Seaton Town Council
COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
23rd April 2007
PRESENT:
- Cllr J Meakin ( Chairman)
- Cllrs B Buskin
- R Farlow
- Mrs S Jones
- J Knight
- R Morgan
- J Seward
- J Pigott
- Mrs R Partridge-Hogbin
APOLOGIES
Cllrs P Burrows, L Garner, R Parry, Mrs M Rogers
QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
Mrs Cotterall queried procedure when discussion took place on matters which had been discussed at previous meetings during which the public and the press had been excluded. She was advised that if queries were raised on matters previously discussed under SO 73, the press and public should again be requested to leave the meeting whilst that discussion took place
603/03APOLOGIES
Apologies were accepted and approved.
604/06PRESENTATION BY YOUTH TOWN COUNCIL
3 members of the Youth Town Council, Kym Cross, Alex Watts and Jamie-Lee Shaw, made a presentation to Members on their Youth Festival which is to be held on 21st/22nd August 2007.
Members heard how the Youth Town Council had expanded and strengthened since their first meeting in April 2006, and had been working on plans for the festival since last September.
They said that the benefits to the youth themselves of organising the event were many; experience of working as a team, co-operating with each other and other agencies, organisational skills, project management, etc., as well as successfully obtaining financial support. They said that the Festival would provide activities for all age groups and they hoped the whole community would get involved and support it. A town meeting was planned for 16th May at 7.00pm when full details would be available and volunteer/business support sought.
They said that any profit that might be made would be put back into Seaton.
Members wholeheartedly and unanimously approved the Youth Town Council’s plans and offered their support. They also invited them to liaise with the Clerk for help with promoting their meeting on 16th May.
The Youth Town Council were thanked for their very interesting and exciting presentation and wished them every success with their project.
605/06BEAT MANAGER’S REPORT
The Chairman advised that the police had attended the annual town meeting on 19th April and had submitted an up to date report at that meeting,
606/06COUNTY & DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ WRITTEN REPORTS
County and District Councillor Reports had been submitted at the Annual Town Meeting on 19th April.
607/06MINUTES
Minutes of the meeting held on 26th March 2007 were approved and signed by the chairman. However, a query was raised on minute 540/06 Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting held on 26th February 2007. Cllr Pigott said it had been agreed at that meeting to bring back minute 512/06 Recommendations of Personnel Committee which had been discussed under Standing Order 73, and this wasn’t noted in the minutes of 26th February 2007. The Clerk advised that if he had believed the minutes to be inaccurate, the correct procedure should have been for him to have proposed an amendment and for Members to have voted on the accuracy or otherwise of those minutes. No proposal had been made, no vote had been taken and the minutes had been signed by the chairman presiding at that meeting.
After some discussion and dissent it was agreed by all present to clarify the situation and to place Approval of Recommendations of Personnel Committee on the agenda of the next Council meeting.
608/06COMMITTEE MEETINGS
It was Resolved to receive and adopt the following Committee minutes:
a) Planning – 12th March 2007
b) Finance & General Purposes – 12th March 2007
c) Allotments – 5th February 2007
The Chairman thanked the chairmen of all committees for their work over the year.
609/06TO RECEIVE DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST FROM MEMBERS AND OFFICERS
Cllr Mrs Partridge-Hogbin declared a personal interest in agenda item 16 (siting of RBL bench at Cliff Field Gardens), being a member of the RBL, and a prejudicial interest in agenda item 19 ( c) (approval for installation of serpent bench on behalf of Seaton & District Lions ladies), the request having been submitted by her;
Cllr Knight advised that as a District Councillor he would not vote on any matters relating to the District Council.
610/06TO RECEIVE Cllr BURROWS’S REPORT ON MATTERS FROM THE DISTRICT COUNCIL RELEVANT TO THE TOWN COUNCIL
In the absence of Cllr Burrows it was agreed to defer this item.
611/06TO PROPOSE THAT SEATON TOWN COUNCIL CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROVISION OF A BOULES PITCH AT CLIFF FIELD GARDENS (Chairman)
Cllr Knight, as chairman of the Cliff Field Gardens Committee, briefed Members on the background to the establishment of the Twinning Association which had been a Town Council initiative 25 years ago. He said the provision of a boules pitch at Cliff Field Gardens would be an attraction and an additional facility for residents and visitors.
It was unanimously Resolved to allocate up to £500 towards the cost of a boules pitch at Cliff Field Gardens.
612/06TO CONSIDER PROPOSALS FROM ALLOTMENTS COMMITTEE REGARDING THE PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL PLOTS
Cllr Farlow declared a personal interest as an allotment tenant
Cllr Seward advised that the remaining uncultivated land at the Council’s allotment site, if opened up, would provide 7 additional plots which would assist in meeting current demand.
