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Agenda and minutes

Agenda and minutes

The full agenda with individual reports can be viewed on this page below.

The full agenda with all reports can be downloaded from the Agenda reports pack.

Venue: Council Chamber

Contact: Town Clerk 

Items
No. Item

C1/19

Election of the Town Mayor

To appoint Cllr David Attfield as the Town Mayor and extend his term of office until the meeting of Council on 27 June 2019.

Minutes:

Cllr John Ward proposed, seconded by Cllr Michaela Martin, that Cllr David Attfield be elected as the Mayor of Farnham and extend his term of office until the meeting of Council on 27 June 2019.

 

There were no other nominations.

 

Cllr Ward said that Cllr Attfield was one of Farnham’s treasures and always did his very best for the people of Farnham.  He had served the community under three types of administration and had been unfailingly non-political and was always friendly whenever any sought help.  Cllr Ward had no hesitation in recommending that Cllr Attfield continue as Mayor.

 

RESOLVED unanimously that:  Cllr David Attfield be elected Mayor of Farnham and extend his term of office until the meeting of Council on 27 June 2019.

 

C2/19

The Town Mayor's Declaration of Acceptance of Office

To receive the Mayor’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Minutes:

Cllr Attfield made his Declaration of Acceptance of Office thanking Council for its continued trust in him and was pleased to continue as Mayor in the interim.

 

C3/19

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies were received from Cllr Pat Evans and Cllr Kika Mirylees. 

C4/19

Minutes pdf icon PDF 122 KB

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 18th April 2019 (Appendix A).

 

Minutes:

The Minutes of the Farnham Town Council Meeting held on 18th April 2019 were agreed to be signed by the Mayor as a correct record. 

C5/19

Disclosures of Interest

To receive from members, in respect of any items included on the agenda for this meeting, disclosure of any disclosable pecuniary or other interests, or of any gifts and hospitality, in line with the Town Council’s Code of Conduct.

NOTES:

(i)             The following councillors have made a general non-pecuniary interest declaration in relation to being councillors of Waverley Borough Council:  Cllrs Beaman, Blishen, Cockburn, Dickson, Edmonds, Gray, Hesse, Macleod, Martin, Merryweather, Mirylees, Neale, and Ward.

(ii)            The following councillor has made a general non-pecuniary interest declaration in relation to him being a councillor of Surrey County Council: Cllr Macleod.

(iii)          Members are requested to make declarations of interest, on the form attached, to be returned to customer.services@farnham.gov.uk by 5pm on the day before the meeting.

 

Members are reminded that if they declare a pecuniary interest they must leave before any debate starts unless dispensation has been obtained.

 

 

 

Minutes:

In addition to the standard declarations of personal interest by councillors and by those who were dual or triple hatted by virtue of being elected to Waverley Borough Council or Surrey County Council there were no further declarations.

C6/19

Election of Deputy Town Mayor

To appoint Cllr Paula Dunsmore as the Deputy Town Mayor and extend her term of office until the meeting of Council on 27 June 2019.

Minutes:

Cllr Andy Macleod proposed, and Cllr David Beaman seconded, that Cllr Paula Dunsmore be elected as the Deputy Mayor of Farnham and extend her term of office until the meeting of Council on 27 June 2019.

 

There were no other nominations.

 

In proposing Cllr Dunsmore to continue as Deputy Mayor, Cllr Macleod said she was a very good local councilor and a hard worker in the community and on the Council.  Cllr Macleod was pleased she was re-elected as her contribution was valued.  He was delighted to commend her to Council as Deputy Mayor.

 

RESOLVED unanimously that:  Cllr Paula Dunsmore be elected Mayor of Farnham and extend her term of office until the meeting of Council on 27 June 2019.

 

C7/19

The Deputy Town Mayor's Declaration of Acceptance of Office

To receive the Deputy Town Mayor’s Declaration of Acceptance of Office.

Minutes:

Cllr Dunsmore made her Declaration of Acceptance of Office and looked forward to continuing to work alongside the Mayor.  It had been a real privilege to serve the community in this role and she thanked the Mayor for the opportunity to share his Mayoral duties.

 

 

 

 

 

C8/19

Appointment of a Leader/Spokesperson for the Council

In accordance with Standing Order 4.1, a Leader or Spokesperson for the Council can be appointed at the Annual Council Meeting but if no appointment is made, the role of Spokesperson for the Council will be undertaken by the Lead Member of the Strategy and Finance Working Group. 

Minutes:

Cllr Scotty Fraser proposed, seconded by Cllr Michaela Gray, that Cllr John Neale be appointed as Leader of the Council for 2019/20. 

