Minutes of a meeting of the Town Council held in the Council Chamber, Windmill Lane, Northam

on Tuesday 25th October 2005

 

PRESENT:     Chairman         - Town Mayor – Cllr E J Davies

 Members        - Cllrs Mrs M M Cox, Mrs S A Mounce, J Bell,

                           R D Bradford MBE, A Eastman, K Lane,

   R W A Miller, R M M Tisdale  

   together with WPC Kerry Wilson and PC Paul Butler,  Devon 

   &  Cornwall Constabulary and 2 Parishioners

  

Apologies were recorded on behalf of Cllrs Barnes, Ford and Waters 

                  

1.         Andie Scilly – Youth Worker for Devon Youth Service

 

Andie Scilly advised the Council that the lack of a suitable facility for the Youth in Northam was a matter of concern.  As a first step she was undertaking a study into what the people of Northam required and this will include speaking to the Police and young people.  Cllrs Mrs Mounce and Eastman agreed to meet with Miss Scilly to help her with her investigations.

 

2.         Minutes

             

The minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 27th September 2005 were approved and signed.

 

(Vote: Unanimous)

 

3.         Finance Advisory Committee

 

Members considered and RESOLVED to accept the recommendations of the Finance Advisory Committee held 11th October 2005. 

 

(Vote: Unanimous)

 

4.         Matters of report to/from Police Beat Manager

 

WPC Kerry Wilson reported on the crimes for the past month.  PC Butler introduced himself as the ASBO Co-ordinator for Torridge.  He advised  Members of the procedures involved in dealing with anti social behaviour and the various steps which are taken leading up to the eventual issue of an Order should this be necessary. 

 

Cllr Tisdale joined the meeting at this juncture.

 

5.         Notice of Motion from Cllr Eastman

           

“That Northam Town Council provides funding to meet the cost of cleaning Westward Ho! Blue Flag Beach for the forthcoming bathing season of 2006 to the sum of £5,000.”

 

Members considered the above Notice of Motion and RESOLVED to have a recorded vote.

 

(Vote: Unanimous)

 

Following a discussion, an amendment to postpone a decision until a meeting with the District Council had been held was lost by 5 votes to 4.  Those voting for were Cllrs Mrs Cox, Mrs Mounce, Bell and Miller, and those against were Cllrs Bradford MBE, Davies, Eastman, Lane and Tisdale.

 

The Notice of Motion put forward by Cllr Eastman was then put to the vote and it was RESOLVED as follows:-

 

That the Council in accordance with its powers under Sections 137 and 139 of the Local Government Act 1972, should incur the following expenditure which, in the opinion of the Council, is in the interests of the area or its inhabitants and will benefit them in a manner commensurate with the expenditure:

 

“That Northam Town Council provides funding to meet the cost of cleaning Westward Ho! Blue Flag Beach for the forthcoming bathing season of 2006 to the sum of £5,000.”

 

(Voting for: Cllrs Mrs Cox, Bradford MBE, Davies, Eastman, Lane, Tisdale,

 Voting against: Cllrs Mounce, Bell, Miller)

 

6.         Notice of Motion from Cllr Mrs Cox 

 

“That a sub-committee be set up to consider Tree Preservation Orders.”

 

Members considered the above Notice of Motion from Cllr Mrs Cox and it was RESOLVED to set up a tree preservation order sub committee with the following Members:-  Cllrs Mrs Cox, Eastman and Tisdale.

 

(Vote: Unanimous)       

 

7.         Town Clerk’s Report

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)

 

8.         Northam Burrows

Members’ items

 

(a)  Cllr Bradford MBE and Cllr Miller reported that the beach lifeguard hut, situated on the pebbleridge at Sandymere, needed to be removed.

 

(b)  Cllr Miller also reported on sewage pollution into the Burn following the recent stormy weather.  A number of Members expressed their concern on this matter and it was RESOLVED to write to the Chairman of South West Water asking him to send an appropriate person to the Town Council with a view to explaining the problem and finding a solution.  A copy of this letter to be sent to Geoffrey Cox MP.

 

During the discussion, Cllr Bell left the meeting.

 

(Vote: Unanimous)

 

9.         Streetworks and related matters

Members’ items

 

(a)  Cllr Bradford MBE was concerned about the congestion of parked vehicles at the junction of Chanters Road with Heywood Road.  He also reported that the sign approaching the Heywood Road roundabout advising motorists of the weight restriction was somewhat dilapidated and needed replacing. 

 

(b) Cllr Miller reported on the need for more street sweeping in Northam and that overgrown hedges previously reported to the County Council had not yet been dealt with.

 

(c) Cllr Mrs Cox reported that the builders active at the junction of Hanson Park with Heywood Road were not complying with their planning conditions in that tradesmen’s vehicles were parking in dangerous places in Hanson Park and that in accordance with the planning consent this should all be accommodated on the site.  It was RESOLVED to write to the District Council.

 

(Vote: Unanimous)

 

10.       Ring & Ride Bus Service in Northam

 

            It was RESOLVED to defer this matter until the next full meeting of the Council.

 

            (Vote: Unanimous)

           

11.       TDC Car Parking Policy

 

Members considered a letter from the District Council advising that a car parking Policy Committee was to be held on 26th October.  Cllrs Mrs Mounce and Tisdale advised that they would be attending.

 

12.       Westward Ho! Cycle Route

           

Members considered the proposal for a cycle route from Sandymere Road to Seafield.  It was RESOLVED to advise the District Council that there was concern that the stretch of the route from the bottom of Ennisfarne Road in a westerly direction towards the new Nassau Court would be too narrow to accommodate vehicles and pedestrians and cycles. It was therefore RESOLVED to recommend that the route be amended so that cycles would use Ennisfarne Road and Merley Road.

 

            (Vote: Unanimous)

 

           

 

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