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MINUTES OF THE FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY 26TH MARCH 2008
MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE HELD ON WEDNESDAY 26TH MARCH 2008 AT 7.00 P.M. AT THE TOWN HALL, GREAT WESTERN HOUSE, 9 DEVON SQUARE, NEWTON ABBOT
PRESENT Councillor D Corney-Walker (Chairman) Presiding
Councillors Mrs C. Bunday
H.L.J. Cole
C. Davieson
Miss J. Fry
Mrs A Fry
M. Hocking
D. Howe
K.C. Lewis
C Parker
K Smith
A D Vizor
In attendance: Station Manager, Mark Palmer, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service
Crew Manager, Alan Seddon, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service
Inspector Mark Backhouse, Devon & Cornwall Constabulary
Representative of the Press: John Balment – Mid Devon Advertiser
466. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Mrs G Leeper, R Leeper, Mrs S Maddicott, K. Purchase and Mrs D. Watts (Vice-Chairman).
467. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting of the Finance & General Purposes Committee held on 20th February 2008 were received and signed as a correct record.
468. INTERESTS
Councillor Mrs Anne Fry declared a personal interest in minute 470 as a member of the Devon & Somerset Fire Authority.
469. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
None.
470. NEWTON ABBOT FIRE STATION
Councillor Mrs Anne Fry welcomed Station Manager, Mark Palmer, and Station
Crew Manager, Alan Seddon, of Newton Abbot Fire Station to the meeting on behalf of the Committee. Councillor Mrs Fry explained that as a result of a presentation made by the representatives they had been invited to address the Council.
With the aid of slides, the representatives set out in detail the resources and activities of Retained Station Number 28 – Newton Abbot. Details were given under the following headings:-
• Resources;
• Management Team Structure;
• Staffing, hours available and employers;
• Appliances and equipment;
• Statistics;
• Activities;
• Community Fire Safety;
• Problems;
• Joint RTC event with the Police at Newton Abbot Fire Station.
Under Statistics it was explained that from January 2007 to January 2008 the Station had dealt with 493 incidents. In the ten month period from April 2007 to January 2008 there were 325 recorded incidents with 28 rescues with the appliances only unavailable for 22 hours during that period.
With regard to problems, it was explained that the biggest issue affecting the Station’s ability to respond to incidents was the ability of the fire officers to reach the Station efficiently. Consideration had been given to signs for the fire officers’ cars or allowing them to have alternate flashing headlights so that road users would let them through the traffic when on a call. Currently no solution had been found but that it was mainly an issue of educating road users of the need to be sympathetic to the situation.
At the conclusion of their presentation the representatives answered Members’ questions which included the following:-
• Retained status and whole-time status;
• Partnership working with other stations;
• Access through narrow residential roads with parked cars;
• Targeting the public at events and choosing venues such as Decoy Country Park;
• Use of the Town Quay for training & testing pumps;
• Experience of abuse by the public.
At the conclusion of the questions the Chairman reported his own experiences relating to being responsible in the past for fire safety training and thanked the representatives for there attendance and extremely interesting presentation which he was sure highlighted issues Members were previously unaware of. The representatives then left the meeting.
Councillor Mrs Anne Fry declared a personal interest in minute 470 as a member of the Devon & Somerset Fire Authority and took part in the debate thereon.
471. POLICE MATTERS
The Chairman welcomed Inspector Mark Backhouse to the meeting.
Inspector Backhouse reported on performance at the year end and at the end of his first six months since taking over from Inspector Andy Dower. The Committee received performance data against targets for issues such as assaults, burglaries, vehicle theft and criminal damage by Town Ward. Members were also informed of the performance and detection rates of the control sector against the performance of the whole force area. Inspector Backhouse was extremely pleased with the results which showed improvements over the previous year and against overall performance elsewhere.
The Committee then received a snapshot of performance against the priorities identified by local residents, again by Town Ward in relation to issues such as fear of crime, anti-social behaviour, parking, speeding and criminal damage. Members were informed that priorities had been received following events at supermarkets and street surgeries. It was now necessary to re-engage the community to reassess their priorities, although Inspector Backhouse was certain some issues would re-appear as his investigations and the activities of his staff have found that many issues, such as speeding, were more perception than fact.
The Committee also received details of three initiatives carried out over that past six months, namely operation ‘Trump’ and ‘Damsey’ together with the ‘Cop Cards’ initiative.
Inspector Backhouse explained that he would now be arranging further superstore and street surgery events to engage with the community but would also be holding public meetings in each Town Ward which he hoped the Members would support. He was also planning to have a considerable police presence at the launch of the Community Plan on 5th April 2008.
Arising from Inspector Backhouse’s report Members raised issues including:-
• Quad bikes;
• Community Safety Wardens and Environmental Wardens;
• Two-way communications between Members and Neighbourhood Beat Managers;
• Availability of mobile phones to police officers.
