MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OFAMPTHILL TOWN COUNCIL

held at the Council Offices,66 Dunstable Street, Ampthill

on Wednesday 20^th May 2009 at 7.00pm

Present: Councillors: R A Holden (Chairman), Mrs S Bacon, R A D Chappell, P Duckett, P A Eversley, Mrs P K Foster, G Pascal, M A Smith, G Summerfield, R Tebbutt, Mrs M E Wilson and Dawn Sutherns, Clerk.

1. To receive apologies for absenceApologies were received from Mrs A M Wright (on holiday).

2. To elect the Town Mayor

Resolved that: Councillor R Holden is duly elected as Mayor for the year 2009-2010.

Councillor Holden then received the Mayoral Chain and took the Chair.

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 Town Clerk. Councillor Holden thanked Members for electing him as Mayor for the coming year. Councillor Holden then paid tribute to Cllr R Chappell who would have been Mayor this year if illness hadn’t struck. Cllr Holden advised he intended to involve Cllr Chappell in his Mayoral duties and had agreed with him that one of the Mayor’s Charities this year will be the Bedfordshire Branch of Macmillan Nurses. Mrs Carolyn Chappell has also agreed to take part in the Civic Service this year.

4. Presentation of certificate to retiring Mayor

Cllr R Holden Mayor of Ampthill presented the Past Mayor, Cllr G Summerfield with a Certificate and medal to mark his year as Mayor 2008-2009.

Thanks were then given to Cllr G Summerfield for his exceptional success over the past year. He has been not only a credit to Ampthill Town Council and the Town, but also to himself. Cllr G Summerfield gave a few words; he thanked the Members and Town Council staff for their help and support over the past year. He then gave a glowing tribute to the help, assistance and support he had received from Cllr Chappell his Vice Chairman.

Thanks were also given to his wife, Sue, without whom he would have lost control of his diary!

The lynchpin of most of the fundraising over the past year has been friends, whom have made a major contribution to making the year enjoyable. Cllr R Holden then made a presentation of flowers and a medal to Mrs Sue Summerfield.

5. To elect the Vice Chairman

Resolved that: Cllr Mrs M Wilson 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 Town Clerk. Cllr R Holden advised that he intended to keep Cllr Mrs Wilson involved in the Mayoral duties.

7. To approve and adopt the Standing Orders for Ampthill Town Council

Members had been given the opportunity to discuss possible amendments to the Standing Orders. After discussion it was:

Resolved that the Standing Orders be adopted for the year 2009-2010.

8. To approve and adopt the Financial Regulations for Ampthill Town Council

Resolved that the Financial Regulations for the year 2009-2010 are adopted.

9. To appoint an Internal Auditor Resolved that Landers the Accountants be appointed as Internal Auditor for 2009-2010.

10. To consider the adoption of the Internal Audit Review for 2009-2010 and the Internal Auditor Effectiveness 2009-2010

Resolved that the Internal Audit Review and Internal Auditor Effectiveness for the year 2009-2010 are adopted.

11. To consider the adoption of the Financial Risk Assessment 2009/2010

Resolved that the Financial Risk Assessment for the year 2009-2010 is adopted.

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

Resolved that all Town Councillors are appointed Members of the three main committees of Parks, Open Spaces and Burial Ground, Planning and Finance, Policy and General Purposes.

13. To appoint Chairman of the three main Committees

Resolved that Mrs M Wilson be appointed as Chairman of the Park, Open Spaces and Burial Ground Committee.

Resolved that Cllr Mrs S Bacon be appointed as Chairman of the Planning Committee.

Resolved that Cllr R Holden be appointed as Chairman of the Finance, Policy, and General Purposes Committee.

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

Financial Planning & Policy Review Working Group (7)

Mayor: R Holden (Convenor)

Vice Chairman of the Council: Mrs M Wilson

R A D Chappell, Mrs P Foster, G Summerfield and R Tebbutt.

Burial Ground Working Group and Appeals Panel (6)

Miss D J Searle (Convenor)

Chairman Parks & Open Spaces Committee: Mrs M Wilson

Vice Chair Parks & Open Spaces Committee: R Tebbutt

R A D Chappell, P Eversley and R A Holden and Mrs M Wright.

Highways Working Party (7)

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

Ampthill Town Football Club Working Group (5)

Town Mayor: R Holden (Convenor)

Vice Chairman of the Council: Mrs M Wilson (also Chairman of Parks)

Vice Chair Parks & Open Spaces Committee:R Tebbutt

P Duckett and G Summerfield

Youth Committee Working Group (5) plus one from Community

M A Smith (Convenor)R A Holden, G Summerfield, Mrs A M Wright, R Tebbutt and Mrs S Gardner (To be confirmed)

Newsletter Editorial Team (6)

Miss D J Searle (Convenor)

R A D Chappell, R A Holden, G Pascal and M A Smith and Mrs M Wilson

Staffing Panel (6)

Town Mayor: R Holden (Convenor)

Chairman Parks and Open Spaces Committee:Mrs M Wilson

R A D ChappellP Eversley, G Summerfieldand Mrs M Wright.

Appeals Panel (6)

Mrs P K Foster (Convenor)

Mrs S Bacon, P Duckett, M A Smith, R Tebbuttand G Pascal

Allotments Joint Consultative Committee (5)

Town Mayor: R Holden (Chairman)

Vice Chairman of the Council: Mrs M Wilson (also Chairman of Parks)

Chairman of Parks Committee:

Vice Chairman of Parks Committee: R Tebbutt, P Eversley and Mrs A M Wright.

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

Mrs S Bacon, Mrs P K Foster, R A Holden, Mrs M E Wilson, Mrs A M Wright, and Community; Mrs S L Whittaker, P Hines, R Woods, M Milway and J Bacon.

Parkside Hall Management Committee (2)

Mrs P K Foster and M Smith

Ampthill Community Forum (2)

R Holden and R Tebbutt.

Ampthill Town Football Club (1)

P Duckett

Coopers Hill Liaison Group (2)

Chairman Parks & Open Spaces Committee: Mrs M Wilson

P Eversley

Kingswood Management Committee (2)

G Summerfield and Mrs M E Wilson

Highways Maintenance Liaison Officers (2)

Chairman of Parks & Open Spaces: Mrs M Wilson

Any other two Members from the Highways Working Group as available.

Section 106 Officer

Mrs S Bacon

Ampthill Park Management Advisory Group (5)

Chairman Parks & Open Spaces Committee: Mrs M Wilson

Vice Chair Parks & Open Spaces Committee:R Tebbutt

P Eversley, G Pascal, Mrs M Wright

Ampthill Parish Charities (1) plus one from the community

Mrs A M Wright and R Day (community)

Ampthill Feoffee Charity (4)

Mr P Mears, Mr T Barden, Mrs M E Wilson and Mrs S Gardner all to May 2011.

Representative Governors for County Schools

Ampthill Russell Lower School

G Summerfield in LEA role

Ampthill Alameda Middle School

Mrs P K Foster

15. To fix the dates and times of ordinary meetings of the Council and Committees for the ensuing year

Resolved that the dates are as appended to these minutes.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 7.30pm.

CHAIRMAN DATED