A21/023 PRESENT
Cllrs Coan, Nicholson, Beswick, Gray, and McCulloch.
In attendance: A Keppel-Green (Town Clerk).
A21/024 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Cllrs Forbes (injury), Gardiner (personal business), Malloy (health) and Houghton and Robertson (business).
A21/024 DECLARATIONS OF MEMBERS’ INTERESTS
No member declared an interest in any item.
A21/025 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
No members of the public were present.
A21/026 CONFIRMATION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
It was RESOLVED to confirm the minutes of the meeting held 27th September.
A21/027 REVIEW OF YEAR TO DATE INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
The Town Clerk provided an explanatory of expenditure over budget and it was requested that this information be provided as a written report at each meeting.
A21/028 DEFRA ENVIRONMENTAL PERMITTING REGULATIONS CONSULTATION
It was RESOLVED to:
- note the consultation and potential requirement for environmental permitting to be required in the future
- authorise the Town Clerk to respond to the consultation setting out the impact it could have on the council as a burial authority and seeking an amendment to the draft rules to enable a cemetery with fewer than 100 burials per year to operate with standard sized graves and in accordance with LACO.
A21/029 QUINQUENNIAL CHAPEL SURVEY
It was RESOLVED to defer undertaking the survey of the chapel and cemetery buildings to the 2023/24 financial year.
A21/030 ENVIRONMENTAL AUDIT 2021 RECOMMENDATIONS
The Environmental Audit for 2021 was noted and it was RESOLVED to approve the committee action plan.
A21/031 60 KING STREET REGENERATION PROJECT
It was noted that an application had been submitted to the Architectural Heritage Fund for initial work in developing the Heritage Lottery Fund bid and that it was planned to undertake consultation in the new year. It was noted that the working group had agreed the core aims of the project as providing a function space for the town, ensuring the town council retains overall control of the building and for the asset to at least break even, but ideally generate a revenue surplus for the council. It was further noted the working group would be developing up to six criterion on which to assess the various options for the building.
A21/032 MARKET HALL REDEVELOPMENT / REFURBISHMENT
It was RESOLVED to set aside proposals for the redevelopment of the Market Hall and progress a thorough programme of refurbishment instead.
It was noted that the Town Clerk would obtain bids from architects to develop proposals for the refurbishment and that the works programme would include provision of a temporary trading area for existing traders.
A21/033 QUESTIONS TO THE TOWN CLERK
The Town Clerk responded to questions stating that he was investigating additional speakers for external events and would additionally look into a loudspeaker for the parade marshal at Remembrance Sunday and that the council was awaiting Cheshire East Council to progress the installation of lighting at the war memorial.
A21/034 ACTIONS LOG
The log was noted.
A21/035 DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
It was noted that the next scheduled meeting would be held on 17th January 2022 at 7:30pm.