KINGSTEIGNTON TOWN COUNCIL
FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 1 FEBRUARY, 2012
Present:
Mayor: Councillor K Howard
Deputy Mayor: Councillor R Howes
Councillors: B Austen, K Dennis, J Foxwell, R Harris, B Hunt, K Jones, A Lonsdale,
C Meathrel, J Morris, B Thorne, G Wickham
County Councillor M Walters
Darren Summerfield, Spatial Planning Team, Teignbridge District Council
PC Lou Barlow
Mr Nigel Canham, Mid Devon Advertiser
Parishioners: 2
Town Clerk: Mrs C Lakin
Police Report
PC Barlow said that January had been a quiet month and that they had carried out a couple of mini traffic surveys where 14 advice notes had been issued and one driver given a ticket for using Golvers Hill Road more than once. Youths with no lights on their bikes are having letters sent out to parents, and one youth has been caught for the second time with no lights and if caught again will be taken to court.
Other issues have included shoplifting, drink/driving and an adult providing alcohol to children.
Councillors asked the following questions:
· Cllr Meathrel said he had received a Community Messaging alert concerning Census scams. PC Barlow said that members of the public need to remember not to give out any details over the phone and always ask for requests to be put in writing.
· Cllr Austen asked whether cars exiting from Dickers Terrace were able to turn right down Fore Street as she thought this was one way. The one way stretch of Fore Street is for the short distance over the hump near Tarrs Lane.
· Cllr Thorne asked if the bogus car insurance companies were operating in this area. PC Barlow said that he was not aware of any. He said that all scams start on the Internet.
· Cllr Lonsdale mentioned that a caravan had appeared at an address in Margaret Road which looked like it had come from Haldon. She asked if this was allowed to be parked on the property. PC Barlow said he would take a look.
Public Participation
There were no questions.
Darren Summerfield, TDC re: Core Strategy
Cllr Howard welcomed Mr Summerfield to the meeting.
Mr Summerfield introduced himself to the council and said that he worked with the Spatial Planning Team at Teignbridge District Council and had recently been assigned the Kingsteignton area to work with.
Mr Summerfield spoke about the Core Strategy and said that this document contains policies, proposals, allocations and actions that TDC feel are required to meet environmental, social and economic challenges that face the district now and in the future over a 20 year period. The current plan is 16 years old and the new plan will give TDC an opportunity to put in place up-to-date policies for 2012 and onwards.
Once the Core Strategy has been adopted the document will become the Statutory Plan for the district. It will be the plan that decisions are tested against, identify where things will happen and will set out policies that will shape places. The Core Strategy will allow TDC to be in charge of the future and ensure that they take opportunities to make improvements and help focus investment. It will ensure that they provide a good quality of life for residents and the right conditions for businesses within the district. The document is based on consultation work that has been carried out from 2011 on technical evidence on a whole range of topic areas and more recently on work carried out within certain areas including Kingsteignton.
Councillors were invited to ask questions as follows:
· Concern was raised on sites that were being considered for development at the end of Coombesend Road and at Sandscopse. Mr Summerfield said that these sites needed to be looked at in more depth and viewing of all these sites will take place. He said that he would liaise with the Clerk when these visits were arranged in order that councillors who were interested could also join in the visits.
· Concern was expressed that youngsters within Kingsteignton and the area do not understand the title “Core Strategy” but when they have it explained to them that it covers infrastructure, housing etc., they understood this. Mr Summerfield said that meeting with the younger people was difficult and needed to be improved
· Questions were asked concerning the Town Centre which was suggested around the Fountain area of Kingsteignton. Mr Summerfield said that a feasibility study of the area is to be carried out and this was a starting point for exploration and debate. It was said that The Fountain was no longer the centre of Kingsteignton but Mr Summerfield said that the Plan was looking at the area from the Dewdrop in Fore Street down to the Fountain and along as far as the new units.
Cllr Howard thanked Mr Summerfield for attending the meeting and giving up his time to talk to the council.
County Councillor Report
The bid for the B3193 diversion is still being progressed and the road closure order that was applied for by Sibelco, as part of the process, in initiating the move towards the new development has now been logged.
The supply of the gritters in Ideford and Teigngrace has been granted. Both Parishes have successfully had their gritters delivered and they have assembled the equipment.
Site work has commenced on the River Teign to Hackney Marsh Cycleway. Again parents and the public in general are reminded of the potential dangers and hazards inherent on construction sites and should therefore keep well away from the works involved.
I asked in Committee on the aspects of snow-clearance on public spaces and footpaths and the prospects of liability to residents in particular in clearing snow where people might be injured. It is pointed out that people walking on snow and ice have a responsibility to be careful themselves. It needs to be made clear that paths are cleared safely and effectively. It is unlikely that one will be sued or held legally responsible for any injuries if one has cleared the path carefully. However the County Council has gone further than this by saying that if snow clearance has been undertaken on the public highway by a volunteer under the Snow Warden Scheme, to improve the situation following the training and guidance provided under the scheme, then Devon County Council will take responsibility for the claim, in the unlikely situation that someone tries to sue as a result of the snow clearance. This is not covered for an accident by the individual doing the clearance though; only public liability once the highway has been cleared.
