Councillors G Baxter : D M Cheetham : M Emmens : N R Foster : T Furniss : C A Gill : F Higgins : D Hill : E N Hodd : Mrs K Marr : W I Pryce : Mrs C A Smith : J G Sorrill : J M Stocks : Mrs W Temple : S P Temple : J P Williams (Town Mayor) : M Wing.

None raised.

118. RESOLVED

That apologies be received and accepted from Councillor M Brader (other business).

None raised.

1. Crime Statistics

Members considered a schedule of crime statistics comparing crime figures for January 2004 with January 2003. The schedule showed that thefts from motor vehicles has increased substantially, but PC Crook informed Members that an arrest had been made for this crime and figures should revert to normal. PC Crook informed Members that a dedicated beat manager had been appointed for Dronfield and would begin to make contact with local groups, manage situations that arose and become the focal contact between residents and the police service.

118. RESOLVED

1. That the schedule be received and noted.
2. That the Council expresses its appreciation to Inspector Pickard for appointing a beat manager in Dronfield.

2. Parish Councils Evening

Members considered a report of Parish Council evenings held during 2003.

118. RESOLVED

That the report be received and noted.

 

Council Minutes

Members considered the Minutes of the meeting of Council held on 5^th January 2004 (pages 92 – 100).

119. RESOLVED

That the Minutes be received and accepted as a true record of events and that the Town Mayor be duly authorised to sign them as such.

1. Planning Applications (Appendix 1)

Members considered a schedule of planning applications submitted by North East Derbyshire District Council for comment as part of the consultation process.

118. RESOLVED

That the schedule be received and noted.

1. Planning Decisions

Members considered a schedule of planning consents and refusals, which had been decided upon by North East Derbyshire District Council.

118. RESOLVED

That the schedule be received and noted.

1. Planning Appeal

Members were informed that North East Derbyshire District Council had received notice of an appeal against a planning decision concerning the installation of sunken bases for the support of parasols and underground wiring at The Green Dragon on Church Street, Dronfield.

118. RESOLVED

That the notice be received and noted.

1. North East Derbyshire TPO 226

Members were informed that the above Tree Preservation Order had been made on 20^th October 2003 and had now been confirmed with no modifications.

118. RESOLVED

That the report be received and noted.

Members considered the following reports of the Town Clerk.

1. Outside Services

The report detailed the work and projects that had been completed and those that were ongoing.

118. RESOLVED

That the report be received and noted.

1. Bus Shelters

Members were informed that a schedule of bus shelters where the illumination within was not working had been compiled and sent to Derbyshire County Council for investigation and action. It was explained that certain shelters had been installed for a considerable period and had never been connected to the mains electricity supply.

118. RESOLVED

That the information be received and noted.

1. Fencing

Members were informed that the wooden fencing adjacent to Lucas Gardens, which had been damaged in a road traffic accident, had now been replaced, the cost of which had been borne by the car owner’s insurers.

118. RESOLVED

That the information be received and noted.

1. Dronfield School (Gosforth Site)

Members considered correspondence relating to anticipated problems of damage and vandalism when the school is vacated. The School stated that the school following relocation would not require the large green areas previously occupied and managed by them.

1. That the correspondence be received and noted.
2. That Dronfield School be informed that this Council’s view is that when the site is vacated, ownership of the buildings and land should revert to Derbyshire County Council who should then manage and maintain the facility for community use.

5. Derby and Derbyshire Minerals Plan

130. RESOLVED

That the report be received and noted.

6. Dronfield Music Festival

Members considered a request for the Dronfield Charity Music Festival, previously held at Sheffield Football Club, Stubley Hollow, to use Cliffe Park for a full day festival on a Saturday in August 2004. Members were appraised of the requirements and logistics of holding such a festival in Cliffe Park.

130. RESOLVED

That the applicant be informed that permission be not given to hold the Music Festival in Cliffe Park as the Council considers that location not suitable for such an event due to the close proximity of residential housing.

6. Draft Operational Plan and Audit/Inspection Fees 2004/2005

Members considered correspondence from the Audit Commission describing the work they propose to undertake in the local government sector and their proposed scale of fees and charges.

130. RESOLVED

That the correspondence be received and noted.

6. East Midlands Ambulance Service

Members considered correspondence from the East Midlands Ambulance Service regarding their Estates – Strategic Review.

130. RESOLVED

1. That East Midlands Ambulance Service be informed that Dronfield Town Council would wish for an ambulance facility to be located within the town, and that the recently built fire station should be considered for such a purpose.
2. That due to the close proximity of South Yorkshire Ambulance Service at Batemoor, more co-operation and cross boundary liaison should take place, particularly for emergency situations.

6. Publications received and available for inspection

Members considered a schedule of publications received that were available for information and inspection at the Town Council offices.

130. RESOLVED

That the schedule be received and noted.

 

Reports of Dronfield Town Council Representatives

None.

 

Reports of Working Groups

Members considered a report of the Best Value (Review Panel – Awards) in which the Review Panel had considered all aspects of the Council’s procedure in awarding grant aid to local community groups.

The report consisted of a number of recommendations following a detailed study and consultation exercise.

131. RESOLVED

1. Strategic Policy – Criteria and Objectives

That Dronfield Town Council’s objectives and criteria should be amended to include the following for Grant Aid.

