BURTON BRADSTOCK PARISH COUNCIL

 

Minutes of the Special meeting held on Thursday 30^th October at 8.00pm in the Reading Room, Burton Bradstock.

 

Present: Cllrs: A.Mackie, D.Venn, P.Toms, S.Pett, P.Dutton, D.Dixon, K.Broad, L.Comley, F.Moore (Clerk), P.Colbert, C.Wilkinson, (Village Society), J.Bown (Ex Postmaster) and two members of the public.

 

The chairman stated that the meeting would initially be for the Parish Council members, but he would open the meeting later for everyone to have an input.

 

1. To provide the Chairman with a clear mandate in relation to dealing with the Post office and Shop business.

The Chairman explained in detail all of the business with regard to finding a new sub postmaster and shop keeper for the Burton Bradstock Post office. (Details of this resume are attached). The detail covered all aspects from the 1^st July 2008 to the present moment.

The Chairman explained that the meeting had been convened at the request of two councillors, one a chairperson of a committee, as per the standing orders. The meeting will discuss a clear mandate to be given to the Chairman to give him the ability to further actions relative to the Shop and the Post office. The mandate is required because of the rapidly changing scenarios that have and are being encountered.

 

S.Pett stated that as Finance Committee Chairman, she was extremely concerned about the large cheque that was raised, for the purchase of the stock and the fixtures and fittings by the Parish Council as this was against the relevant standing orders currently adopted by the Parish Council. S.Pett felt that an independent valuation should be done and that negotiations should take place between the two tenants, outgoing and incoming and not with the Parish council.

 

A.Mackie stated that due to the situation continually changing and that up to the date of the issue of the cheque no one had been appointed by the Post office. Therefore the Parish Council needed to maintain the opening of the shop and the Post office. In order to do this the Parish Council needed to purchase the stock and fixtures/fittings from J.Bown. Currently the candidate has been offered the position, subject to security checks, so she is still not totally confirmed as the new sub postmaster. The heads of the three committees were advised and kept up to date by email.

The Chairman reported that he had spoken with the Council’s solicitors, to include in a lease details about stock valuation and negotiations between outgoing and incoming tenants.

 

P.Dutton reported that when he took over the Post Office and shop he paid £1800 for stock and fixtures and fittings. In 2004 he bought fixtures and fittings to the value of £1300, of which the Council then paid £750 towards them. (This included the carpet Tile Flooring, Swivel Chair, Wooden Counter and three Floor to Ceiling Shelving Units). When he left in 2006 J.Bown paid £1300 for stock fittings/fixtures. P.Dutton expressed concern about the current high valuation of the stock and fixtures/fittings.

S.Pett also stated that after subsequent information she was also concerned about the value of stock and fixture and fittings.

 

D.Venn stated that he had been informed of what was happening by the Chairman and that copies of the email had been sent to other Committee Chairman for information and a response. Although there were some concerns he felt that the Chairman was acting in good faith on behalf on the parishioners in order to keep the Shop and the Post office open, through difficult and changing circumstances.

 

S.Pett stated that we should move forward and try to resolve the matter with a firm and honest settlement for all parties concerned.

 

D.Dixon asked why were the Parish Council paying for the stock and the fixtures and fittings? A.Mackie responded that it was an interim arrangement to keep the shop open until the new sub postmaster can take over fully the Post office and the Shop.

 

Discussion took place regarding future options in order to move forward:

1)    The value of the stock should be a compromise between the outgoing and the incoming tenant.

2)    A professional valuer should do an audit.

3)    The stock could be removed from the shop by the outgoing tenant.

 

S.Pett proposed that the Parish Council should not take any further interest in the matter of negotiation of stock and fixture and fittings values.

 

P.Toms asked the Chairman at this time to close the meeting and open it to the floor so that others in attendance could give their points of view.

 

This was agreed.

 

J.Bown reported that the stock check he had done was at the full selling price, and he had applied the same percentage rates as P.Dutton had also used in the past. He had deliberately run down the stock, in particular, perishable items.

He stated he was very disappointed by the cancellation of the cheque and the lack of notification of the meeting to resolve the matter. He stated that he had a written agreement from the incoming tenant to purchase the stock, fixtures and fittings. He also asked the Chairman if he was aware of the legal ramifications of actually cancelling a cheque. The Chairman replied that the cheque was cancelled as it was against current standing orders, and that evidence had been obtained by the Council that there could be some irregularities in the valuation of the stock, fixtures and fittings.

 

M.Southgate stated that the Parish Council had to run the shop and the Post office for three months when they had first taken over the facility, due to the successful candidate deciding to withdraw. Therefore a precedent has already been set for the current action that the Chairman had taken. A mutual agreement was made with both parties regarding the value of stock etc. The Parish Council needs to act as and when the need arises, and situations are always changing.

 

A.Mackie stated that the actual quantity of stock etc needs to be verified. In hindsight and because of the continuous changes the Parish Council should have done a full stock check.

 

S.Pett proposed that ‘The Parish Council should withdraw from negotiations relating to stock, fixtures and fittings and that the outgoing and incoming tenants should resolve this matter. The Parish Council advises them to agree on an independent and professional valuer to identify the value of the stock, fixtures and fittings.

This was seconded by P.Dutton and was unanimously agreed by the Council.

 

The Chairman stated that he still required a mandate to resolve the current issues at the shop and the Post office, the selling of stock owned by J,Bown, the payment of rent and utilities, the removal of stock, items that G.Holdcroft has purchased etc.

After discussion it was agreed that more meetings needed to be held on a regular basis to manage the current position until the new sub postmaster was in place. It was agreed that four councillors should form a Working Party to monitor the situation and to meet in the Reading Room on a Tuesday morning.

 

D.Dixon asked if an agenda item at the next parish council meeting could be the setting up of a system to ensure that all councillors are informed about Council business on a regular and effective basis.