Town Council Minutes 3rd May 2007
Minutes of a Meeting of the TAVISTOCK TOWN COUNCIL held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 3rd day of JULY 2007 at 7.00 p.m.
Present:
Cllr Mrs A Johnson - Town Mayor
Cllr D Best
Cllr Mrs M Govier
Cllr M Harper
Cllr I C Jennings
Cllr Mrs J C Metcalf
Cllr R Pike
Cllr E D Sanders
Cllr P R Sanders
Cllr Mrs D Sellis
Cllr E Sherrell
Cllr H Smith
Cllr D Whitcomb
In Attendance:
Town Clerk
One member of the press
Cllr Connelly
DCCBRIEF ON WEST DEVON CARE AND REPAIR
Mrs Margaret Conkey, Manager of West Devon Care and Repair, gave Members a brief on the policy and workings of her organisation. It was the local section of a Devon-wide home improvement agency helping property owners to get repairs and improvements undertaken. In particular it helped the aged and disabled, and worked closely with social services and WDBC to find grants to upgrade properties. They ran a ‘handy-person’ service to undertake simple DIY jobs, especially relating to security and fire alarms. They also gave advice on energy saving and insulation. They were able to assist perhaps 90% of the applicants, and linked with the CAB and social services to direct people to the right organisation to help.
QUIET REFLECTION.
Members prepared themselves for the meeting by a few moments of quiet reflection led by the Mayor.
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME.
There were no questions.
103. APOLOGIES.
There were apologies for absence from Cllr Mrs J Ramsey. There were no apologies from Cllr B A A Trew or Cllr C Jenkins. The resignation of Cllr Mrs I McPhie was announced, and the Clerk explained the procedure for filling the casual vacancy. If by the 25th July 10 or more electors have not demanded an election, the vacancy may be filled by co-option or left vacant as the Council wish.
104. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING 5th JUNE 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.
105. MATTERS ARISING.
There were no such matters.
106. PLANS COMMITTEE 5th JUNE 2007.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes. RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted
107. PLANS COMMITTEE 19th JUNE 2007.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes. Concerning Annex B and application 10449/2007/TAV, members were informed that WDBC would not consider the demolition application until they understood what was planned to replace the Old Folks Rest Room. RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted
108. PROPERTIES COMMITTEE 26th JUNE 2007.
Cllr Mrs Govier presented the minutes
a. Concerning Minute 063b, Cllr P Sanders felt that the council should have taken ‘informal’ advice about rental for the building site along Abbey Walk. Cllr Pike told Members of the excellent relations built up with both SWW and the Environment Agency. They were going to re-stabilise the river bank, do a litter sweep on the bottom of the river and repair the old slipway during the weir works, and all this added up to a good deal for the town. He felt it would sour relationships to also ask them for rental. He was supported by Cllr Sherrell and Cllr Mrs Govier who emphasised the tree work that was planned along the river bank, all of which required specialist equipment and training that our staff did not have. A proposition by Cllr P Sanders that informal advice on rental should be obtained was defeated by 5 votes to 4.
b. Concerning Minute 066, it was confirmed that Members could attend the presentation about the supermarket plans without compromising the Code of Conduct. They could gather information but not pre-judge the issue.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting as amended be adopted.
109. FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE 26th JUNE 2007
In the absence of the Chair Cllr P Sanders presented the Minutes.
a. Concerning Minute 081 the Mayor and her consort and Cllr Whitcomb agreed to attend the Celle twinning celebrations. Members not present at the meeting would also be asked if they wished to attend.
b. Concerning Minute 084 Members RESOLVED to write to Jobcentreplus to deplore any suggestion that the Tavistock Job centre be closed. They opposed such a move, as it would so disadvantage the weakest members of society: the disabled and infirm. As the local market town people from the hinterland expected to find the appropriate government offices available to them, and what limited public transport there is centred on the town. They were concerned that to expect such vulnerable people to take public transport to either Plymouth or Launceston as was suggested would be very difficult, if possible at all. Members recalled that there were severe penalties for clients who missed arranged appointments, and did not believe that Jobcentreplus staff would make allowances for the poor public transport available The existing office was so convenient that those looking for work might be able to visit 2 or 3 times a week. With a long trip to Plymouth that hardly seemed likely. They noted that Tavistock was expanding, and the 11,500 population of the actual parish itself would increase by up to 2,000 in the next few years. This was not the time to begin closing government offices. They also directed the Clerk to write to the local MP to see if there might be constitutional duties to provide such governmental offices to a minimum level of accessibility.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
110. 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.
111. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS:
a. The Mayor thanked all those who had attended the RBL Falklands Remembrance parade on the 1st July.
b. The Mayor announced that her Charity for her year would be the Tavistock Branch of the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group.
112. URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR
113. 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 7. 55 p.m.