SKEGNESS TOWN COUNCIL

Report of the Town Council’s

Activities -2011/2012

Annual Town Meeting

7.00 pm Wednesday 9^th May 2012

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I take great pleasure in presenting this report of Council activities for the past year.

The Mayoral Year

It has been an honour and a pleasure to serve as your Mayor for the past year and I have tried, at all times, to perform this role to the very best of my ability and with the respect it deserves. During that time I have represented the council at hundreds of events both in the town and further afield.

I am pleased to be able to report that, despite what some of our critics may say, we have a town we can all be very proud of. I have received many comments from visitors praising it's cleanliness and the welcome they receive from its residents. The many small groups and voluntary organisations I have visited are all worthy of praise and lay testament to Skegness being a town that people care about, long may this continue.

Council and Committees

The Council comprises 20 elected members. The Council takes overall responsibility for decisions and can choose to delegate authority to Committees or to Council Officers, but cannot delegate authority to a single Councillor.

In order to be more effective the Council has created a number of Committees to spread workload, review issues in more detail and operate more effectively. The Standing Committees comprise Business and Resources, Direction and Strategy and Planning and Planning Policy. Additionally an Appointments and Appeals Committee meets occasionally to discuss staffing matters.

The Council has met on 14 occasions, the Business & Resources Committee on 6 occasions, Direction & Strategy Committee on 5 occasions, Planning & Planning Policy Committee on16 occasions and the Appointment and Appeals Committee on 1 occasion. Task and Finish Groups met several times throughout the year. A total of42 Council and Committee Meetings were held to carry out Council business.

In addition several Councillors and the Town Clerk serve as the Town Councils’ representatives

On various Outside Bodies, Partnerships, Liaison Groups and regularly attend associated meetings.

Planning and Planning Policy Committee

The Planning committee usually meets at 21 day intervals in order to achieve consultation deadlines. The Committee has delegated authority from Council to respond to consultation requests in respect of Planning Applications and is also responsible for developing the policy in relation to planning matters for Council to approve.

The Committee has considered 104 applications and in each case the Committee decided to support, oppose or withhold comment. In some cases, the Council’s decision may have been conditional. Full details of decisions are contained in the minutes of the Planning meetings and the comments available on the East Lindsey Planning Website.

The number of Planning Applications received, reflect the continuing development of Skegness which has been evident for some time. Since March 2012, the Committee has changed the way in which it reviews applications in order to respond to a move to electronic plans. Plans are now projected on screen at meetings and this allows members to discuss issues more effectively and enables the public and press to see the plans as they are being discussed.

Business & Resources Committee

The Business & Resources Committee comprises 11 Councillors including the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. It is responsible for the operational matters of the Council, including the detailed monitoring of performance, financial management and risks. The Committee is concerned to see that Council functions are operating as expected. From time to time the Committee will identify issues and report findings to Council so that appropriate actions can be put in place.

The Committee also has a responsibility for publicity and oversees the production of newsletters and the effectiveness of any partnerships or external organisations that the Council fund to promote tourism.

The Committee sets up Task and Finish Groups from time to time, to examine issues in more detail or undertake work that could not be carried out by a whole Committee. These groups then report back to the Committee.

During 2011/12 the Committee has been involved in the following:

• Governance of Financial Management and Risks
• New Operational Policies and Procedures
• Modernisation and Improvement
• A new website
• A new approach to Publicity and Tourism in Skegness
• Castleton Boulevard Planting and Lumley Road Baskets
• New Budgeting Process
• New Grants Policy

Direction & Strategy Committee

The Direction and Strategy Committee comprises 11 Councillors including the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. This Committee has responsibility for examining issues beyond the current year, reacting to new situations and legislation, developing new policies and examining longer term financial and resource planning. The nature of the business considered means that issues may be examined over a much longer term than operational issues and so may take longer to complete.

Like Business and Resources, this Committee also sets up Task and Finish Groups to examine things in more detail and undertake work.

During 2011/12 the Committee has been involved in the following:

• An on-going review of Cemetery and Burial Ground requirements and management
• Public Transport in Skegness
• A new approach to creating a Town Plan
• Various strategic consultations

Councillors Allowances

Under the provisions of the Local Authorities (Members Allowances)(England) Regulations 2003, Councillors’ Allowance for 2011/2012 was set at £500, this payment is subject to tax and is paid quarterly in arrears. In 2011/12 there was an election and therefore new Councillors only received a proportion of their first quarter allowance, with the balance being paid to the outgoing members. During the year one Councillor resigned and therefore only received the allowance for the period in office. One Councillor chose not to take the allowance.

Attendance Records at Council and Committees

Not all councillors serve on all committees. The table below lists the number

of meetings to which councillors were summoned, the number of meetings attended and the percentage attendance.

Grants

All organisations who request a grant have to submit an application form giving the following details:-

• Amount applied for
• Proposed use of grant
• Copy of accounts

All applications were carefully considered and the following grants were awarded:-

£1000 to Skegness Carnival Committee

£1000 to Town Twinning Association

£1000 to Skegness Ability Group

£400 GFS Platform

From 2012/13 a new grants policy and process has been approved. This will help the Council ensure that it treats all applicants fairly and transparently, whilst also helping organisations to plan their finances.

The new policy can be found on the Councils website or further information can be obtained from the Town Clerk.

Town Clerk Financial Report

The Council is in a sound financial position having delivered its objectives for the year within budget. As part of the budget setting process, the Council recognised the need to plan for future replacement of assets and services and has created a number of new earmarked reserves and has made provision for these to grow. At the same time the Council has reduced its unspecified reserve.

The accounts will be reviewed and approved by Council in June. The accounts will then be subject to external audit in July and the Council will formally publicise the accounts no later than 30^th September 2012.

Attached to this report is the summarised expenditure for the year. Accounts and other financial information will be posted on the website once approved.

Conclusion

The Town Council continues to work hard to ensure improvements are made throughout the town for the benefit of our residents.  You may be sure that the Council will continue to serve you to the best of its ability.

Thank you.

Councillor Steve Kirk

Town Mayor of Skegness