Minutes of the Meeting held at

 Farnham Town Council Offices on

Thursday, 18 March 2010, at 4.00 pm

 

 

1.  Attendance

The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming Mr Rob Hayes and Mr Benjo Taylor, representing the Students’ Union at UCA.

Apologies for absence from the meeting were noted from Mr D Coker, Mr Ian Grist, Mr Andrew Pompei, Mr Richard Terry and PC Chris Skillicorn-Aston.

 

2. Arrangements for Election/Appointment of Officers for 2010/11

The Chairman explained that, as Town Mayor at the time the Task Force was launched in 2001, he had become its first Chairman and for continuity had remained in that role each year since. However, he felt that the time had now come for him to resign and he would not be standing for re-election as Chairman for a further year. It had originally been intended that each new Town Mayor would take the chair during his or her year of office, and Mr Duckett proposed that that system should now be revived, with the Deputy Mayor becoming Vice Chairman each year. It was agreed that members should consider this proposal with a view to taking a decision at the next meeting. It was noted that if this proposal were to be agreed then the wording of various sections of the Constitution of the Task Force should be formally amended to correspond. The Secretary will circulate copies of the current Constitution and list of Task Force members. The Chairman indicated that he would be happy to continue as a member of the Task Force if desired.

The Secretary also indicated that she wished to resign with effect from the same date. Task Force members were asked to consider who might be appointed to this position. The Chairman will establish whether Mr Quick wishes to remain as Treasurer.

 

3.   Minutes of the last meeting

The minutes of the last meeting, held on 28 January 2010, were agreed and signed by the Chairman.

 

4.   Matters Arising

4.1  Crime Prevention Panel

Mr Cochrane reported that he had been in discussion with Mr Potter and that CPP would be putting information on the Town Council website (Farnham Online).

 

4.2  Task Force Website

Members agreed that the Secretary should arrange to pay the hosting fee for the existing Task Force website when it falls due in early May. The Task Force website will continue to be maintained until the Task Force page has been created on the Farnham Online website and has been run in parallel satisfactorily for a while. Mr Potter pointed out that both CPP and the Task Force will each need to identify someone who can be trained to update their pages on Farnham Online in due course. Sgt Davis asked if there could also be a link to the Surrey Police website from Farnham Online.

 

4.3   Waverley Strategic Partnership

Mrs Maines reported that Town and Parish councils are to be involved in Emergency Plans, (eg plans for dealing with the effects of heavy falls of snow): councils will be asked what skills or facilities they might be able to provide in order to help. She noted that PCTs and the Health Service had not been properly involved in the past.

 

4.4   Parking on the Ridgeway

Mr Ward reported that he had been told by SCC that the Ridgeway is scheduled to be resurfaced this year and that the zigzag lines outside Tesco will be re-painted when this is done.

 

4.5  Safety in The Hart

Mr Ward reported that there was not likely to be any reduction in the on-street parking in The Hart in the near future. He had also been told that the new pedestrian islands were part of the “Safe Routes to School” initiative and could not have been placed elsewhere in the road. It was suggested that this had now become the most dangerous stretch of road in the town and that it would be helpful if the UCA students could also take the matter up with SCC. PCSO Matthews and PC Skillicorn-Aston will make time to drive along The Hart and the route out of the Waitrose car park, and report back to the next meeting with their views.

 

4.6   Congestion in South Street

It was agreed that the traffic lights at the bypass can cause many of the problems and force the traffic to back up beyond the Victoria Road junction at busy times. Members thought that a managed traffic system, rather than just re-phasing individual sets of traffic lights, would be the only solution. The Chairman and Mr Potter agreed to write to Surrey County Council outlining the problems and offering help from the Task Force in carrying out a traffic and parking survey if required.

 

4.7  South Street Underground Car Park

PCSO Matthews reported that one of the offenders had been caught and had written an open letter of apology which had been printed in The Herald. The car park had now been cleaned up and police were patrolling regularly. In addition, they were now involving youth workers in helping to deal with the problems. 

5.  Development of Community Safety Role

5.1   Community Safety Day

It had been agreed to hold a Community Safety event in conjunction with the Farnham Spring Festival on Saturday, 8 May, 2010. Sgt Daviswill contact Rosie Dray to find out whether WaSP will have a stall.  It was noted that the Police would bring their trailer and that the Fire Service would also be present. It was agreed that the Task Force would share a stall with CPP. Mr Potter advised organisations to liaise with Catherine Turness who will handle arrangements.

 

5.2  Spring Clean Day

It was noted that Waverley Borough Council are trying to persuade local communities to hold Spring Cleaning days and are offering to provide equipment and remove rubbish collected. Mr Potter will pass copies of the WBC paperwork over to the Chairman for consideration. UCA representatives thought that the students would be happy to be involved, and it was hoped that Town Councillors, Residents’ Associations and also Neighbourhood Watch groups would also be prepared to help clean up their own areas.  It was agreed to take this further at the next meeting once the WBC proposals have been studied.

 

6.  Funding

The Chairman reported that the bank balance at 24 February 2010 amounted to £1114.94.  This sum continued to include the contribution of £400 from the PCPG, which was ring-fenced for the provision of CCTV equipment. It had been proposed that the ring-fenced money should be applied as a contribution towards the Town Council project to install CCTV to cover the area around the new bandstand. Mr Potter had previously been asked to write to the Task Force acknowledging the contribution of £400 towards this CCTV equipment and confirming that this had been made in addition to the Town Council funds. However, Mr Potter stated that he was not able to provide such a letter. It was agreed that the position of the PCPG money needed to be resolved. Accordingly, the Chairman will arrange to contact Mr Kent again and liaise with Mr Potter.

Mr Duckett will identify the appropriate person to deal with the preparation and audit of Task Force accounts for the year 2008/09 and provide the Secretary with the name and contact details.

 

7.  Current Projects

7.1  Community Safety Logo & Anti-litter Poster

It was agreed to ask UCA students to design a Community Safety logo, possibly merging a Farnham identity with the existing Safer Waverley logo, in time for the next meeting. Mr Hayes and Mr Taylor will organise an appropriate competition and it was agreed that the Task Force would provide a cash prize of £100 for the winning design. Mr Duckett and PCSO Matthews will act as judges and the logo will be used on 8 May at the Community Safety event. Mrs Cockburn and Sgt Davis will try to find a suitable anti-litter poster design which could be photocopied for children to colour in on 8 May.

 

7.2  Street Cleaning

Waverley Borough Council say that the complete street cleaning schedule can be found somewhere on the WBC website, but have not so far responded to a request for guidance on how to find it. The schedule is not yet available on the Farnham Town Council website.

 

8.  Neighbourhood Watch & Crime Statistics

In the absence of Mr Terry, Sgt Davis reported that there had been a rise in the number of shed burglaries recently. He also reported that in the Autumn when the new intake of students arrive, they will each be given a Welcome pack which will include advice on keeping their possessions safe, together with marker pens, and information about the town.

 

9.  Any Other Business

(i)                 Mrs Maines reported that considerable changes were taking place in Surrey Police Force which would lead to more officers being on the ground and spending less time stuck in offices.

(ii)               Mrs Cockburn urged UCA students to talk to their town councillors and to the Task Force. Mr Duckett concurred and emphasised that the Students’ Union input to Task Force discussions was much appreciated.

 

10.  Date of Next Meeting

Wednesday, 28 April, 2010 at 4.00 pm in the Town Council offices. The agenda will include the election/appointment of Officers for the year 2010/11.

Mr Potter is asked to make the necessary booking.

 

 

 

 

 

Signed …V.Duckett………………

Date……28 April 2010…………