Town Council Minutes 2nd June 2009
Minutes of a Meeting of the TAVISTOCK TOWN COUNCIL held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 2nd day of JUNE at 7.00 p.m.
Present: Cllr Mrs M Govier Mayor
Cllr D Best
Cllr I Jennings
Cllr Mrs A Johnson
Cllr Mrs J C Metcalf
Cllr R Pike
Cllr E Sanders
Cllr P Sanders
Cllr Mrs D Sellis
Cllr J Sellis
Cllr E H Sherrell
Cllr H Smith
Cllr B Trew
Cllr D Whitcomb D Mayor
In Attendance: Town Clerk
One member of the press
Nineteen members of the public
QUIET REFLECTION
Members prepared themselves for the meeting by a few moments of quiet reflection led by Rev Tim Treanor of St Eustachius Church.POLICE REPORT
Sgt Dave Anning, the Neighbourhood Team Leader was given the opportunity to make a report to the Council. He reminded Members of the Designated Public Place Order that was now in place and that the police would be enforcing the Order from next weekend. He invited members to come out on patrol with officers one evening to see problems for themselves. He answered questions about the number of police on duty, and their organisation.
COUNTY COUNCILLOR REPORT
The Devon County Councillor for Tavistock was given the opportunity to make a report to the Council, but declined due to the imminent elections.
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME.
a. Residents from the Buddle Close area questioned the Council about plans for a BMX track in the Banawell Street open space. They reminded Members that the area was residential, and had poor access to the main road. Were there any proposals to regulate the use of such a track at night, to keep motorcycles off the track and were any traffic calming measures to be placed on Drake Road? They thought alternative sites near Crowndale were more appropriate. Who would be responsible for maintenance of the track, and what alternative areas would be found for those using the open space now? What consultations would there be?
Response. The Mayor asked Ms Vicky Lloyd (Youth Café manager) and Ms Pippa St John Cooper (Devon Youth Service Manager for the South Hams and West Devon) who were present to respond. They explained how the BMX Group were based at the Youth Café, and had been planning the project for some time. They had held an open meeting at the Wharf last Thursday to explain the ideas, but agreed there would be room for more consultation. Motorcycles would be kept off the track by appropriate design features. They felt the Group would not be any less respectful to residents than those people currently using the area. They both lived close to the Banawell Open Space so knew it well. The Group would clean up the site and maintain it. There would still be areas for dog walking etc, and the track would be environmentally friendly. They felt the area was sometimes used inappropriately in the evenings now, and the track would stop such use. Sgt Anning explained that in his view the Group were a good group of young people, and not the over-18’s that the Designated Public Place Order was designed to control. The Mayor explained that the matter was on the agenda as it was the only site the Town Council had to offer when approached by the Group. We were at a very early stage at looking at the concept, and if it went forward then local residents would be consulted. It was confirmed that the group would raise all the funds, and no costs would accrue to the Council.
b. Mrs Meneer of the Old Folks Rest Room committee asked if Members had received her letter of the 11th May?
Response. She was assured it had gone to all Members with the documentation associated with the grant request on the Finance and General Purposes Committee agenda for the 26th May. The Mayor explained that the Finance Committee had made certain recommendations that would be debated later that meeting.
047. APOLOGIES.
There were apologies for absence from Cllr M Harper and Cllr Mrs Ramsey.
048. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST.
Councillors were reminded to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in any item to be considered at the meeting.
The Mayor then moved the item concerning Co-option to the next item of business.
049. CO-OPTION
a. Members considered the co-option of a councillor for the South Ward. Copies of application forms had been circulated to Members. Three of the four applicants were present to make a short presentation. It was the RESOLVED that the one who was not present was not to be considered.
b. It was then RESOLVED to suspend Standing Order 1.6 to allow voting by ballot.
c. The three applicants made short presentations, and then left the Chamber. Members then voted and after 3 ballots Mrs Susan Bailey was selected by an aggregate majority. Mrs Bailey signed her Declaration of Acceptance of Office and joined the council meeting.
d. It was then RESOLVED to re-introduce Standing Order 1.6.
050. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING 5th MAY 2009.
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
051. MATTERS ARISING.
There were no such matters.
