12 May 2026 – Minutes (draft)

THAME TOWN COUNCIL

Present:

Cllrs M Baines, P Cowell, A Dite, H Dollman, M Dyer, L Emery, C Jones, S McGarry, H Richards, P Swan, A Wainwright (Deputy Town Mayor) and W Wilde

Officers

M Sturdy, Town Clerk
J Doherty, Committee Services Officer

1) Annual Meeting

Cllr Gilbert and Cllr Dawson are both absent due to personal reasons. In the absence of the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor, Cllr Dyer presided.

2) Election of Town Mayor

It was called for nominations for the position of Town Mayor. It was moved, duly seconded and voted that Cllr Gilbert be elected as Town Mayor.

RESOLVED that:

i) Cllr Gilbert be elected Town Mayor for the ensuing year.

Cllr Gilbert provided a video, which was played to Members in his absence. Thanks were given to Members for electing Cllr Gilbert as Town Mayor for the third term. This is an honour and is not taken for granted. Cllr Gilbert expressed gratitude to Members for their support, help and guidance, which has been appreciated and valued.

Thanks, were also given to the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Dawson, who has served in the role for two years. Cllr Dawson is an engaged Councillor and was a key figure in establishing Thame Pride. Thame aims to be an inclusive, fair, and respectful community for all residents. Cllr Dawson will continue to be an active Councillor, bringing an inquisitive mind that is highly valued.

Cllr Gilbert wished to commend the proposed Deputy Mayor, Cllr Wainwright. On a personal note, sincere thanks to Cllr Wainwright for assistance during a recent incident of ill health. Thanks were extended to Cllr Wainwright for their continued support of the town and community. Cllr Wainwright’s impending retirement will allow greater availability, which will benefit the town while serving in the role of Deputy Mayor over the coming year.

Looking ahead, the Council’s 2050 Strategy outlines aspirations to deliver realistic achievements and objectives, with Thame aspiring to be a sustainable town that promotes wellbeing. Change is inevitable, and Thame has managed change well to date; the Council aims to continue doing so while providing opportunities for all generations. The Council’s projects remain forward-looking, and, as a body of 16 Councillors, decisions will continue to be reached through sensible discussion and careful consideration to ensure the right outcomes and decisions for Thame. Cllr Gilbert acknowledged and wished to celebrate the volunteers and the many organisations in Thame that provide invaluable support to residents.

Members wished Cllr Gilbert a speedy recovery.

Cllr Richards arrived during this item.

3) Declaration of Acceptance of Office by Town Mayor

Members agreed to an extension for Cllr Gilbert to sign the Declaration of Acceptance of Office at a later date.

RESOLVED that:

i) Cllr Gilbert signs the Declaration of Acceptance of Office at a later date.

4) Election of Deputy Town Mayor

It was called for nominations for the position of Deputy Town Mayor. It was moved, duly seconded and voted that Cllr Wainwright be elected as Deputy Town Mayor.

RESOLVED that:

i) Cllr Wainwright be elected Deputy Town Mayor for the ensuing year.

The Deputy Town Mayor’s Chain was handed over to Cllr Wainwright, who, as Deputy Town Mayor, moved to the Mayor’s seat and chaired the meeting.

Cllr Wainwright commented that, as a resident of Thame for 30 years, he cares deeply about the town and its residents. He noted that he will shortly be retiring and will have the time and energy to devote to the role. Cllr Wainwright emphasised the importance of collaboration and open conversation, highlighting that, through the UK Town of Culture project, Thame demonstrated strong community spirit, dedicated volunteers, and significant strengths among its residents and businesses. He also noted the pride in the town and enthusiasm for new ideas.

With thanks to Councillors and Officers, Cllr Wainwright expressed his hope of fulfilling the role by supporting the Town Mayor and ensuring that residents feel heard and valued.

Cllr Wainwright also remarked that Cllr Dawson has done an excellent job over the past two years as Deputy Town Mayor and will be a hard act to follow. He concluded by wishing Cllr Gilbert a speedy recovery.

5) Declaration of Acceptance of Office by Deputy Town Mayor

Cllr Wainwright signed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office as Deputy Town Mayor.

Cllr Wainwright welcomed members of the public to the meeting.

6) Apologies for Absence

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Bretherton (personal), Dawson (personal), Dodds (personal) and Gilbert (personal).

RESOLVED:

i) To accept the apologies and reason given from Cllrs Bretherton (personal), Dawson (personal), Dodds (personal) and Gilbert (personal).

7) Declarations of Interest and Dispensations

Cllr Swan noted full employer name as of 1 April 2026: NHS Thames Valley Integrated Care Board.

Members interests and dispensations are recorded.