It was unanimously Resolved to support the provision of additional allotment plots in principle, subject to quotations.
613/06TO CONSIDER RESPONSE FROM EDDC TO RENEWAL OF CONTRACT FOR FIRST AID POST, WEST WALK
It was noted that the licence for the provision of first aid at West Walk, Seaton, between the Red Cross Society and EDDC had expired. The Red Cross had not sought to renew it because of the withdrawal of a grant by EDDC due to restricted budgets. EDDC was now enquiring whether Seaton Town Council wished to provide the necessary grant to enable this service to continue.
It was agreed that before this matter could be discussed further, additional details were required. The Clerk was therefore requested to discuss with Mr Mabon and place this item on the next meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee.
614/06TO CONSIDER PROPOSALS FROM EDDC FOR RENOVATION OF LOOK OUT
Members suggested that assistance might be available from groups within the town towards materials to renovate the Look Out. It was also suggested that the Youth Town Council might wish to have a role in the renovation . It was proposed and unanimously agreed that the Youth Town Council liaise with EDDC via the Clerk.
615/06TO PROPOSE THAT PLAQUE TO COMMEMORATE THE SQUARE MILLENNIUM PROJECT INCORPORATES BEER STONE (Chairman)
It was so Resolved, to be progressed by the Chairman
616/06TO CONSIDER NOMINATION TO DAPC COUNTY COMMITTEE 2007-11
To be deferred to the next meeting
617/06O APPROVE SITING OF RBL BENCH AT CLIFF FIELD GARDENS
The Clerk advised that the RBL were now in a position to finalise the installation of a bench at Cliff Field Gardens and were seeking approval of its siting. Members unanimously agreed that the bench could be placed in a location of the RBL’s choosing.
618/06TO RECEIVE FEED-BACK FROM MEETING WITH DEVON YOUTH SERVICE AND DISCUSS FUTURE OF YOUTH CENTRE BUILDING
Cllr Farlow gave a brief resume of a meeting held between Council representatives and Lisa Rutter of the Devon Youth Service. He advised that a mobile unit would be stationed in Seaton within the next few weeks.
As far as the youth centre building was concerned, Members expressed their continued support for the establishment of a youth club and would like to see a permanent structure made available, but recognised that the present building was not suitable because of its poor condition due to lack of maintenance. Members were advised that because the previous Trustees had chosen to work independently and not in co-operation with the Youth Service, DCC had not been able to support them financially as they did with most youth centres. It was therefore agreed by 8 votes to 1 that negotiations should be allowed to proceed via the Devon Youth Service but meanwhile the Clerk was requested to seek feed-back from the meeting that had been held between Lisa Rutter and Wendy McLean.
619/06TO NOTE RESPONSE FROM TD PARTNERSHIP AND AGREE MEETING DATE (Chairman)
It was agreed to defer this matter to the incoming Council.
620/06CORRESPONDENCE
a) Mrs H Arnold – The Chine
Noted. Mrs Arnold had also written to EDDC complaining about the lack of maintenance of Cliff Field Strip, as they were responsible for that area.
b) EDDC – Outcome of Lottery Play Monies
The Clerk was requested to enquire why Seaton had not been included in the bid for 5 rural all weather pitches.
Cllr Mrs Partridge-Hogbin left the room
c) Seaton & District Lions Ladies – request to place serpent bench in the Square
The request by the Seaton & District Lions Ladies to replace the wavy bench at the bottom of Eyre Court Road with a serpent bench, was approved. It was further agreed that the wavy bench should be re-located to footpath 24.
Cllr Mrs Partridge-Hogbin returned to the room.
d) Mr B Raine – copy of letter to EDDC re. vehicles on West Walk
Noted. Members believed the vehicles in question belonged to the lessees of the Chine Café and were used to deliver supplies.
e) Age Concern – letter of thanks for donation
Noted
f) EDDC – Road Closure Order, 9th September, Grizzly
Noted and approved.
g) EDDC – Street Collection Permits, Festivals
Noted.
The Chairman thanked all members for their support during his year as chairman, to the Clerk for her work, and to Cllrs Mrs Partridge-Hogbin and Morgan for organising the Citizen of Year refreshments. He wished all Members well in the future.
The meeting closed at 9.32 pm
Archived Copies of Minutes
Copies of all Minutes of all the Council's meetings are held in the Council Office and copies are sent to Seaton Library once they have been signed by the chairman as a true record of proceedings at the subsequent meeting.