Monday, April 19, 2010

Questions for the Town Meeting - 11th May 2010

It is a right for each elector to attend the Annual Town Meeting and to asks questions relevant to St Neots. Whether you get the answers is a different matter. In a year where the Town Council has received two damning reports questions need to be asked. If you have some ideas for more questions then please e-mail me or add to the comments section.

My questions for the Annual Town Meeting:

General Questions
  • I understand there is a confidentiality agreement between the Town Council and the former Town Clerk. Who requested this confidentiality agreement and who at the Town Council approved this agreement? 
  • In the year 2012, the Olympics will be in London and Her Majesty, The Queen, will be celebrating her diamond jubilee. What is the Town Council planning to do for both events and what financial provision is being made by the Town Council?
  • Having looked at various other Town Council websites I find this is the only Town Council or Parish Council that holds both the Annual Town Meeting and Annual Council Meeting on the same night. I feel Annual Town Meeting should have a night of its own. What does the meeting feel about this?
  • The Sunfest 2009 had a programme priced at £1. How many were sold? Wouldn’t a better use of the Priorities magazine be as a programme for this event to get to a wider audience?
  • From 1st April 2010, the boundaries of St Neots have expanded to take in areas of Eynesbury Hardwicke Parish and St Neots Rural Parish. What land and responsibilities have been transferred to the Town Council from each Parish Council area?
  • I would like to know what was the outcome of the Audit of the 2007/08 Annual Report and a summary of the auditors findings? What has the Town Council done to address those findings?
  • I would like to know what was the outcome of the Audit of the 2008/09 Annual Report and a summary of the auditors findings? What has the Town Council done to address those findings?
  • After P. Devonald left as Town Clerk, why wasn’t a replacement Town Clerk appointed immediately?
  • With what had gone wrong why weren’t extra resources found to get this Town Council back on the right track?
  • At the meeting of the Town Council on 9th September 2009, it was decided to contract East of England Regional Assembly consultants to carry out a staff structure review. What was the outcome of the review?
  • The Council has an agreement with River Church in which the said Church would provide some fixtures for the Eatons Community Centre. What has the River Church provided a in physical and cash terms?
  • What is the relationship between the Town Council and Pightle Millennium Green Trust? The St Neots 
  • Community College has been in special measures. What extra resources has the Town Council provided to this school? 
  • What land and buildings does the Town Council own or leases as a lessee or lessor? 
  • What is the relationship between the Eaton Socon Institute and St Neots Town Council over Jubilee Hall? 
  • What is the relationship between the Eaton Socon Children’s Playing Field Charity and St Neots Town Council? 
  • Did the Council achieve “Investors in People” in 2009? 
  • With Priorities magazine paid out of Council Tax and delivered to every house in St Neots. Why did the Town Council charge 60 pence for a copy of the damning 2008/09 external auditors report into the Town Council? 
  • Huntingdonshire District Council is planning to cuts spending by £6.1 million. Where will these cuts fall in relation to services  provided in St Neots.
The St Neots Swimming Pool Trust. 
  • What land does the trust own or lease?
  • The Town Council does the administration and charged £1980 for this. According to the Charity Commission website all the returns and accounts that need to be filed, bar one, have all arrived late. Why? 
  • The swimming pool trust get £10k a year from Eat n’ Bowl. Who owns the land Eat n’ Bowl leases? Why does the swimming pool trust get £10k a year?
  • What are the plans for the provision for a new outdoor swimming pool? Will it be a replacement for the pool?
Freedom of Information
  • How many Freedom of Information requests has the Town Council received in the last year? 
  • How many were rejected by the Town Council as being exempt? 
  • What were the ones rejected and for what reason?
  • Have solicitors been engaged to deal with any aspects of Freedom of Information requests and if so how much has this cost?

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