Minutes Town Council - Monday 6 September 2010
Members Present:
Councillor Mrs M McDonald (Deputy Mayor)
Councillor K Ball
Councillor M Davies
Councillor Ms T Edwards
Councillor A Leech
Councillor C Letchford
Councillor A Raymond
Councillor Mrs D Smith
Councillor P Vachon
Councillor D Weekes
In Attendance:
D Bent (Town Clerk)
J Packer (WDBC Housing Officer)
Before proceeding with business, prayers were offered by Reverend P Wagstaff.
208. Apologies for Absence - Apologies for absence were presented on behalf of Councillors Mrs K Bickley, Mrs C Marsh, M Morse, M Ireland.
209. Deferment of Business - (for comment by the public) - There were no members of the public present.
210. Housing Market and Needs Assessment 2006 - Mr J Packer (WDBC Housing Officer) attended the meeting to offer clarification on aspects of this document, (before proceeding, a summary of the document was circulated for information). Mr Packer explained the document had been compiled in accordance with government recommendations, assessing market value, property needs with a six-monthly report update. The Borough examined effects on the housing situation including earnings, household income and the average net equity of homes. These calculations included house prices against the lower earning quartile, house sales and affordability with a comment that eleven times an annual income in Devon would afford to buy a house with an average income of £35,000 per annum rapidly rising to £40,000 to meet the costs of housing. Mr Packer explained that affordable, in his opinion, was a house to be purchased by a local person on local wages, a difficulty in the south west. He acknowledged social landlords had succeeded the local authority as registered house providers, shared ownership did not work in West Devon with an exception in Tavistock. Members acknowledged the methodology applied with reference to four neighbouring councils, number of houses allocated to West Devon, which number was based on the Regional Spatial Strategy and government directives. He explained the Borough Council figures exceeded the government directive, but there was a still a shortfall of houses being built in this area.
With regard to the impact the new government had on this document, Mr Packer advised that the Regional Spatial Strategy had been scrapped by the government and a new policy was being developed by the Borough based on demand rather than supply. Mr Packer reported that government allowed councils to build houses, but as West Devon had transferred its operation to West Devon Homes, that company undertook the role, but currently there were no available funds or land to build housing on, in any case subsidies were required. Mr Packer was thanked for his presentation.
211. West Devon Borough Council - There were no Borough Members in attendance.
212. Devon County Council - Councillor Mrs Marsh, in offering her apologies, invited questions by email relating to County activities in Okehampton.
213. Adoption of Minutes of Committees and to Receive Questions from Members Thereon -
213.1 Policy and Resources Committee - Councillor Mrs M McDonald invited Members to adopt the minutes of the meetings of the Policy and Resources Committee held on 28 June and 9 August 2010. Councillor A Leech proposed, Councillor A Raymond seconded and there being no questions or amendments the minutes were resolved unanimously.
213.2 Planning Committee - Councillor A Leech (Vice Chairman) invited Council to adopt the minutes of the Planning Committee meetings held on 28 June, 19 July and 9 August 2010. Councillor Mrs D Smith proposed, Councillor Ms T Edwards seconded and there being no questions or amendments, was resolved unanimously.
213.3 Parks Committee - Councillor Ms T Edwards invited Council to adopt the minutes of the Parks Committee meetings held on 1 June and 12 July 2010. Councillor C Letchford proposed, Councillor A Leech seconded and there being no amendments or questions, was resolved unanimously.
213.4 Property Committee - Councillor A Leech invited the Council to adopt the minutes of the Property Committee meetings held on 7 June and 19 July 2010. Councillor A Raymond proposed, Councillor D Weekes seconded and there being no amendments or questions, was resolved unanimously.
214. Full Council Meeting Minutes - Members received the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 5 July 2010 and the special meeting held on 19 July 2010 which were approved, signed and adopted on the proposition of Councillor D Weekes, seconded by Councillor A Raymond subject to the following amendment.
Minute 94.4 Re 695. Appointment of Town Mayor, Mayor’s Role, Mayor’s Allowance, Protocol and Standing Orders - …. to which Councillor Letchford offered a response which was noted.
