Town Council Minutes 3rd April 2007
Minutes of a Meeting of the TAVISTOCK TOWN COUNCIL held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 3rd day of APRIL 2007 at 7.00 p.m.
Present:
Cllr Mrs C Keane Town Mayor
Cllr I Andrews
Cllr D Best
Cllr Mrs A Clish-Green
Cllr D Farrant
Cllr Mrs Govier
Cllr Mrs A Johnson
Cllr P Jones
Cllr Mrs J C Metcalf
Cllr R Pike
Cllr Mrs J Ramsey
Cllr P Sanders
Cllr E Sherrell
Cllr M W Taylor
Cllr B Trew
Cllr Mrs Woodcock
In Attendance:
Town Clerk
Cllr R Connelly DCC
One member of the press
Four members of the public
QUIET REFLECTION.
Members prepared themselves for the meeting by a few moments of quiet reflection led by the Mayor.
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME.
a. Ms Laithwaite reminded Members of the wish of the Green Garden Project Steering Group to be allocated land in the Meadows. They felt that Bannawell Street open space had difficulties with access, parking and was not level.
Response. The matter would be raised at the appropriate time during the meeting.
b. Mr Kirkpatrick drew Members attention to Minute 637, and that the plan for the new toilet block was open access. He wished the subject to be discussed again, and asked if Members felt another public meeting was needed.
Response. The matter would be raised at the appropriate time during the meeting.
POLICE REPRESENTATIVES
Inspector Ian Milligan was present to introduce himself to Members, and was accompanied by some of his local team, PC Simon Raeburn and PCSO Kevin Williams. Members asked about the replacement of the local traffic warden. Inspector Milligan agreed that this was an issue, but that the Devon and Cornwall Police had withdrawn from such parking enforcement and it was now a county council responsibility. Some PCSO’s had powers to deal with parking but that was not their main role. He agreed that action should be taken to find a way to manage the parking problem. Members asked if he had an ‘abstraction’ problem, loosing officers to other areas. Inspector Milligan felt that he did not, just normal manning issues. Members asked if they could expect to see more police on the streets in the evenings, as some had experienced problems with youths in Brook Street and at the Wharf. Inspector Milligan felt that these matters involved anti-social behaviour and this was what the PCSO’s and the Neighbourhood Team policing were available to deal with. They required community support of course. Members noted that the next Police Liaison Meeting was in Okehampton at 7. 30 pm on Wednesday 18th April.
640. APOLOGIES.
There were apologies for absence from Cllr Mrs Gibson.
641. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING 6th MARCH 2007.
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted and they were signed by the Mayor.
642. MATTERS ARISING.
a. Concerning the brief on waste food recycling, Cllr Mrs Metcalf was worried about rats, but was assured by Borough Members that the food containers being provided for the trial were secure.
b. Concerning Minute 592(a), the Clerk updated Members on the actions concerning Pixon Lane. Our lawyers were dealing with the issues of rights of way across the land, and a business case was being prepared to support a loan for the work. Members would have to advise on appropriate parking charges and occupancy rates for this to be finalised. Cllrs Trew and Sherrell thought the decision to go ahead with the car park was a mistake, and the spaces were not required. The problem was on-street parking control not off-street. Cllr Pike raised a point of order that the matter concerned a council resolution and was not now open for more debate. The Mayor moved the meeting on.
643. PLANS COMMITTEE 13th MARCH 2007.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes. Concerning Minute 609c, it was confirmed that items i, ii and iii had all been rejected.
RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted
644. PLANS COMMITTEE 27th MARCH 2007.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes. RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted
645. PROPERTIES COMMITTEE 27th MARCH 2007.
Cllr Pike presented the minutes.
a. Hydro Power. Minute 621 referred. The Mayor asked in power generated from the River Tavy was used in Tavistock, and Cllr Pike confirmed that Bere Alston, Morewhellam and Tavistock were all powered from the grid which in turn was supplied by the Mary Tavy facility. Further water abstraction was not possible. The Council had been advised to consider solar power for future lighting projects.
b. Bedford Square. Concerning Minutes 624 and 602 Cllr Mrs Woodcock was concerned at the use of the Square by the large furniture sales trailer. She applauded the concept of making maximum use of the Square, but nothing should detract from the ambience. The market trailers and flower stalls were attractive and imaginative, but she had been told by members of the public that the furniture trailer was not an attraction. She asked the Council to consider if such things were in the best interests of the Town. Some Members felt it to be right to make maximum use of the Square and to bring in revenue, especially when the Town Hall was empty. Others felt that large stalls were not in keeping and the income not enough to offset the detriment to the view. The Clerk confirmed that the trailer was in accord with the regulations agreed with DCC, in that the vehicle was an integral part of the display, it entered on to the Square under control and before 7. 30 am, and left after the Square was emptied in the evening. Members noted that there were no agreed ‘criteria’ for what could be allowed on the Square, and formulation of such definitions was deferred to the Town Hall and Markets Sub-Committee to be later agreed with DCC.
Cllr Sherrell left the meeting.
c. Green Garden Project. Minute 628 referred. The Mayor concurred with Ms Laithwaite in that Pearce’s Meadow was a far better location for the sustainable garden; it was a level, pleasant area and accessible to schools. Bannawell Street was none of these. Cllr Trew objected as the project was originally for a sensory garden, and seemed to have changed from this. Cllr Farrant felt that parking was just as difficult in the Meadows as for Bannawell Street, and others agreed that the Meadows was totally the wrong site for such a formal garden. It was natural and should be left to grass and wild flowers. Cllr Mrs Clish-Green recalled that schools used to walk to Bannawell Street to use the swimming pool, and others agreed that the old ‘pony’ field was a sun trap, well watered and most suitable for cultivation. The Group would be informed of the Council’s decision for their next meeting on 10th April.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
646. FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE 27th MARCH 2007
Cllr Mrs Ramsey presented the Minutes.
a. Green Audit. Concerning Minute 632, Members felt that WestDen’s comments about the Council attitude to the environment to be most unfair and untrue. All were concerned with global warming issues; it was just that people had different ideas about what was causing it. Being economic with energy consumption was simply good housekeeping anyway, and all undertook such cost saving measures. It seemed that the WestDen’s comments were based on reports in the local press, and not fact. Cllr Taylor asked in any other Members wished to join the Working Party, but that was deferred to the AGM after the elections. The existing Working Party would meet before the next cycle of meetings to start preparing responses to the Audit report.
b. Guildhall Toilets. Concerning Minute 637, the Mayor reminded Members of the earlier question about the need for another public meeting. Members noted that the decision about the design had been made after due consultation, and delay was not now acceptable. The sense of the meeting was to proceed quickly and get the new toilets built and opened as soon as possible.
c. Twinning. Concerning Minute 638, Cllr Mrs Woodcock wished to clarify that twinning with Celle and Pontivy was both civic and social. The words ‘civic and’ should be added before ‘social’ in the fourth line. Members wondered if Miechow had sent out invitations to other towns in the UK. Twinning was time consuming and expensive to Members who met all their own expenses. The Town already had informal links with Canada and Rwanda and Members should think carefully before undertaking more. Cllr Pike thought it worthwhile to find out more details, and it was RESOLVED to write to the Foreign Office and the Polish Embassy to see what was offered.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
647. TO RECEIVE SUCH COMMUNICATIONS OR REPORTS AS MAY BE SUBMITTED BY THE TOWN MAYOR AND TO PASS SUCH RESOLUTIONS AS REQUIRED.
There were no such reports.
648. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS:
There were no such announcements.
649. URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR
There was no such business
650. SEAL.
RESOLVED that the seal be affixed to the various Deeds and Documents to be made or entered into for the carrying into effect the several decisions and matters approved.
Rising 8. 00 p.m.