Minutes Town Council Policy and Resources Committee - Monday 23 March 2009
Committee Members Present:
Councillor C Letchford (Chair)
Councillor M Morse (Vice Chair)
Councillor C Hodgson
Councillor Mrs C Marsh
Councillor H A Pirwany
Councillor A Raymond
Councillor Mrs K Bickley (Mayor)
Councillor P Stunèll (Chair, Parks)
Councillor D Weekes (Chair, Property)
Other Members Present:
In Attendance:
D Bent (Town Clerk)
Declaration of Interest: Councillor Mrs Marsh declared an interest in agenda item 7.(iii) Grant Aid Meldon Viaduct Company Ltd and agenda item 13. Dartmoor Military Training Consultation Meeting.
573. Apologies for Absence - An apology for absence was presented on behalf of Councillor Mrs M McDonald.
574. Deferment of Business (for comment by the public) - There were no members of the public present.
575. Members’ Questions - Councillor Mrs Marsh referred to the Okement Rivers Group and requested a letter of support for a second stage application for grant aid towards improvement costs; on the proposition of the Chairman, seconded by Councillor Morse, it was resolved accordingly.
576. Minutes - The minutes of the Policy and Resources Committee meeting held on 23 February 2009 were approved and signed following the proposition of Councillor Mrs C Marsh, seconded by Councillor D Weekes, subject to amendment on minute number 540. Staffing Issues, to be discussed in part two.
577. Matters Arising -
577.1 Electricity Accounts Charter Hall/Cinema - The Town Clerk referred to continuing discussion and negotiation with E-ON relating to electricity supplies for these premises. He advised of correspondence with Business Cost Consultants representing Merlin Cinemas who had failed to respond to this Council’s questions. However, an account history had been received from E-ON which would assist in the calculations of sums due to or from the cinema. It was concluded that a report be submitted to the next meeting of this Committee.
578. Finances - The Chairman presented the financial report of the Council’s position as at 28 February 2009. He questioned the entries in the receipts page in the sum of £14,111.23 and further questioned miscoding of salaries on car parks in the sum of £4,912; Town Clerk to research. On the proposition of Councillor Mrs Marsh, seconded by Councillor Raymond, it was resolved that the accounts be noted.
579. Grant Aid - The Chairman advised a balance of £2,654 remained in this account including a pledge of £400 to New Life Church and he invited Members to determine this grant, the Committee acknowledged the decision on this application and agreed to uphold it.
Applications for financial assistance were presented from the following organisations:
(i) Okehampton District Community Transport Group - The Chairman advised the Committee had agreed to revisit this application, following an initial grant of £500 in view of projected high costs, on assessment of the Council’s grants budget.
Councillor Mrs Marsh declared an interest.
Members noted the work of this group transporting elderly, disabled and young mothers across isolated rural areas, noted the previous grant and on the proposition of Councillor Mrs Bickley, seconded by Councillor Stunèll, it was resolved that a second grant of £500 be awarded.
(ii) West Devon Citizens Advice Bureau - An application for funding towards the rent of the Bureau at the Ockment Centre was submitted. The Committee appreciated the work of the Bureau and increased workload due to the recession and, in recognition of this, on the proposition of Councillor Mrs Marsh seconded by Councillor Pirwany, it was resolved that a grant of £1,155 be awarded.
(iii) Meldon Viaduct Company Ltd - An application was submitted which sought a contribution towards the repairs and renewals fund. Members accepted this was a major tourist attraction, albeit in the Hamlets, noted contributions by other bodies, high projected costs to maintain the structure and on the proposition of Councillor Weekes, seconded by Councillor Morse, it was resolved that a grant of £500 be awarded.
580. Code of Conduct - Members received a reminder on procedure relating to declaration of personal or prejudicial interest (copy of the same to be available at each meeting).