At the conclusion of the report the Chairman thanked Inspector Backhouse for his attendance, made reference to an experience by a family member and expressed his full support for the work already carried out in the town and proposed initiatives, whereupon the Inspector left the meeting.
472. ACCOUNTS PAID SINCE THE LAST MEETING
(a) Accounts paid since the last meeting
The Committee noted the accounts together with the balance sheet for the month of February 2008:-
(b) Other financial matters
None.
473. BOUNDARY COMMITTEE – UNITARY REVIEW – DEVON
The Town Clerk reported on various documentation issued by the Boundary Committee (BC), Devon County Council and the Devon Association of Parish Councils (previously circulated). He explained that the Boundary Committee had commenced its review of local government in Devon based on the following timetable:-
• Stage I – 3 March to 11 April – concepts for new unitary authorities;
• Stage II – 14 April to 4 July – Boundary Committee considers concepts and seeks information from LA’s & other stakeholders;
• Draft proposals published;
• Stage III – 7 July to 26 September – consultation on draft proposals, including boundaries;
• Stage IV – 29 September – 19th December – Stage III information considered by BC;
• Advice provided to Secretary of State.
It was explained that from the information received so far the Boundary Committee had a mandate from the Government, following the failure of Exeter City’s bid on affordability grounds, to consider the extension of unitary local government for the whole of Devon. Although originally thought to be excluded, it also appeared that the boundaries of the existing unitaries of Plymouth and Torbay could be extended to facilitate unitary status in the remainder of the County.
The Committee was informed that Marldon Parish Council had invited all parish councils within the vicinity of Torbay to a meeting to be held on Tuesday 1st April to consider agreeing a collective, common policy and approach to the review to present to the Boundary Committee.
Members were of the view that the invitation from Marldon was premature and therefore the Clerk should decline the invitation. Members expressed the view however that the Town Council will need to meet to discuss details as they emerge at stages II and III.
474. CASUAL VACANCY – BRADLEY WARD
The Town Clerk reported on the timetable for filling the Casual Vacancy on the Bradley Ward of Newton Abbot Town Council following the resignation of Councillor Mrs G. Gaskell.
475. MUSEUM SUB-COMMITTEE
The Committee received and noted the minutes of the Museum Sub-Committee meeting held on 13th February 2008 (previously circulated).
476. STAFF REVIEW GROUP
Members received the Notes of the Staff Review Group meeting held on 12th March 2008 (previously circulated) regarding the recruitment of a replacement Events Co-ordinator.
Arising from consideration of the Notes, the Mayor questioned whether in future the recruitment of staff should be a management function and delegated to the Clerk and Councillor Hocking expressed his concerns for the arrangements for the Carnival during the period the Council was without an Events Co-ordinator? The Chairman of the Staff Review Group expressed the view that the Council could employ agency staff in the interim.
477. BEATING OF THE BOUNDS
Chairman of the Beating of the Bounds Working Party, Councillor Colin Parker, reported on the activities of the Working Party and a proposal for the beating of the boundaries of Newton Abbot to be held on the weekend of 9th and 10th May 2009.
RESOLVED that the Council be requested to approve the beating of the
boundaries of Newton Abbot be held on the weekend of 9th and 10th May 2009.
478. DURATION OF MEETING
In accordance with Standing Order No. 26, at 9.00 p.m. it was
RESOLVED that the meeting continue to 9.30 p.m. or to the conclusion of the business whichever is the earlier.
479. CORPORATE IDENTITY
Further to minute 447 of the Council Meeting held on 12th March, the Committee noted the Deputy Mayor’s report on the response from the College of Arms to the possible registration of the Council’s Town Crest.
480. SOCIETY OF LOCAL COUNCIL CLERKS - REGIONAL CONFERENCE
The Committee gave consideration to nominating attendees to the SLCC Regional Conference to be held at the Holiday Inn, Plymouth on Wednesday 14th May 2008.
RESOLVED that the Town Clerk and Councillors D Howe & K Smith attend the Society of Local Council Clerks Regional Conference to be held at the Holiday Inn, Plymouth on Wednesday 14th May 2008.
481. REPORTS OF REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE ORGANISATIONS
None.
482. LATE CORRESPONDENCE
None.
483. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
It was noted that the Finance & Resources Committee would meet on Wednesday 20th February 2008.
484. EXCLUSION OF PRESS AND PUBLIC
RESOLVED that the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the discussion for the following item, on the grounds that the publicity would be prejudicial to the public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the business to be transacted.
485. NEWTON ABBOT & DISTRICT CO-OPERATIVE ALLOTMENT ASSOCIATION LIMITED
The Committee gave consideration to a request from the Newton Abbot & District Co-operative Allotment Association Limited for financial assistance.
Arising from a detailed discussion on the request it was
RESOLVED that a single without prejudice payment of £1,000 be made to the Newton Abbot & District Co-operative Allotment Association Limited to assist with its administrative costs for 2008/2009 and the matter be discussed further at the next meeting of the Allotments Sub-Committee.