Minutes of a Meeting of the TAVISTOCK TOWN COUNCIL held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 2nd day of DECEMBER 2008 at 7.00 p.m.

Present: Cllr R Pike   Town Mayor
Cllr Mrs M Govier  Deputy Mayor
Cllr I Jennings
Cllr C Jenkins
Cllr Mrs Johnson
Cllr Mrs J C Metcalf
Cllr E D Sanders
Cllr P Sanders
Cllr E H Sherrell
Cllr H Smith
Cllr D Whitcomb

In Attendance:  Town Clerk
Cllr Connelly   DCC
Mr R Plumb    WDBC
One member of the press

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME.
There were no questions.

QUIET REFLECTION. 
The meeting commenced with Members preparing themselves for the meeting by a few moments of quiet reflection led by Reverend Michael Brierley of St Eustachius Church.

467.  APOLOGIES.
There were apologies for absence from Cllr D Best, Cllr M Harper, Cllr Mrs J Ramsey, Cllr B Trew, Cllr Mrs D Sellis and Cllr J Sellis.

468.   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.

469. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING 4th NOVEMBER 2008.
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting.   It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.

470.  MATTERS ARISING.
There were no such matters.

471. MINUTES OF EXTRAORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING 10th NOVEMBER 2008.
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting.    
It was then RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.

472.  MATTERS ARISING.
Concerning Minute 396f, Cllr Smith reported on the meeting the three standing committee chairmen had held to discuss the comments on the Conservation Area Management Plan and Character Appraisal.  He tabled a draft set of comments for Members consideration.  Cllr P Sanders was a supporter of the project as a whole, and felt that the Town Council should be seen to be positive about the matter.  He understood that no-one was signing up to provide specific sums of money in the future at this point, but were asked to support in principle.  Cllr Mrs Govier was concerned that some Members had not been seen to support their Chairmen in their efforts, as this was such an important project for Tavistock.  She confirmed that the chairman of the Tavistock Town Heritage Partnership Committee would be asked to allow the Clerk and Works Superintendent to join his committee.  Cllr Smith confirmed that the letter of support did not yet commit the Town Council to providing £200,000 of grant support.  Members then unanimously RESOLVED to endorse the tabled comments, and to direct the Mayor to sign the draft letter of support.

473.   PLANS COMMITTEE 11th NOVEMBER 2008.
Cllr Whitcomb presented the Minutes. 
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.

474.   PLANS COMMITTEE 25th NOVEMBER 2008.
Cllr Whitcomb presented the Minutes.  
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.

475.   PROPERTIES COMMITTEE 25th NOVEMBER 2008.
In the absence of both the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Properties Committee the Mayor presented the minutes.   Concerning Minute 438b(2) the Clerk informed Members that our professional advisors had confirmed that the negotiations of the heads of terms for the renewal of the livestock market lease had gone too far to be able to now reasonably insist on a change to demand payment for the use of Pixon Lane during market days. It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.

476.   FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE 25th NOVEMBER 2008
Cllr Smith presented the Minutes.

a.   Concerning Minute 446d members debated the Pixon Lane car park project.  Cllr Sherrell insisted that the tax payer should not be asked to subsidise the project, and that it had to be self funding.    Members could not justify a subsidy of between £27,000 and £37,000 a year, and felt that it would be sensible to defer the project at least until after the Unitary status of Devon had been decided.  If that change came about then the Town Council would probably bid to take over all the car parks in Town, and matters might then change.   Cllr Smith confirmed that the £6,400 spent so far on the project had been reasonable expenditure on mining surveys of the land and detailed plans to be used in the consultation.  Members said that car parking was still a problem, and that the Parking Focus Group should continue to look at the matter.  Cllr P Sanders felt it might be right not to defer the whole project, but to look at the provision of the new Depot building and income generating rental units.  We should not loose sight of the car parking problems, but that could come later.  It was then unanimously RESOLVED to defer the car park project, while working closely with the Parking Focus Group, and to progress the project to build a new Depot and rental units.

b.   Concerning Minute 447, it was unanimously RESOLVED to set the precept to £418,200 for 2009/2010.

c. Concerning Minute 456 the following councillors volunteered to form the working group to set strategic objectives and performance indicators for the Town Council:

Cllr Mrs Govier, Cllr Mrs Johnson, Cllr Pike, Cllr P Sanders, Cllr Smith.

It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted. 

477. TO RECEIVE SUCH COMMUNICATIONS OR REPORTS AS MAY BE SUBMITTED BY THE TOWN MAYOR AND TO PASS SUCH RESOLUTIONS AS REQUIRED.
The Mayor reported on his trip to Celle at the weekend, and the civic celebrations surrounding the installation of the new bell in their tower.  Herr Dr Biermann was soon to retire, and Members agreed to write a suitable letter to him on that occasion.

478.  URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR

a.   The Mayor had been approached by the commander of the Army Cadet Force about instituting the position of ‘Mayor’s Cadet’.  It was agreed that the concept would be investigated further and the Mayor would report back. 

b.   Cllr P Sanders reported that he had attended the 2-day NALC ‘Place Matters’ conference in London for larger town and parish councils, and also the 6-monthly Dartmoor National Park Forum.  He would provide a brief on these matters before the next meeting.

479.   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 7.40 p.m.          Signed.........……………...…..................

Town MayorDate...................................................

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Town Council Offices Drake Road Tavistock Devon PL19 0AU