BUDLEIGH SALTERTON TOWN COUNCIL
MINUTES of the Meeting of the Town Council held in the Council Chamber on Monday 19 May 2014, on the rising of the Meeting of the Planning Committee.
Meeting commenced at 7.28pm.
PRESENT
Cllr Mrs C A Sismore-Hunt (Town Mayor)
Cllr C Richards (Deputy Town Mayor)
Cllr A J Dent
Cllr Mrs L D Evans
Cllr A N Gooding
Cllr S Hall
Cllr D J Harrison
Cllr M C Hilliar
Cllr A L Jones
Cllr C A Kitson
Cllr R S Mitchell
Cllr T D Wright
Clerk: Mrs J E Vanstone
Others Present: One member of the public and one representative of the press.
14.033 Public Speaking Time
No members of the public wished to speak.
14.034 Apologies for Absence
None, all Members being present.
14.035 Declarations of Interests in Items on the Agenda
The Town Mayor, Cllr Mrs C A Sismore-Hunt, declared a personal interest in Min 14.046 – her husband organises the town Poppy Appeal.
Cllrs A J Dent, A L Jones and T D Wright also declared a personal interest in Min 14.046 – they are members of the local Branch of the Royal British Legion.
Cllr A N Gooding declared a pecuniary interest in Min 14.044 – he is a member of the Knowle Village Hall Committee.
Cllr D J Harrison declared a personal interest in Min 14.045 – he is a governor of St Peter’s School.
Cllr S Hall declared a personal interest in Min 14.050 – he is the Chairman of the District Council Licensing Committee.
Cllr T D Wright declared a personal interest in Min 14.050 – he is a member of the District Council Licensing Committee.
14.036 Minutes
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Town Council held on 28 April 2014 and the Annual Meeting of the Town Council held on 12 May 2014 had been circulated prior to the Meeting. It was unanimously agreed they be signed as a true record.
14.037 Report of Committee
The Minutes of the Meeting of the Finance Committee held on 28 April 2014 were received and adopted.
14.038 Report of Neighbourhood Beat Manager
No report had been received.
14.039 Chairman’s Comments
The Town Mayor, Cllr Mrs C A Sismore-Hunt, had no report to make.
14.040 Clerk’s Report
Mrs J E Vanstone reported:
1. Imperial College Musical Theatre group (ICOS) would not be visiting the town this year. This was great loss to the town’s traders as well as the Public Hall. She did not know if they would be touring in 2015. She said that some ideas had been mentioned for a one night show to be put on and she would keep Members apprised of progress.
2. A consultation event was being held at Budleigh Library on Thursday 29 May between 10am and 12noon. She said that senior library staff would be on hand to hear ideas and answer any questions regarding the restructuring of the library service.
3. She and Cllr S Hall had looked at locations for cycle racks and she was waiting to hear back from Jacobs, the company drawing up the plans. She said when the plans were received they would go before the Town Council for final approval. She would also advise East Devon District Council of the locations so the plans did not interfere with any projects being organised by the District Council.
4. She had been advised that three new seats would be installed on The Green. One would be a recycled seat and the other two were new. She said that some of the existing seats were also going to be relocated to other parts of The Green.
5. The updated version of the Council’s Complaints Procedure was in Members’ folders and she asked that Members place it in their Standing Orders file.
6. The 2014/15 committee list was also in Members’ folders.
Cllr C A Kitson asked if the Clerk had an update on the Outdoor Gym and Cycle Path. Mrs Vanstone said she had not had any news from the District Council.
Cllr T D Wright added that the engineer who was managing these projects had been dealing with the repairs following the February storms. He said that the outdoor Gym equipment had been constructed and the District Council would inform the Clerk when it was going to be installed.
14.041 Reports of Council Representatives on Other Bodies
Fryer Recreational and Welfare Trusts
Cllr C A Kitson said he and the Deputy Town Mayor, Cllr C Richards had attended recent Fryer Trust meetings. The two Trusts were progressing well and would soon be making some grants. It was a good active Committee and would be producing a leaflet so members of the community would know exactly what the Trusts do, etc.
Budleigh Salterton Nursing Association
Cllr R S Mitchell reported that he had attended the recent AGM. Mrs M Evans had been elected as Chairman and Mrs J Tilbury as Secretary and Treasurer. As ever, the Association was looking for worthy recipients of its funds!
14.042 Reports of County and District Councillors
District Councillors
Cllr T D Wright reported:
1. He had spoken to the Environment Agency (EA) regarding the town’s bathing water quality. They had carried out detailed examinations of the water courses that feed the sea and representatives would be speaking to the Town Council on 23 June when they would advise what was going on and the affect it may have on the town’s bathing water quality. Cllr Wright said that EA had offered to install an electronic sign and he would be discussing its location in with officers.
