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Minutes of a meeting of the Town Council held in the Council Chamber, Windmill Lane, Northam on Tuesday 31st May 2005
PRESENT: Chairman - Town Mayor – Cllr E J Davies Members - Cllrs Mrs M M Cox, Mrs S A Mounce, R D Bradford MBE, A Eastman, A Eastwood OBE, L Ford, K A Lane, R W A Miller, P Sturges, R M M Tisdale together with WPC Kerry Wilson, Devon & Cornwall Constabulary and 2 Parishioners
Apologies were recorded on behalf of Cllrs A Barnes, J Bell and P Waters
1. Mrs Carol Roberts Victim Support
Mrs Carol Roberts gave a brief outline of the work of the organisation and answered questions put by Councillors.
2. Minutes
The minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 26th April 2005 were approved and signed.
(Vote: Unanimous)
3. Matters of report to/from Police Beat Manager
WPC Kerry Wilson reported on crime figures for the past month. With the influx of visitors to the area, police work was becoming busier and she was concerned about the number of people leaving their vehicles insecure.
4. Appledore Skateboard Park
Members noted the minutes of a meeting with the Appledore Skateboard Association and were advised by the Town Clerk that the lease would be signed by the Town Mayor today. The operational date for the Town Council taking control would be the 1st June 2005.
5. 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) Receipts and payments account for the year ending 31st March 2005 – The Town Clerk presented the receipts and payments accounts which were approved.
(Vote: Unanimous)
6. Northam Burrows
(a) Agricultural Management of Common Land
Item deferred.
(b) Information required from the District Council in connection with the management of the Burrows.
Item deferred.
(c) Dog waste bins
The Town Clerk reported on the cost of providing dog waste bins and it was RESOLVED to provide funding for up to 5 no bins on Northam Burrows at a total cost of £550.
(Vote: Unanimous)
(d) Members’ Items
Cllr Miller reported on the problems with mobile homes in Sandymere, fires being lit and motor scooters driving over the burrows and it was agreed that these activities need to be monitored.
Cllr Lane reported on the activities of a volunteer group who were cleaning the pebbleridge. A serious problem was the burning of waste bin contents on the pebbles leaving a mess which cannot be easily removed. In general the efforts of the volunteers were paying off.
7. Streetworks and related matters Members’ items
(a) Cllr Mrs Mounce reported on the excellent job carried out by the County Council in Morwenna Park Road.
(b) Cllr Bradford MBE reported that a fence had been erected around the first house in Richmond Park Road. It was RESOLVED to write to the District Council to ascertain if this contravened any planning conditions.
(Vote: Unanimous)
(c) Cllr Bradford also reported that a number of street nameplates in Northam were very dirty and need to be cleaned.
(d) Cllr Bradford suggested that the shrub beds outside the library and the old bus stop on the corner be cleaned up and it was RESOLVED to obtain quotations for the work.
(Vote: Unanimous) (e) Cllr Miller reported on a complaint he had received about the condition of the footpath (coastal path) by the Elizabethan at Westward Ho! It was RESOLVED to write to the County Council.
(Vote: Unanimous)
(f) Cllr Ford requested that as the County Councillor for the area he be sent copies of all items dealing with highway matters.
(g) Cllr Eastwood OBE requested the Council to continue to pursue the pedestrian crossing in Northam by the surgery and also the removal of the old fountain in the Square and it was so RESOLVED.
(Vote: Unanimous)
(h) Cllr Mrs Cox reported that a glass panel in the new bus shelter at Limers Lane had been smashed and it was RESOLVED to undertake the repair as soon as possible.
(Vote: Unanimous)
8. Kite Surfing on Westward Ho! beach
Cllr Miller reported that the public were being frightened by the activities of kite surfing and kite buggying and it was important that these were contained in a properly cordoned off and stewarded area.
Cllr Tisdale reported that sand buggying was restricted to an area of the beach north of Sandymere and that the organiser was very sensible and realised that if there was too much transgression they would lose the facility. It was appreciated that it was non-organised users causing the problem.
