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MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL WEDNESDAY 2nd JULY 2008
MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE COUNCIL HELD ON WEDNESDAY 2nd JULY 2008 AT 7.00 P.M. AT THE TOWN HALL, 9 DEVON SQUARE, NEWTON ABBOT
PRESENT Councillor D. Corney-Walker (Mayor) Presiding
Councillor D. Howe (Deputy Mayor)
Councillors Mrs C. Bunday
H.L.J. Cole
C. Davieson
Mrs A. Fry
M. Hocking
Mrs G. Leeper
K. Lewis
C. Parker
K. Purchase
K. Smith
A. Vizor
Mrs D. Watts
Representatives of the press: John Balment – Mid Devon Advertiser
Residents – Mr Barry Kaye and Mrs Lorna Lowes
The Meeting opened with Prayers by the Mayor’s Chaplain, Rev. Russell Chamberlain
68. APOLOGIES
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of Councillors Mrs J. Avery, R. Leeper and Mrs S. Maddicott.
69. INTERESTS
None.
70. TRANSPORT
The Council noted the decision of the Amenities Committee meeting held on 25th June 2008 under minute 62 regarding Devon County Council’s traffic management proposals for Queen Street, Newton Abbot (circulated at the meeting; together with a letter from Councillor Mrs S Maddicott on the issue (previously circulated).
71. MUSEUM SUB-COMMITTEE
The Council noted the decision of the Amenities Committee meeting held on 25th June 2008 under minute 52 regarding proposals for the Sandford Orleigh Screen and the John Lethbridge exhibition for 2009 (circulated at the meeting).
72. CASUAL VACANCY – NEWTON ABBOT TOWN COUNCIL – BRADLEY WARD
The Mayor explained that arising from minute 523/4/08 and no statutory request to fill the vacancy in the Bradley Ward by-election, the Council was required to fill the vacancy by co-option.
Five applications had been received, namely:-
• Mr G Husband;
• Mr B Kaye;
• Mrs L Lowes;
• Mr M Ryan;
• Mr R Wills.
The applicants’ details had been previously circulated to the Council.
The Mayor suggested that in consideration of an appropriate co-optee, Members might wish to take into account any that had previously stood for election in May 2007 and any particular connection they might have with the Bradley Ward.
Arising from a request for the decision to be taken by ballot in accordance with Standing Order number 5 (a), the result of the vote was as follows:-
Mr B Kaye - 1 vote
Mr M Ryan - 2 votes
Mrs L Lowes - 11votes
Accordingly it was
RESOLVED that Mrs Lorna Jean Lowes be hereby co-opted as Councillor for the Bradley Ward of Newton Abbot Town Council.
At 7.17 p.m. the Mayor adjourned the Meeting.
At 7.25 p.m. the Meeting re-convened.
Upon signing the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, Councillor Mrs Lowes joined the Meeting. Councillor H L J Cole, on behalf of the Council, congratulated Councillor Mrs Lowes on her appointment and welcomed her to the Council.
Councillor Smith referred to Councillor Miss Joanne Fry’s recent marriage. The Council noted her name would now be Avery. All Members present joined in wishing Councillor Mrs Avery their best wishes for her future.
73. PROPOSALS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW IN DEVON
Further to minute 518/4/08, the Council gave consideration to recommendations by the Strategic Working Party (previously circulated) agreed at its meeting held on 18th June for submission to the Boundary Committee for England regarding proposals for local government reorganisation in Devon.
The Chairman of the Working Party, Councillor Mrs D Watts, explained in detail the deliberations of the Working Party. The Council was informed that although the Working Party had appreciated the need to have regard for the needs of Devon as a whole, it had formulated its recommendations based on what it considered to be in the best interests of the communities of Newton Abbot.
Members of the Council made representations and comments to the meeting regarding the following issues:-
• The benefits a single unitary authority would be likely to mean for the area, such as financial savings and the use of existing area arrangements and infrastructure; clear lines of communications between it and the parish and town councils;
• The need to have an identity of place, i.e. Devon, therefore a single unitary authority would be the most appropriate;
• The problems associated with clustering as proposed by Devon County Council and the need for the Town Council to set out in detail what its aspirations would be in any new system of governance;
• Timing of the Council’s response was key, stage 2 was concepts, stage three would require detail;
• A single unitary was considered to be too large and widespread with Newton abbot likely to lose its identity. The Council needed to ensure its submission protected Newton Abbot’s position as a sub-regional hub for South Devon;
• A single unitary for Devon would be one of the largest in the Country and would lead to a serious democratic deficit.
Councillor Mrs Watts summed-up her presentation of the Working Party’s recommendations by commending them to the Council with an amendment to paragraph 2.E.d.i.
Arising from consideration of the matter it was
RESOLVED that the Boundary Committee for England be informed that Newton Abbot Town Council wished to respond to the published concepts on the review of local government in Devon as follows:-
a) A unitary option should be supported that offered recognition of Newton Abbot’s status as a Devon sub-regional centre with opportunities for ‘enhanced’ service delivery;
b) no changes be made to the current two unitary authorities of Plymouth and Torbay, save to facilitate changes elsewhere;
c) Devon would be best served by either two or three (additional) unitary authorities;
d) Devon would not be best served by a single unitary authority due to its potential to be too large, too remote and unaccountable. A single unitary would not be dissimilar to the current County Council and therefore near to the status quo which is clearly not an option (currently 85% of services to Devon are delivered by the County Council);
e) the principle of clustering is accepted as the most effective approach to local delivery, however, further consideration needs to be given to:-
i. ensuring no town or parish council loses its identity and in particular Newton Abbot as an expanding sub-regional centre in Devon should have a pivotal role;
ii. the clusters should have a correlation to one another which is understandable to the electorate;
iii. Parliamentary Constituencies could be considered in agreeing the correct cluster;
iv. representation should be consistent based upon population but also take into account other factors such as sparsity to ensure neighbourhood empowerment is balanced and evenly distributed; and
v. each town, parish, area throughout the County should not be treated differently, i.e. the traditions of the City of Exeter can easily be retained by its status as a City Council commensurate with the rest of the towns in the County;
vi. any community chest should be agreed per capita and by geographic area.”
74. ANNUAL ACCOUNTS 2007/2008
The Council received the Annual Governance Statement for the year ended 31st March 2008 (previously circulated).
RESOLVED that the Annual Governance Statement for the year ended 31st March 2008 be hereby approved and signed by the Mayor and Responsible Financial Officer.
75. COMMON SEAL
It was proposed by the Mayor, Councillor D. Corney-Walker, seconded by the Deputy Mayor, Councillor D. Howe, and consequently it was
RESOLVED that the Common Seal of the Council be affixed to any document or documents necessary to give affect to the resolutions passed by the Council at this Meeting.
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Chairman