Annual Town Meeting 25 th April 2016 Health and Safety and points - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Annual Town Meeting

25th April 2016

Health and Safety and points to remember

• Fire alarms and exit routes
• Recording meetings – Council protocol
• An opportunity for questions at the end

Introduction and Overview

Councillor Paul Myers BEM Mayor of Midsomer Norton

Objective of the Annual Town Meeting

To provide residents with a report

• n the Council’s work and to offer

them the opportunity to ask questions of the Council

The Town Council report for 2015-16

• Introduction and Highlights for 2015-16
• Planning

– Cllr Jane Lewis – Chair of the Town Council Planning Committee

• Projects and Operations

– Some examples of our projects presented by some of the Council team

• Running the Town Council

– Cllr Brian Lawrence – Town Clerk, Clive Stilwell

My Highlights for 2015-16

• In Bloom Success
• Town Park land acquired and project underway
• Broader Green Spaces Strategy

– St Chad’s Well – Garden of Friendship – Wellow Brook Walk

• Outdoor Gym Project
• General Power of Competence
• A qualified Clerk

The Town Council’s Planning Responsibilities 1 – Planning Applications 2 – Planning Policy and Strategy Councillor Jane Lewis

The Town Council Planning Committee

• Role of the Committee - “To respond to the

unitary authority on all submitted planning applications, land use and highways pertaining to Midsomer Norton”

• Material planning considerations

– We try to comment on material planning considerations – eg. loss of light, loss of privacy, highways issues, noise and disturbance, effect on trees, layout and density, conservation. – For example, you pay for a view, you don’t buy it!

Some statistics for 2015-16

• Total Applications received and considered

89

– Supported 59 – Opposed 10 – No comment made 6 – Comments only 7 – B&NES decision already made 6 – Decision noted 1

• Overall there were 12 cases where the Planning Authority’s decision

contradicted the Council Planning Committee’s recommendation

• We also attend appeal hearings and present the case for the Town

Council or submit our views and information

Key work for 2015-16

• Placemaking Plan
• Neighbourhood Plan
• Joint Spatial Strategy

Planning Policy and Strategy

The Neighbourhood Plan

• will guide the detail of

development in Midsomer

• Norton. If adopted, the

Local Planning Authority must take it in to account when making decisions.

• will reflect the B&NES Core

Strategy and broader national policy

• is well advanced and a

referendum is being planned for late 2016

Operations and Projects

• Green Spaces and Promoting Sport – Cllr Steve

Plumley and Clive Stilwell, Town Clerk

• Pride in our Town – Cllr Lynda Robertson and

Cllr Paul Myers

– Arts, Midsomer Fayre, In Bloom, Carnival

• River Somer Project – Cllr Paul Myers

Green Spaces

• St Chads Well
• The Garden of Friendship
• The Town Park
• The Wellow Brook Walk

St Chad’s Well

• Acquired in 2014
• Ambitious plan to restore monument and

landscape the garden almost complete

The Garden of Friendship

The Town Park

Land purchased for Town Park Housing

The Town Park – connected to the Town

Entrance Somer Centre

The Town Park – looking east

Boundary with housing development

Wild meadow

Radstock Road

The Town Park – looking west

The Batch

Gaining the right access

Event Space Car Park

Work on the Town Park so far

• Tree Survey
• Ecology Survey being commissioned
• Remediation report on contamination and

drainage

• Planning permission variations to allow initial

work

• Design under way for entrance
• Diversion of old Public Rights of Way

Public Rights of Way

The Wellow Brook Walk

• A corridor for wildlife and a natural green space for the town
• Conservation survey planned for May 2016
• A wildlife management plan will be developed
• Leased from the Duchy of Cornwall for 10 years

Promoting Sport and Health

• Outdoor Gym now complete and will officially

be opened in early May 2016

• Developer Contributions have funded the

project

• Free to use for all
• Inclusive equipment for individual and group

use – two specific wheelchair friendly units

• Innovative running track for all weather

exercise being completed

The Outdoor Gym and Running Track

Pride in our town

• Arts
• Fayre
• In Bloom
• Carnival

Arts

Midsummer Fayre 2015

Becoming an established part of the calendar for the town

In Bloom Success

Carnival 2015

And finally – something that we probably hear more opinions about than anything else and is often covered in the local media … The River!

River Somer Project

Currently managed by volunteers Contractor being engaged to manage vegetation every fortnight in the summer and to carry out an annual cut back of excess plant growth We are trying to keep everyone happy!

It’s all coming together

Councillor Brian Lawrence

Money Matters

Income from the Precept

• 2016 sees a first increase in the Precept – but still

maintaining the same level as in 2003 taking inflation in to account

• Reduction in the Council’s income from B&NES

Council due to Central Government changes in Grants by £6,000 rising to £26,000 over three years

• A 2% increase now will help ensure that future

funding is adequate but some tough choices are still expected

The Council’s Financial Plan

• Keep the budget under tight control
• Continue to build capital for future investments

(buildings, Town Park, securing other land for the community)

• Maintain an adequate reserve
• Only borrow where community assets are to be

enhanced

• Maximise access to developer funds and Community

Infrastructure Levy and plan their use effectively

• Keep Council costs to a minimum to fund our

activities

Opportunities and Threats

• Opportunities

– New houses will increase income – CIL income from future development – Capital project funding from Grants and low cost loans – Low inflation keeping costs down – for now!

• Threats

– Low return on any investments/savings – Local Council Grant reductions of £26,000pa – Infrastructure is ageing

• bins and benches
• IT
• equipment

– Additional costs managing new land

Community Grants

• £113,000 has been awarded since 2011
• 7 new applicants in 2015-16
• This year has seen awards to

– sports clubs – senior citizens groups – children’s activities – the Railway Trust – and 8 charities operating in and around the town

Three Tiers of Expenditure

32% Running the Council 32% Council’s duties 36% Discretionary spend

Council expenditure strategy - equal thirds Net spend in 2015-16 approximately £320,000 (awaiting final account closedown)

Target 33.3%

Key Challenges for 2016-17

• Bringing the Town Park project forward

– Consulting the public – Designing the masterplan – Starting work

• Achieving asset transfers
• Completing the Neighbourhood Plan
• Attaining Quality Council status
• Maintaining the river in the High Street
• Bringing more to the town - appealing to young

and old

Moving forward regeneration of the town centre

Questions