Draft Minutes subject to confirmation
MARY TAVY PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING
Held in the
Reading Rooms
Tuesday 10th
November 2009
Present:
Cllr T Pearce (Chairman) (WDBC), Cllr M Anning, Cllr C Downham, Cllr R Elton,
Cllr G Hill, Cllr A Prosser, Cllr M Robins, Cllr M Roe, Cllr S Street (9)
C Williams (Clerk)
Others Present:
Five members of the public.
Apologies for absence:
Christine Marsh (DCC)
161-2009 Parishioners Time – Mr Jarvis wished to speak. He presented a letter, which will be
placed on the agenda for the next meeting.
162- 2009 Declarations of Interest:
Cllr Prosser declared an interest in CAB, Coronation Hall & the Youth Club.
Cllr Roe declared an interest in the CAB.
Cllr Hill declared an interest in MTVMRG, and the Holding pen.
Cllr Downham declared an interest in the Coronation Hall, MTVMRG, MT & B Under 5’s, and the Youth Club.
Cllr Street declared an interest in Mary Tavy & Brentor School.
Cllr Robins declared a prejudicial interest in the holding pen.
Cllr Pearce declared a personal interest in the Youth Club, Mary Tavy & Brentor School and the CAB.
163-2009 Minutes of the previous meeting:
Cllr Hill queried Cllr Robins statement in 145.1-2009. Cllr Robins clarified that he sought advice from a legal professional working within local government. Cllr Elton proposed that the minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 13th October 2009 were a true and accurate record This was seconded by Cllr Anning and a vote of 6 in favour followed. 2 members were unable to vote not having been at the meeting, the minutes were duly signed by the Chairman.
Cllr Roe proposed to accept the minutes of the closed meeting held on 19th October 2009 and this was seconded by Cllr Robins. A vote of 6 in favour followed with 2 abstentions from councillors who did not have a copy of the minutes. Cllr Elton did not vote as she did not attend the closed meeting. The minutes were duly signed by the Chairman as a true and accurate record.
164-2009 Matters arising:
164.1 Letter from Mr D White – Cllr Pearce referred to the letter received from Mr David White on which he is personally taking legal advice. He suggested that the council may wish to note the contents of the letter, record it and write to Mr White to thank him for it. Each member has received a copy of this letter and may wish to make their own comments. Cllr Street feared that this council was increasingly becoming bogged down in issues of this type. She felt able to sympathise with members of the community who did not always get the outcome that they had wished for, however she felt convinced that Cllr Pearce had no hidden agenda in his support for the creation of the Conservation Area. She continued that members should sit around the table and work together for the community as elected to do. Cllr Elton proposed to note the contents of the letter, record it and write to Mr White to thank him for it. This was seconded by Cllr Street and unanimously agreed.
164.2
Website – Cllr Prosser
proposed that the running of the website be transferred to Mr K Rogers and this
was seconded by Cllr Hill. Cllr Pearce
voiced concerns about the amount of time it will take to collate all the
information for the website and the cost of doing this. Cllr Roe proposed an
amendment to the above proposal subject to maximum transfer costs of £50. If
the costs are in excess of this figure then to revisit before a decision is
made. Cllr Street seconded this and a unanimous vote followed.
164.3 Holding Pen – Cllr Robins left the room at this point
having declared an interest earlier.
The Planning Inspectorate will be holding a site visit on Tuesday 9th
February at 12 noon. Cllr Downham or
Pearce are available. Cllr Elton proposed clerk to advise the Planning
Inspectorate by 17th November of our attendance. Cllr Roe seconded
this 7 in favour 1 against. Carried. Cllr Robins re-entered the room.
164.4 Standing Orders – Cllrs Prosser, Downham and Elton received the
amended Standing Orders all other members to bring their Standing Orders to the
next meeting for updating.
164.5 BT Phone Boxes – BT now wishing to remove phoneboxes on
economic grounds. Cllr Roe felt this
was wrong and BT should be a service and not about profit making. English
Heritage are backing the idea of communities adopting the phoneboxes but our
concern is re the upkeep of repairs and vandalism. Cllr Elton proposed the council write a letter to BT to reiterate
our views that we are not prepared to lose the phoneboxes. The need is still there for it and there is
insufficient mobile coverage. Cllr Roe seconded this. A vote followed of 8 in
favour. 1 abstention. Carried. Clerk to write to BT and DNPA. Cllr Robins
suggested that we should push to get the Bal Lane box upgraded. Agreed to await
BT response.
165-2009 Police – Community Beat Manager:
No report received. PCSO Dave Chapple provided Police Slow signs for the Remembrance Day service at the war memorial. The Chairman thanked all those attending and the parishioner who stood on the crossing to stop the traffic for the 2 minutes silence.
166-2009 Correspondence -
1. Letter from parishioner regarding Japanese knotweed. The Chairman has advised him that specialists from County Highways have been working in the village to deal with areas highlighted by blue markers. The parishioner has asked that the Parish council revisit this issue every 6 months. This has already been highlighted under action point 3.1 in the Community Plan. Unfortunately under current legislation in Devon we are unable to enforce landowners to treat this weed, however we will continue to write and express our concerns to the various agencies so they are aware of the extent of this problem. Cllr Robins is to put a piece in the newsletter.
2. West Devon Community & Voluntary Services – Mary Tavy 1 of 4 parishes selected to pilot a project to encourage volunteering in rural communities.
3. South west Lifelong Network – response to questionnaire.
4. Burrator Parish council – improving Parish Council participation in planning process.
5. DCC – Parish Lengthsman service reduced.
6. DCC SW Love Food Hate Waste Campaign – make a pledge a you could win a prize.
7. DNPA – any items for Forum agenda please.
8. WDBC – flood preparation and new initiatives.
9. WDBC – reminder about amendments to register of Interests
10. DCC – invitation to meet leader of Devon County Council 18th November Tavistock town Hall
11. DAPC – Ballot to fill casual vacancy on County Committee
12. DAPC Newsletter
13. WDBC Newsletter
14. Empowering Communities in Devon – follow up conference 25.11.09 Exeter.
15. DNPA news release prehistoric ceremonial complex discovered in Dartmoor reservoir
16. The
Playing Field – newsletter.
167-2009 Financial report:
167.1 Receive report from Responsible Financial Officer – The financial report detailing the following balances was circulated:
Current account - £7597.39
Cemetery account - £5802.34
Mary Tavy Community News - £288.60
167.2 To authorise payments for October – The following payments were authorised: Ottery Press £90, Tavistock Newspapers £120.75, C Williams October salary, C Williams Burial Clerk, B Wardell grass cutting and blade £94.96, T Pearce Stationery/postage £44.01, C Williams postage £11.88. Cllr Pearce advised that the stationery and postage costs reflected the photocopying of letters to members and the recruitment paperwork for a new clerk.
168.3 Grant Requests – A discussion was held regarding the grant applications received and presented to the October meeting. The high level of grant requests could not be met in full. There was concern that money is spent well in the current climate and a strong wish to keep any increase in precept to a minimum.
168.4 Agree level of precept 2010/11 and
Grants to be awarded.
The cost to budget report was discussed with proposed costs for year 2010/11. Rather than take individual votes on each application Cllr Elton proposed to accept the proposed figures and this was seconded by Cllr Prosser. Cllr Robins proposed an amendment that the grant application for Victim Support be declined as he felt it was a national charity however following information from Cllr Elton of the number of local people benefiting from this service he withdrew his amendment. Cllr Roe proposed that the grant application for the purpose of a concrete path for the Reading Rooms be declined as there was some concern that this would not improve safety and also suggestion of a tarmac path already in existence below the gravel/weed. This was seconded by Cllr Hill. A vote followed with 4 in favour, 0 against and 5 abstentions. Carried.
