MINUTES OF RYDE TOWN COUNCIL’S FINANCE AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES COMMITTEE HELD ON TUESDAY, 25 APRIL 2023 AT 7.00PM
IN RYDE METHODIST CHURCH, GARFIELD ROAD, RYDE
Members Present: Cllr Phil Jordan (Chair), Cllr Simon Cooke, Cllr Jess Higgins, Cllr Richard May, and Cllr Jo Elliott.
Also in Attendance: Tara Bloomfield (Responsible Financial Officer), Robert Clark (Finance Assistant), Keith Penny (Woodland Sessions), Neil Roberts (Woodland Sessions).
Members of the Public - 7
PUBLIC QUESTIONS
DRAFT
Two members of the public asked to be allowed to speak during agenda item 14 (Minute Reference 54/23 - Event Funding Request). The chair allowed this request.
Another member of the public asked how much money Ryde Town Council had set aside for skatepark repairs this year, what was the plan for the repairs and if there were security guards being put in place to stop trespassing whilst the skatepark was closed. The Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) explained that there was £7,500 for maintenance of the skatepark for the 2023- 2024 financial year and that the Ryde Skatepark Users Group was holding an open event to discuss further repair options. Ryde Town Council hoped to work alongside the user group to decide an outcome for the summer. The RFO also explained that there were security checks each evening, but despite numerous signs being put up by The Council these were being ignored.
Apologies received from Cllr Lilley, Cllr Chapman, and Cllr Carter.
None declared.
None requested.
None
The minutes to the previous meetings held on 28 February 2023 and 22 March 2023 were reviewed.
RESOLVED:
The list of payments for 01/02/2023 – 31/03/2023 were presented and approved.
The bank reconciliations for the period ending 31 March 2023 were presented and approved.
Members were presented with the un-audited accounts and report for the financial year ending 31st March 2023 and were received without question.
DRAFT
The RFO provided members an updated statement of Ryde Town Councils Year End Reserves. It was noted that when the budget was set, the number of earmarked reserves were only estimated, but following the end of the financial year a true position had become known. The committee were asked to approve the update and recommend it to Full Council.
RESOLVED:
Members were asked to receive and recommend to Full Council Section 2 of the AGAR Statement.
RESOLVED:
Members were asked to ratify a decision made by the Committee via email to purchase the front-end design for a new website from Nosy Design.
Cllr Cooke explained that he has done all the “back end” work of the website free of charge but that the design work of the website itself was not within his expertise. It was therefore advisable to work with Nosy Design on that element.
RESOLVED:
The Committee were asked to approve the updated Financial Risk Assessment, prepared by the RFO.
RESOLVED:
Members were asked to review and approve an agreement between Ryde Town Council and the Isle of Wight Council for the use of a storage facility located at Dover Street, Ryde. Ryde Town Council would be able to use the storage unit free of charge but would be required to maintain the building.
Cllr Higgins asked if the Town Council were going to be responsible for just maintaining the storage area or would it also include the benches. Cllr Cooke asked how long the lease would last. Cllr Elliott asked if there would be a break clause and what the notice period would be.
The RFO explained that they did not have that information to hand, but the Clerk would be able to clarify the details in due course.
RESOLVED:
DRAFT
After the meeting on 22 March 2023, members were presented with further details of ‘The Woodlands Sessions’ proposal for a funding request of £10,000 for the weekend event on Ryde Marina beach in 2024.
A member of the public asked why the event could no longer be held at Robin Hill. The founders of the event explained that since the departure of the parks manager, Vectis Ventures (the owners of Robin Hill) no longer wanted to continue the partnership. The same member of the public also asked why they were asking for the funding as a corporate business. It was explained that in the first year of an event the set-up fees were considerably higher and financial support was required to get the event up and running.
Another member of the public, speaking on behalf of the residents in the Eastern Gardens area of Ryde, enquired why the event had to be held near their homes and not further along at Appley Beach. The reason for asking was that they were concerned with the amount of noise that would be generated by the event and did not want another situation where they were disturbed in their homes. The representatives of The Woodland Sessions explained that their sound system was of a high-quality specification and that the stage would be facing out to sea, thus reducing the amount of noise generated.
RESOLVED:
Members were asked to ratify the award of contracts awarded for the grant funded St Thomas’ Church renovations.
RESOLVED:
Approval was sought from members to engage in a lease with the Isle of Wight Council for three poster display boards in Ryde. The cost would be a one-off sum of £400, plus
£3 a year for 25 years.
RESOLVED:
DRAFT