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Minutes of a meeting of the Town Council held in the Council Chamber, Windmill Lane, Northam on Tuesday 16th December 2003.
PRESENT: Chairman - Deputy Town Mayor – Cllr L Ford Members - Cllrs Mrs M M Cox, Mrs S A Mounce, E J Davies, A Eastman, P Waters and 5 Parishioners
Apologies were recorded on behalf of the Town Mayor, Cllr A Barnes, Cllrs R D Bradford MBE, A Eastwood OBE, K A Lane, Dr P Tamplin, T J Williams
1. Minutes
The minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 25th November 2003 were approved and signed.
2. Town Clerk’s Report
(a) Northam Cemetery - The Town Clerk reported that the Inspector appointed to consider the Torridge District Local Plan had recommended that the site identified in Tadworthy Road as a cemetery, be deleted from the Plan. Members were disappointed that this had been recommended as the search for a site had been difficult and a considerable sum of public money had been expended in purchasing the land. It was RESOLVED to write to the District Council requesting them to reject this recommendation with copies of the letter to the Chief Executive and the Chairman of the Development Committee.
(Vote: Unanimous)
(b) 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)
3. Northam Burrows
Horse passports and Horse identification
Members considered a letter from the Senior Ranger regarding identification of horses and suggesting that the markings diagram, required as part of the new horse passports, be used as a means to identification for horses on Northam Burrows. It was thought that this was a good idea but as horse passports did not need to be obtained until June 30th 2004, the horse owners would be asked for this information on a voluntary basis and it was so RESOLVED.
(Vote: Unanimous)
4. Streetworks and related matters
Members’ items
Cllr Davies reported continuing problems of parked vehicles in Daneshay. It was noted that this matter will need to be brought up at the meeting on 14th January when the Highway Authority will be in attendance.
Cllr Eastman asked what had happened to the proposals to remove the grass island in Pitt Avenue which a previous Divisional Surveyor had undertaken to carry out. It was RESOLVED to write to the County Council to ascertain the latest situation with regard to this scheme.
(Vote: Unanimous)
5. Planning applications
1822/03 Proposed side extension garage with bedroom above. 3 Richmond Park, Northam – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
2073/03 Proposal to amend the planning consent to increase the letting from 10 months to 12 months - 48 Lenwood Country Club – RESOLVED - Recommend approval subject to the building construction being suitable for winter occupation.
(Vote: Unanimous)
2098/03 Proposed construction of a bungalow. Torcedar, Raleigh – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
It was RESOLVED to suspend Standing Orders to allow local residents to address the Council about the following planning application.
(Vote: Unanimous)
2162/03 Proposed amendments to existing approval. Mount Raleigh, Raleigh Hill – RESOLVED - Recommend Refusal. The applicant has raised the level of the ground considerably and five trees out of a total of eight, which had tree preservation orders on them have disappeared. Two of those remaining have suffered extensive root damage as a result of the works. The land has been raised to such an extent that rubble is falling into adjoining property.
The building, as built, does not conform to that approved under application 1491/02. The amendments suggested by the applicant are misleading and a close examination of the new drawings will show that the first floor levels of 107.15 have been deleted. On the revised drawings the ground floor is now indicated at 107.55 and the first floor level is now 110.05. Minor alterations to the pitch of the roof will not obviate the fact that the building has been constructed at an elevation some 3 metres higher than it should have been. The Council is of the view that enforcement action is required to have this building conform to the original consent, even if that means demolition of the building.
(Vote: Unanimous)
2181/03 Proposed refurbishment including new roof to existing semi-derelict agricultural type building for use as private (non commercial) apple processing (press and freeze), tractor garage, workshop and storage also addition of wooden shed 4 metres x 9 metres. Lakenham Studio, Tadworthy Road – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
2189/03 Proposed application for an extension to existing house to include an annexe. 18 Eastbourne Terrace, Westward Ho! – RESOLVED - Recommend Refusal and take enforcement action to remove what has already been constructed.
(Vote: Unanimous)
2192/03 Proposed detached Garage - Avondale, Avon Lane, Westward Ho! – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
2222/03 Proposed conversion of roof space to provide additional accommodation – 56 Bay View Road – RESOLVED - Recommend Approval subject to overlooking not being a problem.
(Vote: Unanimous)
2231/03 Proposed re-location of store - The Cottage, Quayside House, Appledore – RESOLVED – Recommend approval.
(Vote: Unanimous)
6. Reports from Members on outside bodies
Cllr Mrs Cox reported that discussions regarding the proposals for Heywood Road roundabout had not, as yet, brought forward any resolution. She was hopeful that something would be happening in the New Year.
7. Transfer of Justices’ Licence
Transfer of Licence – The Bell Inn, Appledore – RESOLVED – No objection.
(Vote: Unanimous)
8. Matters brought forward at Chairman’s discretion
Members considered a letter from the Chairman of the Northam Youth Group which set out the financial difficulties being experienced and advising that the Group would need to close at the end of January 2004 unless additional funding could be found. There was a consensus among Members that the Council had done all that it could and that the Group needed somehow to attract a regular income in order to sustain the staff costs incurred by the Group.
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