Agenda and draft minutes

To elect a Chairman of the Lower Central Gardens Trust Board, until the first meeting of the 2022/23 municipal year. 

Councillor Williams was elected Chairman of the Lower Central Gardens Trust Board, until the first meeting of the 2022/23 municipal year.

Voting: unanimous

To elect a Vice Chairman of the Lower Central Gardens Trust Board, until the first meeting of the 2022/23 municipal year. 

Councillor Bull was elected Vice Chairman of the Lower Central Gardens Trust Board, until the first meeting of the 2022/23 municipal year.

Voting: unanimous

To receive any apologies for absence from members of the Lower Central Gardens Trust Board.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillor M Greene. 

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

Councillor Bartlett declared an interest as a Director of BH Live and BH Live Enterprises but fully took part in the meeting. 

To consider and agree items to be included in a forward plan for the Board.

The Board discussed items of business relating to the Lower Central Gardens Trust, which they would like to feature on a forward plan.  It was agreed that the following items would be included:

• Update on who has maintenance responsibility for the Lower Central Gardens toilets.
• A progress report on the café and eating establishments situated in the Lower Central Gardens.
• An update on the Aviary, including governance arrangements.
• An explanation of the remit of the Trust Board, including a map of the area defined as the ‘Lower Central Gardens’; how the gardens have operated in the meantime and looking forward for future sustainable use of the gardens.
• The following standard items would be included on each Agenda: parks update; events updates; and financial monitoring. 
• There would be an annual item regarding the approval of the accounts – this would need to be timetabled. 

It was RESOLVED that a forward plan be maintained for the Trust Board, which would be included on each Agenda and would commence with the items as detailed above.

Voting: unanimous

To acknowledge the changes to the current membership and vacancies within the membership of co-opted members of the Board. 

The Board noted the changes to the membership of the Board including the reappointment of Mr Roger Boon and the retirement of Mr Bernard Uzzell, who had served his two successive three-year terms.  The Board acknowledged the work Mr Uzzell had done on behalf of the Board. 

It was advised that there were currently two vacancies of the external membership, which would need to be advertised for suitable candidates to apply for, by the Service.  However, as a Council wide review of the governance of Trust Boards was to be carried out in the new year, any recruitment would be delayed until the timetable of the review was known.  An update would be given at the next meeting, following the one to be held in January. 

To consider potential dates for future meetings of the Board, in relation to the business needs of the service.

It was suggested that meeting be held in January 2022 and then a further one later in the year, if it was felt it was needed. 

The Company Accountant confirmed that the annual accounts and audit plan were expected to be received by 11 January 2022, so a meeting towards the end of week commencing 10 January would be appropriate for the purposes of the signing-off of the accounts.  The Company Accountant would liaise with Democratic Services regarding the meeting date. 

It was agreed that items for the next meeting, in addition to the accounts, would include updates on the general state of the gardens and aviary, whilst an update on the Winter Wonderland 2021, would be presented to the following meeting. 

It was RESOLVED that a meeting would be held in January 2022, which include an item to consider the annual accounts.

Voting: Nem.con