HOLYHEAD TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY 3 OCTOBER 2016 7.00 p.m.
Councillors present: Mrs Ann Kennedy MBA (Mayor), Keith R Roberts, J V Owen, S Hadley, Mrs R N Keegans, John Knox-Crawford, K Tatlock and Mrs Jean A Ll Williams
In attendance: C Ll Everett (Town Clerk/Financial Officer)
Mrs P R Scott (Clerk/Typist)
1. The Mayor welcomed all present to the meeting including Inspector Jason Higgins, Veronica Huband and Jen Saboor. The question was asked if anyone in the Council Chamber was tape recording the meeting and no-one was tape recording the meeting.
2. Apologies for absence were received by Councillors Mrs B Warner, Mrs Ailia Lewis MBE,
E G Jones and W J Chorlton.
3. DECLARATION OF INTEREST BY ANY COUNCILLOR OR OFFICER:
No declarations were made.
4. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Mayor distributed a list of events that she had recently attended to all Councillors present, as follows:-
On 7th July attended the Mametz Day in Caernarfon, on 8th July presented School dictionaries with Councillor Mrs Ailia Lewis at Thomas Ellis Primary School, on 12th July presented School dictionaries with Councillor Mrs Beryl Warner at Ysgol Y Parc, on 23rd July met with the MP, Albert Owen, on 2nd August attended a meeting with the Deputy Mayor Councillor Keith R Roberts, Councillor J V Owen and Councillor J M Evans with representatives of the Dun Laoghaire Business Association, on the 4th August met with the RNIB, on the 9th August attended the Business Forum Meeting, on the 11 August attended a meeting in the Town Hall, on Saturday 13th August attended the Llaingoch & District Horticultural Show, on the 23rd attended a meeting with the Town Clerk, on the 23rd August attended a Connemara meeting, on the 23rd August attended a Dun Laoghaire Link meeting, on the 24th and 30th August attended meetings in the Town Hall, on the 31st August opened the Tender for the Christmas Lighting with the Town Clerk and Deputy Clerk, on 1st September attended a meeting re: Heritage Day, on the 2nd September attended a Gaffers meeting, on 3rd September attended a Lifeboat Open Day, on 4th September presented prizes as it was the last day of the Gaffers event, on 5th September attended a meeting with the Heritage Group, 5th September attended a meeting with Land & Lakes, on Wednesday 7th September attended a Staffing/Audit Committee, 9th September attended a VVP meeting with the Town Clerk, on 9th September the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Keith R Roberts attended RAF Valley, on 10th – 11th September visited Greenore, on 14th September attended an all-day Conference of the Society of Town Clerks, on the 16th September met with Mike Gould in the Ucheldre Centre, on the 17th September attended the Heritage Day all day, on 18th September attended a Connemara Play, on 19th September met with representatives from the Greenore group for lunch, attended a Beach service and bid them farewell, on the 19th September attended a meeting with the Town Clerk about the Holyhead New Park Road Park, on the 21st and 22nd September attended meetings with the Town Clerk in the Town Hall, on the 26th September attended the official opening of D & P Graphics new premises in the Penrhos Industrial Estate.
HOLYHEAD TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY 3RD OCTOBER 20167.00 p.m.
5. To receive an up-date from the Town Clerk:
The Town Clerk was pleased to announce to members of the Council that the Empire complex Playcentre had been short-listed as one of the finalists in the Playcentre of the Year category & the Holyhead Empire Cinema complex for the “Best Cinema Experience” at the first Welsh Hospitality Awards 2016 and that the Ceremony would be held in Cardiff during the month of November.
The Mayor, Councillor Mrs Ann Kennedy would attend the Ceremony on behalf of the Town Council.
The local Press had taken a photograph and a press report would be included in this week’s newspaper.
It was resolved that all Town Councillors not present at the Council meeting of the 3rd October be made aware of this Hospitality Award.