215. Matters Arising -
215.1 West Devon Core Strategy - Members noted a public examination of this Core Strategy would commence on Tuesday 16 November at West Devon Borough Council offices in Tavistock. The Chair advised a pre-meeting hearing would be held on Thursday 16 September at Tavistock at which the Inspector would explain how he would organise and conduct the hearing sessions; noted.
215.2 SWW Sewerage Replacement Works Town Centre - An explanation from South West Water relating to the use of traffic lights and traffic flow through the town during these works was noted.
215.3 Council Procedure Rules - The Chairman presented a series of recommendations from Policy and Resources for amendment to the Council’s Procedure Rules as presented below.
(i) The Mayor be elected at the Annual General Meeting - on the proposition of Councillor Letchford, seconded by Councillor Leech, resolved accordingly.
(ii) Nominees be properly and openly proposed and seconded at the AGM followed by a ballot with nomination to assent by Members - on the proposition of Councillor Letchford, seconded by Councillor Raymond, resolved accordingly.
(iii) Voting on nomination - the recommendation related to a situation with two nominees whereby the one who achieved the majority of votes would be elected with a voting system based on first past post. With more than two nominees an alternative vote or elimination system would be used. Reference was made to existing CPR 19 (7) and that procedure, but questioned over a tied vote situation. On the proposition of Councillor Leech, seconded by Councillor Vachon, it was resolved that the Mayor would have a majority support voting on first past the post as per existing CPR rules with an alternative votes system examined later if necessary to produce a further amendment to the Council’s rules.
(iv) One nomination for election - the recommendation was to vote against the proposal that Councillors be allowed to vote yes or no on the ballot slips in support or otherwise for a nominee for election to Mayor. The meeting was advised that this had been introduced to ensure the Mayor had a majority support of the Council. On the proposition of Councillor Letchford, seconded by Councillor Leech, the recommendation was defeated and resolved accordingly.
(v) Use of first/Christian names during debate and discussion at Council and Committee meetings - Members recognised that this was a formal body and correct titles should be used when addressing Members at meetings. On the proposition of Councillor Weekes, seconded by Councillor Ball, it was resolved accordingly.
(vi) The Mayor and each Committee Chairman to be a Member of the other Committees - on the proposition of Councillor Leech, seconded by Councillor Weekes, it was resolved accordingly.
216. WDBC/South Hams District Council - Members noted the appointment of a new shared Chief Executive to these authorities of Richard Sheard.
217. Okehampton Excelsior Silver Band - Members received an invitation to a joint concert with Okehampton Excelsior Silver Band and Stadtgarde Wesseling Band at Fairplace Church on 12 October at 7.30 pm; noted.
218. Dartmoor Military Heritage - Members were invited to attend an open day at the Okehampton Battle Camp on Saturday/Sunday 11 & 12 September 2010.
219. Members’ Reports - There were no reports from Members attending other organisations on behalf of the Council.
220. Civic Diary Report - The Deputy Mayor advised that she had attended events in Bideford and Tavistock on behalf of the Mayor during his illness.
PART TWO
ITEMS WHICH MAY BE TAKEN IN THE ABSENCE OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC ON THE GROUND THAT EXEMPT INFORMATION MAY BE DISCLOSED (if any).
The Committee is recommended to pass the following resolution:-
“On the proposition of Councillor Ms T Edwards, seconded by Councillor A Raymond, it was resolved that under Section 100(A)(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public be excluded from the Meeting for the undermentioned item of business on the grounds that exempt information may be disclosed as defined in the paragraph given below from Part I of Schedule 12(A) to the Act”
Paragraph 9 - Any terms proposed or to be proposed by or to the authority in the course of negotiations for a contract for the acquisition or disposal of property or the supply of goods or services.
221. Clapps Wood Somerfield Store Okehampton
It was resolved to come out of part 2 on the proposition of Councillor Leech, seconded by Councillor Weekes, move back into part 1 and ratify all decisions taken in part 2.
Meeting closed 9.30 pm.
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