052. MINUTES OF ANNUAL TOWN MEETING 18th MAY 2009
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting.
Cllr Mrs Sellis said it was Cllr Sellis not her that had asked a question about the LDF on the third page.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted
053. MATTERS ARISING.
There were no such matters.
054. MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 19th MAY 2009
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted
055. MATTERS ARISING.
Cllr Sanders complained that the new cycle of meetings was not a strict 6-weekly cycle. The Clerk explained that it was not possible to force a strict 6-week cycle when matters such as leaving the whole of August free, the long break over Christmas and other events happening on Tuesday nights such as the Goose Fair celebrations and the tying of the AGM to a set date in May all got in the way. Members then RESOLVED by 8 votes for and 3 against that the schedule should be tried for a year.
056. PLANS COMMITTEE 29th APRIL 2009.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes.
Concerning Minute 784d Members asked if a reply to the letter to WDBC about Manor Oaks had been received, and were told no. Cllr P Sanders informed Members that it was a DCC Highways matter, as they had approved the design brief and had told residents it complied with their standards. To support the residents pressure was needed on DCC. By 7 votes for and 6 against it was RESOLVED The Mayor would write to the residents expressing concern and sympathy with their plight, though it was agreed that the residents letter had been to the Mayor of WDBC, and only copied to town councillors for information.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
057. PLANS COMMITTEE 13th MAY 2009.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes.
Concerning Minute 807b, Cllr P Sanders commended the planning summer school to Members. It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
058. PROPERTIES COMMITTEE 26th MAY 2009.
Cllr Trew presented the Minutes.
a. Concerning Minute 021 Cllr Pike volunteered to be part of any liaison group with the BMX club.
b. Concerning Minute 022, the Mayor explained that the request from the police to close the Guildhall Square car park for the Open Day on the 5th September may have been misunderstood. There were 24 agencies taking part on what was a Community Action day, and such a thing had been held in previous years. Cllr Sherrell was again against closing the shopper’s car park, and suggested there would be less disruption if the agency stalls used the perimeter of the Market. Members agreed that the car park should be shut on the very minimum of occasions. The recommendation not to shut the park on the 5th September stood.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
059. FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE 26th MAY 2009
Cllr Smith presented the Minutes.
Concerning Minute 034c, Cllr Sherrell agreed that a market rental should be charged for the Archway unit as that was Council policy. However, the Old Folks Rest Room was along-term community asset and he felt that the Council should be more generous in the grant they offered to offset the rent. He proposed a £3,000 a year grant. Cllr Smith explained how the figure of £1,900 had been arrived at by his Committee. They had looked at the outgoings (rental) and the investment income according to the accounts and the difference was £1,900. Cllr Mrs Metcalf was concerned about the refusal to fund building works in the Archway unit. Cllr Trew emphasised that the Old Folks Rest Room Committee accounts had shown funds set aside for building works in the future. They were only one group out of many in Tavistock that asked for help, and the Council’s criteria was need. No other group with such reserves would receive any grant at all. A proposal that the grant be increased from £1,900 to £3,000 was defeated by 10 votes against and 2 votes for.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
060. TO RECEIVE SUCH COMMUNICATIONS OR REPORTS AS MAY BE SUBMITTED BY THE TOWN MAYOR AND TO PASS SUCH RESOLUTIONS AS REQUIRED.
There were no such reports.
061. URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR
a. Members were reminded of the Standards Training being held by WDBC on the 23rd June, and non dual-hatted Members were encouraged to attend.
b. The clerk explained that due to the move to the 6-weekly cycle of meetings, the planned date on which the accounts were to be adopted (30th June) was no longer a meeting day. We had tried to get the auditors to agree to a delay in adoption until the next scheduled meetings date on the 14th July but they had refused. We either had to convene a special council meeting, or depute a committee to adopt the accounts on the Council’s behalf. The Forward Planning, Policy and Programme Sub-Committee were suggested as a suitable alternative. It was then RESOLVED nem con that the sub-committee meet on the 30th June with the power to adopt the accounts.
062. SEAL.
RESOLVED that the seal be affixed to the various Deeds and Documents to be made or entered into for the carrying into effect the several decisions and matters approved.
Rising 8. 20 p.m. Signed.........……………...…..................
Town Mayor
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