581. Councillor Training - Members were offered the opportunity to attend a number of training courses including chairman skills. Councillor Morse expressed an interest in attending Overview and Scrutiny Committee; Town Clerk to research.
582. Standards Board for England - Members noted the content of the newsletter issued at February 2009 without comment.
583. Power of Well Being/Sustainable Communities Act - The Clerk referred to a previous meeting and qualifications for the power of well being including training for Councillors, but prior to use of this power Council must have a community strategy. That strategy to be on communication with the public to deliver better services and/or projects with participation in decision making with the public for short, medium and long-term aims. The strategy document to be prepared at the Council’s discretion.
He advised the Local Government Act 2000 directed principal authorities to prepare a community strategy in accordance with the power of well being and the Borough Council had produced a document identifying five priorities, which had been upgraded for 2007-2010. Arising therefrom, the Chief Executive produced a list of possible actions which that authority wished to pursue with Okehampton and Tavistock Town Councils and a reaction from Members was sought. The list included example topics as below:
- ceiling for rate relief to be raised for small businesses;
- halting the decline of post offices;
- government-funded incentive for land owners to sell land for community purposes without financial loss;
- change in planning law to stop change of use of local shops/pubs etc.
Following examination of the suggested actions within the Sustainable Communities Act, Members endorsed all and commented on the necessity of a town strategy document to replace existing town plans eg Local Strategic Plan and Community Action Plan and it was concluded to await a report.
584. Chairmanship/Vice Chairmanship of Parish and Town Councils - The Chairman advised that within the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, a number of clauses had not been fully enacted, there were no plans to make them applicable. One of these clauses referred to the co-option of Councillors to the office of Chair of Vice Chairman, he concluded that Councils could elect whichever Councillor they felt was appropriate to the position of Chair or Vice Chair at their annual meeting.
585. Dartmoor Military Training Licence Renewal Consultation Meeting - Council was invited to appoint a representative to a meeting to be held at Princetown on 31 March to discuss this issue. It was agreed that the Town Mayor, Councillor Mrs Bickley, or Councillor Weekes attend.
586. Rumours Nightclub - Members received a complaint from R Wallace of Red Lion Yard relating to noise and disruption caused every weekend following the opening of Rumours nightclub in Market Street. The complaint referred to discussions with the Borough Council and the police with little effect on the nuisance and he appealed to the Council for assistance. The Chairman advised this had been discussed at the Police Liaison Committee who had seemingly taken little action, the Mayor referred to discussions with the Borough Environmental Health Officer over noise and the Licensing Officer over conditions of the licence with further discussions with the Police Inspector. Members empathised with the complainant and it was agreed that a reply be forwarded suggesting he logs incidents and reports his findings to the Borough Officer on the grounds of the noise complaint and infringement of licensing conditions with copy correspondence forwarded to the police. It was further agreed that Council write to Rumours endorsing this complaint with an additional request that the emptying of bottles into recycling bins be deferred to daytime (all copy correspondence forwarded to Police Superintendent Sharpe).
587. West Devon Borough Council - Members noted a schedule of meetings for this authority for 2009/10.
588. NHS Foundation Trust Membership - Members received an invitation to join this Foundation Trust; noted.
589. Members’ Reports -
(i) Devon Association of Parish Councils - Members noted the appointment of the following Councillors to the County Committee: Councillor C Dumpleton, Highampton; Councillor J Gannon, Lydford; Councillor G Hill, Chagford.
(ii) West Devon/Okehampton Consultative Liaison Group - Members received a note of the minutes of the meeting held on 2 March 2009.
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 the Chairman, seconded by Councillor Mrs Marsh, 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 7 - Information relating to the business affairs of any particular person.
Paragraph 1 - Information relating to a particular employee of the authority.
590. Minutes
591. Mayoral Awards
592. Salary Awards
593. Staffing Issues
It was resolved to come out of part 2, move back into part 1 and ratify all decisions taken in part 2.
Meeting closed 8.20 pm.