Vice-Chairman : Cllr. J. Buchanan

Cllrs. G. Dann, J. Devlin, J. Garlick, T. Gandy, E. Guest, D. Knight, M. Moore, R. Rapley and T. Stansfield.

District Councillor T. Sargent, Tricia Radmore, Basildon District Council

Day Centre Co-ordinator, Tracey Ridgewell, Basildon District Council

Youth & Community Engagement Co-ordinator, David Britt, Basildon

District Council Environment Health Manager, two members of the public, one member of the press and the Town Clerk.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs. P. Bowditch, C. Dyer, D. Spencer, G. Thurman and M. Wilson. Essex County Councillor K. Twitchen and District and County Councillor T. Hedley had also submitted their apologies.

Members received and considered the minutes of the meeting held on 13^th July, 2006.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 13rh July, be taken as read, approved as a correct record and signed.

The Chairman welcomed David Britt, Environment Health Manager, BDC to the meeting to make a presentation on the Gambling Act 2005.

Mr. Britt circulated to members a copy of the Basildon District Council – Draft Gambling Licensing Policy Statement and said that the legislation was similar to that of the Licensing Act 2003. Basildon District Council as a Licensing Authority, which was a function delegated by the Government, must have regard to the Licensing objectives as follows:

Mr. Britt said that the Gambling Commission was responsible for issuing Operating and Personal licences and the Licensing Authority for licensing premises in which gambling takes place. Premises licensed under the Gaming Act also have to comply with planning regulations. He said that in contrast to the Licensing Act 2003, Parish and Town Councils are classified as interested parties and can make representations in their own right. Once applications have been granted there will be a process for review of the Premises Licence.

Reference was made to the various Premises Licences: Adult Gaming Centres, Family Entertainment Centres, Casinos, Bingo Premises and Betting Premises. With regard to casinos, Mr. Britt reported that the District Council can resolve not to issue any Casino Premises Licences and that Council would welcome comments on the following:

Mr. Britt answered members questions regarding many aspects of the Act and particular reference was made to the definition of a casino. Mr. Britt said that he did not have the definition at hand but there is, within the Act a clear definition and this could be provided. Mr. Britt emphasised the fact that objections under the Act could not be made on moral grounds apart from the policy with regard to the issue of Casino Premises Licences.

It was noted that the comments regarding the Draft Gambling Licensing Policy Statement were required preferably by the end of September; the District Council would have to adopt a policy during December.

Mr. Britt concluded by stating that he would be prepared to attend a future Town Council meeting if so required.

The Chairman thanked Mr. Britt for attending the meeting and making his informative presentation.

RESOLVED: that the information be noted and the Town Council’s response to the Draft Gambling Licensing Policy Statement be forwarded in due course.

(b) Billericay Day Centre

The Chairman welcomed District Cllr. T. Sargent and Tricia Radmore and Tracey Ridgewell from the District Council who had asked to attend the meeting to discuss the Billericay Day Centre Consultation which had just been launched.

Tricia Radmore stated that the Day Centre, Chantry Way, was used during weekdays for over 50’s; there is Luncheon Club provision and various clubs have free use of the facility during the day with Community Groups hiring the Centre in the evenings and weekends. However, as part of the Day Centre Review it has been established that the building is being under-utilised and the outcome of the consultation will assist in improving Centre usage.

The various methods of consultation, including an Open Day event, were detailed and a questionnaire was circulated to all members of the Council.

It was suggested that the consultation should include those people in privately owned Aged Persons’ accommodation. Reference was made to the fact that the Day Centre does not appear to have a caretaker and all users have to move the chairs and tables to accommodate their respective use and ensure that they are reinstated in the correct position at the end of the evening; it was felt that this did not attract users to the facility.

In answer to a question, it was pointed out that the District Council has five Day Centres within the District, three are managed by the Council and two, including the Day Centre in Billericay, are managed by members of the community. As a result of further questions being asked it was apparent that the Day Centre was not being managed very well as the numbers using the facility had declined and there did not appear to be a co-ordinator or managing body. It was noted that bookings are made through the District Council and there is a mobile keyholder. It was also felt that better advertising of the facility should be undertaken.

Cllr. Sargent said that the usage needed to be maximised and there was nothing to stop the community taking control of the facility and getting it back into good management.

Cllr. Stansfield suggested that perhaps this was a facility that the Town Council could become involved in and he also made reference to the fact that there is a Group within the town that is trying to get more youth facilities. Further discussion ensued and it was

RESOLVED: that the results of the District Council consultation procedure be presented to the Town Council to enable members to consider whether the Town Council should or should not further pursue the matter of the Day Centre.

The Chairman adjourned the meeting at 8.25 p.m. to enable a member of the public, a hirer of the Day Centre for an evening event, to speak.

Meeting reconvened at 8.28 p.m.

The Chairman thanked the representatives of the District Council for attending the meeting.

The members of the public left the meeting.

The Chairman reported on the Billericay in Bloom Presentation Evening and thanked Cllr. M. Wilson and all the members of the Working Party including the co-opted representatives for the work they had put in to make the event such a success. He said there were a large number of people in attendance at the Presentation Evening providing an opportunity to meet with a broad section of the public and he encouraged all Councillors to attend the event in future years.

Cllr. Beale then referred to an informal meeting held on 8^th August with District Councillors for the Billericay Wards stating that this meeting had been requested by the District Councillors and as such there was no agenda or minutes taken. He said that, because of the short notice given in respect of the meeting he had felt the most democratic process was to invite the Chairmen of the Town Council Committees to be in attendance. In view of this there were five representatives of the Town Council and five from the District Council, Councillors Turner, Blake, Moore, Archer and Hedley.

It had been made clear at the meeting that no decisions could be made by the representatives of the Town Council as there were procedures which have to be adhered to.

