Finance Minutes 27th March 2007
Minutes of a meeting of the FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 27th day of MARCH 2007 at 7.15 p.m.
Present:
Cllr Mrs J Ramsey Vice Chairman in the Chair
Cllr Pike Vice Chair Properties
Cllr Mrs A Clish-Green
Cllr D Farrant
Cllr Mrs A Johnson
Cllr Mrs J Metcalf
Cllr P Sanders
Cllr M Taylor
In Attendance:
Town Clerk
Works Superintendent
Cllr Connelly DCC
One member of the press
630. APOLOGIES
There were apologies for absence from Cllr Andrews, Cllr Mrs C Keane, Cllr P Jones and Cllr Mrs Woodcock.
631. MINUTES
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 27th February 2007, previously circulated and adopted by Council on 6th March 2007 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
632. MATTERS ARISING
a. Green Audit. Minutes 583 and 593e referred. WestDen had forwarded a final draft report, Executive Summary and letter for Members. Cllr Sanders objected to a statement in the letter that “the Council…. doesn’t care for the environment”. He felt that some Members might have different views, and there was yet no Council policy, but the bare statement was not true. Members RECOMMENDED that the Working Party review the final Report, and report back. They asked if any other Members might wish to join the Working Party in these deliberations.
b. Goose Fair Charges. Members endorsed the notes of the meeting held with the Showmen and Traders on the 15th March.
633. MEETING OF THE PROPERTIES COMMITTEE HELD EARLIER THAT EVENING
The Vice Chairman of Properties reported that no recommendations with a financial impact had been made.
634. MEETING OF THE TAVI REGENERATION STEERING GROUP
Members received copies of various documents dealing with the TAVI regeneration. They reiterated that the Local Authorities involved had vision for the future and were prepared to put public money into the scheme. They hoped that future meetings of the TAVI group could be arranged so that the Town Council representative could attend. They awaited the results of the Group meeting the next day.
635. GENERAL FINANCE
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.
636. GRANTS
Members noted four applications for grants, and felt that they had too little information about the various bodies to make reasonable decisions. Cllr Mrs Clish-Green felt that a system should be set up with detailed application forms, and even one or two face to face evenings being held each year to allow applicants to lobby Members. It was RECOMMENDED that these applications should be deferred while the Clerk investigated the introduction of formal application forms and local advertisements to structure applications from groups into tranches during the year.
637. GUILDHALL TOILETS
The notes of the Working Party meeting held on the 8th March 2007 had been circulated on the 14th March with a request that Members indicate any preference for the choice of architect. Cllr Mrs Clish-Green briefed Members on the decisions of the WDBC Environment and Community Committee, that they had gone for Scheme B, with a reduced ‘lettable’ area, and two more female toilets. The few Members who expressed a preference for an architect preferred Pearn and Proctor. Cllr Sanders was concerned about a possible loss of parking spaces in Market Road due to the need for access to the ‘lettable’ unit,
638. TWINNING
Members noted a letter from Miechow in Poland suggesting a twinning arrangement. Cllr Pike had visited the area in the past and confirmed that it was very rural. Members suggested any such twinning would be ‘civic’ rather than the ‘social’ arrangements already existing with Celle and Pontivy. Members also recalled the ties they had with Tavistock in Canada, and wondered if Miechow had any other twin towns? The matter was referred to full Council for debate.
639. URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN.
There was no such business.
Rising 8.00 p.m.