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 Snelling (substituted by Councillor Gray) and Councillor Yates.

(i)     Under the Localism Act 2011 (sections 26-37 and Schedule 4) and in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct, Members are required to declare any interests which are not currently entered in the Member’s Register of Interests or if he/she has not notified the Monitoring Officer of it.

(ii)   Should any Member have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest in an item on the agenda, the Member may not participate in consideration of that item unless a Dispensation has first been requested (in writing) and granted by the Council (see Dispensation Procedure).

Councillor Goodchild declared a personal interest as Chair of Salisbury House Patient Participation Group.

No pecuniary interests were declared or dispensations requested.

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(f) and 3(g).

There were no questions from members of the public.

It was proposed and seconded that Councillor S Hemmings be appointed Vice Chair of the Committee for 2022-2023.  There were no further nominations.

RESOLVED to appoint Councillor S Hemmings Vice Chair of the Cultural & Economic Services  Committee for the municipal year 2022-2023.

(a)          To receive and approve as a correct record the minutes of the Cultural and Economic Services Committee meeting held on 14 March 2022 (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 draft minutes of the previous Cultural and Economic Services Committee meeting held on 13 March 2022.

The Committee gave their thanks to Vivien Cannon, former Head of Cultural & Economic Services, who had now left the Town Council, for her hard work within the Council especially overseeing the market and events during difficult times and wished her well for the future.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Cultural & Economic Services Committee discussion held on 13 March 2022 be approved as a correct record and were signed accordingly.

(b)      Updates arising from the minutes would be covered within the agenda.

(a)   To undertake the annual review of terms of reference for sub-committees:

Markets Sub-Committee

To work with the Market Manager in setting policies, rules, regulations and charges for the running of the Street Market.

Older Persons Sub-Committee

To assist with the progression of work on schemes for elderly people and to bring forward detailed recommendations for Committee consideration.

(b)          To receive the draft minutes of the following meetingsand to consider any recommendations contained therein:

i)       Market Sub-Committee 19 May 2022

ii)      Older Persons Sub-Committee 26 May 2022

Recommendation at 52/OP – see agenda item 9

(a)      The Committee undertook an annual review of terms of reference for sub-committees which were accepted as laid out.

RESOLVED that no changes be made to the Terms of Reference for the Market Sub-Committee or the Older Persons Sub-Committee.

(b)      The Committee received the draft minutes of Sub-Committee meetings held since the last meeting of the committee.

RESOLVED to receive the minutes of the Market Sub-Committee held on 26 May  2022.

The Committee wanted to note the success of the young market traders who entered the Young Traders Competition and  progressed to the regional finals being held in July.  Congratulations were expressed to the four young traders who would be representing LB Market in the competition.

RESOLVED to receive the minutes of the Older Persons Sub Committee held on 26 May 2022. 

The recommendation at 52/OP regarding funding of a Community Agent would be discussed later in the agenda at item 9.

To receive and formally note the decisions taken since the previous discussion meeting by delegation to the Town Clerk with email approval from a majority of Council members in accordance with Standing Order 15 (c) (vii).

The Committee received the approved decisions taken since the previous meeting, by delegation to the Town Clerk with email approval from a majority of Committee members in accordance with Standing Order 15 (c)(vii).

RESOLVED to note the decisions.       

To receive and consider the draft Committee workplan for 2022-2023 (attached).

The Committee received the Committee Workplan and Objectives for 2022-  2023.  It was noted the Children’s Trail 10^th anniversary would take place in August 2022 with an additional temporary trail feature being installed at Linslade Recreation Ground.  This would be launched at a ‘party’ to celebrate the 10^th anniversary.

A request was made to insert an end date when a workplan item was completed within the term of that particular Council.

RESOLVED to note the Committee Workplan and Objectivces for 2022-2023.

a)            By invitation, to receive a presentation from K. Ellis of Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity (BRCC) on Community Agents

b)            To receive a report arising from the Older Persons Sub-Committee and to consider the recommendations therein (to follow).

(a)     K Ellis of Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity could not attend the meeting due to other commitments.

(b)      The Committee received a report to consider a recommendation from the Older Persons Sub-Committee regarding funding a part time “Community Agent” through Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity.  A Community Agent would assist people to access services by phone, home visit or through community groups, signposting people to sources of advice and helping them become more independent and less isolated. Participating in this scheme, which had been well established with a proven impact elsewhere in the county, meant the council would benefit from their knowledge, experience and best practice in this field.  It was felt that a minimum of two years would be needed to establish the scheme and demonstrate impact. Initial set up costs and cost for the remainder of 2022-23 could be met from Future Projects reserves already ringfenced for Older Persons activities, but a recommendtion would need to go forward to Policy & Finance Committee to commit funding for the next two years.

