Agenda and minutes

Schedule 12 of the Local Government Act 1972 requires a record be kept of the Members present and that this record form part of the minutes of the meeting. Members who cannot attend a meeting should tender apologies to the Town Clerk.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor D Scott.

(i)            The Localism Act 2011 and the Code of Conduct requires Councillors to declare any pecuniary interests, other registrable interests or sensitive interests in items on the meeting agenda, which are not already included in the Register of Interests. Members may choose to declare interests already listed in the Register for clarity and transparency.

(ii)          For disclosable pecuniary interests, Members must leave the room and not participate in discussion or voting, unless a dispensation has been granted.

(iii)         For other registrable or non-registrable interests which directly relate to the financial interest of a Member, a relative or close associate, councillors may speak on the matter only if members of the public may also speak at the meeting. Thereafter, Members should leave the room and not participate in discussion or voting, unless a dispensation has been granted.

(iv)         The Council/Committee/Sub-Committee is asked to consider approving any requests for dispensations to speak/vote on any agenda item in accordance with the Dispensations Procedure.

Members were asked to declare any interests, including the nature of those interests, which they had in any of the items under consideration at this meeting. No declarations were made.

To receive questions and statements from members of the public in respect of any item of business included in the agenda, as provided for in Standing Order No.s 3(e)(f)(g) and 3(h).

Councillor Goodchild asked as a member of the public for the councillors attendance records for the past four year term be prepared and brought to a future Council meeting.

(a)        To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the Policy and Finance Committee meeting held on 27 February 2023 (attached) in accordance with Standing Order 12.

(b)    To receive information updates on matters arising from the previous  meeting (if appropriate).

(a)          The Committee received the minutes of the Policy & Finance Committee meeting held on 27 February 2023.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Policy & Finance Committee meetings held on 27 February 2023 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingy.

(b)          Updates from the previous meeting:

Minute reference 457/PF Health Services: a question was raised asking if there had been any progress in setting up a meeting with the Minister for Primary Care and Public Health to explore the issues regarding inadequate provision of primary health services in Leighton-Linslade. No updates were available at present.

To receive and note delegated decisions made since the previous meeting in accordance with Standing Order 15 (c) (vii). (attached)

The Committee received a record of the decisions taken since the last committee meeting on behalf of the Policy and Finance Committee in accordance with the scheme of delegation agreed by Council, with email approval by a majority of committee members.

RESOLVED to note the approved delegated decisions.

To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the following meetings (to be signed by the Chair of each body) and to consider any recommendations contained therein:

(a)   South Side working party 13 March 2023. 

(b)   Personnel Sub-Committee 27 March 2023.

(c)   Community Safety Sub-Committee 3 April 2023

(d)   South Side working party 5 April 2023

(a)   The Committee received the minutes of the South Side Working Party 13 March 2023, which had been approved at its subsequent meeting on 5 April 2023. A couple of minor amendments were suggested.

(b)    The Committee received and approved the draft minutes of the Personnel Sub Committee meeting held on 27 March 2023.

RESOLVED to receive and approve the draft minutes of the Personnel Sub Committee held on 27 March 2023 as a correct record, to be signed accordingly.

(c)    The Committee received and approved the draft minutes of the Community  Safety Sub- Committee meeting held on 3 April 2023.

RESOLVED to receive and approve the minutes of the Community Safety Sub Committee meeting held on 3 April 2023 as a correct record, to be signed accordingly.

(d)   The Committee received the draft minutes of the South Side Working Party meeting held on 5 April 2023 and considered the content and the recommendations contained therein.

In terms of the minutes content, three amendments were discussed and agreed:

(1)   62/SSWP 3^rd paragraph: to replace “estate agents” with “agents”

(2)   62/SSWP 3^rd paragraph: to change the final sentence to clarify it was resolved to delegate to the Town Clerk in conjunction with Cllr Goodchild to seek indicative fee proposals for surveyors.

(3)   62/SSWP 4^th paragraph: to include reference to a community needs assessment.

RESOLVED, subject to the amendments above, to approve as a correct record the minutes of the South Side working party meeting held on 5 April 2023, to be signed accordingly.

The recommendations in the minutes were then considered. 