2. He and Cllr S Hall had met with District Council officers to see where the new compacting litter bins would be located. Seven would be positioned between the Lime Kiln car park and Steamer Steps. The bins were solar powered and recorded the level of refuse in them and could alert operatives when they needed emptying.
3. He said that Devon& Cornwall Police had announced the closure of twelve “front offices” including Exmouth and Honiton. This meant the nearest offices to Budleigh Salterton were Barnstaple or Crownhill in Plymouth! He passed the full list to the Clerk.
Cllr S Hall said he was pleased to advise he would be continuing as Chairman of the District Council Licensing Committee.
14.043 Cheques for Signature
Payment of cheques for the month of May 2014, in accordance with Appendix A, was approved.
Cllr A N Gooding left the meeting.
14.044 Request for Grant Aid: Knowle Village Hall
(i) Consideration was given to making a donation to the Hall.
Resolved: A donation will be made.
(ii) Consideration was given to the amount of the donation.
Resolved: A donation of £500 will be made towards the play equipment.
Cllr A N Gooding re-joined the meeting.
14.045 Request for Grant Aid: Warm Wish Group – Swimming Pool Enclosure
(i) Consideration was given to making a donation towards the Swimming Pool Enclosure.
Resolved: A donation will be made.
(ii) Consideration was given to the amount of the donation.
Resolved: A donation of £1000 will be made.
Cllr D J Harrison added that if the total amount raised exceeds the amount required for the Pool enclosure it may be possible to build a small shower/toilet block for all pool users.
14.046 Grant Aid: Budleigh Salterton Branch of the Royal British Legion
(i) Consideration was given to making a donation to the Branch as thanks for storing the Town Council’s stock of salt/grit.
The Deputy Town Mayor, Cllr C Richards said that the local Branch had not contacted the Town Council for a Grant. The suggestion to make a contribution had come from elsewhere.
Resolved: A donation will be made.
(ii) Consideration was given to the amount of the donation.
Resolved: A donation of £150 will be made.
14.047 Town Council Cheque Signatories
Consideration was given to amending the cheque signatories list to include Cllr M C Hilliar.
Resolved: Cllr M C Hilliar’s name will be included on the bank mandate as cheque signatory instead of Cllr A L Jones.
14.048 Accounts 2013/2014
(i) The Accounts (with Supporting Notes) and Risk Assessments for the Financial Year 1 April 2013 to 31 March 2014, all of which had been the subject of Internal Audit, were received.
(ii) It was noted there were no matters that the Internal Auditor wished to bring to the attention of the Council.
(iii) It was agreed that the Annual Governance Statement be completed.
14.049 East Devon District Council: Ladram Bay Holiday Park Advertising
A request received by the District Council from Ladram Bay Holiday Park to put up an advertising banner in the Lime Kiln Car Park was received and considered.
Resolved: This Council is unable to support the request as Members felt this could set precedence.
14.050 East Devon District Council: The King Billy, 53 High Street
Details of the changes to the layout of the premises were received and considered.
Resolved: Members felt that the increased bar area gave potential for increased sales and subsequent alcohol consumption, particularly late at night after the other licensed premises in the town had closed. This went against the Licensing Objective of preventing Public Nuisance. The District Council Licensing Department will be asked if the times for serving alcohol can be reduced to midnight which would be in line with The Feathers and The Salterton Arms.
14.051 Correspondence Received
Budleigh Salterton & District Chamber of Commerce: Letter of thanks for donation towards the Christmas Lights
The Clerk: May 2014
Clerks & Councils Direct: May 2014
Allotment & Leisure Gardener: Issue 2 2014
14.052 Any Other Business at the Chairman’s Discretion
1. Cllr C A Kitson said that the Council should start considering what use could be made of the Norman Centre if and when Age Concern moved to new premises at the Hospital Hub.
2. Cllr T D Wright asked what progress had been made for a direction sign for the Playhouse.
The Clerk advised that this was on her “to do” list and she would try and get to this shortly.
14.053 Dates of Next Meetings
Planning Committee: 9 June 2014 at 7.00pm
Public Hall committee: 9 June 2014 on the rising of the Planning Committee
Community Gardens Committee: 9 June 2014 on the rising of the Public Hall Committee
Planning Committee: 23 June 2014 at 7.00pm
Town Council: 23 June 2014 on the rising of the Planning Committee
There being no further business, the Meeting closed at 8.10pm.
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Chairman
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Date
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