Properties Minutes 30th January 2007

Minutes of a meeting of the PROPERTIES COMMITTEE held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 30th day of JANUARY 2007 at 6.30 p.m.

Present:
Cllr Andrews Chair
Cllr D Best
Cllr Mrs M Gibson
Cllr Mrs M Govier
Cllr Mrs A Johnson
Cllr Mrs C Keane Mayor
Cllr R Pike
Cllr E Sherrell
Cllr B Trew
Cllr Mrs N Woodcock Ch F&GP

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

490. APOLOGIES
There were no apologies for absence.

491. 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.

492. MATTERS ARISING

a. Bedford Mile. Minute 380 referred. Members noted the result of discussions with Tavistock College about the arrangements for the Bedford Mile. In brief:

  • The Guildhall Car Park would be closed on the 1st April (the roads will be closed anyway, so there would be no entrance or exit).
  • Runner registration would be in the colonnade from 11.00 am onwards.
  • The Market would be open from 8.30 am to 4.00 pm.
  • There would be stalls on Bedford Square.
  • There would be entertainment in the Town Hall from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm – bands etc. The Bar would be open.
  • The Rundle Room would be used for VIP guests of the College.

The evening entertainment would be at the Wharf. In accordance with Members resolution the gross takings from the Market that day would be donated to the College athletics fund, and there would be no charges raised for the use of the Town Hall. Members felt that donating bar profits as well would set a precedent for other functions, and felt that the bar function should be separated from the other events of the day.

b. Micro-hydro power. Minutes 434 and 465b referred. Cllr Pike reported that he had completed the Environment Agency extraction questionnaire, and made the normal points that there had to be adequate water in the canal, and that the Council wanted to see a healthy river. So far as the power generation concept was concerned he wished the Council to write to Bodmin to ask for a meeting of the Tavy Water Resources Group to be convened to discuss it. Cllr Trew had produced the briefing note at Annex A that was received by the committee with thanks. Noted that we had contacted the Devon Association for Renewable Energy (DARE) to see if they would be able to undertake a Tavistock-wide renewable energy study on the same lines as they have recently undertaken for Totnes.

492. WORKS SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT
Members noted the report at Annex B.

493. MARKET REEVE’S REPORT
Members noted the report at Annex C. Cllr Mrs Govier had concerns about the planned changing of the opening time for the Market gates from 6.30 am to 7.30 am. It was explained that many traders had been packing up and leaving much sooner than the 4.00 pm set time, and that in an attempt to ensure that they stayed on but without making the day too long, the later opening had been accepted as a appropriate measure by the NMTF committee and the majority of the traders to whom they had spoken. Cllr Mrs Govier thought that this was more than an operational decision and that she and the Sub-Committee should have been consulted. Members felt that there might be problems with parking and that traditionally the gates had been opened early to suit a very few individuals. Members RECOMMENDED that a compromise time of opening at 7.00 am be instituted.

494. TOWN HALL MANAGER’S REPORT
Members noted the report at Annex D.

495. DEPOT RENTAL
Members noted that negotiations about the latest rent review for the Depot had concluded with agreement reached at £15,200 per year from 1st April 2006. With the arrears and new level of rental the 2007/2008 budget for this facility would require increasing from £16,020 to £21,182. Members RECOMMENDED this increase but felt that we should continue to look for better-suited alternative sites.

496. TREES
An extract of the latest arboricultural report concerning the felling of three lime trees in the Churchyard and two in Abbey Chapel churchyard had been circulated. The Tree Preservation Group had seen this report, and Members noted their comments. Mr Fyfield-Shayler was present in the Chamber and Members asked him to give a verbal confirmation of his views. He agreed that these five trees were diseased and dangerous, but felt that work short of felling could remove the dead wood and lighten the tops. Members felt that public safety could not be taken lightly, but directed that expert advice should be taken on the concept of pollarding to keep the trees but reduce the danger. It was fair to question the original report to see what alternative action might be possible. Some Members wondered if the trees would still be attractive after such radical work, and if it was not time to remove them and replace them with semi-mature trees rather than saplings. Perhaps local businesses could sponsor a tree? Members heard that the Works Superintendent had already spoken to Mr Woolley, and he stood by his original report recommendations. The Chairman stated that public safety had to be paramount, but that Mr Woolley should be again asked about the pollarding concept. It was then RECOMMENDED that if after further consideration nothing had changed, then the work in the churchyards should proceed quickly as recommended. Mr Woolly was also to be asked to confirm the grading for two cypresses in Dolvin Road. The Works Superintendent confirmed that action had commenced some time ago to stop strimmers from damaging tree bark. Any damage still seen was historic.

497. SUSTAINABLE GARDEN
The Mayor had been working on initiating the creation of a special demonstration garden that would be based on using ecologically-sustainable methods of gardening, and act as a showcase to interested residents and visitors to the town. The support of WestDen’s ‘Communities in Action’ project had been requested to help get the project off the ground. A preliminary meeting had been held on the 24th January with experts in the field, landscape gardeners, local conservation projects, gardening clubs and voluntary organisations to discuss possible sites and the way ahead. The Mayor gave a brief verbal report about the meeting, and that a site visit was planned for the 14th February to select suitable sites for the garden, to be confirmed by the next Properties Committee meeting. Members said that the old bowling green was a disabled asset, and should not be touched. Sites at Pearces Meadow, the plantation between Dolvin Road and the River and the top of the Whitchurch open space were suggested. Members also asked that plans and costings should be produced before any decisions were made about committing land or resources to this concept.

498. PUBLIC BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS) ACT 1960
Pursuant to Section 1(2) of the Public Bodies (Admissions to Meetings) Act 1960 and having regard to the confidential nature of the business to be discussed it was RESOLVED that the press/public be excluded from the Meeting for the following item of business involving contracts.

499. TOWN HALL BAR RENOVATION
Members had agreed to undertake renovation of the Bar during the 3 months that the Hall was closed, and committed £15,000 to the project in the budget for 2007/2008. Tenders had been obtained from 3 concerns, and had been opened by the Chairman in the presence of the Committee before the meeting commenced. The Works Superintendent had examined the tenders and reported that the prices ranged from £32,587 to £43,074. After some debate Members agreed that this would be a large spend for no increase in income as the users of the Bar were a ‘captive’ audience. It was RECOMMENDED that we had no option but to prudently cancel any such major work on the Bar at this time.

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

501. URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN.
Cllr Mrs Govier spoke of the request that Cllr Mrs Gibson had made asking for information about the allocation of housing at Tiddybrook. This was properly on the agenda for the Finance and General Purposes Committee even though she and Cllr Mrs Gibson were not on that Committee. She had asked for information from the WDBC housing services manager, but had yet to receive a reply. 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 matter was left until the following Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting.Rising 7.50 p.m.

Rising 7.50 p.m.