61/SSWP: it was agreed that a response should be submitted by the current administration whilst recognising that a further similar or different response might also be submitted later by the new administration post 9 May 2023.

RECOMMENDED to Council to approve a formal response to the current Central Bedfordshire Council consultation in respect of land south of the High Street.

62/SSWP: it was noted that one recommendation in respect of continuation of the working party would go to the Council Annual Meeting on 15 May 2023.

62/SSWP: it was noted that the working party wished to progress with public engagement in respect of land south of the High Street as soon as practicable and therefore had requested the in-principle agreement to ringfence monies from the general reserve for this purpose.  Indicative costs were not yet known but it was anticipated that indicative costs would be available by Council on 24 April.  

Should the Council on 24 April 2023 agree this, then next steps including the appropriate procurement process could be given further consideration by the new Council administration following its meeting on 15 May 2023.

RECOMMENDED to Council on 24 April 2023 to consider ringfencing monies from the general reserve for the purposes of undertaking a community engagement exercise in relation to land south of the High Street.

To receive and note the schedule of February invoices paid in March 2023 (attached) and March invoices paid in April 2023 (to follow) (approved for payment by the Town Clerk and two bank signatories).

The Committee received schedules of payments for February 2023 and March 2023 which had previously been approved for payment by the Town Clerk and countersigned by two signatories.  There were no anomalies or matters of concern to draw to the attention of the Committee.

The schedule for February dated 8 March 2023 included BACS payments amounting to £150,451.65 (page numbers 3193-3203) including petty cash payments for £64.43 for the White House and salaries of £121,781.17.

The schedule for March dated 10 March 2023 included BACS payments amounting to £305,839.25 (page numbers 3204-3220) including petty cash payments for £39.50 for the White House and £91.33 for TACTIC and salaries of £111,163,68.

A cash book report for February and March 2023, including details of all direct debit payments, was also received.

RESOLVED to receive the schedules of payments for invoices received in February paid March 2023 and March paid April 2033.

To receive a budget monitoring report for 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023, noting that year end adjustments are still to be made during the financial year end process.

The Committee received the budget monitoring report for the full financial year, April 2022 – March 2023.  Some minor adjustments needed to be made as part of the year end process. No queries were raised on the report.

RESOLVED to note the report.

(a)  To receive and consider the Committee work plan and objectives for 2022-23 (attached).

(b)   To receive and consider a draft Committee work plan and objectives for 2023-24 (attached).

(a)   The Committee received the Committee Workplan and Objectives for 2022-2023.

RESOLVED to note the Committee Work Plan and objectives for 2022-2023.

(b)    The Committee received the draft Committee work plan and objectives for 2023-2024.

RESOLVED to note the draft Committee Work Plan and Objectives for 2023-2024.

As set out in Standing Orders, to receive the annual review of arrangements with other authorities (attached).

The Committee received a report outlining existing arrangements with local authorities including Bedfordshire Police, Central Bedfordshire Council, Leighton Buzzard Music Centre and the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, as set out as a requirement in standing orders.

A question was raised regarding the Movies for the More Mature and checking of membership numbers on booking tickets; officers would look into this further. 

RESOLVED to note the annual review of arrangements with local authorities.

To receive and consider recommending to Council endorsement of the annual report for 2022-23 (to be finalised with financial information after completion of financial year end processes) (attached).

The Committee received the draft Town Council Annual Report 2022-2023.

The report followed a more abbreviated format and contained key highlights from the year. Financial information would be added in upon completion of the financial year end processes. 

RECOMMENDED to Council to approve the annual report for 2022-2023 (financial details to be added once available).

To receive and note the internal audit report (interim report) for 2022-23 (attached).

The Committee received the interim internal audit report for 2022-2023 and noted that no issues had been identified.

RESOLVED to note the report.

To receive the annual review of health and safety policies and arrangements (to follow).

The Committee received the annual review of health and safety policies to ensure they were fit for purpose.

RESOLVED: 

(a)   To note the report

(b)   To endorse the Town Council’s Health and Safety Policy which has been subject to its annual review.

(c)   To endorse the roll out/refresher of Health and Safety web-based E- learning for all employees.