It is suggested that if parishes/towns wish to publish what they plan to do, and DCC would encourage that, they add the following wording:
“The Parish/Town Council will make reasonable endeavours, within available volunteer resources, to treat with salt the roads and footways as separately identified, marked on the attached map, during the more severe weather only, (when snow and ice is likely to persist throughout the day). It is unable to guarantee the safety of any part of the highway and users must continue to take due care and attention on the highway as they find it.”
Regarding insurance – we have made it clear that DCC public liability only covers someone claiming once a highway (or footway) has been treated to improve the situation by a volunteer within this scheme. It is for the parish to determine whether they wish to go to the lengths of covering volunteers with their insurance for actually undertaking the clearance by DCC will not. The concept of the scheme was building on a desire for self-help and only those competent and capable should be doing this and if there is no insurance cover they need to understand that they are doing the clearance at their own risk, as many had done quite satisfactorily in the past.
It is always good practice to do risk assessments and this area is no exception.
The funding for the ten extra grit bins is now being processed.
I am furthering the discussions with Teign School (Kingsley Matthews) over the current parking problems in the vicinity of the school and I have also asked for Highways to re-visit Ley Lane for a second survey on traffic speeds and to the requests for double yellow lines where appropriate. Highways have written to Mrs. Craft who headed the petition on speed restrictions on Hackney Lane explaining the position of Highways in relation to speeds on the lane. Highways have replied to my request for another survey. They have liaised with Mr. Mason of Ley Lane and are to agree with the siting of the survey and that it will be carried out over as week and will include rush hours within that period. The officer also suggested that the Town Council’s views on double yellow lines in the area would be appreciated and that at some point they could be accommodated within DCC’s programme.
DCC’s project to roll out superfast broadband to the ‘hard to reach’ areas not in scope for private sector investment are one of 3 national pilots. With help from the government and both Somerset and Devon County Councils, as well as support from Torbay and North Somerset we have £50m to invest, but it is not enough on its own. It is hoped to attract private sector investment too. A campaign is being launched on 6th February to ask communities and businesses of Devon and Somerset to show that they want superfast broadband.
Cllr Walters was asked if he was able to tell us where the proposed crossing near the new Beefeater/Premier Inn was going to be placed. He said that this would be positioned past the Beefeater/Premier Inn and the roundabout near where the bus shelter and footpath to Tesco was.
District Councillor’s Reports
Report from Cllr Austen
The Consultations on the Core Strategy throughout the District are being quite well attended and it is important that we keep our communities informed and encourage their attendance.
At the Overview and Scrutiny Committee recently Councillors, in considering the Budget proposals, asked for funds to be allocated to instruct an expert to collate all of the relevant data with regard to housing needs throughout the District as there was a strong feeling that the Government targets were too high and based on erroneous calculations. When the last Core Strategy was being drafted almost every month Government directives came down to Districts altering the rules and one of the things that happened was the constant rise in housing allocations, which almost doubled. Consequently when the previous Core Strategy was complete the housing figures did not match the Government guidelines. Councillors then decided not to submit the first Core Strategy for approval but to start again. It was never ‘chucked out’ by the Inspector. The fact that once again these figures are being questioned and sound evidence sought to substantiate the view that the housing demanded is too high, is a repetition of past experience! Perhaps this time we may be able to stand our ground with the right backing.
Nothing too controversial on the Planning front this month!
Report from Cllr Lonsdale
On Friday 20 January, 2012 I went along to hear about the future of the NHS.
The talk was given by Dr Derek Greatorex who apart from being lead GP of Kingsteignton Surgery is also Chairman of South Devon and Torbay Commissioning Group.
It was he said ‘A GP’s perspective of the NHS changes’.
The Health and Social Care Bill going through Parliament at the moment could mean radical changes which the British Medical Council may reject. It would be clinician led by Doctors Nurses and Consultants. The 1990 Fund holding is small scale. This scheme will be on a much larger scale.
South Devon Health Care Trust is an independent financial organisation and they have to be aware the trust could go bankrupt.
Cut backs in services means no real growth in NHS spending. There should be more services for the ever growing older population. An example given was the local service of Care and Repair in our area has no funding now. Money is also needed for the service given by NICE on new drugs (National Institute for Clinical Excellence). They research value for money and investigate if these drugs work. However the onus on GP’s is to make 4% efficiency savings. Private organisations can take NHS patients but this means money going out of the NHS, or, it could be seen as healthy competition.
The new system will look to Clinicians working together with Care Closer to home. More use would be made of Newton Abbot Hospital. Teignmouth Hospital already has specialist nurses for rheumatology. Such a service for emphazima would save £400 for a hospital visit.
Minor surgery at the Practice costing £40 would cost up to £600 at hospital.
The Commissioner has to maintain financial balance and could negotiate with Torbay Hospital for example a cardiogram investigation from £600 to £400.
I asked a question regarding Mental Health Services as I had heard that money was being put into the service. Dr Greatorex told me money was put toward therapies only. Not for example staffing within mental health units or supported living in the community.
I have been asked to attend a meeting during February. This time it will be the perspective of the agencies who will work alongside the commissioning group.
These meetings were organised by the Senior Council for Devon at the new venue of Teignmouth Museum’s conference facilities.
Report from Cllr Walters
The Preferred Option on the Core Strategy has been completed and the consultation period is now underway. I understand that all town councillors will have a copy of the strategy to hand as supplied by Teignbridge. A reminder that the road show in Kingsteignton will take place on 11 February in the Mary Hall Suite from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.