9. Bridge Hall
Members considered a letter from the Bridge Trust and it was RESOLVED to write to the Trust seeking the freehold of the property but also indicating that a long lease with a peppercorn rent would be considered.
(Vote: Unanimous)
10. Torridge Poverty Action Group
Cllr Mrs Mounce declared an interest in this item.
Members considered a request for funding. Cllr Eastwood OBE reported on the excellent work this group does and advised on the high levels of deprivation in the area. It was RESOLVED to award a grant of £1,000.
(Vote: Unanimous)
11. Appledore Band
Councillors considered a request for grant from Appledore Band and RESOLVED to award a grant of £1,000.
(Vote: 10 For, 1 abst)
12. Threatened Urban Pathways
A request for funding from the Open Spaces Society was deferred to a future meeting.
Cllrs Davies and Sturges left the meeting while planning applications were being discussed. Cllr Lane took the Chair for this item.
13. Planning applications
0615/05 Proposed ground floor extension to form additional single store, garage, first floor extension to form additional bedroom en-suite - 56 Hanson Park, Northam – RESOLVED - Recommend approval if no overlooking.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0621/05 Proposed renovations and extensions to dwelling. 2 Limers Lane, Lower Cleave – RESOLVED - Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0633/05 Proposed extension to dwelling - Restharrow, Goats Hill Road, Northam – RESOLVED - Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0680/05 Proposed erection of a two-storey side extension to replace existing garage and erection of a conservatory at the rear. 10 St Teresa’s Court, Northam – RESOLVED - Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0712/05 Proposed construction of car parking bay in front garden - 9 North Street, Northam – RESOLVED - Recommend approval subject to there being sufficient room in the garden to ensure that no obstruction of the footway will take place.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0772/05 Renewal of lapsed planning permission for the erection of a 2 bedroomed bungalow - Plot off Coral Avenue and The Fairways, Westward Ho! – RESOLVED - Recommend approval subject to a new landscaping scheme as trees will be lost.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0812/05 Reserved matters application for a dwelling. Tors View, Cornborough Road – RESOLVED - Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0837/05 Proposed extension to dwelling to form dining room and extend single garage to a double. 31 Scott Avenue, Appledore – RESOLVED - Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0884/05 Proposed renewal of permission granted in 2000 for the construction of 2 dwellings - Carrig, Cluden Road – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0893/05 Proposed ground floor and first floor extension and alterations to existing highway boundary to provide improved visibility. 98 Bay View Road – RESOLVED - Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
Cllr Mrs Cox declared a personal interest in this item. 0897/05 Reserved matters application for the construction of 2 houses. Land adjacent to St Helens, Heywood Road – RESOLVED – Deferred.
(Vote: Unanimous)
0966/05 Proposed residential development for 3 detached dwellings and access to Orchard Hill. Outline application - Walled Garden to the north of Tower House, Orchard Hill – RESOLVED - Recommend approval but Members concerned that the applicants may be in breach of Miss Sheila Hutchinson’s bequest that this land should not be developed.
(Vote: Unanimous)
Cllr Ford left the meeting at this juncture. Cllr Davies rejoined the meeting and took the Chair.
14. NTL Broadcasting Transmitting Station, Bay View Road
Members considered a letter from NTL Broadcast who intend to fix an additional radio dish link to the existing mast at Bay View Road. They expressed concern at the increased use of this mast and RESOLVED to send a copy of the letter to the local Northam Surgery and ask if they have any views.
(Vote: Unanimous)
15. Transfer of Justices’ Licences
Transfer of Licence – Royal George, Irsha Street, Appledore – RESOLVED – No objection.
(Vote: Unanimous)
Transfer of Licence – Village Inn, Youngaton Road, Westward Ho! – RESOLVED – No objection.
(Vote: Unanimous)
Transfer of Licence – Co-op, 3 The quay, Appledore – RESOLVED – No objection.
(Vote: Unanimous)
Transfer of Licence – The Waterfront Inn, Golf links Road, Westward Ho! – RESOLVED – No objection.
(Vote: Unanimous) |