Minutes of a Meeting of the TAVISTOCK TOWN COUNCIL held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 8th day of SEPTEMBER 2009 at 7.00 p.m.

Present: Cllr Mrs M Govier   Mayor
Cllr Mrs S Bailey
Cllr D Best
Cllr M Harper
Cllr I Jennings
Cllr Mrs A Johnson
Cllr Mrs J C Metcalf 
Cllr R Pike
Cllr Mrs D Sellis
Cllr J Sellis
Cllr E Sanders
Cllr P Sanders
Cllr H Smith
Cllr B Trew
Cllr D Whitcomb   D Mayor

In Attendance: 
Town Clerk
Assistant Town Clerk
One member of the press
8 Members of the public

QUIET REFLECTION
Members prepared themselves for the meeting by a few moments of quiet reflection led by Captain Penny Sullivan of the Salvation Army.

POLICE REPORT
There were no police present to make a report to the Council.   

COUNTY COUNCILLOR REPORT
Cllr Mrs Sellis, the Devon County Councillor for Tavistock, was given the opportunity to make a report to the Council.  She covered the reinstatement of the railway between Bere Alston and Tavistock, and that the DCC stance was that it supported this and it was included in the structure plan ‘Devon to 2016’.  They also supported the creation of a recreational walking and cycling route along the old track bed, and this was approved in 2006 as part of the response to the concept of the World Heritage site.  They have completed the acquisition of the old BR Board track bed including Shillamill Tunnel and the viaduct.  In addition rights for the creation of a recreational route along other sections have been negotiated.  DCC has endorsed the principle of forming a joint venture partnership with Kilbride Properties to advance the reinstatement of the railway, but there is yet no formal agreement in place.  Following a meeting she had attended earlier that day she was able to speak of the concerns of the Tavi Riders based at the Youth Café that their wish for a BMX track was not being progressed by the Town Council.  She also mentioned the cessation of DCC funding to Morwellham Quay, and the reason being the lack of a robust business plan and a likely deficit of £300,000.  

PUBLIC QUESTION TIME.

a.   Mr Davies asked what would happen next about the Parish Poll.

Response.   The Mayor read out the Finance and General Purposes minute concerning the Poll.  The matter would be debated that evening to allow all councillors to have a say in the next steps. 

b.   A supplementary question concerned the DCC Councillors report and the plan to re-instate the railway.  Did this mean they would ignore the Poll result? 

Response.   DCC had a long-standing objective to reinstate the railway.  Planning was a WDBC matter.

c. Mr Henshaw asked about the plan to install play equipment at Courtlands Road, and if there would be more consultation.

Response.   The Mayor explained that the play equipment was attracting a £45,000 grant, and was aimed at 8 to 13 year olds, and in particular girls.  Cllr Pike explained that the Meadows had been adequate for play in the past, but now Tavistock was spreading out and local play areas such as Courtlands had become very important for safe, local play.  The grant had come out of the blue, and it would be unwise to turn it down.   There were some heated comments about noise, children overlooking gardens, rowdy behaviour by older children and cars parking on the road outside neighbouring houses.  Local residents thought that Courtlands would become a ‘premier play area’ and attract many people.  The Mayor confirmed that it was intended for local residents children, and not be advertised as a premier area at all.

209.  APOLOGIES.
There were apologies for absence from Cllr E H Sherrell.

210.   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.

211. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING 21st JULY 2009
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting.   Cllr Smith asked about minute 149 and the Town Hall business plan.  He was informed we had 4 responses but they had arrived too late for the current cycle of meetings.  Members asked that they be circulated now as Commercial In Confidence. 

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

212.  MATTERS ARISING.
There were no such matters.

213.   MINUTES OF EXTRAORDINARY TOWN  MEETING 15th JULY 2009
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting.  
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.

214.   PLANS COMMITTEE 21st JULY 2009.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes. 
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.

215.   PLANS COMMITTEE 4th AUGUST 2009.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes.  Concerning Minute 159b it was confirmed that the matter would be dealt with by a Public Inquiry, not a Planning Inspector as written. 
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting as amended be adopted.  

216.   PLANS COMMITTEE 18th AUGUST 2009.
Cllr Jennings presented the Minutes. 
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.  

217.   PROPERTIES COMMITTEE 1st SEPTEMBER 2009.
Cllr Trew presented the Minutes.

a.   Concerning Minute 178 Cllr Sellis complained at the Mayor’s comment that Tavistock had ‘nothing for the young’, as this had been reported in the press and upset the many local clubs and voluntary organisations that did cater for the young.  He felt it to be a misleading statement.  The Mayor confirmed that Tavistock was generally seen not to have so many facilities for the young as for the old, and she classed young as up to 25 or 30 years of age.  Their needs were not considered; i.e. there was no night club in the Town.  She felt the response to the Times article had been that it was good to bring it up for discussion.  Cllr P Sanders confirmed the minute as written was correct. 

b.   The Clerk gave an update on contact with the Tavi Riders.   They were still interested in the old putting green area, and a meeting with their course designer was scheduled for the following week.  They would be able to provide a suggested course design and indicative costings (for them, not the Council) by the next cycle of meetings.  They confirmed that the highest ‘jump’ would be no more than 5 feet, and no trees would be felled, all would be incorporated together with screening shrubs and bushes.  They felt that some fencing would be necessary alongside the canal and by the bowling green.  There would be no hard landscaping, so the site could be put back to normal with the minimum of effort.  Cllr Pike still felt that pressure should be brought to bear on WDBC to allow the BMX track on their spare ground at Kilworthy.  Members were not keen on the idea of any fencing in the Meadows. 