8) Public Participation and Public Questions

A representative from Thame Town Cricket Club attended to address the Town Council regarding Item 15.

It was moved to take agenda Item 15, Thame Town Cricket Club immediately next and then return to the remaining items of business on the agenda.

RESOLVED to:

i) To move to discuss agenda item 15.

9) Committee Responsibilities and Structure

The report was received and noted with one addition to responsibilities.

RESOLVED:

i) To approve the Committee Responsibilities and Structure as presented for 2026-2027.

10) Appointment of Standing Committees Membership

The report was received and noted. Members were presented with a proposal for committee membership based on preferences; it has not been possible to accommodate all preferences.

It was noted that the Chairs and Deputy Chairs for each committee will be elected at the respective committee meetings which immediately follow this meeting. It was also noted that the membership of the Personnel Committee will be the Mayor and Deputy, and Chairs of each standing committee.

RESOLVED that:

Cllrs Bretherton, Cowell, Dawson, Dite, Dollman, Dyer, Emery, Gilbert (ex officio), Jones, McGarry, Richards and Wainwright (ex officio) be elected to the Community Services committee.
Cllrs Bretherton, Cowell, Dite, Dyer, Gilbert (ex officio) McGarry, Richards, Swan, Wainwright (ex-officio) and Wilde be elected to the Corporate Governance committee.
Cllrs Baines, Cowell, Dawson, Dite, Dodds, Dollman, Gilbert (ex officio), Jones, Richards, Swan, Wainwright (ex officio) and Wilde be elected to the Environment & Assets committee.
Cllrs Baines, Dodds, Emery, Gilbert (ex officio), Jones, McGarry, Wainwright (ex officio) and Wilde be elected to the Planning committee, with either Cllr Gilbert or Cllr Wainwright expected to attend.
Membership of the Community Services Committee increased to 10 Councillors.
Membership of the Corporate Governance Committee reduced to 8 Councillors.

11) Scheme of Delegations

The report was received and noted. It was agreed that the Scheme of Delegates be approved.

RESOLVED to:

i) Approve the Scheme of Delegations as presented for 2026-2027.

12) External Organisations

The report was received. The council was asked whether to fill the vacancy at Thame Welfare Trust or to remove this as an organisation requiring an external representative from the council.

Proposed to discuss the detail of a second Councillor representative, a second Nominee for the Thame Welfare Trust at a later date, and for the current list of trustees to be available for review prior to discussion.

RESOLVED to:

i) Discuss the detail of a second Councillor representative for the Thame Welfare Trust at a later date.

Members agreed for ThamePride to be formerly recorded as an external organisation with Councillor representation, and for Cllr Dawson to be appointed as Councillor representative.

RESOLVED that:

i) ThamePride be recorded as an external organisation with Councilllor representation and Cllr Dawson be appointed as the council representative for ThamePride.

Cllr Wainwright thanked Cllr Dyer for establishing Thame Youth Memorial Trust and for the support given to ensure the ongoing success.

RESOLVED that:

i) To record that Cllr Dyer resigned as council representative from Thame Youth Memorial Trust and to record that Cllr Wilde be appointed as the council representative for Thame Youth Memorial Trust.

13) Standing Orders

The Officer highlighted the change to the Standing Orders for 2026-2027.

RESOLVED:

i) To approve and adopt the Standing Orders for 2026-2027.

14) Financial Regulations

The Clerk discussed the Financial Regulations.

Following advice received from OALC, a recommendation was proposed in line with the guidance provided.

The Council’s Financial Regulations are based on NALC’s model regulations. Accordingly, it was proposed that the Council consider amending the contract value threshold at which formal tenders are required.

Under Item 5: Procurement, it was clarified that government procurement legislation requires contracts with a value exceeding £30,000 (including VAT) to be published on the “Find a Tender” service using a UK7 notice. This requirement is reflected in Financial Regulation 5.8. It was noted that publication can occur after the contract has been awarded depending on the type of tender.

It was further noted that, in practice, most Council contracts are awarded following restricted tender processes. Attention was drawn to Financial Regulation 5.6 of the circulated regulations, which currently sets the threshold for moving from obtaining at least three quotations to undertaking a formal tender process (open or restricted) at £30,000.

It was proposed that this threshold be increased to £60,000, in line with the NALC model Financial Regulations. It was suggested that, given rising costs and the increasing reluctance of companies to engage in formal tendering processes, this change may encourage a greater number of suppliers to submit quotations. The Council would continue to comply with statutory requirements for advertising contracts exceeding £30,000, as outlined above.

Accordingly, the recommendation was to amend Financial Regulation 5.6 and delete Financial Regulation 5.7 as follows: For contracts estimated to exceed £60,000 (including VAT), the Clerk shall seek formal tenders from at least three suppliers (restricted tender) or advertise an open invitation for tenders in compliance with any relevant legislative requirements. Tenders shall be invited in accordance with Appendix 1.

