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.