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TOWN
COUNCIL MEETING
MONDAY
11TH FEBRUARY 2008
Present
: Cllr V. Baker (Chairman),
Cllr P. Allen, Cllr C. Dryden, Cllr J. Godwin,
Cllr J. Hart, Cllr M. Hornett, Cllr M. Johns,
Cllr D. Linney, Cllr C. Lofts,
Cllr J. Lynch, Cllr C. Stanger, Cllr A.
Wardle, Cllr H. Wright, Cllr D. Yates
1.
Apologies for Absence
Cllr
A. Maycock
Cllr
R. Mills
Cllr
R. Bromwich – NCC
2.
Declarations of Interest
None.
3.
Open to the Public
No
representations from members of the public.
4.
Town Mayor's Items
Cllr
Baker informed the meeting of events she has recently attended:-
16/01/08
Business Club Christmas Lunch at the Saracen's Head
18/01/08
Town Mayor's Charity Quiz Night at the Town Hall
10/02/08
University of Northampton Graduation Ceremony
Cllr
Baker informed the meeting that she is ¾ through her year
of office, with the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor due to be elected
on 12th May. She asked council members to consider the Mayor Making
ceremony and whether they would wish to change this in any way.
Also how new members are welcomed onto the council and if this could
be improved.
5.
REPORT BACK FROM :-
a)
Cllr R. Bromwich, Northamptonshire County Council
Cllr
Bromwich had given apologies for the meeting.
b)
Cllr D. Dallyn, South Northamptonshire Council
Cllr
Dallyn was very sorry to hear about the closure of Arcotronics in
Towcester and the hardship this will cause many families. SNC is
trying to encourage hi-tech businesses into the town so the news
is even more regrettable. She is in touch with M.P. Tim Boswell
to establish what can be done to help. Cllr Dallyn referred to objections
made by SNC to planning applications in South Northants , in particular
proposals for a 27m high wind turbine at Asda, Northampton as it
was considered this would be visible from large portion of the South
Northants district.
The
Silverstone Brief was agreed by Cabinet, following various amendments.
Cllr
Dallyn has received a complaint with respect to the path beneath
the bus shelter in Vernon Road , which has sunk. This has been referred
to NCC. Also, complaints have been made regarding anti-social behaviour
in the area of Silverstone Brook. Cllr Dallyn has been in touch
with Kelly Ednie the Anti-social Behaviour Support Officer at SNC
on this matter. She stressed the importance of reporting all incidents
of anti-social behaviour to the Police or Neighbourhood Watch. Cllr
Hornett confirmed that reports can be made anonymously to the Neighbourhood
Watch helpline.
Cllr
Dallyn concluded by informing the meeting that the Towcester Partnership
will be holding a public meeting on the Persimmon / Bloor planning
proposals on 20th February in the Town Hall.
Cllr
Lynch referred to the closure of Arcotronics. His understanding
is that the company is owned by a large American corporation. He
enquired whether SNC would be able to help facilitate a buy-out.
He also queried whether SNC had asked
the Silverstone developers to take into account the Towcester Persimmon
/ Bloor development with respect to traffic movement on the A43.
Cllr Dallyn confirmed this was part of the overall brief.
Cllr
Johns referred to the closure of Arcotronics. He felt that this
situation may not have arisen had SNC produced a more robust plan
for the area, indicating that land could only be used for continued
employment and would not automatically be developed. SNC has failed
to provide a blueprint and cannot force employers into the area
but should be using the planning process to benefit the community.
He urged Cllr Dallyn to raise this issue again with her colleagues
at SNC as there is no plan or policies coming forward. Cllr Johns
asked why the SNC consultation on the Persimmon / Bloor application
had been cancelled. Cllr Dallyn referred this issue to Cllr Wilby.
c)
Cllr A. Wilby, South Northamptonshire Council
Cllr
Wilby informed the meeting that as Towcester Brook was the largest
ward each Councillor has their area of expertise and should not
be expected to have the answer to every question. He confirmed that
the Persimmon / Bloor application was validated on 24th December
and the consultation period is due to start at any time. The WNDC
referred the application to CABE (Commission for Architecture and
the Built Environment). SNC put forward its objections to the application
and these objections were supported by CABE in its own report. Following
this, SNC had expected the application to be reworked but this has
not happened and so the consultation period will proceed. WNDC instructed
SNC to cancel its briefing on the application as it considers this
to be the responsibility of the WNDC itself.
