Minutes Town Council Property Committee - Monday 12th September 2011
Minutes Town Council Property Committee - Monday 12th September 2011
Saturday, 22 October 2011 15:59
Minutes of a Meeting of the Okehampton Town Council Property Committee held on Monday 12 September 2011 in the Council Chamber,
Town Hall, Okehampton at 7.50 pm
Committee Members Present: Councillor A Leech (Chair)
Councillor P Vachon (Vice Chair)
Councillor T Cummings
Councillor Mrs M McDonald (Town Mayor)
Councillor M Davies (Chair, P & R)
Other Members Present: Councillor Dr M Ireland
Councillor Mrs C Marsh
In Attendance: D Bent (Town Clerk)
213. Apologies for Absence - There were no apologies for absence.
214. Deferment of Business - (for comment by the public) - There were no members of the public present.
215. Members’ Questions - Councillor Cummings referred to a petition for assistance for a children’s soft play area engineered through Facebook, which petition would be presented to Members on 17 October; noted.
Councillor Bickley questioned the location of the breast screening clinic formerly located at Mill Road, but moved to the Mole Avon site which was inaccessible to many.
216. Minutes - The minutes of the Property Committee meeting held on 18 July 2011 were approved and signed by the Chair on the proposition of Councillor P Vachon, seconded by Councillor A Leech.
217. Matters Arising -
217.1 Solar Energy/Energy Civic Buildings - The Chair advised a planning application had been submitted to the Borough Council for the placement of solar panels on the roofs of the Charter Hall and Market Hall, that following discussion with the Borough Planning Officer. He further explained Sunfarming had offered an alternative, but cheaper system for the installation of PV panels. He explained finance would be subject to further discussion at another meeting together with grant aid and benefits to the Council. Councillor Leech commented a structural engineer would visit the site on 13 September to assess whether the roof could carry the weight of this system. He further explained he had discussed with M Parkins from Devon Renaissance over funding research, which operation would be a cost to this authority. However, Members noted progress on the project depended on the searches of the structural engineer, planning permission etc.
Reference was made to the community project (driven by K Webber at the College) to create a community scheme; the Chairman commented he would discuss the same with Mr Webber and concluded developments were awaited and a report would be submitted to a subsequent meeting.
217.2 Energy Costs - The Clerk reported on his researches relating to energy costs for the Council’s civic building and the current contracts would expire in January and February of 2012, which contracts benefited the Council on fixed rates, these contracts were due for renewal at that time; the Clerk agreed to pursue researches and report subsequently.
Members were asked to consider the purchase of 54 low energy bulbs for the chandeliers in the Charter Hall at a cost of £4.50 each, total £243, compared to a similar annual charge for the placement of ordinary bulbs. The Chair confirmed these operated on the dimmer system with replacement bulbs thereafter at £2.20 each. Councillor Bickley offered the use of an energy monitoring device, loaned to Upcott House for a trial period, together with use of energy-saving candle bulbs for the same exercise; these offers were accepted.
217.3 Fine Art/Regalia Evaluation - The Clerk presented an inventory and valuation of the fine art and paintings plus civic regalia held by the Town Council. This exercise was undertaken by Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood of Torquay for the purpose of insurance cover. The documents were circulated and Members noted the value therein and total due cover of these artefacts at £295,700. Councillor Marsh referred to the weights and bushels held in the roof space plus the locomotive sign (Okehampton) and requested these be added to that inventory. On the proposition of Councillor Vachon, seconded by Councillor Davies, it was resolved these figures be noted and the insurance company advised accordingly to increase that cover whilst noting premiums would be adjusted accordingly.
217.4 Civic Buildings Insurance Re-build Valuation - The Clerk reported he had instructed Hosken Parks of Okehampton to assess the insurance rebuild valuation of the Council’s buildings. The cost for insurance purposes for the Market Hall, including construction, on-costs, inflation and professional fees was £2.1 million, with the Town Hall/Charter Hall and Lower Market Hall at £3.1 million. Members noted these figures and on the proposition of Councillor Vachon, seconded by Councillor Davies, it was resolved to advise the insurance company and to acknowledge increased premiums.
217.5 Electrical Testing - The Chair advised that two quotations had been received to undertake electrical testing of the Council’s civic buildings as a recommendation from the fire risk assessment. He explained he had appointed Electrical Testing Surveyors of Exeter at a cost of £1,325. Arising out of this work the contractor identified two switch fuses containing asbestos which had been acknowledged in the Council’s asbestos report and offered a quotation for the removal and replacement. The Chair advised that if these were in good order and managed, as they were, policy was to leave in place, however if it was part of the test, this exercise would have to be pursued. The Chairman agreed to discuss the options with the contractor.
217.6 Your Paintings - The Clerk reported the Public Catalogue Foundation, a public company, confirmed the Council’s paintings had been displayed on the BBC website; noted.
217.7 External Painting Contract Civic Buildings - The Chair advised the contract for the scaffold had been completed and was off hire and awaiting removal. He explained the majority of the painting works had been carried out by B Armstrong and thanks were offered. He further reported he had sought quotations to erect scaffold round the gable end of the Lower Market Hall and on the cinema walls, which works were subject to funds and then the total exterior of the Council’s civic buildings would be complete.
217.8 Charter Hall Foyer - The Chair reported the ceiling and the lights of the foyer had been removed, the new ceiling had been erected and skimmed, doors taken away for adjustment, the floor skimmed ready for carpet to be laid following decoration, works to be completed by 30 September.
217.9 Lower Market Hall - The Chair reported the same contractor had been engaged to undertake the installation of a toilet in the Lower Market Hall plus works to the foyer. An entrance had been created into the Lower Market Hall with the access to the cinema blocked with good progress, to be completed by 30 September. He confirmed the toilet doors in the foyer would be repainted as part of the redecoration scheme.
217.10 Market Street Car Park - Members noted the completion of this job by Ross Campbell and acknowledged the parking space created for the Mayor with no other users.
218. Capital Works Property Committee - The Clerk submitted a report, a copy of which is bound with these minutes, which identified the Council’s earmarked reserves at 1st April and projected expenditure during the financial year to identify available funds for virement to new works or transferred to earmarked reserves for the following year. Members noted the figures and cost for Market Street car park resurfacing at £1,650 plus civic buildings electrics test at £1,325, with a required virement operation of £3,000 and on the proposition of Councillor Mrs McDonald, seconded by Councillor Cummings, it was resolved that these funds be transferred from the air-conditioning vent system earmarked reserve; the report was noted.
219. Members’ Reports -
(i) Chamber of Trade - Councillor Bickley reported the Chamber was discussing the BID grant through a steering group, which operation may include manufacturers as well the town’s retailers. She reported the Okehampton Living magazine was very successful, a good advertising vehicle and complimented the Chamber on its success.
(ii) Town Twinning Association - the Mayor reported on her visit to Craon and was keen to involve this Association with the town.
(iii) Simmons Homes Charity - no report.
(iv) Holditch & Other Charities - no report.
(v) Museum of Dartmoor Life - no report.
(vi) Battle of the Bands - Councillor Leech reported he had attended the wash-up event and a number of issues had been identified to be addressed for following years including: security, relocation of the stage to a defined area and funding. The Clerk reported the Chair and Vice Chair of Finance, with him, would meet representatives of this organisation to discuss funding as requested.
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Councillor A Leech
Chairman