Agenda and minutes

To appointment of a Chairman for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

RESOLVED:   That Councillor A Tyler be appointed as Chairman for Municipal Year 2018/19.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

RESOLVED:   That Councillor Mrs S Collop be appointed as Vice-Chairman for the Municipal Year 2018/19.

To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor T Wing-Pentelow.

To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the previous meeting.

The Minutes of the Meeting held on Monday 26 March 2018 were agreed as a correct record.

Please indicate if there are any interests which should be declared.  A declaration of an interest should indicate the nature of the interest (if not already declared on the Register of Interests) and the agenda item to which it relates.  If a disclosable pecuniary interest is declared, the Member should withdraw from the room whilst the matter is discussed.

These declarations apply to all Members present, whether the Member is part of the meeting, attending to speak as a local Member on an item or simply observing the meeting from the public seating area.

There were no declarations of interest.

To consider any business which, by reason of special circumstances, the Chairman proposes to accept as urgent under Section 100(b)(4)(b) of the Local Government Act, 1972.

There was no urgent business.

Members wishing to speak pursuant to Standing Order 34 should inform the Chairman of their intention to do so and on what items they wish to be heard before the meeting commences.  Any Member attending the meeting under Standing Order 34 will only be permitted to speak on those items which have been previously notified to the Chairman.

There were no Members present under Standing Order 34.

The Chairman reported that he had received some correspondence from a resident who wanted to donate some money towards providing a defibrillator within his ward of North Lynn.  Councillor Tyler added that he would like to broaden this out and put a recommendation to Cabinet.  He added that this was a good cause and he would like the Committee to be able to accept the donation and match it.  He asked whether a recommendation could be made to Cabinet to enable the Committee to be able to match fund schemes, as Parish Councils currently did.

Councillor Miss Bambridge informed the Committee that the subject had been discussed at the St Nicholas Ward Forum and explained that roughly 12 were being installed around King’s Lynn, Gaywood and the town centre.  She did not want to see a duplication of work, costs etc.

Councillor Middleton proposed that the item be placed on the Committee’s work programme to allow officers time to look into the proposal in more detail.

The Leader explained that he had passed the details onto the Chairman and he welcomed the idea of adding it to the Committee’s Work Programme.  He suggested that the position of the whole town should be considered not just the individual ward.  He added that some Parish Councils were carrying out a similar piece of work.

The Business Manager advised that some Council facilities already had defibrillators in place and staff had been trained on how to use them.  In addition the King’s Lynn Business Improvement District (BID) was in discussions about installing defibrillators in various locations in the town centre.

The Assistant Director explained that he was trying to locate a list of where defibrillators had been installed and had made contact with the Ambulance Service and was waiting for a response.

Councillor Smith suggested that perhaps Councillors could be trained in using defibrillators.  It was explained that the defibrillators were designed for the average person to be able to use them.

The Business Manager advised that the BID were looking at providing training for shop staff.

RESOLVED:   That, the item be added to the Committee’s Work Programme.

To receive an update in relation to bus shelters in King’s Lynn.

James Grant, the Council’s Project Technician gave a presentation to the Committee on Bus Shelters in King’s Lynn.  The presentation covered the following areas:

·        The background to the bus shelters;

·        What we are doing – maintenance; electrical tests and glazing replacement; advertising and potential for advertising.

·        Options – Retain and advertise; remove advertising or retain for public information; and

·        Other issues

Discussion took place on the options for the bus shelters in the future with regards to managing the advertising space and any potential income which may be generated from them.

The Property Services Manager advised that some money had been put into reserves for the bus shelters, and it was the view of the Executive Director – Finance that any surplus money made on operation should be used to off-set special expenses.

The Project Technician explained that as part of the tender writing method statement, any company tendering for the project would have to include details on how they would add value to the current operation.

Councillor Collop stated that he supported the proposal to transfer two shelters to South Wootton Parish Council.  Councillor Collop also added that he would like any surplus income from bus shelters to be able to be used by this Committee to be able to distribute to good causes as it saw fit, as a source of funding.

The Leader, Councillor Long explained what happened in Parish Councils.  He added that once the tender details had been evaluated, the amount of special expense charge for King’s Lynn would hopefully reduce therefore leaving more funds available for the Committee to allocate.  He added that the Committee had an opportunity to put forward a proactive budget.