RESOLVED to support the funding of a part-time Community Agent from September 2022, with costs for set-up and remainder of 2022-23 to be met from Future Projects reserves already allocated to the Older Persons projects.

RECOMMENDATION to the Policy & Finance Committee to commit to funding a part-time Community Agent in financial years 2023-24 (Cost £13,212) and 2024-25 (Cost TBC but likely RPI increase).

To receive an update on the community events programme and to consider the proposals contained therein. (attached) 

The Committee received a detailed report and verbal update in respect of community events and ongoing projects for 2022 events. 

The Committee thanked the Events Team and  wider Town Council team for the excellent events over the Jubilee Weekend.  The whole weekend was enjoyed by members of the public and the visiting members of our Twin Towns in Coulmmiers and Titisee- Neustadt.

Preparations for the Canal Festival on Saturday 30^th July were well underway with currently 60 stall holders attending and a full programme of entertainment booked for the day.  The Canal and River Trust had confirmed they would temporarily re-open the tow path on that day for access from the town centre to Tiddenfoot Waterside Park. 

Work had been undertaken on the Children’s Trail to renovate the way points and a children’s party had been planned for the 10^th Birthday of the Children’s Trail in Linslade Recreation Ground on Wednesday 3 August which will incorporate Children’s authors, storytelling and craft activities.  It would also coincide with the launch of a temporary “Trail in the Trees”, an initiative between the Town Council and students at Cedars Upper School.

The Hide and Squeak Trail which took place over the Easter weekend in 14 shops in the High Street was well received and prizes were given for winners of the trail.  The shops were happy with the increased footfall and had requested similar initiatives in future.

To receive an update report on TACTIC activities and consider the proposals contained therein. (attached)

The Committee received a written report and a verbal update on the work of the Teenage Advice and Information Centre including young persons drop in, mentoring, schools lunchtime drop-ins, building hire, Easter and summer playschemes, Chatty Café and staffing.

Numbers at the Young Persons Drop In sessions had increased over the past few months.  It appeared the school lunch time drop-in sessions had contributed to this increase in terms of promoting TACTIC to young people. 

A new project began in May with weekly MANGA art sessions.  MANGA was Japanese art storytelling through pictures and the interest in this had enabled the sessions to be extended to the start of the summer break. 

The Chatty Café was proving very popular with 15-20 attendees each week providing the opportunity for older people to meet and talk to different people with a young person assisting at the session.

The Summer Programme would commence on the 25 July for four weeks and would provide crafts, outreach and sport sessions in the local parks for young people.

A new member of staff had been employed to cover maternity leave and he had vast experience of working with young people in the London area.  Also, congratulations were given to a team member who had successfully received a Bursary to access her Level 3 Diploma in Youth Work Practice.    

A question was raised regarding whether the young people at TACTIC would enjoy designing some public art which could then be exhibited in one of our parks.  The Head of TACTIC agreed to take this idea forward to the young people at TACTIC and come back to committee at a future date.

The Committee expressed its thanks to all of the TACTIC team. 

RESOLVED to note the report.

The Committee may consider it appropriate to consider the following resolution should they consider that any discussion would be prejudicial to the public interest: that, under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, the public be excluded on the grounds of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information.  The public and press to withdraw from the meeting during consideration of detailed discussion regarding:

The Committee may consider it appropriate to consider the following resolution should they consider that any discussion would be prejudicial to the public interests: that, under the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, the public be excluded on the grounds of the confidential nature of the business about to be transacted which involves the likely disclosure of exempt information.  The public and press to withdraw from the meeting during consideration of detailed discussion regarding town centre Wi-Fi and Geo Sense footfall counting.  

The Committee received a report providing the full background to the town centre free public Wi-Fi provision as well as the current Geo Sense footfall counting. Both projects had been funded through external funding for a defined period of time. It was proposed to extend the current contracts by three months to bring them into line with the financial year and for the Committee to consider, at a future meeting, the potential future options for both contracts.

RESOLVED:

(a)      To note the report.

(b)      To extend the current WiFi and Geo Sense contract for a period of three months, January to March 2023, bringing the contract in line with the fiscal year timetable and draw down £1,282.50 from 920/9508, to facilitate this period thus enable Committee to give consideration of the longer-term provision of the services during the budget setting process 2023/24.

(c)      To explore options for the future of both the GEO Sense footfall counting and free town centre public Wi-Fi at  a later meeting.