Agenda and minutes
PDF 201 KBVenue: Mytchett Canal Centre, Mytchett Place Road, Mytchett, Surrey, GU16 6DD
Contact: George Foster
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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Minutes: Apologies were received from Linda Kemeny, Simon Ambler and Gordon Jackson. |
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MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: 16 OCTOBER 2014 & 26 FEBRUARY 2015
The minutes will be available in the meeting room half an hour before the start of the meeting. Additional documents: Minutes: These were agreed as a true record of the previous two meetings |
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DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
To receive any declarations of disclosable pecuniary interests from Members in respect of any item to be considered at the meeting.
Notes: · In line with the Relevant Authorities (Disclosable Pecuniary Interests) Regulations 2012, declarations may relate to the interest of the member, or the member’s spouse or civil partner, or a person with whom the member is living as husband or wife, or a person with whom the member is living as if they were civil partners and the member is aware they have the interest. · Members need only disclose interests not currently listed on the Register of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests. · Members must notify the Monitoring Officer of any interests disclosed at the meeting so they may be added to the Register. · Members are reminded that they must not participate in any item where they have a disclosable pecuniary interest. Minutes: There were none. |
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QUESTIONS AND PETITIONS
To receive either any questions or petitions.
Notes: 1. The deadline for Member’s questions is 12.00 noon four working days before the meeting [Friday 19 June 2015]. 2. The deadline for public questions is seven days before the meeting [Tuesday 16 June 2015]. 3. The deadline for petitions was 14 days before the meeting, and no petitions have been received. Minutes: There were none. |
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CANAL MANAGEMENT REPORT
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers:
James Taylor, Strategic Manager Basingstoke Canal – Surrey & Hampshire County Councils
Fiona Shipp, Canal Manager – Basingstoke Canal Authority
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. One Member thanked officers on behalf of Hart District Council for reopening the towpath at Dogmersfield Landslip. Members also questioned how long the towpath would be closed in October. Officers informed the Committee that it would be closed for between 8 and 10 weeks.
Resolved: The report was noted
Actions/further information to be provided: None
Committee next steps: None
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CANAL SOCIETY REPORT
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers:
Philip Riley, Chairman - Basingstoke Canal Society
Martin Leech, Vice Chairman - Basingstoke Canal Society
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Chairman of the Basingstoke Canal Society informed the Committee that a boat rally at Colt Hill had taken place on the 24th of May 2015 and was a great success. The Vice Chairman of the Basingstoke Canal Society added that the rally offered a great opportunity to promote the Canal and that another rally was being planned and would be held at Brookwood Country Park.
Resolved: The report was noted
Actions/further information to be provided: None
Committee next steps: None
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FINAL ACCOUNTS 2014/15
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers:
Jane Lovett, Finance Business Partner, Hampshire County Council
Key points raised during the discussion:
Resolved:
1. Members supported the final outturn for 2014/15 as set out in Appendix A of the report.
Actions/further information to be provided: None
Committee next steps: None
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SMALL BODIES ANNUAL RETURN 2014/15
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers:
Jane Lovett, Finance Business Partner, Hampshire County Council
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Committee were informed that this would be the last Small Bodies Annual Return report as it is no longer needed as part of the audit process.
Resolved:
1. The Annual Governance Statement for 2014/15 is agreed by the Committee and signed by the Chair and Clerk.
2. The Accounting Statement for 2014/15 was approved by the Committee and signed by the Chair.
3. The Committee noted the report.
Actions/further information to be provided: None
Committee next steps: None
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TRIP BOAT PURCHASE - DECISION PAPER
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers:
James Taylor, Strategic Manager Basingstoke Canal – Surrey & Hampshire County Councils
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. Members welcomed the proposal of a new canal boat stating that it would help promote the use and regeneration of the Canal. One Member stressed the pressing need to see interest in the Woking sections of the Canal. Officers informed the Committee that, should the boat proposed within the report be purchased, it would be posted at the Canal Centre replacing the current canal boat which would move down to the Woking area.
2. Members asked who will be running the new canal trips. Officers informed the Committee that the Basingstoke Canal Authority would run the new venture, with two thirds of the staff volunteers and the rest paid staff, some of which are existing employees that have relevant experience.
Resolved:
1. The Committee agreed to authorise officers to purchase the second hand boat subject to the results of the survey, using funding from the BCA General Reserve, and authorised the BCA to run additional public trips on the Canal.
Actions/further information to be provided: Officers to keep the Committee informed as appropriate.
