Finance Minutes 30th January 2007
Minutes of a meeting of the FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 30th day of JANUARY 2007 at 8.00 p.m.
Present:
Cllr Mrs N Woodcock Chairman
Cllr I Andrews Chair Properties
Cllr Mrs A Clish-Green
Cllr D Farrant
Cllr Mrs A Johnson
Cllr P Jones
Cllr Mrs C Keane Mayor
Cllr Mrs J Metcalf
Cllr Mrs Ramsey
Cllr P Sanders
Cllr M Taylor
In Attendance:
Town Clerk
Works Superintendent
Cllr Connelly DCC
One member of the press
502. APOLOGIES
There were no apologies for absence.
503. MINUTES
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 19th December 2006, previously circulated and adopted by Council on 2nd January 2007 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
504. MATTERS ARISING.
a. Goose Fair Costs Minute 437 referred. Members noted a letter received from the Assistant Chief Constable of the Devon and Cornwall Police confirming that the charges levied for policing Goose Fair were proportionate and in accord with modern guidelines. Members agreed that the cause was lost and the matter should be closed.
b. Grants. Minute 444 referred. Members noted the reply from the South Devon Rural Transport Partnership, and that they no longer wished the Town Council to make grants to them.
c. Naming of Roads. Minute 464 referred. Members wished to debate the principle of selecting names for roads, and which committee should be responsible for recommending names to Council. The Plans Committee had commented at Minute 480b that they “believe that this had been within the remit of the Plans Committee for at least the last seven years and should remain so”. Member felt that the Plans Committee had the ability to respond quickly, but their recommendations did not got before Council before being distributed. Street naming was an emotive subject, and Members felt that a formal process might be the best way. A vote was taken, and tied 5 for and 5 against allowing the Plans Committee to continue to name streets. The Chairman declined to make a casting vote and the matter would be decided at full Council.
505. MEETING OF THE PROPERTIES COMMITTEE HELD EARLIER THAT EVENING.
The Chairman of Properties reported that no recommendations with a financial impact had been made.
506. MINUTES OF THE TWINNING SUB-COMMITTEE
Members noted the minutes of the meeting held on 9th January 2000. The Clerk informed Members of a new letter from Celle, and that 5 double rooms had been reserved for the civic delegation to the celebrations 27th to 30th September.
507. MINUTES OF THE GUILDHALL TOILETS STEERING GROUP
Members noted the minutes of the meeting held on 4th January 2007. Cllr Mrs Johnson gave a brief on the latest developments, and that after the consultation the Steering Group was proceeding with the direct access design, with a pitched roof.
508. MINUTES OF THE TAVI REGENERATION STEERING GROUP
Members noted the minutes of the meeting held on 3rd January 2007 and the associated documentation circulated. Cllr Farrant gave a verbal report and introduced the proposal to form the revitalised TAVI document endorsed by the Steering Group. He asked for Council endorsement of the concept of amalgamating the three groups, and the Town Council giving support in kind (office accommodation and services) or a cash contribution to the £15,000 budget. Cllr Sanders emphasised that this would put the Town Council clearly in the lead, and that was in accord with Members’ express wishes. Cllr Taylor wished to add Transport to the activity headings, and this was agreed. Members also wished to see a formal review process at some time in the future. It was then RECOMMENDED nem con, that:
a. The proposal document was endorsed as amended,
b. That up to £5,000 be contributed in cash or in kind, and
c. That Cllr Sanders be deputed as the named Town Council representative on the TAVI Group, with Cllr Mrs Keane as his named stand-in. This to be confirmed after the May elections.
509. 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. Quarterly Outturn. Members noted without comment a copy of the third quarter outturn by code and by budget area.
c. Audit Report 2006. Members accepted a copy of the amended and final draft of the statement of account as at 31st March 2006. They RECOMMENDED that the Mayor and Clerk be given authority to sign the document.
510. BEST VALUE AND AFTER
The Local Government Act 2006 is due to remove the requirement of the Best Value process from Town and Parish councils. As the reviews of services that were part of Best Value are held to be a good thing, and looking to the future of increased community responsibility for local councils, the Deputy Town Clerk had drafted a paper for Members’ consideration and endorsement. They thanked her for this, and noted that the concept dovetailed into the proposal for administering the revitalised TAVI. They accordingly endorsed the paper.
511. HONOURED BURGESS INVESTITURE
Members accepted 28th April 2007 as the date that the ceremony should be held in the Town Hall. The draft form of procedure was endorsed Noted that the Band would not be available to provide the ‘fanfare’, but it was hoped that some alternative could be found.
512. NALC ‘SHAPING COMMUNITIES’ EVENT
Members noted that the NALC sponsored event for larger councils to be held in London on the 13th February 2007 was now fully booked. They agreed that at least one delegate should go to the NALC annual conference in Bournemouth this year, 5th to 7th October 2007. They asked that ‘a n other’ be booked in to reserve a place, the name to be decided after the May elections. Cllr Mrs Ramsey gave a short verbal brief on the last NALC conference, and that she felt attendance to be worthwhile.
513. LOCAL ELECTIONS 2007
The Local Councils Association had issued a publicity booklet designed to help local councils publicise the local elections, and to encourage people to stand as councillors. Members Asked if WDBC could be asked what they intended to do, and that a stall in the Market one Saturday might be a starter.
Cllr Jones left the Meeting.
514. COMMUNITY PLANNING PROTOCOL
Members received a copy of the West Devon Community Planning Protocol for information. They felt it to be an important document, and RECOMMENDED that we invite WDBC to host an explanatory event in Tavistock.
515. HOUSING
This item had been left from Properties minute 501. Cllr Mrs Gibson raised the matter of allocation of social housing in Tavistock. She understood that people from outside Tavistock may be allocated some of the local housing stock, and had received complaints from members of the public about this. Other Members had received the same complaints, and Members had heard of residents in the North Prospect estate in Plymouth receiving letters offering £3,000 inducement to move to Tavistock, and to take over houses with white goods fitted and full carpeting. The WDBC housing services manager had been asked for information, but had yet to respond. Members thought she should be invited to address a future meeting about this matter, and hoped that some information might be available by the Council meeting. Cllr Mrs Clish-Green said that of the 60 or so houses at the new Bishopsmead development, she understood very few were due to go to Tavistock residents. She had some e-mails with information, and would attempt to get them copied to Members.
516. URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN.
Cllr Mrs Woodcock asked that the siting of the pavement running from the Manor development past Courtlands be raised. It appeared to be on the wrong side of the road, and was not as had been agreed by a site meeting. As it currently was, it led people down Rocky Hill and not the safer Town Steps. The narrowness of the new pavement on the right hand side of Spring Hill was also a matter for concern. DCC Highways would be questioned about these matters.
Rising 9.05 p.m.