CALLINGTON TOWN COUNCIL

29^th September 2009 at 7.00.pm

Council Chamber

Prayers. The meeting commenced with a reading and a prayer from the Rev. Peter Sharpe.

Public Session

Mrs Jacob asked Cllr Mrs Gold if there was any progress on the bin by the college entrance. Cllr Mrs Gold will progress the matter direct with the school.

Mr Stevens asked if there was any progress on the Tesco development, Cllr Gist responded that the judicial period was about to end therefore building should start in the near future with completion expected for late Autumn 2010.

Mr Riley asked when the next PACT meeting was scheduled for. Cllr Gist responded that the Police are in the process of setting a date and once that was known it would be publically released..

The Council meeting opened at 7.10

1.             Apologies:  Cllr A Coakley, Cllr Mrs Coakley, Cllr Long,

                Present:  Cllr R Lumley [Portreeve & Mayor], Cllr Mrs K Gold [Deputy Portreeve and Deputy Mayor], Cllr C Thomas, Cllr M. Green, Cllr Gist, Cllr Mrs Jones, Cllr Mrs Winfindale, Cllr Harriman.

               Officer: Vernon Anderson - Town Clerk

               Members of the Public:   5 parishioners, Rev. Sharpe, and 2 members of the press.

2.            Minutes

               The Minutes of the meeting of 25^th August 2009 were agreed as a correct record of proceedings and duly signed.

3.            Police Matters

               Cllr Gist mentioned that Police were now up to strength and that sufficient cover has been arranged for the Honey Fair event. Cllr Gist also reported that an up-to-date report on the CCTV system will be brought to the next Finance and General Purpose Committee for consideration.

               Cllr Gist announced the day of the Police Action Day whereby there will be a very strong Police presence throughout the district (date withheld due to this being a public document)

4.            Fire Brigade Matters

               Mr Ted Simpson, Assistant Chief Fire Officer based in St. Austell gave an overview of the difficulties the Fire Brigade were having with recruiting retained Fire Fighters. Mr Simpson introduced two of his colleagues both of whom are responsible for local recruitment, this was Station Manager Guy Herrington from Bodmin Community Fire Station and Station Manager Kevin Rookley based at Callington’s Fire Station.

               It was announced that were up to three vacancies at Callington, this would give a full complement of twelve retained fire fighters. The main difficulty seemed to covering the day time operation during weekdays. It was recognised that Ginster’s have a large workforce and they were an ideal employee base to target. It was also suggested that the new Tesco store once established could be targeted with a recruitment campaign.

               During the discussion it was also identified that there a number of things the Town Council can do to assist in the recruitment process such as holding a recruitment open day at the Town Hall and advertise vacancies in the Callington News.

5.            Reports

a) Planning Committee. It was proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed that the minutes of the Planning Committee of 1^st and 15^th September be received.

b) Direct Services Committee. It was proposed by Cllr Lumley, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed that the minutes of the Direct Services Committee of 1^st September be received..

c) Finance & General Purposes. It was proposed by Cllr Green, seconded by Cllr Gist and unanimously agreed that the minutes of the Finance & General Purposes Committee of 15^th September be received.

d) Any other reports [not for decision]. Cllr Mrs Gold announced that she had spent a day in the Town hall Office and spoke about how useful that was in gaining an understanding to office procedures. Cllr Mrs Gold recommended that other Councillors should each spend a day in the office.

Cllr Green spoke about a new ‘Extra Care Home’ that opens on the 15^th October situated on the Pascoe site and that it was worth a visit as it something the Town Council should be looking to support within Callington.

e) Reports from Cornwall Councillors. Cllr Long sent his apologies.

               a) Summary of accounts to date.  It was resolved to accept the summary of the accounts to 31^st August 2009.

               b) Approval for expenditure as listed.  It was proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed to make the following payments.

7.         For Decision – Consultation; Community Network Panels

Mr Dean Ashton (East Area Manager) was due to give a presentation but sent his apologies. In his absence Mr Steve Besford-Foster from Cornwall Council gave an overview of the current situation with regard to the Community Network Panels.

A recent communication received from Cornwall Council highlights that the Cabinet Member for Stronger Communities has agreed to postpone the first round of Community Network Panel meetings scheduled for early Autumn whilst the formal aspect Localism, particularly the formal Community Network Panel meetings, were reviewed and investigations were made into alternative mechanisms to engage with Town and Parish Councils.

The Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee is contributing to this review, which is now underway, by holding an Inquiry Day on the 9^th October followed by a final meeting on 29^th October to consider the issues and form a recommendation.  Local Councils have been invited to put forward its views (if it hasn’t done so already) so that they may be considered as part of the review.

Resolved

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed that in response to the ‘Call for Evidence’ questions the following statements be given:

A1. Callington Town Council wants to have a closer relationship with Cornwall Council Councillors and Officers and welcomes regular informal meetings in particular with the Highways Officers.

A2. Cornwall Council should engage with local councils at a Town and Parish level with informal Community Network Panels keeping Town and Parishes informed.

             A3. Callington Town Council prefers an evolving model of Community Network Panel rather than a formal model as dictated by Cornwall Council.

8.         For Decision - Virement of Pannier Market Roof Capital Reserves

At the Finance & General Purpose Committee held on the 21^st July the committee considered raising capital from the sale of unused land. As a result of this meeting the matter of virements was raised and it was suggested that the THP Committee consider making provision to vire capital from the Pannier Market Roof project to the Town Hall project to deliver the project as soon as possible.

At the At the THP meeting held on the 11^th August 2009 it was agreed to recommend to Full Council the virement of Pannier Market Roof Capital Reserves to meet any shortfall in capital funds set aside for the Town Hall building project, including the kitchen refurbishment and heating system.

Resolved

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed that the Council vires funds from the Pannier Market Roof fund to meet any shortfall of Town Hall project fund for the redevelopment of the Town Hall and the replacement of the heating system.

9.         For Decision – Formal Resignation of Councillor Ellard

A casual vacancy has arisen following the resignation of Mr Roger Ellard, effective 1^st September 2009 therefore this Council is required to make the declaration of the Casual Vacancy within a reasonable time.

Resolved

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Thomas and unanimously agreed that the resignation of Mr Ellard be accepted and that the notice of the vacancy be duly posted with effect of the 1^st October, and that a letter of thanks in recognition of Mr Ellard’s many years of service be sent at the earliest opportunity.

Exempt Matters

Proposed by Cllr Gist, seconded by Cllr Green and unanimously agreed that under the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 (as extended by s.100 of the Local Government Act 1972), the public and accredited representatives of newspapers be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business (9 and 10) on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 by virtue of the paragraph specified against the item.

10.         Reports For Information – Exempt Report; Review of Employment, Pay & Conditions For Manual Workers (Direct Services Staff) 

11.      Reports For Decision – Exempt Report; Parity of Pay and Working Hours for Assistant Town Clerk

There being no further business the meeting was declared closed at 9:10.pm

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