Minutes:
Pw Circuits Factory Request For Two Bins
PW Circuits factory on Canal Street requested the installation of two wall mounted litter bin outside the factory premises and to the southern part of Countesthorpe Street.
Action:
The Chair agreed to follow up this request.
A Request For A Bin On Saffron Road
The proposal for a dog mess bin was put to the Residents. Eleven Residents were in favour. There were two abstentions and no votes against. The proposal was carried.
Action:
It was agreed to fix a bin on the green near to Saffron Road to stop people binning their dog mess in a residents plants.
Christmas Capers
Christmas Capers will be held on Saturday 2nd December 2017. The South Wigston Traders’ representative asked for a grant of £3,500 for the event, saying he was ‘letting the Forum off lightly this year, as he will be coming back for more later’.
The Leader of the Council stated that Forum awards are up to residents, not up to Councillors, and he was waiting for someone to propose making an award.
A resident proposed an award for Christmas Capers.
One resident stood up and said it had been agreed at the March meeting that proposals should be brought to a meeting with proper paperwork and accounts before any funding was awarded, and that no vote would be taken until the following meeting. She stated that the proposal didn’t fit those criteria and emphasized that the Forum should stick to those principles of what had been agreed and information should come to the Forum before any vote. She felt that the proposal for Christmas Capers went against openness and accountability. She spoke directly to the traders’ representative stating that this wasn’t anything personal to the traders but she felt unable to stay for the vote and couldn’t attend Forum meetings if they were run in this way. She left the meeting.
Two other residents then asked what they were being asked to vote for, as they were unclear.
Residents then took a vote by a show of hands on allocating this award. Seven residents were in favour, seven were against, and there was one abstention. The vote was not carried.
Forum Budget - General Discussion
A Resident expressed the view that proposals should be sustainable – not one-off projects. There had never been a proper discussion about the purpose of Forum funding, or the importance of making sure that projects are good value for money with lasting benefit to the community. There should be time on the next agenda to discuss properly what residents want from Forum spending.
The Chair said the Finance Director, Martin Hone was working on an updated process for how proposals were to be brought to the three Forums.
The Chair said she wanted Residents to have a say in decision making and agreed this would be placed as an agenda item for the next meeting in September.
The Chair said the Policy and Finance Committee was the final arbiter for endorsing funds awarded. There were checks and balances in place for approving or not approving the funding awarded at Forum meetings.
Action:
Place discussion of the purpose of Forum budget, and residents’ involvement in decision making, as items on the September Forum agenda.