Town Council Minutes Feb 2010

Posted in document archives - Town Council Minutes

 Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held in the Council Chamber, Town Hall,

Bideford on Thursday 11 February 2010 at 6.30 pm

PRESENT:  

 North Ward:
Councillor M L Bushell
Councillor Ms E L Farrington
Councillor D C Fulford
Councillor T J Johns

South Ward:  

 Councillor C Bone
Councillor A T Inch
Councillor S G Inch
Councillor P J Pester

South (Outer) Ward  

Councillor A T Powell (Town Mayor)

East Ward:    

Councillor Mrs C B Church
Councillor S E L Clarke OBE
Councillor Mrs P Davies
Councillor B Lacey
Councillor R W Vanstone

IN ATTENDANCE:    

Mr G B McLauchlan (Town Clerk)
Mrs H Blackburn (Deputy Town Clerk)
3 x Members of the Public

164    PRAYERS

On the invitation of the Mayor prayers were offered by Reverend Tom Bayliss of Lavington United Reformed Church.

165    APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Councillors P S Christie (North Ward – Work Commitments) and D M Ratcliff (South Ward – Illness).


166    DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

Councillors S G Inch, T Johns, B Lacey and A T Powell declared a personal interest in agenda item 17. (Trustees, Bideford Bridge Trust).

167    PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

Comments were received from a member of the public who felt that some parts of the town are in disrepair.  He reported issues which fall under the jurisdiction of the District and County Councils.

168    MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 14 January 2010 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Vote – For: 14,  Against: 0)

169    MONTHLY UPDATE ON POLICING ISSUES WITHIN THE PARISH

a.    The Mayor welcomed Sergeant Bassett to the meeting.

b.    Sergeant Bassett provided an overview of the figures for the month of January 2010.

Criminal damage to dwellings……………………3
Criminal damage to vehicles……………………...9
Theft from motor vehicles………………………...13
Theft of motor vehicle……………………….....……1
Burglary from dwelling………………………......…3
Burglary (other) ………………………………......…9
Common Assault……………………………...……4
Assaults (with injury) …………………..…....……17
Serious Assaults……………………………..….…2
Hate crime………………………………….....……..1

Sergeant Bassett reported that the emphasis this month is to combat the increase in theft from motor vehicles.  Continued engagement with youngsters regarding underage drinking and anti social behavior is ongoing.

c.    The Mayor then invited members to submit questions.

d.    Questions raised concerned the benefits of the community messaging service, whether drivers with missing headlights are prosecuted and the consequences of breaching Anti-Social Behaviour Orders.

e.    The Mayor then thanked Sergeant Bassett for attending the meeting and updating members accordingly.

170    MONTHLY REPORT FROM THE LOCAL COUNTY COUNCILLOR

a.    The Mayor welcomed Councillor Sam Robinson to the meeting.

b    Councillor Robinson reported back on questions raised last month and read out the correspondence he had received in connection with the enquiries and the actions he has taken as follows:

•    The traffic lights on the East-the-Water side of the bridge.  The feasibility into making them permanent is under consideration but there are some issues to overcome.

•    He has received an explanation on how the traffic light signals along Abbotsham Road work, but still requires an answer as to how this system can be continued on to The Quay.

•    He has requested a copy of the survey for Honestone Street and he also reported that cost seems to be an obstacle to the provision of a loading bay outside the Pannier Market.

•    Road gritting – a resilience plan is being formulated for periods of extreme freezing.

•    Mill Street paving – this road is inspected frequently and localised problems remedied.  No date has been given for long term repair.

•    He has received advice on the legal implications of clearing snow from the footpath. He will circulate this.

•    Thornton Road.  This road is currently unadopted and talks are ongoing with the developer about an increased maintenance period due to the quality of the road.

•    He reported that there is no money left from the ASDA funding to make safety improvements to Meddon Street.

•    Footpath at Londonderry - Torridge District Council is to be requested to fund a footpath through a Section 106 Agreement relating to the development of the former Grenville College site.

•    Progress is being made getting the Saltmarsh protected as a nature reserve area.

c.    The Mayor then invited members to submit questions.

d.    Questions raised concerned whether a change in the law is required concerning clearing snow from footpaths, the possibility of traffic calming along Silver Street, missing panels on bus shelters along Bideford Quay and the lack of a bus shelter along Manteo Way.  A comment was raised concerning the fact that the proposal for a community sports facility at the new development opposite Londonderry has been withdrawn, and it was suggested that the Council, could if it wished, arrange traffic control in Silver Street.  Councillor Robinson was asked to clarify how the ASDA money has been spent and if there is any left and the problems with the traffic calming scheme along Clovelly Road were raised once again.

e.    The Mayor then thanked the Councillor Robinson for attending the meeting and updating members accordingly.

