Annual Report

Leigh-on-Sea Town Council

CHAIRMAN'S ADDRESS 2006-07

 

The year ending on 31st March 2007 proved to be a significant year for the Town Council. In November we achieved quality parish council status. This allows us to build on our relationship with Southend.

Parish charters set out how we can work in partnership with Southend and the enhanced role that we can expect to play as a quality parish council.

Certain functions can be devolved under parish charters to Leigh Town Council from the principal authority - Southend.

We have already approached Southend and we look forward to negotiating a charter with them. We will need to engage their Chief Executive, officers, the leader of the council and borough councillors in the debate.

Our vision is, to work in partnership with Southend, to deliver improved services at an acceptable cost to residents and businesses in Leigh.

 

We also received recognition for our community transport programme. We received a community empowerment award from the National Association of Local Councils and the Commission for Rural Communities. We won the south east award and came second in the national awards.

Acknowledgements are due to Cllr Donald Fraser who has chaired the Community Transport sub committee since it was formed, to Karen Lane who has been in charge of administering the scheme for the last 5 years, to Louise Burfoot who preceded Karen, to Keith Threadgold who voluntarily organises the annual mystery tour and to all our volunteer drivers and escorts.

 

More information regarding these achievements is given in the individual committee reports that follow.

 

We are very appreciative of the help and support received from Mr David Amess, constituency MP for Southend West.

David gives of his time freely to support the events arranged by the council.

We have enjoyed working with him over the last year on two major projects: -

 

  • Restoring a bus service between Belfairs and Leigh. Although nothing seems to have happened there has been much work behind the scenes and we thank David on behalf of the hundreds of residents that have been adversely affected by the loss of the two services for the work he has put in.
  • David supports us in our quest to have CCTV installed in the Broadway shopping areas and the old town. This is a major project and too much for our small budget to accommodate. We intend to approach some of the large businesses for financial support, through their head offices, and David has agreed to add his name to ours and the police when we write to these companies.

 

One of my principal aims has been to improve our council's profile and to ‘get our message across'. I believe that we are achieving this and the award of quality status acknowledges that we are engaging and consulting with residents.

Parish and Town Councils are the first tier of government and are best placed to hear and understand the wishes of the community by listening to residents and taking an interest in community groups' activities.

 

I close by thanking our excellent Town Clerk, Geoff Fulford, for all of his efforts over the last year. We are right to be proud to have someone of Geoff's quality who is a real asset to Leigh-on-Sea.

Thanks also to his hard working assistant Karen who presents the smiling face of council to the hundreds of visitors who visit the office each year and to Rev Steve Woolley, Council Chaplain, from West Leigh Baptist church who has supported us in many activities over the year.

Finally my very grateful thanks go to my fellow councillors. Firstly for electing me as their Chairman - secondly for putting up with me - and thirdly for the tremendous work that they have put in during the year.

 

 

Councillors: 

Elms Ward

                Cllr Carole Mulroney, 01702-475117 Cllr. Hilary Davison 01702-472640 Cllr. Caroline Parker 01702-558444 

St James Ward

Cllr Margaret Cotgrove 01702-472527  

Bonchurch Ward

 Cllr Mike Dolby ,01702-710624 

Thames Ward

Cllr Bruce Bolton 01702-714012, Cllr David Vaughan 01702-715688

Herschell Ward

Cllr Donald Fraser 01702-476082 Cllr John Wren 01702-559105 

Leigh Road Ward                      .   

Cllr Mrs Elaine Crystall 01702-474047 Cllr Jerry Holden 01702-477592 

Highlands Ward

Cllr Bill Abbot 01702-558705 Cllr Mrs. Pat Holden 01702-477592Cllr Mrs Jean Rowswell 01702-713570  

St. Clements Ward

Cllr Mrs Reta Cocks 01702-474987 Cllr. Peter Dolby 01702-473781 

Staff:Geoff Fulford         Town Clerk   Bob Allan-Smith       Allotments Maintenance Tel: 01702-716288    e-mail: leighcouncil@btconnect.com

 

   LEIGH-ON-SEA TOWN COUNCIL                                                            Accounts 2005-6                                                   Income and Expenditure Account               31/03/05                                                                                                            31/03/06               £                                                                                                                           £                                                      INCOME         4,712.50                                 Allotments                                                                  3,716.69         4,986.50                                 Community Transport                                                  5,426.50             57.00                                 Donations                                                                        74.00             36.07                                 General Administration (income)                                   2,354.00         2,460.43                                 Interest on Investments                                               3,501.60         6,041.38                                 Leisure & Tourism                                                        7,037.29     120,731.00                                 Precept                                                                   152,675.00              1,783.00                                                                         Premises          .                   0.00     140,807.88                                  INCOME TOTAL                                                      174,785.08                                                      EXPENDITURE         1,202.19                                 Affiliations                                                                   1,179.85       21,898.60                                 Allotments                                                                  7,541.11         4,397.10                                 Bus Shelters                                                               2,857.01         1,101.04                                 Capital Equipment                                                              0.00         9,533.68                                 Community Transport                                                10,162.95         6,675.91                                 General Administration                                               12,127.78         1,510.00                                 General Purposes                                                           822.00       29,557.75                                 Leisure and Tourism                                                   24,736.48       11,483.29                                 Premises                                                                    4,355.42             97.00                                 Re-imbursement of Councillors’ Expenses                         204.90         8,475.00                                 S. 137 Payments                                                         8,652.50       41,449.39                                 Staff                                                                         44,727.79           600.00                                  Legal Fees                                                             .           0.00     137,980.95                                  EXPENDITURE TOTAL                                            117,367.79                                                                                                             Balance as at 01/04/05                                                9,147.42                                                      Add Total Income                                                    174,785.08                                                                                                                                    183,932.50                                                      Deduct Total Expenditure                                          117,367.79                                                                                                                                      66,564.71                                                       Transfer to/ from reserves                                        -41,829.00                                                    Balance as at 31/03/06                                                  24,735.71   LEIGH-ON-SEA TOWN COUNCIL                       Consolidated Balance Sheet            31/03/05                                                                                                                31/03/06               £                                                                                                                           £                                Current assets              2,449.79        VAT Recoverable                                                              1,690.06                234.00        Debtors                                                                                50.00                697.62        Payment in Advance                                                              21.00            84,764.24        Cash in Hand & at Bank                                                 129,972.77            88,145.65      TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS                                                                   131,733.83            88,145.65      TOTAL ASSETS                                                                                  131,733.83                              Current liabilities                    0.00        Loans Received                                                                     0.00                    0.00        Temporary Borrowing                                                            0.00            19,246.73        Creditors                                                                        5,878.02              2,366.50        Receipts in Advance                                                         1,906.10            21,613.23      TOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES                                                                 7,784.12             66,532.42      TOTAL ASSETS LESS CURRENT LIABILITIES                                        123,949.71                    0.00        Long Term Borrowing                                                             0.00                    0.00        Deferred Liabilities                                                                 0.00                    0.00        Deferred Credits                                                                    0.00                     0.00                                                                                                              .        0.00             66,532.42      NET ASSETS                                                                                      123,949.71                                Represented by              9,147.42       General Fund                                                                                      24,735.71                 500.00       Earmarked Reserves                                                                                                                               Notice Board                    700.00                                    TOTAL EARMARKED RESERVES                                   700.00                56,885.00       Capital Reserves                                         Strand Wharf              55,129.00                                         Youth Facility              43,385.00                                  TOTAL CAPITAL RESERVES                                       98,514.00                                                                                                                                        99,214.00                   66,532.42                                                                                                                                       123,949.71