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 Minutes of the Town Council Meeting held via Zoom on Tuesday 4 May 2021 at 6.31 pm

PRESENT:

North Ward:

Councillor D Bushby
Councillor P S Christie
Councillor J Herron
Councillor T J Johns
Councillor D McGeough

South Ward:

Councillor Mrs S Langford
Councillor P Lawrence

West Ward:

Councillor Mrs K Corfe
Councillor C Hawkins
Councillor D Ratcliff

East Ward:

Councillor J Craigie
Councillor Mrs R Craigie
Councillor Mrs J Gubb
Councillor Mrs L Hellyer
Councillor J A McKenzie

IN ATTENDANCE:

Mrs H J Blackburn (Town Clerk)
Mr R D Coombes (Deputy Town Clerk)
Mrs L Dixon-Chatfield (Town Clerk’s Assistant)
4 x Members of the Public
1 x Member of the Press


Prior to the start of the Meeting Councillor Christie paid tribute to and thanked his fellow councillors and the Council Staff for the continuance of council work during the challenging year.

1.      ELECTION OF TOWN MAYOR

Proposed by Councillor Mrs Langford, seconded by Councillor J Craigie that Councillor Mrs R Craigie be elected to fill the role of Town Mayor. (Vote: - For: 3)

Proposed by Councillor Mrs Hellyer, seconded by Councillor Hawkins that Councillor Ratcliff be elected to fill the role of Town Mayor. (Vote: - For: 8)

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Mrs Gubb that Councillor McKenzie be elected to fill the role of Town Mayor. (Vote: - For: 2)

A second vote was cast, excluding Councillor McKenzie who had accrued least votes in the first ballot, between Councillors Mrs R Craigie (Vote: - For: 4) and Ratcliff (Vote: - For: 9).

RESOLVED: That Councillor Ratcliff is appointed Town Mayor for the Civic Year 2021/2022.

2.     DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE

Councillor Ratcliff expressed his thanks and resolved to promote the Office of Mayor and Town; he assumed the Chair having made arrangements to sign his Declaration of Acceptance of Office, with the Town Clerk, on the following day.

3.     ELECTION OF DEPUTY TOWN MAYOR

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor McGeough that Councillor McKenzie be elected to fill the role of Deputy Town Mayor. (Vote: - For: 5)

Proposed by Councillor J Craigie, seconded by Councillor Ratcliff that Councillor Mrs Gubb be elected to fill the role of DeputyTown Mayor. (Vote: - For: 6)

Proposed by Councillor Herron, seconded by Councillor Hawkins that Councillor Mrs Corfe be elected to fill the role of Deputy Town Mayor. (Vote: - For: 3)

A second vote was cast, excluding Councillor Mrs Corfe who had accrued least votes in the first ballot, between Councillors Mrs Gubb (Vote: - For: 8) and McKenzie (Vote: - For: 6).

RESOLVED: That Councillor Mrs Gubb is appointed Deputy Town Mayor for the Civic Year 2021/2022.

4.     APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

All Members were present at the meeting.

5.    DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST ON ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

Councillor Christie declared a non-pecuniary interest in Item 19. (Member, Bideford Bridge Trust.).

6.    PUBLIC PARTICIPATION SESSION

A Member of the Public congratulated the Mayor on his appointment. He referenced the Council’s commitment to Climate Change and advocated green energy providers believing them to be very competitive; he gave detail of his own supplier.

He further hoped that Bideford would be able to, “put on a show, in the good old fashioned way,” to commemorate the Queen’s seventy years as sovereign.

He concluded with a wish for the incoming Devon County Councillor to instigate the pedestrianisation of Allhalland and Mill Streets to provide for a “nice street scene.”

7.    MINUTES

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 8 April 2021 were approved and signed as a correct record.

(Vote – For: 15, Against: 0)

8.    ACCOUNTS

To approve the payments listed.

It was proposed by Councillor Ratcliff, seconded and

RESOLVED: That the List of Payments be approved.

(Vote – For: 15, Against: 0)

9.    COMMUNICATION BROUGHT FORWARD ON THE DIRECTION OF THE MAYOR

The Town Clerk advised that an election would be held for the South Ward vacancy.

10.  APPOINTMENT TO COMMITTEES, WORKING GROUPS

The Mayor directed the Members to vote en bloc following the population of the listed Committees and Working Groups.

a.    Allotments Committee

Deputy Town Mayor, Councillors J Craigie, Mrs R Craigie, Mrs Hellyer, Herron, and McKenzie.

b.    Market Management Committee

Town Mayor, Councillors Bushby, Hawkins, Mrs Hellyer, Herron and McKenzie.

c.    Planning Committee

Town Mayor, Councillors Bushby, Christie, Mrs Corfe, Mrs Hellyer, and Mrs Langford.

d.    Staffing, Finance & General Purposes Committee

Town Mayor, Deputy Town Mayor, Bushby, Christie, Mrs Corfe, Mrs R Craigie, Lawrence, McGeough and McKenzie.

e.   Tourism Committee

Councillors Bushby, Mrs Corfe, Gubb, Hawkins, Mrs Langford and Lawrence.

f.    Decarbonisation and Environment Committee

Councillors J Craigie, Mrs Corfe, Mrs R Craigie, Mrs Langford, Herron and McKenzie.

g.    Grievance Panel

Town Mayor, Councillors Bushby, Christie and McGeough.

h.    Personnel Appeals Panel

Deputy Town Mayor, Councillors J Craigie, Johns and McKenzie.

i.     Neighbourhood Plan Working Group

Deputy Town Mayor, Councillors Mrs Corfe, J Craigie, Mrs R Craigie, Herron, and Mrs Langford.

j.     Emergency Planning Working Group

Town Mayor, Councillors: Christie, J Craigie, Hawkins, Mrs Langford and Ratcliff.