 

There were no other nominations.

 

Cllr Fraser said Cllr Neale would be a worthy Leader.  He would follow Cllr Carole Cockburn who had been exceptionally good in the role but he knew Cllr Neale with his experience and character would step into her shoes successfully and wished him well.

                    

RESOLVED nem con that: Cllr John Neale be appointed as Leader of the Council for 2019/20.

 

C9/19

Adoption of the General Power of Competence pdf icon PDF 95 KB

To resolve to readopt the Power of General Competence. Farnham Town Council meets the eligibility criteria as i) all councillors hold office as a result of being declared elected (as opposed to being appointed or co-opted); ii) the clerk is suitably qualified (holding the Certificate in Local Council Administration -CILCA) and iii) the clerk has completed the relevant training in the exercise of the power (Appendix B).

Minutes:

Council noted the requirement to readopt the General Power of Competence following the recent election. The Town Clerk confirmed that Farnham Town Council met the eligibility criteria as i) all councillors held office as a result of being declaredelected (as opposed to being appointed or co-opted); ii) the Town Clerk was suitably qualified (holding the Certificate in Local Council Administration -CILCA) and iii) the Town Clerk had completed the relevant training in the exercise of the power.

 

Cllr Edmonds raised queries on elements of the General Power concerned that the Localism Act 2011 allowed for money to be spent outside the area and did so without having to demonstrate the benefit to the people of Farnham.    In response, the Town Clerk advised that any such use of the power would be debated by Council and one of the roles of councillors was to ensure that powers used by the Council were used appropriately.

 

It wasRESOLVED that Farnham Town Council confirms that it is eligible to use the General Power of Competence and readopts the General Power of Competence as a power of first resort. 

 

Cllr Edmonds asked that his objection to the Resolution be recorded.

C10/19

New Banking Mandate pdf icon PDF 60 KB

To approve a new bank mandate for the Council’s accounts with HSBC and for the Council acting as Trustee of the Farnham South Street Trust (Appendix C).

Minutes:

Council considered the new banking mandate with HSBC following the elections for the Council’s general account and the account for the Council acting as Trustee of the Farnham South Street Trust. 

 

In accordance with Standing Orders and Financial Regulations, any two councillors would continue to approve payments (any three over £10,000).  Council noted that the Town Clerk was not an authorising signatory but was added to the lists in order to be able to administer the accounts, manage the electronic banking arrangements through HSBCnet and discuss administrative and financial matters with the bank.  It was further noted that the Town Clerk managed the investments on behalf of the Council in accordance with the Scheme of delegation, Standing Orders and Financial Regulations and with all repayments from moneymarkets or investments being required to be returned to the Council’s main bank account with HSBC.

 

It was RESOLVED nem con to adopt the following revised Banking Mandate with HSBC:

 

"(i)   That a bank account or accounts be continued* with HSBC UK Bank plc (the 'Bank') and the Bank is authorised to:

a)     pay all cheques and act on other instructions for payment signed on behalf of the Council by any two signatories from the list for amounts up to £10,000 and any three signatories for amounts over £10,000  (the 'signatory'), whether any account of the Council is in debit or credit;

b)      deliver any item held on behalf of the Council by the Bank in safe keeping against the written receipt or instructions of the Town Clerk; and

c)      accept the Town Clerk as fully empowered to act on behalf of the Council in any other transaction with the Bank.

d)      accept the Town Clerk as fully empowered on behalf of the Council to enter into at any time(s) any agreement(s) for or relating to electronic and/or telephone banking services of any kind whatsoever ("Services"), and to delegate (including the power to sub delegate) the operation of the Services as set out in the terms and conditions governing the Services and the Council acknowledges that the Bank shall be entitled to act upon all instructions received in respect of the Services until notified otherwise in writing by the Council.

(ii)    That the Council agrees that any debt incurred to the Bank under this authority shall in the absence of written agreement with the Bank to the contrary be repayable on demand.

(iii)   That the Town Clerk (the 'Proper Officer') is authorised to supply the Bank as and when necessary with lists of persons authorised to sign, give receipts and act on behalf of the Council, and that the Bank may rely upon such lists.

(iv)   That these resolutions be communicated to the Bank and remain in force until changed by a resolution of the Council and a copy, certified by the Chief Executive Mayor and the Proper Officer, is received by the Bank".

(v)    That the Council accepts the account(s) and banking relationship with the Bank will be  ...  view the full minutes text for item C10/19

C11/19

Date of next Meeting of Council

To note that the date of the next meeting will be on Thursday 23rd May at 7.00pm.

 

 

Minutes:

Members noted the date of the next meeting of full Council on 23rd May.

 

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