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

218.   FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE 1st SEPTEMBER 2009
Cllr Smith presented the Minutes.

a.   Concerning Minute 185 Cllr P Sanders queried the length of time the Deputy Mayor would be on the G10 committee.  Members decided that it would be for a one year period only, and RESOLVED nem con that the current Deputy Mayor undertake the task with immediate effect

b.   Concerning Minute 188 and parking meters in the town centre.  Cllr Mrs Sellis gave members the DCC stance; that it was up to Tavistock to decide on the matter.  Cllr P Sanders added that such income was part of the DCC financial plan.  He thought the Council needed a clear policy before it could lobby the DCC portfolio holder.  In his view on-street parking charges were not in the interests of the majority of businesses in the Town.  Cllr Sellis reported that the Federation of Small Businesses had approved such a move.  Cllr Trew felt that the idea should be to reduce signs and other clutter to make the most of a traditional town.  He agreed that the County Council would use such a concept  as a ‘milch cow’.  Members felt that shoppers would vote with their cars and go to supermarkets rather than pay to park in the street.  On a proposition by Cllr Smith it was RESOLVED nem con that the Town Council opposed the placing of parking meters in the Town Centre.  The Mayor requested that her abstention be recorded. 

c.  Concerning Minute 190a it was suggested that it was Schedule 4 not Schedule 14 that was involved.

d. Concerning Minute 190b, the Town Council would require the Partnership to sign up to the assurances, not just Mr Plumb.   It was reported that the Chief Executive of WDBC and Mr Eberlie (the Chairman of the THI Partnership Committee) had offered to come to explain matters to the Town Council.  Members agreed that full clarification was required on what it was intended the Town Council had to do, and that the matter had to be deferred until such information was available.  All Members had to be absolutely certain about things before they decided on such large sums of money.  Cllr P Sanders again explained the concept of the use of normally budgeted property maintenance funds being accepted as ‘notional’ matched funding to count towards the HLF grants.  The sum mooted over 5 years was a total of £500,000.  If the Town Council did not sign up to the documents, then any application to the HLF would be pointless.  Matched funding was vital.  There were still issues concerning public buildings, but he believed it was now clear that public buildings used for other purposes (like the Town Hall) were eligible.  Members wondered if maintenance money spent on things like paths repair would count as property maintenance?    Cllr P Sanders felt that the Town Council needed a fresh approach from the Partnership to lay out all matters clearly, and allow an informed decision to be made before budget setting time.  The matter was deferred until the next cycle of meetings.

e.   Concerning Minute 194 it was RESOLVED nem con to institute a system of Action logs.

f.   Concerning Minute 195 and the cycle of meetings, Cllr Smith reported that it had been raised by his Committee to allow Council another opportunity to discuss it.  Cllr P Sanders thought Council had agreed to give the matter a year’s trial, and the pilot had just started.  Cllr Trew was concerned that the number of meetings would increase on the monthly cycle, but he felt that the Council was almost losing control on the 6 week cycle.  Cllr Sellis agreed that the system should be given the year’s trial.  Cllr P Sanders was concerned that if the system was changed now, then many people who had full diaries would have to miss the new meeting dates.  The Mayor was concerned that some people might have to wait 12 weeks for a response from the Council, but was reminded that the Standing Orders allowed the Mayor and Chairman of Committees to make urgent decisions (SO 1.21.7) and later tell Council.  Cllr Trew proposed that the Council revert to a monthly cycle of meetings.  Cllr Mrs Metcalf then proposed an amendment to revert to a monthly cycle after the next AGM.  A vote on the amendment was tied, and the Mayor cast her deciding vote against the amendment, which was lost.  On the substantive motion Members voted 3 for and 7 against.  The result being that the Council stayed on the 6-weekly cycle of meetings until the AGM when the matter would be reviewed.

g.   Concerning Minute 196 Members wished to task Mr Stephen Gill to draft the  response to go to the Public Inquiry following the Parish Poll.

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

219. 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.

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

a.   Cllr Smith reported on the recent cemetery inspection, and asked that the staff concerned be congratulated for the fine condition of the cemeteries.

b.  Cllr Trew reported that the police had commandeered a large part of the Guildhall Car Park during the recent Community Day.  As well as that 12 spaces in Market Road had been blocked off by them.  As the Council had voted not to close the car Park on that date, the Clerk was directed to write to the police explaining that they normally had 8 spaces given to them free by the Council, and that they had had taken 8 more on that day without permission.  A bill for the lost income should be sent.

221.   PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS) ACT 1960
Pursuant to Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 it was RESOLVED that, because of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted, the public and the press leave the meeting during consideration of staffing matters.

222.   STAFFING.
Cllr Trew reported on the result of a matter concerning two members of staff. 

223.   PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSIONS TO MEETINGS) ACT 1960
RESOLVED that the public and press be re-admitted to the Meeting.

224.   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 9. 45 p.m.          Signed.........……………...…..................

Town Mayor

Date...................................................

Email: info@tavistock.gov.uk
Telephone:01822 613529

Town Council Offices Drake Road Tavistock Devon PL19 0AU