MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF EPPING TOWN COUNCIL

HELD IN THE CONFERENCE ROOM, EPPING HALL, ST JOHN’S ROAD, EPPING, 

ON TUESDAY, 6TH MAY  2008  AT 8.15PM

 

 

PRESENT       Councillors: N. Hines (Town Mayor); B.D. Murphy (Deputy Town Mayor), Mrs J. Hedges, J.A. Smith, Miss O D Dunseath, Miss M. Starling, R. Macrae, H. Pegrum, A Warner, Mrs M-L Whitbread and K Avey.

 

OFFICER        Bob Whittome (Town Clerk)

 

Two members of the public were in attendance.

 

7.         ELECTION OF TOWN MAYOR

 

Councillor Mrs M-L Whitbread nominated Councillor B D Murphy to stand as Mayor and this was seconded by Councillor Miss O D Dunseath.  On a show of hands, Councillor Murphy was elected unanimously as Town Mayor for the year 2008-09.

 

Councillor Murphy made a brief speech expressing gratitude for the support of Members and declaring his intention to do his best in working for the town of Epping and its people.

 

8.         MAYOR’S DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE

 

Councillor Murphy read and signed his Declaration of Office and on completion, this document was countersigned by the Clerk.

 

9.         MEMBERS DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE

 

Councillor Warner, who had been recently elected to serve as a member of the Town Council read and signed his Declaration Acceptance of Office to Council and this was duly countersigned by the Clerk.

 

10.       ELECTION OF DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR

 

Councillor J A Smith nominated and Councillor M-L Whitbread seconded Councillor Mrs J Hedges to serve as Deputy Town Mayor for the year 2008-09.  On a show of hands Councillor Mrs Hedges was unanimously elected to serve as Deputy Town Mayor.

 

11.       OUTSIDE BODIES

 

Council RESOLVED to appoint the following Members as Representatives to Outside Bodies: 

 

The Local Council’s Liaison Committee: Town Mayor, Deputy Town Mayor;
Essex Association of Local Councils: Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor;
Epping Citizens Advice Bureau: Councillor Mrs J Hedges;
Friends of Swaines Green:    Councillor R Macrae;
Royal British Legion (Epping Branch): Councillor J A Smith;
Epping Forest PCT User Group: Councillor Mrs J Hedges;
Epping Old People’s Welfare Association: Councillor Miss O D Dunseath;
Epping/Eppingen Association: Councillor B D Murphy;
Epping Society; Councillor B D Murphy;
Town Centre Partnership: Councillors B D Murphy and A Warner;

Theydon Trust :

The Town Councillors appointed J Alan Smith, Ken Avey and Hugh Pegrum as representatives and shareholders to this organisation  (Minute 5 of 2007-08 refers) for the life of this Council.  No other councillor will be involved in any capacity with Theydon Trust Limited during this period except by formal resolution of Council following consultation with Theydon Trust’s officers.

Trustee of Epping Forest Band: Town Clerk;
Police Liaison Groups: Councillor B D Murphy;
Epping Horticultural Society: Councillor Miss O D Dunseath;
Trustees of Town Mayor’s Appeal:

Five positions (Minute 287 of 05-06 refers).  Council has previously resolved that the ex-officio trustees will be the Town Mayor, the Town Clerk, The Deputy Town Mayor also the two most recently serving mayors serve ex-officio;
Corporation of London Forum & Trust: Councillor H Pegrum;
Area Representative to ECC on Public Transport: Councillor J A Smith;
Epping Forest Country Care: Councillor R Macrae; 
Theydon Bois United Charities: Councillor H Pegrum;

Epping & Theydon Garnon Almshouse and Relief in Need Charity:

 Mrs L F Berry - 4 years to Sept 2010, Councillor H Pegrum - 4 years to July 2012,Mrs D M Miller - 4 years to Jan 2010; 
Coopersale Institute: Councillor Mrs J Hedges

 

12.       STANDING COMMITTEES

 

Following discussion Council RESOLVED that the following appointment should be made to Standing Committees and Key Membership: 

 

Key Members   
Finance Councillor H Pegrum;
Recreation Grounds Councillor R Macrae;
Cemetery Councillor N Hines
Events Councillor Miss M Starling;
Epping Hall and Jack Silley Pavilion Councillor A Warner;
Outside Services Councillor R Macrae;
Administration Councillor J A Smith
Market Councillor Miss J Hedges

                      

Planning & General Purposes Committee:

Members:  Councillors J Lewis, R Macrae, Miss M Starling, J A Smith, Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor (both ex-officio).   Chairman: K Avey, Vice Chairman: Miss O D Dunseath.

