Minutes of a meeting of the FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 28th day of APRIL 2009at 7. 15p.m.

Present: Cllr H Smith   Chair
Cllr Mrs Govier
Cllr I Jennings
Cllr Mrs A Johnson   
Cllr Mrs J Metcalf
Cllr R Pike
Cllr P Sanders
Cllr Mrs D Sellis   Chair Properties
Cllr D Whitcomb

In Attendance:  Town Clerk 
Works Superintendent 
Cllr Connelly    DCC 
One member of the press

763.  APOLOGIES
There were apologies for absence from Cllr M Harper and Cllr Mrs Ramsey.

764.   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.

765.   MINUTES
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 31st March 2009, previously circulated and adopted by Council on 7th April 2009, were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.

766. MATTERS ARISING
Cllr Mrs Johnson reminded Members of Minute 702d, and the requirement for the Task and Finish Group to formulate the Strategic Objectives for the Council.  They would set a date for their first meeting, but asked all Members to forward their priorities to them for consideration.

767.  MEETING OF THE PROPERTIES COMMITTEE HELD EARLIER THAT EVENING
The Chairman of Properties informed Members that her Committee had discussed the cost of the tarmacing of Pixon Lane (£10,000 out of grounds maintenance), and had recommended the purchase of the 6 marquees for the Square.  Members noted the report on the marquees and unanimously RECOMMENDED the expenditure of £7,412 plus VAT to progress the project.  Noted also the income from the Easter fair of £1,500 and the good reports of the Fair.

768.   MINUTES OF THE STAFFING SUB-COMMITTEE
Members noted the minutes of the meetings held on 7th April and 15th April 2009 presented by Cllr P Sanders. 

a.   Concerning Minute 720b, Cllr Smith asked Members to revise the paragraph as he had wanted the meaning to be different.  It was agreed to delete all of the sentence in line 4 after ‘…running of the General Office’.

b.  Concerning Minute 753b, Cllr Sanders wished to agree a way forward.  Members had received more information about the Deputy Town Clerk post replacement that evening, but he felt that it should be taken back to another Staffing Sub-Committee meeting to debate and move on as quickly as possible.  A further meeting was agreed for Wednesday 6th May.

769.   MINUTES OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Members noted the minutes of the meeting held on 6th April 2009.  Concerning Minute 09.31, Cllr P Sanders was concerned about the seeming drift into on-street parking meters.  He was against such things in the centre of the town.  The matter would be put on the WDBC/TTC Consultative Liaison Group agenda.  Cllr Mrs Johnson felt that parking should be one of the Council’s Strategic Objectives.

770.   MINUTES OF THE TaVi DEVELOPMENT FORUM
Members noted the minutes of the meeting held on 19th March 2009.  Cllr P Sanders wondered where their resources to make grants came from, and was advised that it was Borough money being distributed.

771.   MINUTES OF THE INTERPRETING TAVISTOCK PROJECT
Members noted the minutes of the meeting held on 13th March 2009.   Cllr P Sanders wondered about the aims of the Group and what their constitution and relationship to other similar groups might be. 

772.  GENERAL FINANCE

a.   Accounts   Members considered the monthly accounts for submission to the next Council Meeting, a copy of which is at Annex A.  It was RECOMMENDED that they be passed for payment. 

b.   Outturn.       Noted that due to the annual closedown no financial budget report was available this month. 

c.  Grants.  Members received a grant application from the Tavistock Food and Drink Festival asking for a grant of £1,000 towards their 2009 event.  Having been informed that grants were dealt with during the budget setting process they had asked Members to treat it as an ‘emergency’ request.  There was £2,000 in the grants budget available to last the 2009/2010 financial year.  Cllr Pike reminded Members that the Council policy was only to give grants to organisations or events within the parish boundary.  Others felt that support should be given as the whole Festival had been good for the Town in the past, though their success had relied upon the ‘dropping-in’ of local people.  Now that the Festival was located away from the Town that might change.  It was noted that the Mayor had not been invited to previous Festivals, and the Chair wondered if the benefit to the Town was equal to the cost of the bus service.  It was then unanimously RECOMMENDED that a grant of £700 be given to fund the Tavistock to Morwellham Quay bus service for the Festival.

d.  Civic Ball Members noted an income and expenditure account for the Civic Ball.

773.   FLAG FLYING
Members had been asked by the ‘European Movement’ to fly the EU flag on 9th May.  As this could be seen to be a political statement rather than a statement of national pride (as all the other flag flying days were) Members were asked for guidance as to this request.  We had no EU flag, and cost would be about £50.  Cllr P Sanders was concerned that flying this flag would show that the Town Council had taken a stance on the matter.  The Council had yet to debate the membership of the EU and agree a policy.  There was also the matter of ‘purdah’ before the EU elections.  On a proposal by the Mayor it was RECOMMENDED that we do not fly the EU flag on this occasion due to the link with the election run-up.

774.  CALENDAR OF EVENTS
In accordance with the wishes of the Democratic Processes review a choice of calendars for the next civic year had been prepared, one in the normal monthly cycle, and one with a 6-week cycle of meetings.  Copies were tabled to allow Members time to consider the options before the matter being on the agenda for the AGM.  After some debate about the excessive number of meetings and the work loading of some councillors, on a proposal of the Deputy Mayor it was RECOMMENDED by 7 votes for to one (Cllr Mrs Metcalf) against that the 6-week cycle of meetings be taken forward with some amendments being made before the AGM.  Meetings would continue to be predominantly on Tuesday evenings.

775. 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 debtors to the Council.

776.   DEBTORS
Members received a list of all those who had a debt to the Council dating from earlier than the last quarter day.  They RECOMMENDED that should the cattle market lease not be completed by the 8th May then we would require vacancy of the market, and negotiations would be opened with a wider circle of possible tenants.  Firm action against one small but long outstanding debt was RECOMMENDED. 

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

778.  URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN.
There was no such business.

Rising 8. 30 p.m.

Signed………..………………….

Dated……………………………

 

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