HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich, Essex CO12 3DS
Tel: 01255 507211
email: info@harwichtowncouncil.gov.uk
Clerk: Ms Lucy Ballard
TO ALL COUNCILLORS:
YOU ARE SUMMONED TO ATTEND A MEETING
Of HARWICH TOWN COUNCIL
To be held at
The Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich
on
Tuesday 8th April 2025 at 7pm
Or at the rise of the TOWN PLANNING MEETING, whichever is the later
AGENDA
| 1 | Apologies for Absence To receive apologies for absence |
| 2 | Declarations of Members’ Interests To receive any ‘Pecuniary’ or ‘Other Registrable’ interests relating to items on the agenda |
| 3 | Alzheimer’s Society
Mark Neville of the Alzheimer’s Society to brief members on the plans for activity following Age Well East stepping down as chair of the TDFC. |
| 4 | Public Questions Questions pursuant to Standing Order 3 |
| 5 | Mayor’s Announcements The Mayor to give a brief report of engagements undertaken since the last meeting. |
| 6 | Minutes of Last Meeting • To approve as a correct record the Minutes and Confidential Minutes of the meeting of Harwich Town Council held on 18th February 2025 (circulated separately). |
| 7 | Matters Arising from the Minutes of the Last Meeting
• MIN 140/24 – Member update on progress with the VE-Day 80 celebrations and authorisation of further activities and expenditure. (Shop fronts – purchase of bunting, Commemorative VE-Day flag, HSTV Blind Veterans Choir concert) • MIN 152/24 – To confirm revised hearing date set for 24th April. • MIN 153/24 – To confirm Illumination infrastructure is now installed at the Highlight house and agree to add to asset register for insurance purposes. |
| 8 | Matters Arising from the Minutes of Previous Meetings
• MIN 113/24 – To receive response from Lloyds Banking Group in relation to letter about banking hubs and decide upon next action. • MIN 114/24 – To confirm meeting held on 2nd April to receive update on Bathside Bay developments. • MIN 116/24 – To confirm Skate Park Festival now arranged for 14th September to coincide with annual Tour de Tendring. • MIN 135/17 – To confirm further request for Council archived materials in relation to the Victoria County History (Vol 13) has been received and granted. |
| 9 | Scheme of Allowances
Ref MIN 168/23 – To confirm Scheme of Allowance to be applied during 2025/26, relating to: Councillor and Mayoral Allowances Applicable timeframes and Regularity of payment Measures regarding mid-term resignation/death in service Travel and subsistence allowances (mileage payments) (Report circulated separately) |
| 10 | Subscription Fees To approve annual subscriptions which become payable during the 2025/26 financial year. |
| 11 | Regular Payments To authorise regular payments (inc. those by Direct Debit) for the 2025/26 financial year. |
| 12 | Internal Auditor
• To review the effectiveness of the arrangements for internal audit to include an assessment of the following: 1) Scope of Internal Audit work 2) Competence 3) Independence 4) Relationship with Clerk 5) Audit Planning and Reporting • To consider the re-appointment of Heather Heelis of Heelis & Lodge as HTC’s Internal Auditor for the Financial Year 2025/26 at a cost to be confirmed, in accordance with the Scope of Internal Audit work presented. |
| 13 | Consultation of draft Housing Allocations Policy and proposed introduction of flexible tenancies
To consider responding to the consultation by the closing date of 20th April 2025. |
| 14 | VE-Day 80 – High Lighthouse Illumination
Ref: MIN 153/24 – Following completion of a licence with TDC to illuminate the High Lighthouse on appropriate occasions, to agree to illuminate for VE-Day 80 Celebrations on 8th May. Cllr Calver |
| 15 | Councillor Service Milestones
To agree to hold a reception for any councillor serving 30 years with Harwich Town Council and to bear the cost from the Hospitality budget. |
| 16 | Harwich Museum
Request permission to copy archived materials for an exhibition on the evacuation in 1940. |
| 17 | Brief Reports by Members appointed to outside bodies by the Council |
| 18 | Committee Meeting Minutes
To receive the Minutes of previous committee meetings (circulated separately): • Allotments Committee – 5th March 2025 • Finance & General Purposes Committee – 18th March 2025 • To consider recommendations of the committee in relation to grant funding for the following: • Teen Talk – £2500 • The Maze Group – £1080 • Environment & Community Committee – 27th March 2025 |
| 19 | Accounts To receive the financial report and to approve accounts for payment as per the schedule (previously circulated) |
| 20 | Correspondence Received in the Post or Matters Raised by Members |
| 21 | Matters to be Reported |
| 22 | Date of Next Meeting The next meeting of Harwich Town Council will be held on Tuesday 3rd June 2025 at The Guildhall, Church Street, Harwich, at 7.00pm, or at the rise of the Town Planning Committee, whichever is the later.The Annual Statutory and Mayor Making meeting will be held on Thursday 15th May 2025 at The Guildhall, Harwich, at 11am. |
| 23 | Exclusion of Press and Public Pursuant to Sub-Section 2 of Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 the meeting is closed to the press and public for the transaction of the under-mentioned business:• Hill School Site Lease Renewals• Personnel – Estates Supervisor• Resume Public Session |
| 24 | Hill School Site Lease Renewals
Ref: MIN F97/24: To consider lease renewal on same terms for a 7-year period for the Dovercourt Theatre Group, Harwich Amateur Boxing Club, We are Music and Harwich & Dovercourt Martial Arts club and to seek valuations for rental purposes. Costs to be expended from the Professional Costs budget. |
| 25 | Personnel – Estate Supervisor
To confirm resignation of current postholder. |
| 26 | Resume Public Session
To end the confidential part of the meeting and resume public session. |
| 27 | Recruitment
To appoint a recruitment panel and proceed to commence recruitment to fill the vacancy left by the Estate Supervisor, and to obtain HR support as necessary at a cost estimated to be in the region of £60 p/hr. |
Dated: 2nd April 2025
Ms Lucy Ballard
Clerk to the Council