Proposed by Councillor Mrs Langford, seconded and

RESOLVED: That Councillors are appointed as stated.

(Vote – For: 15, Against: 0)

11.    APPOINTMENT OF INTERNAL AUDITOR OF ACCOUNTS

Proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded and

RESOLVED: That Councillor Mrs Langford is appointed Internal Auditor of Accounts for the financial year 2021/22.

(Vote – For: 15, Against: 0)

12.    APPOINT REPRESENTATIVES TO OUTSIDE BODIES

The Mayor directed the Members to vote en bloc following the appointing of representatives to Outside Bodies.

Bideford & District Community Archive Council:  Town Mayor, Councillor Christie

Bideford Bridge Trust:   Town Mayor,  Councillor Mrs Gubb (Jun 24), Councillor J McKenzie (Nov 24), Councillor Mrs R Craigie (Jul 22)

Chamber of Commerce:  Chairman Market Management Committee, Councillor Bushby

Bideford Twinning Association:  Town Mayor, Councillor Johns

Bideford Regatta Committee:   Town Mayor, Councillor Mrs Gubb

Bideford Town Band Management Committee:  Councillor Johns

Burton at Bideford: Deferred to confirm liaison through the Tourism Committee.

Citizens Advice Bureau:  Councillor J Craigie

DALC County Committee:  Vacant

DALC Larger Councils Sub-Cttee:  Vacant

Pollyfield Community Association:  Councillor Mrs R Craigie

Home-Start Torridge:  Councillor Mrs R Craigie

Bideford Bay Children’s Centre:  Councillor J Craigie

Taw/Torridge Estuary Forum:  Councillor McKenzie

UNESCO Biosphere Champion:  Councillor J Craigie

Snow Warden:  Councillors Johns and McKenzie

Bideford Town Centre Partnership:  Town Mayor,  Councillor Mrs Corfe, Councillor Bushby

Fire Liaison:  Councillor McGeough

Police Liaison:  Councillor Mrs Hellyer

One Atlantic:    Councillor Hawkins

West Croft School Governors Board:  Councillor Herron

Proposed by Councillor McKenzie, seconded and

RESOLVED: That Councillors are appointed as stated.

(Vote – For: 15, Against: 0)

13.    CIVIC YEAR 2021/2022 MEETINGS AND FUNCTION DATES

(Councillor Mrs Corfe left the Meeting.)

The Members noted the content of the document, which was circulated with the agenda.

Proposed by Councillor Mrs Langford, seconded and

RESOLVED: The dates of meetings and functions for the Civic Year 2021/2022 are approved.

(Vote – For:14, Against: 0)

14.   INSPECTION OF THE DEEDS AND TRUST INVESTMENTS IN THE CUSTODY OF THE COUNCIL

The Town Clerk drew the Members’ attention to the deeds and documents held by the Council and invited Members to make arrangements with the Town Clerk to inspect them and the trust investments at an appropriate time.

15.   PLANNING COMMITTEE

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 22 April 2021 were approved and adopted.

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

16.   STAFFING, FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE

Item. 253. Welcome Back Fund. The Town Clerk advised Members that given the shortness of time not all information was available at the Meeting, although more was subsequently circulated.

The Council will have to sign a Service Level Agreement, as Financial Delivery Partners (with TDC) and importantly must ensure that funds are spent within the procurement and scope guidelines. The Council will be liable for any fund that doesn’t fall within the guidelines. Payment is made up front and claimed back; the Council have sufficient funds to do that.

The Clerk advised that the paperwork will be onerous but added that the Council can bid for a four per cent fee from within the fund to purchase some “admin time,” to deliver the projects.

It was proposed by Councillor Bushby, seconded by Councillor Ratcliff and

RESOLVED: That the Council bid for additional administrative time to be purchased to deliver the projects.

(Vote – For: 14, Against: 0)

The Minutes of the Meeting held on 29 April 2021 were approved and adopted.

(Vote – For: 14, Against: 0)

17.   DALC

There was no Meeting.

18.  TORRIDGE DISTRICT COUNCIL – UPDATE

Councillor Bushby announced that he had been elected Chairman of Torridge District Council at the recent AGM. He noted that a number of leisure facilities had been opened in the District and others would follow, as soon as possible.

Councillor Christie had suggested that TDC hire the Pannier Market to hold future Meetings given that Zoom would no longer be used.

19.   BRIDGE TRUST

Councillor Christie briefed Members on the income, expenditure, charitable donations 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 8.36 pm.

Accounts for approval at Annual Town Meeting held on 4 May 2021

 

 

 


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