The District Councillors had indicated that they were not informed with regard to issues being raised by the Town Council with officers of the District Council. In this respect the Chairman reported that copies of agendas and minutes were now being sent to the six District Councillors for the Billericay Wards.

The Chairman outlined the discussions which had taken place regarding the following Items:

The Chairman said that clarification had been provided as to how the Town Council operates. It was pointed out that the Town Council precept would not be used to resource functions provided by the District Council. However, if the two Councils worked together on projects it might be possible for the Town Council to obtain external funding which was not available to the District Council.

Although no commitments had been made, the meeting had been very beneficial and it was intended that the format should continue two or three times a year.

Cllr. Beale stated that if Town Councillors contact District Councillors on an individual basis the Town Clerk should be kept informed and he reminded members that there are procedures to be adhered to and individual Councillors cannot act on behalf of the Council.

In answer to a question, the Chairman said there had not been an agenda because the meeting had been called by the District Councillors but for future meetings an agenda would be produced.

Members agreed that these meetings should continue but discussion ensued regarding Town Council representation and it was proposed and seconded that the membership should take the same format as for other Committees/Working Parties whereby the Town Council nominates the Town Council representatives. When put to the vote this proposition was lost.

The view was expressed that these meetings should be open to all members of the Council but it was pointed out that this might not be acceptable to the District Councillors and also it is not so easy to communicate with a large number and often is not so productive.

It was felt however that it would be more democratic to open up the meeting to all members of the Council and it would be very doubtful whether all members would be able to attend. The Chairman said that the next meeting was not likely to take place until the end of the year.

RESOLVED: that (a) when the date of the next meeting with District Councillors is arranged all members are to be notified;

(b) the report of the Chairman be noted.

Cllr. J. Devlin, Chairman of the Committee presented the minutes of the Committee meetings and said the Committee were seeing an increase in businesses changing within the High Street and in this respect one of the concerns was signage issues.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the above meetings be approved and

adopted.

Cllr. D. Knight, Vice-Chairman of the Committee, presented the minutes of the Environment Committee meeting held on 10^th August, 2006.

Cllr. T. Gandy reported that he had attended a meeting of the Neighbourhood Watch and had a report available if any member was interested.

Cllr. Garlick, Chairman of the Working Party made reference to the last sentence on page 11E and said that to read the inscriptions was the most important issue but he was of the opinion that the best way to do that was to conserve the memorial.

Resolved: that the minutes of the meeting held on 10^th August, 2006 be approved and adopted.

Cllr. E. Guest, Chairman of the Committee, presented the minutes of the Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting held on 17^th August and referred to the formation of the Web Design Project Group; he was advised that the first meeting of the Group had taken place.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 17^th August, 2006 be approved and adopted.

Members received and considered:

(a) Minutes of meeting held on 2^nd August, 2006

Cllr. J. Devlin, Vice-Chairman of the Working Party, presented the minutes and stated that the Town Council cannot produce a Town Design Statement or Town Plan but needs to facilitate a Steering Group that would be separate from the Town Council.

RESOLVED: that the minutes be approved and adopted.

Cllr. Guest made reference to Item 5 – membership of the Working Party –

and stated that at the Annual Town Council meeting it had been agreed that

this should comprise of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council

plus a minimum of five members.

In view of this it was:

RESOLVED: that (a) the words "up to a maximum of six (8 members in

total)" be deleted from No. 5;

(b) that in all other respects the Terms of Reference be approved.

Members were informed that notification had been received that the Essex Association of Local Councils’ Annual General Meeting was to be held on Wednesday 20^th September, 2006 at The Essex Barn, Channels Golf Club, Little Waltham at 7p.m. Prior to that, at 4 p.m. a presentation hosted by Essex County Council entitled ‘Making the Links – Working Together For the Future of Essex’ would be taking place and a complimentary buffet tea would be served at 6 p.m.

RESOLVED: that Cllrs. J. Buchanan and M. Wilson attend the EALC Annual General Meeting.

Members were informed that notification had been received that a Special General Meeting of the BATPC would be held on Thursday 28^th September, 2006 at 8 p.m. at Ramsden Bellhouse Village Hall at which all Town Councillors were requested to attend.

As the Town Council representative on the BATPC, Councillor Buchanan informed members that the Chief Executive and Chairman of the EALC would be attending this meeting.

RESOLVED: that the information be noted.

Members were informed that an invitation had been received for the Town Council to be represented at the Essex Strategic Rail Seminar to be held on 20^th October, 2006 at the Central Baptist Church, Chelmsford between 10.30 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. Cllr. Stansfield said that he attends these meetings and it was:

RESOLVED: that Cllr. Stansfield reports to the next meeting of the Town Council on the Seminar.

Cllr. T. Gandy reported on the Basildon District Business Breakfast held at Ford Dunton on Wednesday 12^th April, at which particular mention was made to the Olympics and the fact that it will bring business to the area. He also stated that the Junior Olympics would be staged in Basildon during 2012 and he referred to the new sports facilities that are to be provided in Basildon including the new swimming pool.

Reference was made to the events that are to be staged at Harlow and Brentwood in the 2012 Olympics. With regard to the mountain biking event at Weald Park, Brentwood, Cllr. Knight reported that he was a member of a pressure group trying to stop this event taking place within the park because of the detrimental effect it will have on the wildlife.

RESOLVED: that the information be noted.

Members received the following minutes:

Larger Local Councils Forum – 20^th June, 2006

Executive Committee Meeting – 20^th July, 2006 (circulated at the meeting)

RESOLVED: that the information be noted.

RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 20^th July, 2006 be noted.

There were no members of the press or public present; the member of the press had left the meeting during the course of the evening.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 9.18 p.m.