Councillor Mrs Wilkinson added she was looking for funding to provide a bench in memory of the late Councillor Ian Gourlay.  In relation to bus shelters she explained that at Fairstead there were not bus shelters to go with the bus stops.  She also felt that the Committee could look at areas in need of a shelter.

Councillor Taylor agreed with the comment made by Councillor J Collop that any profit should go to the Committee.  However any profit should be after officer’s time and resources had been deducted.

Councillor Middleton stated that he understood the sentiments expressed by Councillor Collop however the Committee was not a Parish or Town Council and as such did not have a budget.  He added that there was a route to getting the achieved outcomes by making realistic proposals to Cabinet and there was a system in place to do this.

Councillor Middleton added that items needed to be placed on the work programme and a paper submitted to Cabinet.  Also a representative from the Committee should attend Cabinet to put forward the Committee’s views.

The Assistant Director reminded the Committee that in October, the Committee would hold a meeting to consider the Special Expenses Charge and any schemes that the Committee wanted to put forward could be included at that stage.

Reference was  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9.

Martin Chisholm, Business Manager will attend to give an update on King’s Lynn Mart.

Councillor Collop explained that the Showmen had been in contact regarding meetings which had been held with the Council and the Showmen where no minutes had been taken. 

The Business Manager explained that the meetings that the Showmen were referring to were the operational arrangements for the following year and explained some of items that were discussed.  He reminded the Committee that back in 2013 the Council set up a Mart Task Group which made a set of recommendations.  He explained that the Portfolio Holder welcomed the Mart to Kings Lynn.

Councillor Miss Bambridge stated that the Showmen’s Guild should communicate with the officers and Portfolio Holder who were dealing with the issue.

Councillor Collop added that the Showmen’s Guild had also stated that they experienced problems when they came to King’s Lynn

The Business Manager explained to the Committee some of the issues that had been experienced with the Showmen’s Guild such as opening days and the provision of a safe guarding policy which had now been resolved.

The Portfolio Holder added that the with regards to the Safeguarding Policy it did take 2 years before the Showmen’s Guild took that on board.  She explained that she attended the annual meeting with the Showmen’s Guild and welcomed the Mart to the town.  She added that it was a tradition of King’s Lynn and it was important to continue and she wanted them to feel that they were welcome in the town.

She explained that an inspection of the Mart took place, which included representatives from other agencies, however she did not attend the inspection meeting.

In response to a query from the Vice-Chairman, the Business Manager explained that the Secretary was present at the Mart Agreement meeting and could take notes if she wished.

The Business Manager also outlined the issue regarding the crossing and who was responsible for paying for that.

To consider any potential small-scale highway improvement schemes that could benefit from the Parish Partnership match funding scheme.

The Assistant Director invited the Committee to put forward any schemes for consideration under the Parish Partnership Scheme.

The Chairman suggested signs which contained reducing numbers at level crossings could be included.  It was advised that this was something that would probably be provided by Network Rail.

Councillor Smith asked whether some form of traffic calming could be provided at the end of Reffley Lane and Seathwaite Road, King’s Lynn.  The Assistant Director advised that he would contact the County Council to see if this might be feasible.

Councillor Howman referred to damaged/missing street signs on Fairstead.  The Assistant Director explained that he would refer this to the Officer at the Council who dealt with street naming and numbering.

The Assistant Director advised that there was time to put schemes forward, therefore if any Member had a scheme to put forward for consideration then please let him know, rather than waiting for the next meeting of the Committee.

The Committee is asked to consider items for a future Work Programme for

The Committee is also asked to consider the Cabinet’s Forward Decision List.

The Committee noted the Work Programme and Cabinet’s Forward Decision List.

It had been agreed earlier in the meeting to add defibrillators to the Committee’s Work Programme.

Councillor Joyce suggested that the Special Expenses charge for King’s Lynn should be looked at again, and proposed that the Informal Working Group should be re-established.  He also proposed that Councillor Middleton should be invited to join the Informal Working Group, which was agreed.

Councillor Smith suggested that an item on Smokeless Zones be added to the work programme.

AGREED:       (1)        That an item on defibrillators be added to the Work Programme.

(2)        That an item on Smokeless Zones be added to the Work Programme.

(3)        That the Informal Working Group to look at Special Expenses be re-established and Councillor Middleton invited to join.

Thursday 20 September 2018 at 6pm in the Council Chamber, Town Hall, King’s Lynn.

20 September 2018