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COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

8th May 2006

PRESENT:

• Cllr W Buskin (Chairman)
• Cllrs. P. Burrows
• R Farlow
• Mrs S Jones
• J Knight
• J Meakin
• R. Morgan
• Mrs Partridge-Hogbin
• R Parry
• J Pigott
• J Seward

APOLOGIES:

Cllr Mrs M Rogers, PC Luke Owen

Prior to the commencement of the meeting, the Clerk made a statement clarifying the situation in respect of Cllr Buskin. She said that he was taking the chair for the first item on the agenda which was the election of a chairman, in order to fulfil a statutory item of necessary business. This did not compromise his decision to step aside from the chair which the Council continued to respect, but the Council also respected the requirement that as he was present at the meeting, he should chair that item of business.

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

Mr Martin Chandler of The Sweet Shop, asked Cllr Burrows whether any progress had been made on the provision of beach mats. Cllr Burrows replied that Cllr Mrs Rogers was hopeful of having found a supply.

Mrs Aedo of Trotters Café raised concerns at the lack of police response to recent incidents in the town. The Clerk advised the meeting that apologies had been received from the Beat Manager that they could not attend this meeting due to sickness, but would be at the next meeting, so they were not able to respond to the issues raised. Members asked that a senior officer be invited to the next meeting. Members were concerned about manning of the front office at the police station during staff holidays.

01/06 ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN

Cllr Meakin was proposed by Cllr Mrs Partridge-Hogbin and seconded by Cllr Knight. Cllr Morgan was proposed by Cllr Burrows and seconded by Cllr Seward.

On a paper vote Cllr Meakin was elected chairman by 6 votes to 5.

Cllr Meakin took over the chair

02/06 DECLARATION OF ACCEPTANCE OF OFFICE BY CHAIRMAN

Cllr Meakin made his Declaration of Office of Chairman and thanked Cllr Buskin for his work whilst in the chair.

03/06 ELECTION OF VICE CHAIRMAN

Cllr Morgan was proposed by Cllr Meakin and seconded by Cllr Mrs Jones.

Cllr Mrs Jones was proposed by Cllr Morgan and seconded by Cllr Knight

On a paper vote Cllr Morgan was elected vice chairman by 6 votes to 5.

04/06 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Noted

05/06 WARD POLICE OFFICER REPORT

The Clerk gave a verbal report which had been received from PC Steve Speariett, advising that since the last meeting there had been 22 crimes. Figures for April 2005 showed 32 crimes, compared with 21 in April 2006. Overall there were few concerns.

06/06 TO RECEIVE COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ WRITTEN REPORTS

No written reports had been received.

07/06 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

The Clerk reminded Members that forms to advise any changes in their declarations of interest had been circulated and she requested that any updates be forwarded to her as soon as possible.

08/06 MINUTES

Cllr Knight proposed that agenda item 603/05 be amended. He believed it had been agreed that the Clerk be asked to request a brick built enclosure for the recycling facility when regeneration of that area was undertaken. There was disagreement that this had been part of the resolution but on a vote of 6 votes to 4 in favour, the minutes of the meeting held on 24 th April 2006 were duly amended and signed by the Chairman

09/06 COMMITTEE MINUTES

It was Resolved to receive and adopt the following Committee Minutes:

Planning 24 th April 2006

10/06 TO ELECT MEMBERS TO COUNCIL COMMITTEES

Membership of the Council’s committees was agreed as follows:

a) Planning

• Chairman
• Vice Chairman
• Cllrs Buskin
• Farlow
• Mrs Jones
• Mrs Partridge-Hogbin
• Parry
• Pigott
• Seward

b) Finance & General Purposes

• Chairman
• Vice Chairman
• Cllrs Buskin
• Farlow
• Mrs Jones
• Mrs Partridge-Hogbin
• Parry
• Pigott
• Seward

c) Cliff Field Gardens & Seaton in Bloom

• Chairman
• Vice Chairman
• Cllrs Buskin
• Farlow
• Knight
• Mrs Partridge-Hogbin
• Pigott

d) Allotments

• Chairman
• Vice Chairman
• Seward

11/06 TO APPOINT FOUR MEMBERS AS CHEQUE SIGNATORIES

It was Resolved that for the purposes of continuity, the cheque signatories remain as for the previous year, i.e. Cllrs Burrows, Buskin, Morgan and Seward

12/06 TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS

It was Resolved to appoint Members to outside organisations as follows:

1) Seaton Locality Health & Care Team

Cllr Mrs Partridge-Hogbin

2) Axe Valley Local Action Group

Cllr Buskin

3) East Devon Police Consultative

Cllrs Meakin or Pigott. Cllr Meakin stated his opposition to the decision by the Police Force not to prosecute all shop lifters and was therefore only willing to attend this organisation’s meetings if required.

4) Axe Valley Promotions

Cllr Burrows

5) Seaton Town Hall Advisory Group

Cllr Mrs Partridge-Hogbin

6) East Devon Rural Transport Forum

Cllr Buskin if required

7) Seaton Development Trust

Cllr Seward

8) Seaton Traffic Group

Cllrs Farlow, Meakin, Mrs Partridge-Hogbin

9) DAPC

Cllr Seward

13/06 APPOINTMENTS TO COVER SPECIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

It was Resolved to appoint Members to have the following special responsibilities:

a) Public Footpaths

Cllr Knight. It was noted that Mr Dave Kelf was the Council’s P3 co-ordinator and the Clerk was requested to write and thank him for all his assistance.

b) Cycling

Cllr Knight and Mr Dave Kelf

c) Council Play Area

It was noted that responsibility for the play areas was covered by a rota arrangement.

d) World Heritage Coast Visitor Centre

Cllrs Morgan and Seward with Cllr Farlow to act in their absence if required.

e) Youth

Cllrs Burrows and Farlow

f) Regeneration

Cllrs Meakin and Morgan

g) TIC Advisory

Cllrs Burrows and Seward

h) EDTIC

Cllrs Burrows and Seward

The Chairman raised for discussed whether the Clerk should be replaced as the Gateway Towns group representative by a councillor. It was Resolved, however, that no change should be made.

14/06 MEMBERSHIP OF OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS

It was Resolved that the Council should continue its membership of the following organisations:

Devon Association of Parish Councils

Devon Playing Fields Association

Axminster Area DAPC

West Country Tourist Board

Society of Local Council Clerks

15/06 COUNCIL LEGAL DOCUMENTS

The Clerk advised Members that the Council’s legal documents were available in the office for the information of Members.

16/06 COUNCIL INSURANCE

The Clerk advised Members that the Council’s insurance documents were available in the office for their information.

17/06 COUNCIL LAND VALUES

It was Resolved that the council’s land values remain at a nominal £1.

18/06 PROGRAMME OF MEETINGS 2006/7

It was noted that meetings were scheduled to take place on the second and fourth Monday of each month. As far as August was concerned, it was agreed that Planning meetings should continue as normal but other meetings to take place only if the Clerk needed to bring specific items to the attention of the Council.

The Meeting closed at 8.35 pm

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