Town Council Minutes 4th December 2007
Minutes of a Meeting of the TAVISTOCK TOWN COUNCIL held in the Council Chamber, Drake Road, Tavistock on TUESDAY the 4th day of DECEMBER 2007 at 7.00 p.m.
Present: Cllr Mrs A Johnson Town Mayor
Cllr D Best
Cllr Mrs M Govier
Cllr I C Jennings
Cllr C Jenkins
Cllr Mrs J C Metcalf
Cllr R Pike
Cllr Mrs J Ramsey
Cllr E D Sanders
Cllr P. Sanders
Cllr Mrs D. Sellis
Cllr W. Sellis
Cllr E H Sherrell
Cllr H Smith
Cllr B Trew
Cllr D Whitcomb
In Attendance: Town Clerk
Cllr Connelly DCC
One member of the press
Four members of the public
DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL HIGHWAYS PRESENTATION
Mr John Halliday, Chief Assistant Engineer of Area South Highway Management gave Members a presentation on the plans for safety work at Drake’s Statue. The need was evidenced by there being 9 accidents in 3 years, 5 of which involved personal injury. The work would be undertaken in February or March, and would take about 3 weeks. Mr Halliday accepted that there would be some traffic disruption, but sensible controls would be in place. The work would be ‘HGV friendly’ and Members would be given sight of the computer test to show that HGV’s would be able to use the new road layout safely.
QUIET REFLECTION. Members prepared themselves for the meeting by a few moments of quiet reflection led by the Reverend Jeff Moles of the Tavistock Methodist Church.
PUBLIC QUESTION TIME.
Mr Downing and Mrs Hair asked Members about the plans to restrict vehicular access to the Pannier Market perimeter road from 9.00 am until 4.00 pm daily on pedestrian safety grounds. They said that such a restriction would create problems with their delivery services and with restocking shops. Members deferred consideration of the matter to the Town Hall and Market Sub-Committee scheduled for Tuesday 11th December, and asked that shop owners or some representatives be invited to that meeting.
415. APOLOGIES.
There were apologies for absence from Cllr M Harper.
416. MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETING 6th NOVEMBER 2007.
The Mayor presented the minutes of the meeting. Concerning Minute 352, Cllr Trew asked that the Council write a letter of support on his behalf to the Golf Club following their accusations in their letter of the 1st November that he had acted improperly. Members recalled that such support had been discussed during the meeting on the 6th November, but had not been part of the resolution. Cllr Sherrell felt that persons in the public eye had a right to be respected so far as their honesty and integrity was concerned unless it could be proved otherwise. Cllr P Sanders felt that Cllr Trew ought to consider taking up the matter as an individual, and that it was difficult for the Council to take the matter up as a matter of principle as the accusation was not against the Council in general. Members generally did not like the tenor of the letter, and RESOLVED that a suitable letter refuting the accusations should be sent to the Golf Club.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted and they were signed by the Mayor.
417. MATTERS ARISING.
There were no such matters.
418. PLANS COMMITTEE 6th NOVEMBER 2007.
Cllr Mrs Johnson presented the Minutes. RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
419. PLANS COMMITTEE 20th NOVEMBER 2007.
Cllr Best presented the Minutes. RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
420. PROPERTIES COMMITTEE 27th NOVEMBER 2007.
Cllr Mrs Govier presented the minutes. Concerning Minute 380 Cllr J Sellis again raised the matter of the Pannier Market vehicle restriction, and it was confirmed that the matter would be debated at the Town Hall and Market Sub-Committee on the 11th December.
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting be adopted.
421. FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE 27th NOVEMBER 2007
Cllr H Smith presented the Minutes.
a. Concerning Minute 392 Cllr Whitcomb raised the matter of the Tavistock Forward meeting he had attended on the 18th October. He tabled the notes from that meeting showing the projects under consideration by Tavistock Forward. He asked members to acknowledge that the group were doing their best for the Town, and he wished to see the Town council helping their aspirations. A revised programme of projects would be submitted in the near future. Cllr P Sanders opined that the grant request by Tavistock Forward had not been rejected out of hand, but because the request was unspecific and Members had felt there not to be enough up-to-date information. There had also been a problem with the membership of the re-constituted TaVi, in that Tavistock Forward declined to be a part of it at the last minute. Members accepted that communications between Tavistock Forward and the Council had not been good in the past, but Cllr Sherrell thought he felt a ‘fresh wind of co-operation’ blowing.
b. Concerning Minute 396 Cllr Mrs Ramsey congratulated the staff on a successful Goose fair.
c. Concerning Minute 397, the following were deputed to form part of the Task and Finish Group to comment on the document ‘Creating strong, safe and prosperous communities, statutory guidance: draft for consultation’:
Cllr Smith
Cllr Pike
Cllr Mrs Govier
It was RESOLVED that the minutes of this meeting as amended be adopted.
422. TO RECEIVE SUCH COMMUNICATIONS OR REPORTS AS MAY BE SUBMITTED BY THE TOWN MAYOR AND TO PASS SUCH RESOLUTIONS AS REQUIRED.
The Mayor reminded Members of the Christmas party on the 20th December.
423. MAYOR'S ANNOUNCEMENTS:
There were no announcements.
424. URGENT BUSINESS BROUGHT FORWARD AT THE DISCRETION OF THE MAYOR
There was no such business
425. 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.
Signed.........……………...….................. Town Mayor
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