Cllr
Allen suggested it would not be possible to put forward comments
on an application of this magnitude without a considerable period
of time to look at the plans. Cllr Johns asked how the views of
CABE had been taken into account. Cllr Wilby considered it would
make a nonsense of their existence if the CABE observations were
ignored. In connection with the WNDC comments on the CABE report,
Cllr Lynch asked if the WNDC is concerned that its lack of progression
in Towcester since its formation in 2004 has been noted by Central
Government.
Cllr
Wilby agreed with the comments made by Cllr Johns with regards to
employment in and for this reason the Towcester Partnership has
engaged the services of Bill Wright to come up with a plan. Cllr
Lofts advised that there must be a framework for the Economical
Development Strategy and SNC has gone quiet on this front. Cllr
Wilby conceded that this would take some time as posts for this
department need to be filled. Cllr Johns described. the Economic
Development Strategy as “woolly” and considered a robust plan would
strengthen the position for maintaining jobs in the area.
Cllr
Wilby referred to the application due to be submitted by Jackson-Stopps
as very good. He confirmed that proposals were to maintain the parkland
area with well-designed housing around the perimeter.
d)
Towcester Police
Inspector
Hitchon was unable to send a representative from the Police to the
meeting. Cllr Baker referred to an email from him confirming that,
over the past couple of weeks, incidents of anti-social behaviour
on the Belle Baulk estate have dropped. The police are continuing
their weekend patrols but aside from a couple of arrests for public
order offences Belle Baulk has been reasonably quiet.
6.
MINUTES OF MEETINGS
Resources
/ Planning Committee 14th January 2008
Town
Council
14th January 2008
Town
Hall Committee
21st January 2008
Recreation
/ Leisure Committee 21st January
2008
Cemetery
Committee
28th January 2008
Resources
/ Planning Committee 28th January 2008
Proposal
Cllr
Linney proposed that the Minutes of Meetings for January 2008 be
signed by the Chairman as a true record; seconded by Cllr Allen,
All in favour.
7.
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
No
matters arising from Full Council.
8.
REPORT BACK FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE :-
Resources
/ Planning Committee
Cllr
Stanger confirmed that the RP Committee had made no objections to
the applications for the conversion of 16 Park Street from commercial
to two residential flats.
Town
Hall Committee
Cllr
Hart referred to the scaffolding erected for the Town Hall works
and confirmed the contractors had done a good job with very little
disruption. Anglian Water has resolved the problem with flooding
in the Town Hall basement. The York stone slabs that were removed
when digging up the pavement have been stored by Anglian Water and
will be replaced as soon as the scaffolding is removed. Cllr Baker
confirmed that the lease for Office 4 at the Town Hall had been
prepared.
Proposal
Cllr
Linney proposed that the lease for Office 4 to Mr W. A. Gray be
signed by the Town Mayor, Cllr Baker and Deputy Mayor, Cllr Stanger;
seconded by Cllr Allen, All in favour.
Recreation
/ Leisure Committee
Cllr
Dryden informed the meeting that the Recreation / Leisure Committee
had made the decision not to remove the log cabin on Belle Baulk
Adventure Playground. Cllr Dryden is currently looking into funding
sources for new equipment on this site. The Sandyhome Road play
area and associated works are now complete and the invoices have
been settled. Cllr Hart referred to comments made by Inspector Hitchon
that the Police would not be prepared to place a dispersal order
on the Belle Baulk play area as it had insufficient manpower. Cllr
Hart felt that this situation should not be accepted or the town
will be faced with a totally bland landscape devoid of any equipment.
Cllr Hart confirmed that a new Anti-Social Behaviour Officer had
been employed by SNC to work alongside Peter Kaye. The Clerk will
be attending a meeting of the Joint Action Group on 14 th February
where the issue of anti-social behaviour will be discussed.