171    BIDEFORD REGENERATION INITIATIVE (BRI)

a.    The Mayor welcomed Councillor Parsons and Mrs Vanessa Saunders, Special Projects Manager, Torridge District Council to the meeting.

b    Mrs Saunders commenced by explaining that the five principal projects that were managed by the Bideford Regeneration Initiative (BRI) have now been largely taken over by the South West Regional Development Agency as part of the Northern Arc. The BRI is in effect reforming itself to become the Bideford Working Group (BWG). This group will be concerned with the physical delivery of the projects.  Mrs Saunders then handed over to Councillor Parsons who commenced by explaining why he had been asked to chair the BWG and provided some information about his background.  He explained that the Group, which is soon to be formed, will need to push forward in terms of delivery and it is hoped that there will be some quick wins shortly.

Mrs Saunders then talked about the Draft Terms of Reference, the budget, timescales and partners.  She emphasised that this is a working group of the Council and that all recommendations will be considered at the Policy, Performance and Resources Committee meeting of Torridge District Council.

c    The Mayor then invited members to submit questions.

d.    The first comment was to endorse the working group and there were further remarks about the structure and membership of the group.  Questions raised concerned whether the Chamber of Commerce or Northam Town Council should be represented.

e.    The Mayor then thanked the Councillor Parsons and Mrs Saunders for attending the meeting and updating members accordingly.

172    COMMUNICATION BROUGHT FORWARD ON THE DIRECTION OF THE MAYOR

The Mayor/Town Clerk advised that:

•    The announcement has been made regarding the local government reorganisation and Exeter becoming a unitary authority.

•    The Mayor will probably have a charity concert on 31 March 2010 at Kingsley School.  This is to raise funds for the Chestnut Appeal and the Youth Pipe Band.

•    The visitors from Manteo are expected to arrive on 30 March and depart on 5 April 2010.  A whole programme of events is being organised with a formal twinning ceremony during the visit.  A Tourism Committee meeting is to be held shortly to agree the entertainment programme for the visitors.  One councillor expressed concern that the visit dates should have been agreed by Council before being published in the paper.


•    The archaeological dig in Bridge Street car park is due to commence on 22 February 2010.  There is likely to be a good deal of press interest.

173    MARKET MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The Minutes of the meeting held on 4 February 2010 were received.

(Vote – For: 14,  Against: 0)

174    PLANNING COMMITTEE

The Minutes of the meeting held on 27 January 2010 were received.

(The Vice-Chairman advised that the Council’s response to the Core Strategy will be formulated at the next meeting of the Planning Committee and asked all councillors to attend and put their views forward.)

(Vote – For: 14,  Against: 0)

175   STAFFING, FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 February 2010 were received and the recommendations therein ratified.

(Vote – For: 12,  Against: 0, Abstentions: 2)

176    NOTICES OF MOTION

a.    Councillor Ms Farrington moved the following Notice of Motion and was duly seconded:

“Bideford Town Council calls upon Torridge District Council to install an array of photovoltaic cells to the roof of Bideford Town Hall.”  

RESOLVED:  That the motion is supported.

(Vote – For: 14,  Against: 0)

b.    Councillor Powell moved the following Notice of Motion and was duly seconded:

“That this Council requests Torridge District Council to return the title (only) of Lord of the Manor of Bideford to Bideford Town Council, in sufficient time so that it may be used for the Manor Court Ceremony.”

RESOLVED:  That the motion is supported.

(Vote – For: 14,  Against: 0)

177    BIDEFORD WORKING GROUP

Members were requested to appoint 3 representatives from the Council to sit on the Bideford Working Group.  Proposed by Councillor Lacey, seconded and
RESOLVED:  That Councillors Ms Farrington, Powell and Vanstone are appointed as the Council’s representatives on the Bideford Working Group.

(Vote – For: 14,  Against: 0)

178    STREET NAMING

Members discussed the request to put forward suggestions for a new street name for the main access road accessing the industrial estate from Clovelly Road.

Proposed by Councillor Clarke, seconded and

RESOLVED:  That the name “Clovelly Road Industrial Estate Road” be suggested as a new street name for the main access road accessing the industrial estate from Clovelly Road.

(Vote – For: 7, Against: 0, Abstentions: 7)

179    ROYAL GARDEN PARTY 2010

The Town Clerk invited members to nominate a representative for inclusion in the ballot for the Royal Garden Party.  Proposed by Councillor Inch, seconded and

RESOLVED:  That Councillor Powell be nominated for the ballot for the Royal Garden Party.

(Vote – For: 14,  Against: 0)

163    BRIDGE TRUST ACTIVITIES

Councillor Lacey reported that the last Bridge Trust meeting was relatively quiet.  Drum Cottage will be rented out from 1 March 2010 and the taxi voucher scheme is going well.  He then briefed members on the income, expenditure and grants figures.

The business of the meeting having been concluded the Mayor thanked the members for their attendance at the meeting which concluded at 8.30 pm.





Signature of Town Mayor: ……………………………    Date: ………………...............