PADDOCKWOOD TOWN COUNCIL
The Podmore Building, St Andrews Field, St Andrews Road
Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6HT
Telephone: 01892 837373
www.paddockwood-tc.gov.uk
MINUTES OF A MEETING OF PADDOCK WOOD TOWN COUNCIL HELD ON Monday 22nd January 2024 at 7.30 pm in The Day Centre, Commercial Road, Paddock Wood
PRESENT:
APOLOGIES: Cllr D. Dray,
IN ATTENDANCE: Mrs N Reay, Clerk to the Council, Ms E Small, Deputy Clerk
Mrs T Maxwell, RFO, Mr C Smith, Estates Manager
1 resident
The Chairman opened the meeting and thanked members for attending. The Clerk advised that to re-visit the decisions that had been made the previous week the Town Council would need to pass a resolution to suspend Standing Order 7a. This was allowed for in SO24.
Cllr Atkins proposed, Cllr Mobbs seconded:
That the Town Council should suspend Standing order 7a for the purposes of the meeting.
CARRIED unanimously.
C121 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
C122 BUDGET 2024/25
Members discussed the budget for 204/25. The RFO explained that an error had been found in the final figures for the precept and the funds from one cost centre had been omitted from the total. Once included the precept would increase to £861,559 which would represent a 2% increase on the previous year.
Members could either keep the budget the same and increase the precept or make some cuts to the budget.
The RFO put forward some suggestions as to where savings could be made on the budget.
The chairman then advised that he would allow members 3 minutes to speak on the issue. Following a discussion, the chairman agreed to increase this to 5 minutes should members require it.
The following points were raised during the debate:
- There should have been more options to consider.
- Agreed that budget that had been APPROVED would allow for investment in the community centre and the estates team.
- Additional estates staff and facilities are required for the proposed improvements.
- The RFO was thanked for the her work on the proposed revisions but the budget should remain the same and precept increased.
- There have been years of underinvestment in the town council owned facilities and there was little spare cash last year for improvements.
- 2% increase is still below the rate of inflation.
- Would support the budget it as it is
- Could remove the £20k for the zip wire to reduce the budget.
Cllr Kent proposed, Cllr Hamilton seconded:
That the budget should remain the same and the precept increased to £861,559
CARRIED: 9 in favour (Cllrs R. Atkins, S. Hamilton, D Kent, A. Mackie, T. Mobbs, M. Munday, D. Sargison, J. Thompson, C. Williams) 2 against (Cllrs R. Moon, N. Maari)
C123 DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will take place on Monday 19th February 2024.
The meeting closed at 8.07 pm
