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Cabinet Member for Finance Decision Meeting
Tuesday, 20th October 2026 at 10:00am

 
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  1. Councillor Patrick Coleman
  2. Councillor Patrick Coleman
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  1. Officer
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  1. Webcast Finished

Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:00:00
So is the webcast live and running?
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:00:04
Thank you very much.
This is a cabinet member decision making decision.
I'll start again.
This is a cabinet member decision making meeting.

1 Cabinet Member Introduction

And it has opening protocols, which I'm going through now.
I'd like to welcome those listening and watching.
And the subject is Boughton
on the Water Tourism Levy Consultation
and Allocation of Funds.
So this is an occasion on which we can decide, I say we, it's a cabinet decision in consultation
with officers, how to spend the money raised by the Wharton on the Water tourism levy.
So the webcast is running.
My name is Councillor Patrick Coleman, I'm cabinet member for finance.
The officers present are Mandy Fathers.
Thank you, yes.
The officers present are Claire Locke, our Executive Director for this area of work.
Maria Wheatley, our Parking Manager.
Helen Jones.
What's your title? Excuse me for not knowing.
Great. Parking Support Delivery Officer. So as a result of public consultation
process in Boughton on the water, the recommendation is that the available
money, is allocated to nine projects, one of which is a new proposal, and this is for
one year only, to use money normally used for reseeding of the green, instead to be
used for a feasibility study and implementation of environmental planning schemes.
And I think because the scheme as it stands now has been running for something like six
and a bit years, we have got quite a bit of experience in how to best use the funds raised
from effectively the tourists when they park.
and I'll go through the list of the projects being recommended and the sums.
Enforcement presents, we shall allocate £10 ,000.
An additional camera, £11 ,682.
Instal, stroke, remove, I suppose remove, stroke, instal.
Village railings, £900.
Some additional railings, £3 ,500.
pounds, funds towards Christmas lights, £1 ,000, upgrading the white gates to £3 ,000 and surfacing
Cemetery Lane, £2 ,000, and replacing a fence at the Nate Play area. Now the Nate Play area
I believe is not within the area visited by tourists in any number, is that correct? But
And the view is that if it weren't for the tourists, then the children of the village
would be able to play in the green areas that are occupied, sorry, that welcome tourists.
And so it seems reasonable to me to invest the funds in that.
It is connected to tourism in that way.
And the new proposal which I mentioned earlier for the implementation of environmental planning
schemes now. I ought to mention that some of these items, I think that I did say,
are for regular funds that we use every year. The provision of the village warden
and match funding for parking enforcement and the additional parking
enforcement between Christmas and New Year. There was a consultation. Was this in
the form of, does anybody know what form the consultation took? Thank you.
Officer - 0:04:37
The consultation was online but also there were paper copies available at
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:04:50
various locations within Boughton village. We know offhand how the level of
response compares to previous years whether we've had a similar turnout as
it were. Fortunately we don't have that information. It's a great example in my
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:05:04
view anyway a partnership with a parish or town council in this case definitely
a parish council very very very important never to forget that Boughton
as a village and it's also welcome that it's been carried forward as a partnership for
this many years and therefore I'm very happy to go on to the next stage in the process
which is we've got no contributions from the public. Cabinet member, that's me, has asked
some questions and therefore I will come to my decision.
Which is, sorry?
I can't quite get to my decision yet.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:05:56
I do totally agree.
Of course, thank you so much for reminding me.
Officer - 0:06:04
Thank you.
I think you've given all the highlights of the report.
For the consultation, I believe that it's a good response from people.
And we had 150 out of the 219 respondents giving some additional suggestions,
which was very useful and which contributed to the officers supporting
and suggesting that we make the change from reseeding the village green every year to
carrying out the study which will enhance the area, possibly change the area with some
new planting or possibly pathways to create more of a sustainable environment in that
area.
I don't think I have anything else to add. All the other items I believe you have mentioned.
But I am pleased to say today we have £44 ,000 in the levy funding already.
So that's from April to September.
Thank you very much.
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:07:22
Anything else to add from officers to ensure that I behave correctly and fully understand what I'm doing?
Okey -doke. Well, I should add my thanks to the members of the District Council for the Baughton Village,
who also, they have the 365 day a year issue, because it doesn't go away in the autumn and winter,
of trying to ensure that residents get the best possible life experience out of living in such a popular location.
So, I can now make my decision, I think, can I?
Officer - 0:08:08
Just for the record, could I just have you confirm that you don't have any declarations of interest on this matter?
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:08:17
Thank you very much. Yes, I have, I do confirm that I have no interest that I can declare.
He said, no, nothing to do with port. I've got no interest that I need to declare with respect to this decision.
Perfect. In that case, yeah, you're welcome to give your view and the reasons why, please.
Officer - 0:08:43
Councillor Patrick Coleman - 0:08:44
So, yes, I'm going to approve, my decision is to approve the recommendation and the reasons
are as follows.
First of all, this is a continuing process.

6 Decision

We have had five years of experience.
It's benefited the community and will go on benefiting the community, helping as far as
possible to mitigate the adverse effects, such as they are, from substantial numbers
of tourism. There's been a very proper process in making certain consultations
being carried out. It's been an opportunity for people to submit views which can be
recorded and taken into account and indeed have been for this year's programme
which has had this change that I mentioned earlier and was explained
added in. And you've just given me the receding of the green to be put aside
for one year instead of a feasibility study. So those are my reasons and thank you very
much for attending and thank you for watching if you were.