Annual Town Meeting 18th May 2009
Minutes of the ANNUAL TOWN MEETING of TAVISTOCK held in the Town Hall, Tavistock on MONDAY the 18th day of MAY 2009 at 6.30 p.m.
The following were present: Cllr R Pike – Mayor as Chairman
Cllr D V Best
Cllr Mrs M Govier
Cllr M Harper
Cllr I Jennings
Cllr Mrs A Johnson
Cllr Mrs D Sellis
Cllr J Sellis
Cllr H Smith
Cllr B Trew
Cllr D Whitcomb
31 members of the public
1 member of the Press
In Attendance: Town Clerk
Works Superintendent
1. MAYOR’S REPORT
The Mayor welcomed all present and gave a brief address, notes of which are attached at Annex A to these minutes.
2. JESSIE ANN ALFORD CHARITY
The Town Clerk made the following report:
The charity is to benefit spinsters and widows aged 60 and over living in the parish of Tavistock. It has assets of 822 income shares in the charities investment fund (current value £7,148. 03p, down from £8,339. 44 last year) and receives some £250 of income each year. Distribution of money is made just before Christmas each year to a maximum of 8 deserving applicants selected by the trustees. Last year there was but one applicant for a grant, and she was awarded £100. After this distribution and advertising costs a bank balance of £464.14p was carried forward to 2009.
3. BRIEF ON THE PROPOSALS TO RESTRUCTURE LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN DEVON
Mr Roger Grainger of Devon County Council was present to give a brief summary of the unitary consultations so far. We were now at step 7 of a 4 step (originally) process. Delays caused by legal challenges and concerns from consultations. Time table had slipped and DCLG issued guidance to the Boundaries Committee (BC) in early Spring. Following that the BC offered two options essentially the same as those offered last Autumn but the second option was a full alternative package. Consultation now ended and next phase is BC considering responses and coming to a view to provide advice to S of S by 15th July. The DCC position had remained constant; not to see Devon broken up into smaller packages. After the 15th July if the S of S decides to move to a Unitary organisation then there will be a 6-week public consultation. After that it may be April 2011 before any changes are made. The S of S may also decide to ask the BC to look at the question again, or decide to do nothing and keep the status quo. An election may also disrupt the process. Mr Grainger thought the outcome was ‘unpredictable’.
Questions.
Cllr Trew made an observation about the resources expended by councils on advertising their points of view.
Mr Grainger was asked what public opposition there may have been? He thought that consultations had shown that 68% were in favour of retaining the status quo.
Had all legal arguments been satisfied? The BC report had been issued before the last Court of Appeal decision so he thought that the process was open to further challenge.
Cllr Smith was concerned about the ratio of one unitary councillor for 7,500 electors. Had the County Council changed their view about Community Boards and their non-elected members over this period? Mr Grainger thought that Community Boards would encourage better arrangements for local partnerships, and the links between those elected, their communities and the hinterland. We could build on the existing Local Strategic Partnerships.
4. BRIEF ON THE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK CORE STRATEGY
Mr David Incoll of West Devon Borough Council was present to give a brief report on the Core Strategy to the Local Development Framework (LDF). He intended to give a non-planners explanation, and explained how the old Local plan had been superseded by the LDF that would last until 2026. It made a holistic approach to developments, including health matters, highways, public transport etc. It needed to be evidence based, and was more complex and expensive than the old Local Plan. The response to any draft was decided by an Inspector, so it was finally the Government’s plan for the area. We were at the stage where the Borough Council had agreed the Core Strategy and was poised to go out to public consultation on the 28th May. It covered, inter alia, a new hospital, a new primary school, better highways and public transport, and the railway link from Tavistock to Bere Alston. He emphasised that there was no link between the Borough Council and Kilbride who were proposing the railway link.
He explained the significant housing plans, that 4,400 new houses were part of the Regional Spatial Strategy for 2006 to 2026, and across West Devon this gave 220 a year. In 2006 237 houses had been built, so this was actually a reduction in allocation. The plan allowed 75 per year in Tavistock, but again 97 had been built last year. This reduction in build was a result of their concerns about Greenfield sites, services etc. Allocating more houses to villages had been considered, and 26% would be outside Tavistock and Okehampton. There was a problem in sustainability however, and investment would be needed in local services. Some 20 hectares of employment land had also been identified. It was now due to go out to public consultation, and the final report would be produced in September. That would go to the Public inquiry in early 2010. They could not take a ‘do nothing’ option, as experience elsewhere had shown that a developer could get permission to develop anywhere if there was no local framework, and the planning presumption would always be in a developers favour.