1. To assist local clubs, groups, societies and community organisations via pump priming grants to develop and achieve their respective aims and objectives that benefit the whole or part of the local community.

2. To support community and voluntary groups in the town who provide community activities which, without external financial assistance may not be able to continue.

2. Best Value Performance Plan and Performance Indicators

That this service function be included in future Best Value Performance Plans encompassing the policy criteria and strategic objectives set out in the above paragraph and that the following Performance Indicators be used to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the service over the coming years.

• Number of applications received.
• Total cost to the Council per annum.
• Cost per elector per annum.

2. Procedures and Methodology

That Dronfield Town Council’s procedures and methodology in the awarding of grant aid be amended to reflect the following.

1. That a Grants Award Panel made up of four Members of the Council is initiated to consider applications on a twice-yearly basis giving due regard to the budgetary constraints imposed by the Council.
2. That awards be granted in March and September of each year and that prospective applicants be informed that their bid should reach the Awards Panel by the first week in January or July for consideration.
3. That the Awards Panel considers each application and recommends an award to be considered by full Council at the next appropriate meeting.
4. That the Awards Panel be satisfied that applicants are capable of utilising any grant awarded in an effective and efficient manner and that it is used for the purposes applied for.
5. That any application considered as urgent business can be considered by the Chair of the Awards Panel together with the co-ordinator of Policy and Finance and referred to the next Council meeting.
6. That the universal of a standard grant be abolished.
7. That all applicants be requested to provide supporting evidence of their group’s aims and objectives, together with their current financial standing following the detailed guidance within the application pack sent to them.
8. That applicants agree to provide Dronfield Town Council with feedback and information on how the grant was used and the overall progress/success of their venture.
9. That notices informing local community groups of the availability of Section 137 grants be placed in the Dronfield council’s Newsletter twice yearly, on all public noticeboards permanently and on the Council’s website whereby applicants can submit their application electronically over the web.
10. That the following information to prospective applicants be included in the information pack sent to them with the application form.

• Individuals
• Organisations which support, or oppose, any political party
• Organisations that discriminate on grounds of sex, race, religion or sexual orientation.
• Private organisations operating as a business on a profit-making basis.
• Organisations or establishments for whom Central Government, Health Authorities, County or District Councils are the appropriate statutory funder.

Members considered a report and schedule from North East Derbyshire District Council advising that the level of contribution for grounds maintenance within Dronfield will rise by 3% for the year 2004/2005.

130. RESOLVED

That the information and received, noted and accepted.

 

Scale of Charges

Members considered a schedule of current, and proposed charges, for Dronfield Town Council owned facilities and amenities.

131. RESOLVED

That the scale of charges (as attached at appendix 2) for Dronfield Town Council owned facilities and amenities be approved and accepted, and the new rates and scales of charges be operative from 1^st April 2004.

 

Budget Proposals 2004/2005

Members considered a detailed report, working papers and associated spreadsheets prepared by the Town Clerk to assist them in determining the level of precept for the financial year ending 31^st March 2005. Members were reminded that the District audit Service had requested that the Council’s level of reserves should increase incrementally to achieve a figure recommended by themselves.

The Town Clerk had prepared three options of precept level, namely £610,000, £625,000 and £640,000 and had presented spreadsheets showing the effect of those precepts. It was moved and seconded that a precept of £610,000 be levied. An amendment was then proposed and seconded that a levy of £625,000 be precepted.

On a show of hands, the amendment was carried by ten votes to nine votes with the Town Mayor casting his second vote.

The substantive motion to levy a precept of £625,000 was carried on a show of hands.

132. RESOLVED

1. That this Council, under its statutory powers, sets a budget that will require a precept of £625,000 to meet the requirements of the budget proposals and that the capital programme be amended to entail the anticipated reserves of precepting such a figure to be approximately £80,000 at the end of the next financial year.
2. That North East Derbyshire District Council be notified of Dronfield Town Council’s precept requirements at the earliest opportunity.

Members considered a schedule of payments for the month of December 2003 in the amount of £75,479.61 drawn on the Council’s No 1 account.

130. RESOLVED

That the schedule of payment for December 2003 in the amount of £75,479.61 be received, accepted and approved.

 

Schedule of Receipts (Appendix 4)

Members considered a schedule of receipts for the month of December 2003 in the amount of £68,530.61 paid into the Council’s No 2 account.

131. RESOLVED

That the schedule of receipts for December 2003 in the amount of £68,530.61 paid into the Council’s No 2 account be received, accepted and noted.

Public Forum

Mr Dave Harper of Cliffe Park Bowling Club gave a brief report on how their fund-raising efforts were progressing and thanked the Council for including a contribution in its budget programme for the building of a bowls pavilion in Cliffe Park.

 

Exclusion of the Press and Public

132. RESOLVED

That in accordance with the provision of S1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, as amended by S100 of the Local Government Act 1972, the Council do now exclude the press and the public for the remaining items of the agenda by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, since publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest

 

Town Council Assets and Properties

Members considered a confidential report of the Town Clerk, which reported on the Town Council’s assets of buildings and land. The report included a schedule of land owned by the Town Council, which was unencumbered, and was perceived not to be fulfilling a useful purpose.

133. RESOLVED

That the plots of land identified in the report be designated as not being fully utilised, and that investigations commence for their possible disposal after consulting with North East Derbyshire District Council regarding the feasibility of obtaining outline planning permission for building residential housing.