Mrs P Foster, M A Smith, G Summerfield, R Tebbutt and Mrs M Wright.

c) Finance, Policy and General Purposes (8)

Cllrs Mrs M Wilson (Town Mayor), Mrs S Bacon (Deputy Mayor), Mrs P Foster, R A Holden, M A Smith, G Pascal, G Summerfield and R Tebbutt.

Resolved further: That the terms of reference for each committee having been adopted on block at this meeting will then be received by each relevant Committee at their first meeting after this Annual General Meeting. Any proposed amendments to those terms of reference shall be referred back to the Full Council for further adoption.

14. To appoint Chairman of the three main Committees.

Following nominations the following appointments were made:

Resolved: That Cllr Mrs S Bacon be re-appointed as Chairman of the Planning Committee.

Resolved: That Cllr R Tebbutt be appointed as Chairman of the Park, Open Spaces and Burial Ground Committee.

Resolved: That Cllr Mrs M Wilson be appointed as Chairman of the Finance, Policy, and General Purposes Committee.

15. To appoint members, including Convenors, to serve on the under mentioned Working Groups as required.

The appointment of members to each of the following working groups was considered.

Resolved: That members be appointed to each working group as follows:

a) Highways Working Party (6)

Cllrs G Summerfield (Convenor), R A D Chappell, P Duckett, R A Holden, Mrs Wilson and Mrs A M Wright.

b) Ampthill Youth Working Group (5)

Cllrs M A Smith (Convenor), Mrs S Bacon, P A Eversley, G Summerfield and Mrs A M Wright.

c) Newsletter Editorial Team (5 + Deputy Clerk)

Miss D J Searle (Convenor/Deputy Clerk) and Cllrs R A Holden, G Pascal, M A Smith, R Tebbutt and Mrs M Wilson.

d) Friends of Ampthill Christmas Lights Committee (5) plus five co-opted from Community

Cllrs: Mrs S Bacon, Mrs P K Foster, R A Holden, R Tebbutt and Mrs M E Wilson.

Community: J Bacon, P Hines, R Wood, Mrs M Milway and Mrs S L Whittaker

Secretary: Deputy Town Clerk

16. To appoint members, including the Chairman, to serve on the Staffing Disciplinary Panel.

Resolved: That Cllrs Mrs M Wilson (Mayor/Panel Chairman), P Duckett, Mrs P Foster, G Pascal, M A Smith and R Tebbutt be appointed.

17. To appoint members, including the Chairman, to serve on the Appeals Panel.

Resolved: That Cllrs Mrs S Bacon (Deputy Mayor/Panel Chairman), R A D Chappell, P A Eversley, R A Holden, G Summerfield and Mrs A M Wright be appointed.

18. To appoint representatives to serve on the under mentioned bodies.

Resolved: That the following appointments are made: