KINGSTEIGNTON TOWN COUNCIL

FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 1 MAY, 2013

Present:

Mayor: Councillor J Foxwell

Deputy Mayor: Councillor C Meathrel

Councillors: B Austen, L Foxwell, R Harris, K Howard, K Jones, A Lonsdale, J Morris,

B Moss, B Thorne, G Wickham

County Councillor Mike Walters

Reverend P Nevard

Town Clerk: Mrs C Lakin

Police Report

There was no Police Report but the Clerk, Mrs Lakin, reported the following problems that had been experienced in the last week:

Ø  Two memorial benches at Oakford Lawn have been damaged and have had to be removed - on the evenings of 24 April and 30 April, 2013. Both have been reported to the Police and a Crime Number has been issued and details of both have been forwarded to the Mid Devon Advertiser

Ø  The memorial bench for the late Dr Almond, which was placed on Oakford Lawn on Monday 29 April, 2013 has had bolts tampered with

Ø  A dog was entangled in barbed wire at Clifford Park on Saturday 27 April, 2013 and had to be released by the Fire Brigade. The barbed wire was removed from the Park on Monday 29 April, and the Clerk has spoken to the dog owner to inform her that the barbed wire has now been removed.

Cllr Meathrel reported that fireworks were being let of on Tuesday 23 April, 2013 at Clifford Park at approx. 8-8.30 p.m. in the children’s play area and he has reported this to the Police.

Public Participation

There were no members of the public present

County Councillor Mike Walters Report

The pedestrian crossing adjacent to the Newton Road roundabout has now been given the go ahead. Work will begin on Tuesday 7th May, after having pressed the case. It may take two and a half weeks to complete. This is due to the sensitivity of the road and therefore the works will be carried out mainly in the evenings. Good cooperation from the race course will mean that part of their land can be used as a compound.

The petition for the re-assessment of the traffic lights and the configuration of the pavements at the junction between Exeter Road and Ley Lane is underway. After discussion with several residents some further consideration should be given to the delays on the relays for the light changes and this seems to be the way ahead, rather than removal of the lights. I shall consult the Highways Engineer and hopefully produce a workable solution.

Consideration on the removal of the traffic lights at the Toll House junction of Chudleigh Road was also discussed and it is thought that waiting to see the eventual effects of the B3193 road closure and the impending development in New Cross will have on traffic movements at this junction would appear to be the way ahead.

After putting pressure on Highways, stressing the urgency, which was difficult at times, I have succeeded in getting the pot holes along the length of Longford Lane repaired. The speed hump cushions along Chudleigh Road have received similar attention from me, as this has been reported by residents, that the humps were in need of repair. The potholes reported to be repaired on the 19th April in Kingsteignton was 38. This is against a figure of 32,000 pot holes that have been dealt with since the 1st January in the County and against the high level of potholes since the 2012 storms.

Residents in Ley Lane have been informed of the temporary prohibition of through traffic and parking on Ley Lane for approximately 2 to 3 days during the period 10th June to 31st August. This is to allow for the road to be re-surfaced. A further day may be taken up to reinstate road markings.

The Chairman of Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Service has contacted DCC Councillors stating that there has been a concerted campaign against the proposals in the draft corporate plan by the Fire Brigades Union. He says that he thought it might help if he were to clarify a few points that he considers may be causing concern. He states that fire stations are not being closed, nor will fire engines be removed or that staff will be made redundant. The changes may not be popular but there is a need to provide the best service possible with the money made available to the service. Continued representation to the Government is taking place as to the perceived unfairness of an already efficient Service having to make disproportionate cuts to our Service here in Devon and Somerset. He makes several points in the communication, including the increased level of On-call fire-fighters, having carefully considered what mitigation is required. He states that the responsibility to protect the 1.8m people who live in Devon and Somerset is taken extremely seriously. He also says that the Fire Authority will carefully consider the results of the consultation process taking place and will come to a view as to what is in the best interest of Devon and Somerset.

District Councillor’s Reports

Councillor Mike Walters

The future structure of the senior management and staffing in TDC has effectively started with interviews taking place for the positions of four Business Leads. Three positions have been granted, one of which includes the responsibility of Deputy Chief Executive. Further interviews of candidates for the fourth post will be held very shortly. Interviews for the seven Business Mangers will take place on the 9th/10th May. The transition period for the completion of the re-structure process will be effected by April of next year. Substantial savings to be made are still on target.

The negotiations for the UTC development have been completed and the project has now been given the go ahead. Final determination of the site is imminent. The projected date for the UTC to be operational is April 2015.

I have no further news of the French Market and its return to Kingsteignton, other than negotiating the far corner of Halfords car park as a possible site, with the landlords is still ongoing.

I have been notified that the Waste Water Process Planning Manager for SW Water informed TDC that he is “promoting the allocation of funding for Hackney sewage pumping station in 2015/16 -2016/17 .., to provide a more robust and permanent solution to the flooding in River Close”. Also that funding for works on the filters to control the odour at the pumping station has been approved and we wait for feedback as to when the work is planned.

I have also received a request from residents in Honeywell and Kings Court that consideration be given to the production of a bus shelter at the bus stop, on the Newton Abbot-bound side of Greenhill Way, opposite the entrance to Kings Court. I bring this to the attention of the Town Council as the request is made by elderly residents who have no shelter when waiting for buses, particularly on cold and wet days.

Councillor Anne Lonsdale

Teignbridge District Councillors were among those invited to attend a Landscape Character Assessment Seminar at South Hams District Council Offices at Follaton House, Totnes.

Since the Local Plan and the insistence that Green fields are relinquished for development it seemed worthwhile to go along and find out how to retain the precious landscape in the district of Teignbridge.

The Seminar included a series of presentations during the morning followed by workshops in the afternoon.

The first presentation Back to basics was presented by Doug Harman (originally from Dorset). His presentation was the introduction to the Landscape Character Assessment (LCA) and its relevance to the nation planning policy. In a later presentation Doug Harman explained the Bigger Picture and how the LCA can be used in strategic planning taking in Landscape Sensitivity. User Guidance was aided by the Landscape Institute and the IEMA (Institute of Environmental Management).

Melanie Hinde Chair of Devon County Council Landscape Policy Group gave delegates a case study to explore. Three tables out of four voted a halfhearted approval. Melanie later disclosed that she had argued the case on Landscape Value with the Planning Inspector and he agreed with her and the application had been refused.

Other Workshops included:

Ø  Making a space a place

Ø  The Winds of Change – Onshore Energy and Photovoltaic development

Ø  A view from here – applying to LCA to planning application from a Landscape Officer’s Perspective.

It is possible that a film will be made and presentation road-shows will be taken around to Devon’s District Councils to promote LCA.

Councillor Beryl Austen

Due to the coming Election for County Councillors Teignbridge has a Purdah Period and there have been very few meetings to attend, so my report will deal with more general matters.

I serve on the Regulatory and Appeals Committee and so have continued to hear appeals by taxi drivers against the refusal of licenses, cases of unfair dismissal and appeals against decisions not to allow protected trees to be felled. A wide variety of matters are dealt with by this team as people have a right to challenge Officer’s decisions. As a matter of interest we recently set up procedures for foreign immigrants to provide their own national Police Checks as they are not in a position to provide the normal local ones and we have now some Rumanian taxi drivers in Teignbridge.

New regulations came into force on the 1 April with regard to Council Tax to be paid by landlords of leased property. After one month’s vacancy the flat or residence becomes liable to pay full Council Tax. The only exception is if there has to be structural alterations to the property when the period can be extended. New bathrooms or kitchens are not considered structural. I have had representations from local people who say it takes more than a month to advertise, for possible tenants to give notice, and for redecoration. However this policy is now in place together with new policies on Council Tax for second homes which pay the full tax rates.

Planning meetings and site visits continue and there are several major applications being dealt with in Teignbridge. Councillors are concerned that there is little protection for green spaces until the Local Plan is approved and this will not be submitted for another month.

MINUTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD IN THE COMMUNITY HALL, RYDON ROAD, KINGSTEIGNTON ON WEDNESDAY 1 MAY, 2013 AT 7.20 PM

50/13 Apologies

Apologies were received from Cllr Lambert.

51/13 Election of Deputy Mayor

Cllr Howard asked for nominations for the role of Deputy Mayor. Cllr Wickham proposed Cllr Meathrel, seconded by Cllr Lonsdale and carried. Cllrs Harris and Howard abstained from voting.

52/13 Announcements by outgoing Mayor

One of the few upsides to finishing one’s term as Mayor is this opportunity to say a few words not determined by an agenda, and with nothing to lose and nothing to gain. Unfettered, even by golden chains.

Some of the things I have to say are criticisms; but be assured they are said without any rancor or malice nor with any bitterness. Despite the headlines in the Mid Devon Advertiser, I know and you know that I have not been “ousted by a secret ballot” - I have come to the end of my tenure.

Two colleagues were kind enough to propose that I stay on. By a process of basic democracy and simple arithmetic that proposal was defeated.

That is how it should be.

I retired at Christmas 2004. After recovering from the initial shock of the loneliness and comparative poverty of retirement, I busied myself with some consultancy work; I took on a simple role at South Devon College and put a lot of time into 41 Club.

I put so much time into 41 Club that after two years as national Sales Officer, at our AGM in 2006, I became National Vice President and a year later National President.

From April 2007 to April 2008, I headed an organisation of 22,000 professional and businessmen from throughout Great Britain and Ireland. That required me to chair the quarterly National Council of 37 councillors and the National Executive of 10 officers, amongst other duties.

I attended 117 functions during the year and travelled 29,000 miles. Sometimes I was attending four functions, in different parts of the country, in one week.

When that all ended – as end it must – bang! Nothing! No emails, no phone calls, no secretary, no sponsored limo and no driver.

Two months later I spotted a notice in the parish Council notice board in Longford Lane – we had one then – asking for volunteers to fill a vacancy on the council. When I asked Mary what she thought about me applying, her reply was somewhat indistinct amongst the whoops of joy, but I did catch the words, “out from under my feet”.

I came here for interview with two other candidates and I am still very proud to say that the other two got two votes each, and I the other eight.

My first council meeting was quite an eye-opener. When Mary asked me what it was like, all I could think of was that it was like being an “extra “on a recording of The Vicar of Dibley. We certainly had a “David Horton” and a “Letitia Cropley”. There was no, no, no “Jim Trott; he didn’t join until a few years later.

Having recently come from a world where everything was administered electronically; where all reports were submitted by email; where all payments were made by electronic bank transfer; were all hotel, airline and train bookings were made and paid for on line; the antiquated “brown paper and string” systems of local government came as quite a shock.