 

Corporate Governance Advisory Committee:

Minute 45 of 05-06 refers to Council's previous resolution in regard to which Members will serve. Town Mayor, Deputy Town Mayor and Town Clerk in a non-voting capacity serves as ex-officio members.  Finance Key Member will serve as an ex-officio member; Councillor Mrs J Hedges will serve as Chairman.

 

Discipline Grievance Committee:

Members: Councillors J A Smith, K Avey, Miss O D Dunseath of which Chairman is Councillor K Avey.

 

Appeal Committee:

(Members must be different from those sitting on the Discipline Grievance Committee) 

Members: Councillors N Hines, Mrs J Hedges, Mrs M-L Whitbread of which Chairman is Councillor N Hines.

 

 

13.       APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

Apologies were received from Cllr J Lewis by reason of illness.

 

14.       DECLARATION OF INTERESTS

 

No Member declared an interest in any matter of this agenda.

 

15.       CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES

 

Council RESOLVED to approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday, 8th April 2008..

 

16.       RETIRING TOWN MAYOR & DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR’S DUTIES & TOWN MAYOR’S REPORT

 

The duties of the retiring Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor since 8th April 2008 were noted.

 

The retiring Mayor, Cllr N Hines, briefly expressed gratitude of Members and the Deputy Mayor during his year of office.

 

17.       MEMBER’S REPORTS

 

Councillor Mrs J Hedges reported attendance at the Haven House Hospice and at a meeting of the Community Transport Forum.

 

Councillor J A Smith reported attendance at a meeting of the Royal British Legion at the Haven House Hospice,  a Motorbility Event and the Inaugural Meeting of the Community Transport Forum.

 

Councillor Miss O D Dunseath had nothing to report.

 

Councillor Miss M Starling had nothing to report.

 

Councillor R Macrae reported attendance at a Tennis Club Open Day.

 

Councillor H Pegrum had nothing to report.

 

Councillor A Warner had nothing to report.

 

Councillor Mrs M-L Whitbread reported attendance at the St Georges Day celebration event in the High Street.

 

Councillor K Avey reported attendance at the Peterborough Land Registry in regard to the development proposals for St Margaret’s Hospital site.
 

18.       COUNCILLOR’S QUESTIONS

 

Councillor Macrae requested the Clerk to provide the promised map for the Stonards Hill redesign exercise and the Clerk agreed to comply with this request and stated that the matter could be considered at the July meeting at the earliest. 

 

Councillor Mrs M-L Whitbread requested information in respect of the voting for service by Members on Outside Bodies and on Council Committees.  The Clerk confirmed to Members that all Members could vote for themselves.

 

Councillor Avey requested information on the Highways issues affecting Epping and wished to know whether the Essex County Council’s portfolio holder had responded to the Council’s minutes as yet.  The Clerk advised that no response had yet been received but that the matter would come forward for further discussion particularly in relation to the barriers in the High Street at the June ordinary meeting.

 

19.       PLANNING & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

 

Members agreed to NOTE the minutes of the Planning & General Purposes Committees held on 8th and 22nd April 2008.

 

20.       LIST OF ATTENDANCES

 

Council AGREED to note the list of attendances of Members at meetings during 2007-08 municipal year.

 

21.       SIGNATORIES

 

The Clerk advised Members that since all the current signatories were still serving on Council and because their personal circumstances allowed them to visit the Council Offices easily during the course of any business day, that it may be appropriate for the existing signatories to serve in that capacity.  Council RESOLVED to retain the existing signatories to Town Council accounts.

 

22.       ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT

 

Council NOTED the statutory basis for this item is the Accounts & Audit Regulations 2003 as amended by the Accounts & Audit (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2006, Sections 4 & 5.

 

Council RESOLVED to approve payment of the accounts as set out in the cheque list on page 18 of the Minute Book 2008/09.