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Agenda item
Public Question Time (30 minutes)
- Meeting of Annual General Meeting, Charity Committee, Monday, 24th September, 2018 6.30 pm (Item 3.)
Minutes:
A notice had been placed in the local newspaper inviting written questions. No written questions had been submitted.
The Chair invited questions from the public gallery on matters relating to the Trust.
Mr Dick Edwards asked questions of the committee, as follows:-
1. Pelham Beach – will the Trust give a commitment to vigorously examine a way to achieve Blue Flag status and announce a timescale. The Marketing and Major Projects Manager said the Blue Flag criteria is very tough. To obtain a Blue Flag award is difficult while there is an outfall pipe on the beach. He would investigate further.
2. HOTRA suggested a new pedestrian walkway / cycle route be built to ease the pressure outside the Hastings & St Leonards Angling Club and west station on the miniature railway. This new path would start / end by the multi-use games area and pass south of the boat compound to join the path on the south of the boating lake. We submitted a drawing through Coastal Users Group earlier this year but have heard no more. The Marketing and Major Projects Manager said they could not find any record of the question, however they would endeavour to provide an answer if the question was reconfirmed.
3. The Stade Amusement Park changes – what consultation took place with the Trustees and HBC Planners? What independent advice was obtained? Can that be fully reported? Will there be a significant uplift in the site rent to reflect the increased earning opportunities? The Chief Legal Officer said that she would liaise with Planning Services Department and obtain a response.
4. The last Business Plan Review was presented to the Coastal Users Group 24hrs before the meeting. The Business Plan consultation exercise needs to include sufficient time for the community to comment. The Director of Operational Services said he would look into this.
5. Wet play facility – this should be a key project for the Business Plan going forward. The Marketing and Major Projects Manager said there is to be a mini wet play area near the White Rock Theatre above the Source. The wet play area in Bexhill was funded externally by a Coastal Community bid.
The Chief Legal Officer explained that the Foreshore Trust AGM is not the only opportunity that members of the public can ask questions. They can do so at the Council meeting. Rules are in Part 4 of the Council’s Constitution.
The Chair thanked Mr Edwards for his questions.
Mr Russell Hall asked several questions of the committee, as follows:-
6. The Stade Family Amusement Park footpath is not on the definitive right of way. Please consider registering the public right of way as definitive right of way route. The definitive route must be registered by 2026. The Director of Operational Services said he would look into this.
[Background information submitted: The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 contains provisions to extinguish on 1st January 2026 public rights of way before 1949 across Foreshore Trust land not recorded on the Definitive Map of Rights of Way]
7. Planning – you have a duty to notify statutory consultees on planning applications. The Chief Legal Officer said she would liaise with the Planning Services Department.
[Background information submitted: According to government guidance (see:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/consultation-and-pre-decision-matters#Statutory-consultees) the Foreshore Trust is a statutory consultee on planning applications as an adjoining landowner and is under a duty to respond to the local planning authority within a set deadline and must provide a substantive response to planning applications concerning Foreshore Trust owned land or adjacent land].
The Chair thanked Mr Hall for his questions.
Mr Bernard McGinley asked several questions of the committee, as follows:-
8. I am concerned at how the Stade Amusement Park is treated? CUG are dissatisfied. The Chief Legal Officer said she would raise the matter with the Planning Services Manager.
9. The Governance costs are £101,000 per annum. Mr McGinley said he didn’t need an explanation, and as such was a statement rather than a question.
The Chair thanked Mr McGinley for his questions.
Mrs Anne Scott asked several questions of the committee, as follows:-
10. The planning report to the committee regarding the Stade Amusement Park states ‘No Comment’ – were you consulted or not? Councillor Beaney (Chair) said she did not recall seeing the consultation.
11. You have 14 days notice to respond and are running out of time, you will be unable to feed back to the Coastal Users Group. Remove PD Rights for rest of site. Re: Issue of footpath, we have right to walk over it. As owners, please ensure the land is open to the public. The amusement park is open for a quarter of the year, we enjoy it for the remaining time, our needs are more than theirs.The Director of Operational Services said he would discuss the matter with the Planning Services Department and report back.
The Chair thanked Mrs Scott for her questions.
Mr Dick Edwards asked further questions of the committee:-
12. Professional fees increased by £10,000, why such a big increase? The Assistant Director Financial Services and Revenues advised that details would follow:- The costs of professional fees rose from £23,780 in 2016/17 to £33,250 in 2017/18, an increase of £9,470. Although these costs vary from year to year, the main reason for this increase can be attributed to structural works undertaken at the former White Rock baths.
13. Reserves are set at £900,000, do we need reserves of this amount? The Assistant Director Financial Services and Revenues said we need to properly understand future commitments and when this work is being undertaken eg when we undertake resurfacing of carparks and the repair of buildings. £900,000 will be reviewed in light of future risks and liabilities.
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