Minutes of the Meeting of Great Cornard Parish Council held

in the Stevenson Centre on Monday 9^th July 2007.

PRESENT             Councillors        P.K.Beer                              Chairman   

                                                            Mrs.A.Harper-Clark 

                                                            Mrs.F.A.Jackson 

                                                            J.F.Millins 

                                                            M.D.Newman

                                                            N.H.T.Proctor

                                                            J.R.A.Sayers

                                                            D.R.G.Thomas

                                                            H.N.Todd

                                                            R.I.Wade

                                                            D.M.Walton

                        Council Manager      M.J.Fitt

                        Clerical Assistant     Mrs.N.C.Tamlyn

1.      Apologies for Absence

      Apologies were received from Cllrs.Mrs.C.J.Baker. R.Sims and Mrs.C.A.Todd.

2.  Declaration of Interests, Gifts and Hospitality

      Cllr.J.R.A.Sayers declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Sudbury Town Council and Babergh District Council.

      Cllr.P.K.Beer declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Sudbury Town Council, Babergh District Council and

      Suffolk County Council.

      Cllr.H.N.Todd declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Babergh District Council.

      Cllr.M.D.Newman declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Babergh District Council.

      Cllr.D.M.Walton declared a Personal interest with regards to his

      membership of Sudbury Town Council and Babergh District Council.

      Cllr.Mrs.F.A.Jackson declared a Personal interest with regards to

      Agenda Item 6 as Cllr.Mrs.Jackson is a patient at Walnuttree Hospital

      and a member of Sudbury WATCH.

3. Chairman’s Address

      Sudbury Town Council had borrowed the Council’s sound system and had been very impressed with it.

4. To Confirm Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on

     11^th June 2007

     RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Council meeting held on

     11^th June 2007 were confirmed and signed as a true record.

5.  Police Beat Officers Report 

The report covers the period from the 8^th June 2007 through to the

 9^th July 2007. NOTED   

     Prior to the Suffolk Police launching the Cornard Safer Neighbourhood

    Team in September, they will be holding a community consultation

     meeting at the Stevenson Centre on Wednesday 1^st August at 3pm. All

     members were encouraged to attend. 

     PC 49 Goymour-Milne, announced that she has been re-assigned to the

     rural villages. The Parish Council thanked her for all her work in Cornard

     over the past four year.

6. Items Brought Forward

      a.  Walnuttree Hospital: threatened closure

      Cllr.Mrs.Jackson advised, that comments made by Alan Johnson MP,

      The Secretary of State for Health, may have some bearing on the

      referral. The Judicial review is set for the 5^th October 2007.     

7. Fifteen-Minutes Adjournment for the Public To Ask Questions

8. Correspondence

    a.     1^st Cornard Scout Group: Sub-letting of Village Hall  

            RESOLVED that the Parish Council supports the Scouts request

            to rent the use of the building to the Brownies and Guides.

9. Development & Planning Committee

     The Minutes of the meetings of the Development & Planning Committee

     held on 11^th June 2007 were accepted as a true record of the meeting.

     Adoption of Minutes 

     RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted. 

      The Minutes of the meeting of the Development & Planning Committee

      held on 25^th June 2007 were accepted as a true record of the meeting.

      Adoption of Minutes 

      RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted. 

b) Questions to Committee Chairman

     Minutes for 11^th June 2007

             None

     Minutes for 25^th June 2007

             None

10.  Recreation & Leisure Committee

        a) Confirmation & Adoption of Minutes

              The Minutes of the Meeting of the Recreation & Leisure

             Committee held on 25^th June 2007 were accepted as a true

  record of the meeting.

              Adoption of Minutes 

             RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted

   b) Questions to Committee Chairman

   Cllr.P.K.Beer commented on the Stevenson Centre’s play area looking untidy. The Council Manager advised that he had already chased SCC Grounds Service.

  c) Ratification of any Recommended items

        i)   Hedgerows Play Area

             RESOLVED to accept the recommendation.  

  11.  Policies and Finance Committee

        a) Confirmation & Adoption of Minutes

            The Minutes of the Meeting of the Policies and Finance Committee

            held on 25^th June 2007 were accepted as a true record of the

            meeting.

            Adoption of Minutes 

            RESOLVED that the Minutes be adopted. 

   b)Questions to Committee Chairman

             Cllr.D.Walton asked whether the car boot sales would cover the

             costs of the banners. Cllr.Todd advised that the car boot sales

             should recover the costs and that the banners were a long term

             investment.            

12.  Financial Matters:

a. Cheques Issued, Credits received

 b. Internal Auditors Report

Report of Work Performed for Year Ended 31^st March 2007

I have visited the council offices on at least six occasions in the course of the year under review, more specifically when certifying the previous year’s accounts, immediately prior to and subsequent to the budget meeting and again before the year end.

At each visit I have examined the latest minutes checking for any irregularities, confirming the regular monitoring of budgets to actual and the authorisation of expenditure.  

Selected supplier accounts have been vouched for both revenue and capital items of expenditure and all related documentation and authorisation verified.

Bank reconciliations have been regularly checked and if expenditure and or income has not been inline with budget projections then a further satisfactory explanation has been obtained.

At no time during the year have there been any major concerns and no issues have been brought to the Council’s attention.

Good progress has been made throughout towards the building of adequate reserves.

J.R.Steed

The Council NOTED the internal Auditor’s comments.

Meeting closed at 8.15pm

                                                                        Signed                                             

                                                                                                P.K.Beer  : Chairman