Office Relocation - 11th January 2021
Minutes of the Ruskington Parish Council Office Relocation Committee meeting held remotely on Monday 11 January 2021 at 10am via MS365 Teams
Present: Cllr Conway, Cllr Cunningham, Cllr White
Also present: Kathryn Locke (Clerk)
Apologies: Cllr Tonge
No members of the public were present.
The Chairman opened the meeting at 10am.
1. Apologies for absence.
Cllr Tonge was unable to attend the meeting and a valid reason for absence was known.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept Cllr Tonge’s reason for absence. Proposed by Cllr Conway, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and approved unanimously.
2. To receive Declarations of Interest under the Localism Act 2011.
None were declared at this time.
3. To approve as a correct record the notes of the last meeting held remotely on Monday 23 November 2020.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to accept the notes of the meeting as Minutes and an accurate record. Proposed by Cllr Cunningham, seconded by Cllr White and approved unanimously.
4. Update on the expenditure of the office relocation to date.
There was no change in expenditure. The invoice for the CCTV cameras and the final invoice for the office counter installation were awaited.
5. To receive an update on the counter for the parish office.
This was due to be installed mid-January 2021 with the exact date to be confirmed.
6. Update on the installation of CCTV cameras inside and outside the property and a doorbell with camera to ensure the security of the property and the safety of the council employees.
The cameras had been installed on 30 November 2020, were in use, and were working.
7. To consider the quotes and fees for architects to draw up plans for the property.
Two quotes for converting the rear of the property into office units had been circulated prior to the meeting. Committee members queried if a change of use to business units was a practical and cost-effective proposal.
Action: The Council to agree the future use of the current residential part of the property.
8. To receive the outcome of the public consultation survey which ended on 30 November 2020.
2555 surveys had been circulated (one to every Ruskington household). 210 responses from residents had been returned, of which 173 (82.38%) were in favour of the Council borrowing money to purchase a parish office and 36 responses (17.14%) were not in favour. 1 response (0.48%) was invalid.
9. To resolve whether to exclude the public and press, in accordance with the Public Bodies
(Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960, to discuss the following legal and contractual matters.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED to move into closed session. Proposed by Cllr White, seconded by Cllr Cunningham and agreed unanimously.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 10.15am. As no members of the public were present the meeting re-opened at 10.15am.
10. To receive a valuation and Red Book Survey of the office property and its grounds and agree the next steps.
A second valuation and a survey had been undertaken on 5 January 2021 and the report was awaited. The valuation was known by the committee.
Action: The Committee RESOLVED for the Clerk to write to the property owners to inform them that the valuations received were less than the landlord’s valuation of the property.
11. To agree the date for the next meeting.
The next meeting to be held on Monday 25 January 2021 at 10am.
The meeting closed at 10.27am.