Questions.
Cllr Trew noted the quantity of new houses, and the problems that current small developments had (the Heights). He asked if they could have confidence in the Borough Council managing much larger developments? Mr Incoll explained that the Borough did not manage the developments, they were undertaken by private builders who retained private inspectors and the only Council supervision was by Building Control. There could be planning issues if the build were not according to the Planning Permission.
Had the Borough done any form of due diligence on Kilbride? Mr Incoll agreed the Borough would seek expert advice on the size of any bond to be posted by a developer, and this would be considered along with any planning application.
Before the St David’s development was agreed the sewerage system was upgraded. Since then there have been many close developments, was there a finite end to that old improvement and was there any capacity left? Mr Incoll said that was a technical question and he could research an answer. In any planning application approval was not granted until South West Water and the Environment Agency were both satisfied.
What was the relationship between 750 houses, 2026 and Kilbride’s railway. Which came first? He answered that this was still a draft document.
Cllr Harper asked if once 750 houses had been built was that then end of it all for Tavistock? Would the Borough really restrict the build to 75 houses a year? That all depended on the circumstances at the time. Builders had cash flow problems, and there would be infrastructure matters to consider. No one knew the economic situation for 2026, and the final plan would be approved by the Inspector and the Borough could only grant that which was applied for.
Cllr Whitcomb made the comment that Tavistock was a beautiful valley town, but these plans would make it look like Milton Keynes. He didn’t want to live in Milton Keynes.
Residents of the Heights asked about a reply to a letter they had written to the Borough with concerns about traffic movements and danger to pedestrians. Mr Incoll said a reply was due this week and they had been waiting while they consulted with experts. Enforcement action was being planned.
Cllr Mrs Sellis asked what would happen if the LDF was turned down at the public consultation? What could be changed? Mr Incoll replied that the Plan had to be evidence based. If the public put forward a suitable alternative it could be considered. However, no more than the existing 26% could be spread around villages since the services could not cope.
Residents of Brook were concerned to preserve the Tavy Valley, and the planned road and railway would ruin the views. This showed that conservation had not been a major concern.
Cllr Sellis asked how Kilbride could afford to build 40% affordable houses of the 750 yet find £18 M for the railway? Mr Incoll felt they had done their sums and come to that conclusion.
It was asked if the Council had checked if the LDF vision conflicted with the Conservation Area concept? There was some confusion about this as the new developments were some way from the Conservation Area, as that covered only the town centre.
5. INTRODUCTION TO THE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES ACT 2007 IN TAVISTOCK
The Town Clerk gave a short brief on the Sustainable Communities Act, copied at Annex B.
6. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
The Chairman then invited general questions from the public. Members of the public put the following questions:
The council were asked about their intention to charge rental for the Old Folks Rest Room in the Court Gate Archway building, when it might be available, what the terms of the lease might be and if the Council would pay for the disabled toilet and new kitchen?
The Mayor answered that all this needed to be discussed with the Committee, and that the Council were aware of the needs of the Rest Room members. The Rest Room committee had to produce accounts for debate by the Council before any public money was committed to them, and he reminded them that the Council had done their utmost to keep the old building. There were planning issues and financial issues to be considered, and the Council had a duty to all taxpayers. The Rest Room treasurer said that copies of their accounts had always been given annually to the Mayor at their AGM. Mrs Toop said that Crowndale Farm was the birthplace of Sir Francis Drake and if re-created as a theme centre could attract many tourists.
Cllr Mrs Sellis thought that an excellent idea, and suggested that the Drakes Trail planners be involved. She passed on contact details. The residents of the Heights repeated their question about over-development of Manor Oaks and danger to pedestrians by the lack of a pavement. They asked why no reply had been made to a letter they wrote to the Council in April?
The Mayor recalled the letter, and that it had been addressed to the Mayor of West Devon and merely copied to the Town Councillors amongst others. It had been dealt with by the Plans Committee who had contacted the Borough Council for comment on the 29th April. No reply had yet come from them. Cllr Smith said that the Council was grateful for the depth of information supplied by the residents, and that he had replied by e-mail.
There were no more questions, and the Mayor then thanked everyone for coming to the Meeting. The meeting ended at 7. 50 pm.
Signed...........................................................
Town MayorDate...........................................................