The grants
awarded were applied to the figures circulated in the cost to budget report and
showed a Precept requirement of £12,170 for the next financial year. A
unanimous vote followed in agreement to precept this amount. Clerk to notify
applicants and WDBC. CAB £150, Ring & Ride £150, Victim Support £50, MTVMRG
£650, *Guides £150, *MT & B Under 5’s £170, * MT & B School £200, Coronation
Hall £400, Methodist Church £200, Youth Club £250. *Grants to the Guides,
School and Under 5’s were all awarded under Section 137 of the 1972 Local
Government Act.
169-2009 Cemetery Report:
The Chairman has been advised by Mr Wardell that there have been two occasions this month where the lawn mower has been damaged by metal items and ornaments from graves which have become dislodged and hidden in the grass. The Cemetery committee and indeed full council were asked to decide whether to enforce what is already in the cemetery rules. Cllr Elton proposed that a notice be placed upon the gate asking that the rules be observed and giving 3 months notice that any items outside of these guidelines would then be removed and also that the Cemetery caretaker was permitted to remove the metal band when dead flowers are removed from the grave. This was seconded by Cllr Roe and unanimously agreed.
170-2009 Receive reports from members elected to outside bodies:
170.1 DNPA – Next meeting 27.11.09.
170.2 Police Authority – None.
170.3 Southern Link – Next meeting
3.12.09. Any agenda items to be given to the clerk to forward to Clare Chapman
at WDBC. Cllr Pearce urged members and
residents to complete the survey in West Devon Connect magazine currently being
delivered to voice their opinions of the most important items that WDBC fund.
170.4 Coronation Hall – Cllr Prosser reported that the improvements to lighting and heating were underway. The AGM is now to be held at the start of each January.
171-2009 To discuss planning applications received -
Wringworthy farm – slight amendment to new doorway to property.
Wheal Friendship – proposed tree works – site meeting to be held.
172-2009 To receive notification on previous applications:
None.
173-2009 Outside Bodies - Cllr Robins felt that as a consequence of his recent actions - it is no
longer appropriate for Cllr Hill to represent this council on outside bodies. He sought an emphatic vote to stand him down as one of our two representatives on the DNPA Forum. Cllr Robins requested the vote be by paper ballot rather than a show of hands in order that the vote can be free of any accusation of intimidation. Cllr Robins explained his reasoning that in particular Cllr Hill’s attempts to discredit a perfectly proper letter from this Council to another Outside Body, the Planning Inspectorate. His concerns were threefold. Firstly; he strongly believed that Cllr Hill’s recruitment of the newly-elected leader of yet another Outside Body (DCC) was disloyal and ill-advised. Secondly Cllr Hill’s accusation that you as Chairman may have forced the Clerk to write this particular letter has no basis in fact. Cllr Robins stated that all of us around this table have witnessed Cllr Hill’s personal animosity towards the Chairman and felt that it disrupts the normal business of this Council and is an inconvenience for other members. Cllr Hill is on record that the Chairman is ‘unfit for purpose’ and that he ‘should resign’. His actions in the matter under discussion must be considered in the knowledge that he is predisposed against the Chairman. Finally in order to give his conspiracy theory an iota of credence Cllr Hill was prepared to embroil and impugn our Clerk, Christine Williams. Put bluntly, the plot required that Christine be hapless and feeble or conniving and complicit, or indeed all of these. Cllr Robins continued that in his dealings with Christine Williams he found her to be a very capable administrator, of strong character and an impeccable integrity. He had no doubt that if Cllr Pearce or any other Chair, had instructed Christine to write a lie; told her to conceal a truth; or demanded that she generally misrepresent the views of this Council - she would have questioned, argued and declined. Of that he had complete and total confidence. In contrast his confidence in Cllr Hill’s judgment and in his ability to serve as an ambassador for this Council was at absolute zero. We are ALL governed by the 2007 Revised Code of Conduct and he quoted two clauses that we should ALL be familiar with;
Part 1. Point 5. You must not conduct yourself in a manner which could reasonably be
regarded as bringing your office or council into disrepute.
