WELSHPOOL TOWN COUNCIL
TOWN HALL AND MARKETS COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Of a meeting held on Wednesday 1st June 2011 7pm
in the Council Chamber Town Hall Welshpool
Committee
Cllr E Bleivas, Cllr J Corfield, Cllr A Crowe, Cllr M Douglass, Cllr H Evans, Cllr A Holloway, Cllr P Humprheys, Cllr J Meredith, Cllr P Pritchard, Cllr S Squibb and Cllr T Squibb.
Remit
To make recommendations within the area of responsibility to the Full Council and following Council‘s decision to ensure the decisions are enacted.
Authority
The Committees authority is limited to making recommendations to the Full Council and following the Council’s approval to implement such decisions.
Present were:
Cllr A Holloway (Chair), Cllr E Bleivas, Cllr J Corfield, Cllr A Crowe,
Cllr H Evans, Cllr P Humphreys and Cllr J Meredith, Cllr S Squibb and
Cllr T Squibb.
In attendance
Robert Robinson Town Clerk.
1. Apologies for absence.
There were apologies for absence from Cllr Dr J Morgan and Cllr M Douglass.
2. Minutes of the last meeting.
The minutes of the last meeting were accepted as a correct record.
3. Election of a chair for the ensuing year
The meeting elected Cllr A Holloway as Chair of the Town Hall and
Markets Committee for the ensuing year.
4. Election of a vice chair for the ensuing year
The meeting elected Cllr J Meredith as Vice Chair of the Town Hall and
Markets Committee for the ensuing year.
5. Remit of the Committee
The remit of the Committee was confirmed as:
Meetings
The Committee to meet on the first Wednesday of the month at 7pm in the Assembly Room.
Area of responsibility
Town Hall and Markets (indoor and outdoor).
Remit
To make recommendations within the area of responsibility to the Full Council and following Council‘s decision to ensure the decisions are enacted.
Authority
The Committees authority is limited to making recommendations to the Full Council and following the Council’s approval to implement such decisions.
6. Declarations of interest
There were no declarations of interest.
7. Street Market
Update on stalls
The street market has not taken off as well as hoped. The list of 19 traders has reduced mainly due to Towyn Market.
Those on the list have been chased up and will continue to be so. Cllr Holloway expressed the view that she felt it would pick up in time.
It was agreed that some small adverts in the Market Trader looking for stallholders may help. The sum of £200 was agreed to come from the marketing budget.
Disabled parking spaces
The office had several complaints the Town Clerk passed some of them onto Powys via Colin Edwards. The County Council had insisted that no cars were parked on that side of the road when stalls were in place. The County Council was happy to relax this rule for us so we could open the disabled space outside the Severn Hospice. However, if in the fullness of time it is needed for stalls it can be taken out of use again. There is not enough stalls at present to see that happening in the short term.
8. Corn Exchange
Refurbishment of kitchen and toilet
The notes have gone out to regular users and the comments are starting to come back. A suggested design can only be done when all the comments and suggestions have been returned.
9. Market Village
Improvements
Cllr J Meredith, John Dover and the Town Clerk did walk around the market and agreed extra signage to help. The main signs are to the toilets together with a revamp of the old job centre board which can form a market ‘who’s here’ board.
Lettings
Part of the stall formerly occupied by Peter Bacon has now been taken over for a similar use. The remainder has been rented by the café for tables and chairs.
This only leaves a small area for two stalls as you enter the bottom market.
The green grocer has now stopped coming on weekdays and now only attends on Saturdays and Mondays.
10. Planning and listed building applications
Signage
The application has been submitted and is awaiting a decision.
Middle Market windows
The application has been submitted and is awaiting a decision.
External doors
The application has been submitted and is awaiting a decision.
Basement
The application has been submitted and is awaiting a decision.
11. Works to stonework and Heritage Grants
Quotes for the extra works are being gained so that the final application for grant aid can move forward.
12. Seat in middle market
The new round seat in the Middle Market has been ordered.
13. Toilets in the Market
It was pointed out by Cllr Crowe and Cllr Meredith that the gents toilets in the market were poor and needed cleaning.
The Town Clerk is to again chase this up.
PS following the meeting the Town Clerk visited the toilets and although not spotless were not too bad.
14. Water leaks into bottom market
Some minor works to help stop the leaks is being done to the lead guttering and also to pipework in the bar (cleaning in particular). Also the roof over the café is to be extended to close the gap at the end by the main structural wall.
15. New Water Bowser and Flowers
The new water bowser has been ordered.
The flowers to the front of the Town Hall are those which were put up for the Royal Wedding and are to be replaced soon when the other hanging baskets go up in town.
16. Elections and use of Town Hall
The Town Clerk confirmed that the Town Hall was available to PCC for election counts. However, due to the Alernative Votes being included this time PCC moved to the Flash leaving the National Grid Exhibition alone. The exhibition could have been moved to the Corn Exchange.
The County Council has confirmed that they will be wishing to return next May for the County and Local Elections.