Minutes of a meeting of the Town Council held in the Council Chamber, Windmill Lane, Northam on Tuesday 28 th October 2008

PRESENT: Chairman - Town Mayor – Cllr R M M Tisdale

Members - Cllrs Mrs M M Cox, Mrs S Collins, J Braund, A Eastman, B M Edwards, P Hames,

C K Langton, R H Osborne together with PC M Tricker & PCSO J McGovern, Devon &

Cornwall Constabulary and 6 parishioners.

Apologies were recorded on behalf of Cllrs Mrs P Biggs, Mrs A Boyle, R J Johnson,

R W A Miller and S R Robinson

1. 15 Minute period for public contributions

Neighbourhood Watch – Mr Barry Taylor, the Chairman of the Torridge District Neighbourhood Watch Committee and Mr Derek Thorne from Appledore, gave a presentation on the work of the Neighbourhood Watch organisation. They were supported by PC Mike Tricker and PCSO John McGovern. They advised that they were looking to extend the cover for Appledore and they were to leaflet everybody in the village in order to raise support. They were hoping to achieve an 80% coverage of the area which would require 10 co-ordinators and they were hopeful of the Council's financial support.

The Town Mayor thanked the group for attending.

2. Minutes

The minutes of the Town Council meeting held 30 th September 2008 were approved and signed.

(Vote: Unanimous)

3. Minutes of the Sustainability Working Group held 30 th September 2008

Cllr Mrs Cox presented the above minutes which were noted.

4. Minutes of the Northam Burrows Advisory Committee held 9 th October 2008

Members considered the above minutes which were noted.

5. Minutes of the Town Projects Advisory Committee held 16 th October 2008

The minutes of the Town Projects Advisory Committee held 16 th October 2008 were noted.

6. Minutes of the Finance Advisory Committee held 21 st October 2008

Members considered the above minutes and RESOLVED as follows:-

Northam Hall

With regard to minute 2(a) it was RESOLVED to accept the recommendation not to register the Hall for VAT purposes.

(Vote: Unanimous)

With regard to minute 2(b) it was RESOLVED to accept the recommendation with regard to the quotations for electrical works.

(Vote: Unanimous)

With regard to minute 2(c) the Town Clerk reported that a 50% reduction in the Business Rates was possible so long as the Council only own the one business premises. It was RESOLVED to apply for the reduction for this financial year.

(Vote: Unanimous)

Skate Park Tenders

With regard to minute 3 the Chairman outlined the continuing problem with regard to the contract between the Town and the District Council. The tenders for the work had been received and the lowest tender was now able to be accepted but was delayed pending resolution of the situation with the District Council. It was RESOLVED to accept the lowest tender for the Skate Park in principle and to report back when the contract with the District Council had been resolved satisfactorily.

(Vote: Unanimous)

Notice Boards

With regard to minute 6 it was RESOLVED to accept the quotation for 3 new notice boards at £374.00 each.

(Vote: Unanimous)

Poppy Appeal

With regard to minute 11 the Council RESOLVED to accept the recommendation.

(Vote: Unanimous)

Staffing

With regard to minute 12 it was RESOLVED to accept the recommendation that the working hours of the staff be increased by 6 hours per week on a Wednesday and Thursday afternoon as a permanent arrangement.

(Vote: Unanimous)

7. Notice of Motion from Cllr Osborne - “That this Council plays a pro-active part in developing the former Appledore Methodist Chapel in order to provide social housing for essential employees in the Appledore Community.”

There was general support for Cllr Osborne's proposal and it was RESOLVED to write to the various housing associations to establish whether they would be interested in taking the property on.

(Vote: Unanimous)

It was also RESOLVED to place this item on future Planning Committee agendas as a standing item in order that any progress could be monitored.

(Vote: Unanimous)

8. Town Clerk's Report

(a) Monthly Financial Report – The Town Clerk presented the monthly financial report that included payments for this month and it was RESOLVED to accept.

(Vote: Unanimous)

(b) Audit of 2008 Annual Return – Members considered a letter from the Audit Commission in respect of the audit of accounts for the financial year 2007/2008. It was RESOLVED to make the amendments as required by the auditor.

(Vote: Unanimous)

9. Business Plans – Assets of TDC

Members reported that there was a positive feeling with regard to the plans as submitted to the District Council. It was now a question of awaiting their deliberations.

Cllr Hames reported that the Northam Community Centre had been granted a new lease with the District Council for 28 years.

10. Streetworks and related matters

(a) Road Safety and Traffic Speed – Buckleigh Road, Westward Ho!

Members considered correspondence between a visitor to the area and the Highway Authority regarding road safety along Cornborough Road. Members were sympathetic to the concerns raised and RESOLVED to ask the County Council:-

(i) to consider various traffic management schemes that were available, these to include extending the length of road to which the 30mph restriction would apply;

(ii) having a fixed inter-active sign;

(iii) appropriate bend warning signs and narrow road signs; and also the possibility of a gateway scheme.

(Vote: Unanimous)

(b) Members' items

(i) Cllr Hames reported that he had noticed the Police carrying out speed checks on Churchill Way during the evening. He recommended that they be asked to carry out speed checks at the peak times – morning and late afternoon.

(ii) Cllr Edwards reported damage to the bus shelter on Appledore Quay and various acts of vandalism in the village. He also reported on a meeting he had with the Devon County Council Roads Engineer and County Cllr Ford. They had visited Bay View Road where there is a particular problem at one narrow section and also considered the possibility of providing a footway on Churchill Way from Broad Lane to Staddon Road. He understood that the Road Engineer was to consider what could be done.

11. Parish Biodiversity Audit

Members considered the comments put forward by Cllr Hames on the report and it was RESOLVED to submit these, together with Cllr Hames' suggestions to the authors of the report.

(Vote: Unanimous)

It was also RESOLVED to thank the author, Anne Harvey, for a comprehensive, easy to read document.

(Vote: Unanimous)

12. CPRE – Torridge District Group

It was RESOLVED to appoint Cllr Mrs Biggs as the Council's representative on this Group.

Vote: Unanimous)