Appendix 3. General Principle 9. Members should respect the impartiality and integrity of the Council’s statutory officers and its other employees.
The Dartmoor Park Forum is a gathering of many local Councils and other Agencies. It gives us a chance to gaze outwards and learn how our neighbours manage their business. Of course, it also lets them peer in and judge how we conduct ours! Cllr Robins felt that by his own manoeuvring Cllr Hill had cast himself in a very poor light and that his position is now untenable and he should be voted down.
Cllr Hill issued each member with a copy of the letter from Cllr John Hart (DCC) and responded that he was repeating what Cllr Hart had said to him. Cllr Pearce asked why if he had a query that it was not raised with the clerk or at the time of approval of the minutes. Cllr Hill referred to the Conservation Area that a member of the DNPA did not come to speak to the parish council meeting before the public meeting. Cllr Street responded that to be fair written information was available to all members prior to the meeting and it was better service to the community to have their knowledge available to all residents rather than just to members of the parish council. It was queried why Cllr Hill had agreed the minutes of meetings if he was not happy with them at that time. The Chairman felt that the accusation that he manipulated the clerk and the minutes was outrageous.
Cllr Roe queried whether this matter was sub judice by the existing enquiry by the Standards Board but Cllr Pearce assured that this was a separate issue. Cllr Roe also queried the necessity of a paper ballot and Cllr Robins directed him to Standing Order 9. Cllr Anning seconded Cllr Robins’ proposal that Cllr Hill should not represent the Parish Council on the DNPA Forum and a paper ballot be held. Before the vote was taken Cllr Hill became extremely intimidating and threatened that following this action it would lead to trouble. He was no stranger to controversy and had been to the High Court before and won. The paper ballot followed with the resulting vote of 6 in agreement, 1 against and 1 abstention. Carried.
174-2009 Clerk’s Vacancy –
11 applications received to date and interviews are being held this
week and next. Members expressed their
appreciation of all the hard work carried out by the present clerk and that
they were sorry that she was leaving.
175-2009 Bus Shelter – Awaiting
confirmation from DCC of funding to bring shelter up to agreed
standard prior to agreeing its adoption.
176-2009 To agree items raised at the October meeting for inclusion on
this agenda:
176.1 Speeding – Cllr Roe felt that recently the level of
speeding was improving but was very concerned about the danger to pedestrians
walking to the Mary Tavy Inn particularly when a pavement was being built near
Pittscleave in an apparently much less dangerous spot. Cllr Pearce explained that the funding for
that project came from a different source as it is an extension to the cycle
route and was approved some years ago. Cllr
Marsh (DCC) has already discussed the extension of the 30 mph speed limit to
the Lane Head cottages but even this required huge amounts of funding for the
movement of electric signs. Cllr Downham wished to remind people to wear
something to be seen by when walking. Several regulars did wear fluorescent
vests for their safety along this stretch.
Members wished to keep pushing for something to be done here and it was suggested that this could be raised with Cllr John Hart when he visits Tavistock Town hall to meet people.
176.2 Christmas Meal – To be held Friday 8th January. Cllr Roe to provisionally book.
177-2009 To receive items raised for inclusion on December agenda: None.
178-2009 To agree the date of the next meeting:
The date of Tuesday 8th December 2009 was agreed for the next meeting of the Parish Council to commence at 7.30pm to be held in the Reading Rooms.
There being no further business the meeting was formally closed by the Chairman at 9.55pm
C Williams
Clerk to the Parish Council 13th November 2009
Signed as a true and accurate record ……………………….. Date ………………………
(Cllr T Pearce – Chairman)