Committee next steps: None
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Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers:
James Taylor, Strategic Manager Basingstoke Canal – Surrey & Hampshire County Councils
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. The Strategic Manager Basingstoke Canal – Surrey & Hampshire County Councils introduced the report and highlighted the work that has been done to improve and maintain the Canal’s lock gates and culverts which has directly reduced the risk of failure. He added that pressure on Local Authority budgets has become high risk to the Canal as well as the inability to move forward with the Canal Centre redevelopment. The Committee were informed that future business plans would include mitigation of the risk posed by new pressures on Local Authority budgets.
2. One member stated that since the proposed re-development of the Canal Centre along the lines proposed at a JMC meeting last year would not be going ahead, it was important that a Master Plan for the site was agreed, so that some of the less capital intensive aspects of the original scheme could proceed without further delay. It was suggested that as the Surrey CC Estates Department appears to be central to the decision on the formulation of the Master Plan, the Estates Department should be invited to make a presentation of the Master Plan at the next JMC meeting on 29th October.
Resolved:
1. The Committee adopted the Risk Register and agreed to keep it under review as a standing item on the Agenda.
2. The Committee agreed to act, or authorise officers to act, where appropriate to mitigate risks within the jurisdiction of the Committee.
Actions/further information to be provided: None
Committee next steps: None
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BASINGSTOKE CANAL VALUATION REPORT
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers:
Jo Heath, Head of Countryside – Hampshire County Council
Lisa Creaye-Griffin, Countryside Group Manager – Surrey County Council
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. Members asked officers when the Committee might expect a future business plan from the Basingstoke Canal Authority. Officers informed the Committee that the business plan is currently being drafted and will look at the whole Canal and Centre and will be presented to the February Committee.
2. Members asked that the full Basingstoke Canal Valuation study prepared by JBA Consulting be presented to the Committee. Officers agreed to do so.
3. Members expressed the view that the report was missing an analysis of health and wellbeing factors.
Resolved:
1. The Committee endorsed the conclusions drawn from the Basingstoke Canal Valuation study prepared by JBA Consulting.
Actions/further information to be provided: Officers to present the full Basingstoke Canal Valuation study prepared by JBA Consulting to the Committee at a later date.
Committee next steps: None
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MEMBERSHIP OF THE JOINT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Minutes: Declarations of Interest: None
Officers:
Huma Younis, Scrutiny Officer – Surrey County Council
Key points raised during the discussion:
1. Some Members expressed the view that Fleet deserved voting rights on the grounds that they contribute the full amount to the Basingstoke Canal, whilst others felt that allowing Fleet full voting rights may encourage other Local Authorities to make the same claim.
2. There was a discussion around the fact that the Hart Parish’s already have a representative and would therefore have two should Fleet be accepted. Some Members expressed the view that the Hart Parish Representative, who sits on the Committee as a non-voting Special Interest Member, makes an impact through lobbying the Committee and represents all Parish’s’ in Hart well.
3. One Member highlighted that Fleet being elected as a full voting Member would shift voting numbers with Hampshire County Council having more than Surrey County Council.
4. One Member expressed the opinion that as Hart had relinquished half of its liability to pay for the Canal, it should also give up one of its seats
5. There was a discussion around the need to allow other groups and local authorities to be considered. Councillor Stephen Gorys proposed an amendment to recommendation (b ii) to add after “group,” and a voting Member together with other special interest groups and riparian parish’s. The recommendation would read: to invite Fleet Town Council to submit an expression of interest for appointment as a special interest group and a voting Member together with other special interest groups and riparian parish’s, for consideration by the JMC at its meeting in October 2015.
6. The amendment was put to a vote and unanimously agreed by the Committee. Thus, recommendation (a) is no longer necessary.
7. There was a discussion around the reports proposal that John Cale was appointment as a Special Interest Group of the JMC, to representative the commercial interests of John Cale Canal Cruises. Members unanimously agreed that, as John Cale Canal Cruises had ceased to exist, there was a vacancy for a special interest group representative.
Resolved:
1. The Committee reviewed its current membership and agreed to invite Fleet Town Council to submit an expression of interest for appointment as a special interest group and a voting member, together with other special interest groups and riparian parish’s, for consideration by the JMC at its meeting in October 2015.
2. The Committee resolved that a system of named substitutions for Joint Management Committee members be agreed, to take effect from the meeting in October 2015.
Actions/further information to be provided: Committee Clerk to circulate a named substitutions form amongst Members.
Committee next steps: None
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DATE OF THE NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held on the 29 October 2015 Minutes: The next meeting will be held on the 29 October 2015, 10am, Mytchett Canal Centre. |