Agenda and minutes

It was RESOLVED that apologies for absence as listed above be noted.

(Under the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, made under s30 (3) of the Localism Act, councillors are required to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests which they may have in any of the items under consideration at this meeting)

There were no declarations of interests.

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the meeting on 22 November 2022 be approved as a correct record of proceedings.

To receive representations from members of the public on items on the agenda and to hear questions from members of the public about council business which may not be listed on the agenda.

Members of the public who wish to present  a spoken or written representation should contact the Clerk no later than 12 noon on the day before the day of the meeting in order to register to be heard.

The public speaking session will generally last no more than 15 minutes and individuals will be permitted to speak for a maximum of 3 minutes.

Requests to speak or ask questions will be dealt with in the order in which they have been received by the Clerk.

For more information or to register to speak please contact:

Delia Shephard

Town Clerk

01908 649469

clerk@bletchleyfennystratford-tc.gov.uk

Please be aware that meetings may be recorded including the representations made by members of the public.

A member of the public made representations concerning Friends of Bletchley Station and thanked the council for the funds awarded through the community grant scheme and updated members on the work that had been carried out.

No recommendations but councillor’ attention is drawn to item concerning the Coronation (Minute reference CC22/23-49). 

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the Community Committee meeting held on 6 September 2022 be noted.

The Support Services Manager drew attention to the committee’s resolution to organise an event to celebrate the coronation and to a recommendation from the Employment Policy committee minutes from 19 January 2023 for consideration at the next meeting of the Community committee. It was agreed that members of the community committee would investigate what could be done to mark the coronation taking into account the  issues raised by the Employment Policy Committee on 19 January 2023.

Recommendations:

i       Minute reference FC22/23-48 Recommendation to note and approve internal audit report

ii      Minute reference FC22/23-49 Recommendation to adopt financial risk assessment

iii     Minute reference 22/23 -57 Recommendations re budget and precent see agenda item 7.iii and 7.iv

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the Finance and Governance Committee meeting on 13 December 2022 be noted.

It was RESOLVED that the interim audit report for 2022-23 be approved.

It was RESOLVED that the annual financial risk assessment be approved.

No recommendations

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the meeting of the Environment and Planning Committee held on 10 January 2023 be noted.

It was RESOLVED that the draft minutes of the meeting of the Employment Policy Committee  held on 19 January 2023 be noted including  recommendations concerning the civility and respect project to be considered later and the following recommendation  for consideration by the Community Committee

Minute reference EMPC22-239 vi

 It was RESOLVED to recommend to the Community Committee that the staff team did not have the capacity to deliver a Town Council run Coronation event during the Coronation weekend.

It was RESOLVED that the town council would object to the proposed development on the grounds of insufficient parking.

It was RESOLVED that the town council would make no comments on the proposed development.

It was RESOLVED that the town council would make no comments on the proposed development.

It was RESOLVED that the town council would make no comments on the proposed development.

It was RESOLVED that the town council would make no comments on the proposed development.

It was RESOLVED that the financial report be noted.

It was RESOLVED that the list of payments made or due to be made be ratified.

Members discussed the draft budget (V3) for the financial year 2023-2024 which had been recommended by the Finance and Government Committee on 13 December 2022 and had been circulated on several occasions including with the meeting papers.  In summary the draft revenue budget anticipated expenditure of £1,342,388 over the year 2023-24 plus a contribution to the rolling capital fund of £55,000 making total expenditure £1,397,388.   Income from charges, interest etc was forecast at £287,682 and the budget also took into account a grant from Milton Keynes City Council of £68,907.

It was unanimously RESOLVED that the draft budget be approved without amendment.

No changes had been made to the budget and so it was noted that the Finance and Governance Committee had recommended that the precept was increased by 9% which would yield a sum of £1,109,705.71 in order to balance this budget. If the recommendation was followed the average Bank D precept demand would be £192.59.

Discussion followed and a recorded vote on the recommendation was requested.

It was RESOLVED that the precept be set in the sum of £1,109,705.71 with the annual average Band D payment at £192.59 and officers be authorised to submit the precept demand to the precepting authority accordingly.

The council had previously approved the leasing of premises at Barton Road for the purposes of providing a depot for equipment and staff in anticipation of the council’s delivery of landscaping services from 1 September 2023.  Draft copies of the lease had been circulated in advance.

It was RESOLVED that the signature of lease for premises at Barton Road, Bletchley be authorised and the lease be signed on behalf of the council by the chair and vice-chair as soon as all parties were ready to complete.

Draft documents and drawings had been circulated in advance of the meeting and it was RESOLVED that the anticipated completion of adoption of Newton Leys football pitches as previously agreed be noted.  Completion was expected within a matter of days.  No concerns were raised by councillors.

It was RESOLVED that the draft calendar of meetings for 2023-2024 be approved.

i       adopt a new draft member officer protocol to replace the town council’s previously adopted policy

ii      publish the civility and respect project bullying and harassment statement on the town council website and in council locations

iii     adopt the civility and respect project dignity at work policy

(Additional documents relating to this item may be added to the agenda pack following a meeting of the Employment Policy Committee on 19 January 2023.)

It was RESOLVED that the proposal to develop a digital heritage trail for Bletchley town centre be approved by full council for inclusion in the council delivery plan for 2023 with details to be determined by the Community Committee.

It was RESOLVED that the following resolution made by Milton Keynes City Council on 23 November 2022  be noted:

“Council motion – 23 November 2022 Community, Town and Parish Councillors

Moved by Councillor Hall and seconded by Councillor Raja (Minor amendment moved by Councillor Hume, seconded by Councillor Smith and accepted by Councillor Hall)

1. That this Council:

a) notes the good work undertaken by Community, Town and Parish councillors in communities across Milton Keynes;

 b) acknowledges that this work is predominantly on a voluntary basis and can often go unrecognised;

c) understands the valuable role played by Community, Town and Parish Councils across Milton Keynes and formally places on record its appreciation;

 and

d) asks the Chief Executive to write to our County and City Parish Associations (BMKALC and MKALC) and to our parish and town clerks to formally pass on the recognition and thanks of Milton Keynes City Council, alongside the details of this motion.

 2. That this Council: a) notes that around half of its Parishes have elections in May 2023 , and that at the last ordinary elections of these Parishes in May 2019, only 9 of 61 areas were contested, although 208 of 221 vacancies were filled;

b) understands the difficulty in attracting residents to stand for election to Community, Town and Parish Councils, but expresses concern about the potential number of uncontested parish elections in 2023;

and

c) asks the Returning Officer and local parish associations to consider what practical and reasonable steps could be taken to encourage and support more Milton Keynes residents to stand for election for their local Community, Town and Parish Councils.”

The clerk drew attention to the latter part of the resolution and it was agreed that the Finance and Governance Committee would consider ways to encourage residents to stand for future elections including those in 2025.