Cemetery
Committee
Cllr
Mills had given his apologies for the meeting. Deputy Chairman,
Cllr Wright, confirmed that a site meeting had taken place at the
Brackley Road Cemetery with the stonemason where it was decided
that approximately 30 memorials, mostly kerbstones, will be re-instated.
Works are due to commence in April.
9.
REPORT BACK FROM LOCAL BODIES
Cllr
Johns reported that the Towcester Museum Group will soon make its
Stage 2 application for £900,000 to the Lottery Heritage Fund.
Cllr
Linney confirmed that the NCALC will be independent from Northamptonshire
ACRE with effect from 1st April 2008 . The NCALC internal audit
fees will rise by 5% from 1st April 2008 . The NALC Annual Conference
in Eastbourne will take place 20th – 22nd May. Members of the Council
interested in attending should inform the Clerk.
Cllr
Hornett confirmed his intention to take an extended holiday for
6 months. He is looking for a volunteer to take over his role in
Neighbourhood Watch for this period.
10.
NORTHANTS COUNTY COUNCIL
The
NCC consultation on Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service Proposed
Standards of Operational Response was forwarded to each member of
the Council for completion and return. Cllr Johns commented that,
in future, the TC should be asked for a unified response to the
consultation and thus would need more time. He suggested the TC
write the Chief Executive of NCC concerning the insufficient period
of notice given for their consultations.
11.
COMMUNITES & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Consultation of Orders and Regulations Relating
to the Conduct of Local
Authority Members in England
The
Clerk had forwarded the website link to the document to all members
prior to the meeting. A number of councillors commented that the
document was incomprehensible. Cllr Lynch considered the document
to be verbose and legalistic and suggested the TC write a letter
of complaint accordingly. Cllr Lofts raised 2 issues on the document:-
Question
11 - Speaks about a joint arrangement
between 2 authority members to discuss a complaint made against
a Parish/Town Councillor. Cllr Lofts considered that one of the
members should be from the Parish/Town in which the Town Councillor
stood office, i.e. if a complaint were made against a Towcester
Town Councillor then a member of SNC should be part of the discussion.
Cllr
Lofts referred to the sanctions in place for any misdemeanours,
in particular the ban from standing as a Town Councillor. He considered
that this ban should include standing for any public office, i.e.
School Governor and there is no provision for this.
12.
South Northamptonshire Council
a)
A copy of the Housing 4 U Winter 2007/8 issue
is available from the Clerk
b)
A copy of the South Northamptonshire Arts News
is available from the Clerk
c)
Chairman's Civic Dinner
The SNC Chairman, Cllr Graham Smith, invites
all members to his Annual
Civic Dinner at Whittlebury Hall on Friday 11th April. Tickets
are £30.00 and
proceeds will benefit the Stroke Association
Northamptonshire Branch. Cllr
Baker asked those who wish to attend to notify the Clerk.
13.
Nothamptonshire County Council
a)
A Local Involvement Network (LINK) for Northamptonshire
Cllr Baker confirmed that the date for the “Shaping the Links”
event concerning
health and social care had passed. She expressed her
disappointment that an
event on such an important issue
did not appear to be advertised in any way.
b)
Commissioning Strategy for Older People's Services – Carers
and Stakeholders
Cllr Baker confirmed that the return date for the questionnaire
on Older People's Services was 7th February.
c)
Parish Emergency Planning Conference
Details of the Parish Emergency Planning Conference
in March were passed to Cllr Lynch.
14.
CORRESPONDENCE
a)
Charity Commission News
A copy of the January 2008 issue of Charity Commission News
is available from the Clerk.
b)
Campaign to Protect Rural England
The CPRE Northants Planning and Landscapes Roadshow will take
place on
15th April at Cranford Hall, Kettering . Anyone
interested in attending was asked to
inform the Clerk.
c)
Northants Touring Arts
Correspondence encloses their Spring/Summer 2008 programme.
It confirms that performances can be booked to promote
drama, music, dance or children's
events in the community. Cllr Baker suggested the TC
might consider arranging a
performance.
d)
NCALC Update
A copy of the NCALC Update for January/February 2008 is available
from the Clerk. In particular, Cllr Baker referred to
the
course for new Councillors
on 14th May, and the Chairman's course on 18th June. Further information
is available from the
Clerk.
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