RESOLVED:

i) To approve and adopt the Financial Regulations as presented for 2026-2027.

15) Working Groups

The report was noted. The various Working Group changes, as approved by relevant committees, were noted and approved.

RESOLVED:

To approve the Working Group structure for 2026-2027.
To approve the updated Terms of Reference for the Capital Project Delivery Team.
To note the updates relating to various working group changes.

16) Thame Town Cricket Club

Matt Swain, representing Thame Town Cricket Club, addressed the Council to seek support, as landlord, for a decision in principle to install a youth training pitch at Church Meadow.

The proposal was presented in response to the Club’s continued growth. It was noted that the Cricket Club is a thriving organisation with excellent facilities, both on and off the field, and plays a central role in the community, attracting both cricketers and non-cricketers. The Club has experienced significant growth, with the junior section now comprising nearly 300 players competing in local leagues, including both boys’ and girls’ teams. The Club also highlighted that it now has nearly 80 girls in the junior section, which is significantly above the average for cricket clubs.

It was explained that the ground at Church Meadow is not large enough to accommodate two full pitches. Therefore, permission was sought to install a small, non-turf single strip (approximately 24m x 3m) to meet the increasing demand for junior cricket for both boys and girls.

Funding options would be explored through Oxfordshire Cricket, the Club’s own resources, and a potential contribution from Thame Town Council to support the development of this recreational facility for the town and surrounding area. Initial discussions had taken place with Officers regarding planning requirements; however, a decision in principle from the landlord was sought prior to progressing with a planning application, due to the site being within a conservation area.

A Councillor sought clarification regarding the submitted plan, which showed a yellow circle and a red circle, each indicating a strip of the same size. It was confirmed that the yellow circle represented the proposed non-turf pitch, while the red circle indicated the existing junior pitch, demonstrating that both could be in use simultaneously.

A Councillor noted that the non-turf strip could be removed in the future if no longer required.

A Cllr sought clarification to the request to install a non-turf strip, why this was not able to remain as turf. It was clarified that non-turf pitches require less maintenance and provide greater flexibility, enabling more frequent use to meet demand.

A Councillor expressed support for the proposal but raised concern regarding any expectation of funding from Thame Town Council, noting that a grant scheme is not currently in place. It was advised that the Council could assist by directing the Cricket Club to relevant county and district funding opportunities.

RESOLVED:

i) To agree in principle that, Thame Town Cricket Club proceed with the project to install a youth training pitch subject to any planning permissions being obtained.

Following this agenda item, the Chair returned the meeting to the formal agenda order. Commencing with agenda item 8.

17) Project Link

A Project Link update was provided by the Clerk. A planning application has been submitted to South Oxfordshire District Council on 5 May 2026 seeking amendments to the existing permission and the discharge of conditions. The proposed amendments will enable the project to be delivered in two phases: the first phase comprising the demolition of the existing changing rooms, and the second phase covering the main construction works. This phased approach will allow works to commence while providing additional time to secure further funding for the overall project.

A decision on the application is anticipated in early July 2026. Subject to approval, demolition is currently provisionally scheduled to commence in the week beginning 13 July 2026. Confirmation of this date is awaited; once confirmed, updates will be published on the Council’s website and communicated to the community, including details of any local impact. Demolition works are expected to take approximately two weeks.

A restricted tender process for the main construction phase was issued on 29 April 2026. The return date is 24 June 2026. This process is being managed by the Quantity Surveyor, who will collate submissions and report to the Capital Project Delivery Team. Contractor interviews are expected to take place in the weeks commencing 13 and/or 20 July 2026, with an estimated start on site in September 2026.

Based on the above timeline, it is proposed that an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council be held on 28 July 2026 to consider tender outcomes and receive an update on project funding. This would be followed by a public meeting in August to provide the community with an opportunity to raise any questions not addressed at the Full Council meeting. These arrangements remain provisional pending the outcome of the tender process.

It was noted that the Capital Project Delivery Team is scheduled to meet on Thursday 14 May. A further update will be provided at an Extraordinary Meeting of the Council on 2 June 2026.

18) Members Questions (under Standing Order 11)

No questions were raised.

19) Minutes

The Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 21 April 2026 were received.

RESOLVED that:

i) The minutes of the meeting held on 21 April 2026 are confirmed as a correct record, and signed by the Chair.

20) Corporate Governance Committee

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 May 2026 were noted.

A member asked for clarification on the CCLA bank. It was clarified that this bank is specifically for charities, churches and local authorities.

The meeting concluded at 7:15pm

Signed ………………………

Chair, 2 June 2026