Minute no 5021/16
6. To welcome Jen Saboor and Veronica Huband to the meeting to give a Presentation on WASPI
(Women Against the State Pension Injustice)
Jen and Veronica stated that WASPI was a campaign group as the 1995 and the 2011 Conservative Government’s Pension Acts included plans to increase women’s SPA (State Pension Age) to 65 and then to over 65 years. WASPI agrees with the equalisation to 65 but does not agree with the unfair way the changes were implemented – with little or no personal notice and this change has affected women born on or after the 6th April 1951. Both Jen and Veronica had attended a demonstration outside of Parliament on the 29 June 2016, met with MPs and have also organised a Petition. They asked Holyhead Town Council to support their campaign and sign the Petition. A demonstration walk would be held in Llanfair PG and a Presentation would also be given to the WI on Anglesey.
The Mayor thanked both ladies for the presentation and agreed that these changes had an impact not only to the women in families but to the whole family.
It was resolved that members of the Holyhead Town Council sign the Petition and gives it’s full support to the Government to make fair transitional state pension arrangements for all women born on or after the 6th April 1951 who have unfairly borne the burden of the increase in State Pension Age (SPA) with lack of appropriate notification and then it was too late to make any alternative arrangements.
Minute no 5022/16
7. To welcome Inspector Jason Higgins of the North Wales Police to the meeting:
Inspector Higgins thanked the Mayor and the Town Clerk for being able to address the Town Council. He up-dated members of the Council of his past Police service and stated that he had been in office since May of 2016 as Inspector which covered Holyhead and Anglesey. He was pleased to say that overall crime figures had gone down and there had been a fall in violent crime and theft from cars. He did say that there was however increases in anti-social behaviour, domestic violence, cyber-crime and historical sex abuse cases. Members of the Town Council did voice their concerns to him on certain specific issues and the Inspector stated that he would look into these further. Parking problems were also highlighted and the Inspector stated that when calls were received at the control room that priority had to be given to matters considered to be life threatening in the first instance and that he was always made aware of crimes such as shop-lifting etc via the PCSO officers who patrolled the town and who dealt with the Safer Neighbourhood Scheme on a day-to-day basis.
HOLYHEAD TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE COUNCIL MEETING MONDAY 3 OCTOBER 2016 7.00 p.m.
Councillor Keith R Roberts as Chairman of Staffing of the Holyhead Town Council stated that he was awaiting to receive a communication from the North Wales Police regarding accusations made by a member of this Council. Inspector Higgins stated that he had discussed it with the CID officer and a letter will be sent stating that there
is no evidence of any criminality at Holyhead Town Council.
The Town Clerk stated that not all areas of the town were covered by the CCTV system and it was resolved, subject to there being sufficient funds in the Town Council budget when the draft Estimates are prepared in January of 2017 that funds are set aside to extend the CCTV cameras in certain locations in Holyhead.
Minute no. 5023/16
Inspector Higgins was thanked for attending the Meeting and for his Presentation.
8. To receive for information the Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Monday 4 July 2016:
It was resolved, proposed and seconded to receive for information (as a true record) the Minutes of the Council meeting held on Monday 4 July 2016.
Minute no. 5024/16
9. To receive for information the Minutes of the Staffing/Audit Committee meeting held on Wednesday 7 September 2016 and Financial Report 1/4/2016 – 31/7/2016:
It was resolved, proposed and seconded to receive for information (as a true record) the Minutes of the Staffing/Audit Committee meeting held on Wednesday 7 September 2016.
Minute no. 5025/16
10. To approve the Minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee meeting held on
Monday 12 September 2016:
It was resolved, proposed and seconded to approve the Minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee meeting held on Monday 12 September 2016.
Minute no. 5026/16
11. CORRESPONDENCE:
(a) Steve Halsall, Secretary, Boundary Commission for Wales, Cardiff : The 2018 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies in Wales – Initial proposals
It was resolved, proposed and seconded that the Isle of Anglesey should remain as a Parliamentary Constituency as it has been for many years and not be increased to include areas of Gwynedd.
Minute no. 5027/16
(b) Alan Williams, Holyhead & District Round Table – Bonfire Night Saturday 5th November 2016 at Penrhos Beach Holyhead
It was resolved to note the information in the letter.
Minute no. 5028/16
(c) Dawn Russell, Holyhead Sailing Club : The 2017 Squib UK National Championships Sailing Regatta
Request for potential support:
It was resolved that the Town Clerk liaises with the Chairman of the Committee to discuss what kind of support would be required from the Town Council and this would be reported back to the members of the Holyhead Town Council.
The Council meeting concluded at 8.20 p.m. Minutes CM 3 10 2016