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Minutes of a meeting of the Town Council held in the Council Chamber, Windmill Lane, Northam on Wednesday 28 th October 2009 PRESENT: Chairman - Deputy Town Mayor Cllr C K Langton Members - Cllrs Mrs P D Biggs, Mrs A Boyle, Mrs S Collins, Mrs M Cox, B Edwards, P Hames, R J Johnson, R W A Miller, R Tisdale together with 2 parishioners Apologies were recorded on behalf of the Town Mayor, Cllr R H Osborne, Cllrs J Braund, A Eastman and S Robinson 1. The Reverend John Ewington opened the meeting with a prayer. 2. Minutes The minutes of the Town Council meeting held 30th September 2009 were approved and signed. (Vote: 6 for, 4 abst) 3. 15 minute period for public contributions Mrs Avery of the Appledore Residents' Association thanked the Council for their work in acquiring the two parcels of land in Appledore. 4. Correspondence : (a) Remembrance Day Parade letter from British Legion Appledore Branch- Noted. (b) Flood Protection letter from TDC Noted. (c) Holsworthy Town Council Members considered letters from Holsworthy Town Council who were objecting to the County Council proposals to introduce pay and display parking in additional market towns. Members were concerned that the County Council were embarking on this proposal in order to raise revenue whereas the rules governing these schemes are clearly aimed at improving traffic management. It was RESOLVED to support Holsworthy Town Council and to write appropriately to the County Council voicing the Town Council's objections. (Vote 9 for, 1 abst) (d) SW Love Food Hate Waste Campaign It was agreed to support this initiative wholeheartedly. 5. Minutes of the Special Council meeting held 14 th October 2009 The minutes of the above meeting were approved and signed. (Unanimous) 6. Minutes of the Working Group of the Town Council to advise on the appointment of a new Town Clerk held 20 th October 2009 Members considered the minutes of the Working Group and it was RESOLVED to accept the recommendations. (Vote: Unanimous) 7. Notice of Motion from Councillor Hames In the context of urgent national and international programmes to reduce carbon emissions and the current 10:10 climate campaign (which has been adopted, for example, by Government departments, local authorities, companies, schools and individuals), it is proposed that this Council approves the Environmental Policy circulated with the agenda, with the aim of achieving significant reduction in carbon emissions over the next five years. Members considered the Draft Environmental Policy produced by Cllr Hames and it was generally agreed that the document needed to be simplified and specific objectives identified. It was RESOLVED to refer the matter to the Sustainability Working Group who were tasked to produce a suitable document for consideration by the Council. (Vote: Unanimous) 8. Notice of Motion from Councillor Hames Acting on advice received from the Devon Association of Parish Councils it is proposed that Members draw up terms of reference for all the Council's committees. Members considered the above Notice of Motion and were generally in agreement. It was RESOLVED to require the individual Committees to prepare terms of reference which they consider appropriate and to refer them back to full Council for ratification. (Vote: Unanimous) 9. Police PC Dave Buck, the Neighbourhood Beat Manager, and Mr John McGovern, PCSO for Northam, advised Members on the various anti-social/criminal activities that had been dealt with over the past few months. 10. 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) Land at Burrough Farm and Seagate The Town Clerk reported that he had been in contact with the National Playing Fields Association with a view to protecting the Burrough Farm site just purchased and the Seagate car park site, also just purchased, from future development. The advice was to the effect that the land at Burrough Farm become a King George's field as part of it already had that designation. The land at the Seagate car park would need to be protected in another way. It was RESOLVED to refer these matters to the Town Projects Committee for further consideration. (Vote: Unanimous) 11. Streetworks and related matters Members' items Cllr Mrs Boyle reported that there was a white line painted on the carriageway opposite the Seagate Hotel on the Quay in Appledore which normally designates a dropped kerb but no dropped kerb has been provided. Cllr Hames made reference to the footway works being undertaken on Churchill Way and also advised that street lights in Appledore, particularly Odun Road, were on during the day. It was agreed that The Town Clerk would take the necessary action. Cllr Miller advised that the District Council Civil Enforcement Officer was unable to enforce the double yellow lines in Fore Street and the Square because the lines have worn away. It was RESOLVED to contact the County Council requesting that the lines be replaced. (Vote: Unanimous) 12. Reports from District Members Cllr Mrs Cox reported that the Lenwood planning application would be considered at the next Planning Meeting. She had also put forward the idea of re-opening the railway from Barnstaple to Bideford. The LDF Core Strategy would be considered by the Council next month and would be put out for public consultation in January 2010. Cllr Johnson reported that an interactive CD of this area had been produced for tourism promotion purposes and that North Devon Plus had agreed to include it in their literature which they send out promoting the area. He also advised that at a meeting with the Devon Playing Fields Association he became aware that West Devon Borough Council were using 106 Agreements to obtain funding from development which was to be spent on play facilities. Cllr Tisdale reported that the finances of the Burrows had been recently scrutinised by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 13. Reports from County Members Cllr Mrs Boyle advised the Members on the various Committees of which she is a Member.
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