Finance Minutes 30th October 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 OCTOBER 2007 at 7. 20 p.m.
Present:
Cllr H Smith - Chair
Cllr Mrs M Govier - Chair Properties
Cllr M Harper
Cllr I C Jennings
Cllr Mrs A Johnson - Town Mayor
Cllr Mrs J Metcalf
Cllr R Pike - Dep Town Mayor
Cllr Mrs J Ramsey
Cllr P Sanders
Cllr W Sellis
Cllr D WhitcombIn
Attendance:
Town Clerk
Works Superintendent
Cllr Connelly - DCC
One member of the press
325. APOLOGIES
There were no apologies for absence.
326. MINUTES
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee held on 25th September 2007, previously circulated and adopted by Council on 2nd October 2007 were confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman.
327. MATTERS ARISING
There were no such matters.
328. MEETING OF THE PROPERTIES COMMITTEE HELD EARLIER THAT EVENING
The Chairman of Properties reported that two recommendations with a financial impact had been made.
a. Possible legal costs if the Deed of Variation for the land swap was amended again.
b. The costs of progressing plans for the development of Pixon Lane into a car park and depot site. Members asked that a draft budget be made for the professional costs that would now be incurred for such things as project managers, architects and engineering consultants.
329. MINUTES OF THE FORWARD PLANNING, POLICY AND PROGRAMME SUB-COMMITTEE
Members received the minutes of the meeting held on 16th October 2007 presented by Cllr Pike. The Mayor declared a personal interest in minute 302.1. Members noted the suggested precept, and agreed that it was sensible to balance income against expenditure, and that the increase in number of dwellings meant that the average council tax increase would be less than the percentage increase in the monetary value of the precept.
330. MINUTES OF THE TaVi DEVELOPMENT FORUM
Members received the minutes of the meetings held on 20th September 2007 and the 18th October 2007.
331. MINUTES OF THE SOUTHERN PARISHES LINK COMMITTEE
Members received the minutes of the meeting held on 20th September 2007.
332. MINUTES OF THE TAVISTOCK PARKING FOCUS GROUP
Members received the minutes of the meeting held on 26th September 2007.
333. MINUTES OF THE WEST DEVON PARKING STRATEGY GROUP
Members received the minutes of the meeting held on 18th September 2007.
334. NOTES OF A MEETING WITH THE TAMAR VALLEY PROJECT TEAM
Members received the minutes of the meeting held on 12th October 2007. The Mayor reported that she was to attend a meeting on the 14th November to continue to take the matters forward.
335. 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.
336. PLASTIC BAGS
Members noted a letter from the Chamber of Commerce requesting £5,000 financial support for an anti-plastic bag campaign. They understood that the Chamber had been asked to develop an alternative proposal based on the Modbury model. Some Members could not see why public money should be spent on replacement bags, when the problem of plastic bags was one for supermarkets and other outlets that provided them. It was noted that some outlets in Tavistock already provided robust and ‘green’ bags (Crebers and the Pannier Market for example). Members then RECOMMENDED that the Council support the principle of plastic-free bags in Tavistock, but saw no need to support the project financially.
337. FORD STREET AND MAYNARD ALMSHOUSE CHARITY
Members deputed Cllr Mrs Metcalf as one of the Town Council’s two trustees on this charity with another 4 year tenure of office.
338. URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN.
There was no such business.
Rising 7. 50 p.m.