Agenda and minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Charter Trustees.

Apologies were received from Councillors J Bagwell, J Beesley, J Butt, N Greene, M Haines, M Howell, M Iyengar and P Miles.

Apologies were also received from Graham Farrant.

Charter Trustees are required to comply with the requirements of the Localism Act 2011 in respect of the declaration of Disclosable Pecuniary Interests.  Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To receive the minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2019 and to consider any matters arising.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 October 2019 were confirmed as a correct record and signed subject to clause 12 Charter Mayor’s Report (bottom page 1 top of page 2) reading as follows:

The Trustees were advised of key events including the annual visit by the Chernobyl Children to Poole.  The Mayor reported that being away from the contaminated area for 4 weeks adds up to 5 years to their life.

The Charter Mayor will report on her engagements since the last Charter Trustees meeting on 9 October 2019.

The Charter Mayor updated the Trustees on her activity since the last Charter Trustees meeting on 9 October 2019.  She explained that over the Christmas and New year period there had been no events.  She reported on the type of events she attended including openings and launches such as a care home in Oakdale, a tree hotel, unveiling a defibrillator and the community fridge in Branksome Library, Shows including Hairspray and Christmas concerts, meeting Santa at the Quay and many Christmas events. She highlighted the events involving Children and Young people including an event dealing with the rights of children. 

The Charter Mayor referred to the regalia talks undertaken by the Civic Team and that lots of people were not aware of the mayoral artefacts.  She explained that the talks provided an opportunity for people to learn about the civic heritage of the Town.  She thanked Gary Richards and Mike Weetman, from the Civic Team on the commentary they provided for the talks.

The Charter Mayor referred to the recent Holocaust Memorial Day event that she had attended.  She touched on how much the town relies on volunteers which encouraged her to arrange her civic service to celebrate the community and provided an opportunity to thank the volunteers for their work.

RESOLVED that the Charter Mayor’s report be received and noted. 

The Charter Trustees are required to set the budget for 2020/21 and any subsequet precept for submission to BCP Council by 31 January 2020.

The Charter Trustees considered a report on the proposed budget and precept for 2020/21, which had been circulated to each Trustee and a copy of which appears as Appendix ‘A’ to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Charter Trustees were advised that they were required to set the budget for 2020/21 and any subsequent precept for submission to BCP Council by 31 January 2020. 

The Charter Trustees were referred to paragraph 2 of the report and the appendix attached to the report which set out the base budget for 2019/20 agreed at the last meeting on 9 October 2019, the proposed budget for 2020/21 and the projected outturn for 2019/20.  Officers in presenting the report referred to some key issues following a meeting with the Mayor and budget signatories detailed below:

·          Until the 2019/20 budget was agreed in October 2019 expenditure was minimal which has had an impact on the projected outturn for 2019/20.

·          Hospitality budget – the outturn figure shows a variance to the base budget.  Historically Poole Mayoralty has not had a separate hospitality budget.  It was proposed that the budget was maintained at the base budget level to enable Charter Trustees to review and monitor the hospitality requirements of the Mayor as the wishes of the Mayor on the level of hospitality they wish to undertake each year will vary. 

·          Civic Regalia – this budget funds the purchase of the past mayors/escort badges including maintenance and repair of the civic regalia, robes and hats.

·          Training and Conferences – this included the attendance by the Sheriff at the Annual AGM of the Association of City and Town Sheriffs of England and Wales (NACTSEW) which was a 3-day event which can be held in any one of the 15 City or Towns with a Sheriff.

·          Flowers – purchased for 100^th birthdays and milestone anniversaries etc.  Charter Trustees were advised that it was difficult to know exact numbers for any Mayoral year as the civic team was advised on an ad hoc basis of such events.  

·          Mayor Making – the shadow Charter Trustees on 30 April 2019 had agreed that the first Annual General Meeting of the Charter Trustees be held on 7 June 2019 at 11 am and would be followed by a buffet lunch in the Cattistock Room.  The Hospitality arrangements for the Mayor-Making event may vary according to the wishes of the Mayor which may impact on the available budget.  The reasons for the projected outturn for 2019/20 was due in part to the cost of the buffet which was £7.50 per head.

·          Remembrance Day – proposed to maintain at base budget level to accommodate the cost implications of any increase in potential security threats and the improved PA system.

·          Clothing and Uniforms – cost of replacing maintaining and dry-cleaning uniforms for the civic team.

·          Vehicle Hire – the Charter Trustees have a civic party of 4 therefore when all are attending the same event a large vehicle was required and hired on a case  ...  view the full minutes text for item 19.

The Charter Trustees are asked to consider the order of precedence for Civic Events.

The Charter Trustees considered a report on the order of precedence for Charter Trustee civic events, which had been circulated to each Trustee and a copy of which appears as Appendix ‘B’ to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

A Charter Trustee referred to concerns which had been raised on the order of precedence and the importance of continuing the historic traditions of the mayoralty and the provisions of section 6 of the Trustees Standing Orders.  She referred to the length of service of previous Borough of Poole Councillors which should be recognised alongside previous traditions.  Reference was also made to the Remembrance Day Service in 2019 and the role which the Vice-Chairman of BCP Council had undertaken at the Service.  The Honorary Clerk’s representative explained that such invitations to Charter Trustee events would be for the Mayor to identify.

RESOLVED that:

(a)  section 6 of the Standing Orders of the Charter Trustees be amended as follows in respect of the Order of Precedence:

Order of seniority of service to be determined by way of  total service to the former Borough of Poole in addition to service to the Charter Trustees for Poole and then by way of alphabetical order

(b)  Charter Trustees use the blue robes for civic events other than the civic party.

The outcome of the ballot for the role of Sheriff for 2020/21 will be reported at the meeting.

Officers reported on the outcome of the ballot for civic roles for 2020/21 and confirmed that Councillor Tony Trent was the Sheriff designate for 2020/21.

A Charter Trustee explained that being Sheriff does not automatically mean that they will progress to being Mayor the following year, although the Honorary Clerk’s representative advised that it had been a matter of custom for many years. The Mayor explained that the process provided for an open ballot.

RESOLVED that the above report be received and noted.

The Mayor reported that several issues had been raised for discussion.  She suggested that a further meeting be arranged for a few weeks time and a date be circulated to Charter Trustees.

RESOLVED that arrangements be made for a Charter Trustees meeting in a few weeks time and a date be circulated.