Agenda and draft minutes

All apologies must be notified to the Town Council offices by 5pm on the day of the meeting.

Apologies and reasons for absence were received and approved. (NC)

Cllrs J Hunt, L York, J Orange, S Jusef, P Leaver, D Clayton & K Stevenson as members of North Devon District Council, have a dispensation under SO66 to discuss and vote on any item on the agenda unless the item refers to a financial or legal agreement or dispute between the two authorities.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the Town Council Meeting held on 18^th March 2024, are approved with one abstention, as a correct record and be signed by the Chairperson.

Engagements

22^nd March    Rotary Club quiz night.

28^th March     Greggs Bakery opening.

28^th March     Nigel Brooks, a popular local composer’s funeral.

4^th April          The Deputy Mayor attended the Braunton rededication service.

5^th April          Dr Todd Gray 100 extraordinary aspects of Exeter lecture at the Exeter Guildhall.

7^th April          Barnstaple Ladies Choir 40th anniversary concert

20^th April        Mayor’s Charity Ball at the Barnstable hotel

21^st April        St George’s Day awards presentations

Other events

29^th April        the Annual Town Meeting where the annual report will be presented and the RAF plates and Grant checks

13^th May         is the Annual Barnstaple Town Council meeting.

This will include the election of the new chairperson and Mayor-elect.

This is my last full Town Council meeting Thank you for being so well-behaved and thank you to the Town Clerk for all his support with reports and knowledge.

Please can counsellors supply any reports they might have for outside bodies they have been representatives to.

Insp A Wills was unable to attend but had supplied a report for councillors that had been circulated prior to the meeting.

Devon County Council

Cllr C Leaver

The Devon Devolution Deal has been to the Cabinet and is expected to be approved in September.

There are local concerns about the levels of representation by the junior partners, Districts, Exeter City and Town & Parish Councils who have only minor representation on the partnership.

In future it is expected that funding will be through a ‘top-slice’ of grants to Devon.

Closure of the Link Centres has been confirmed, alternative provision has been promised.

The Devon Highways maintenance contract review is taking place, it is due for re-procurement and the option of bringing in-house is being considered.

Cllr Roome has pushed for Pilton Causeway to be resurfaced.

Councillor Locality Grants are now available, £8,000 per Councillor.

The Growing Community Fund grants are also available.

North Devon Council

Cllr L York

Appointment to District Council councillor roles:

Councillor Helen Walker chairperson

Councillor David Warden vice-chairperson

Councillor Ian Roome Leader of the Council

Councillor David Clayton Deputy-Leader of the Council

North Devon and Torridge District Councils have a new strategy; Flourishing Culture. It sets out the value that culture brings to Northern Devon, the aspiration for what it could be, in all its forms across the region. A survey is being conducted through the North Devon Council website.

The minutes and resolutions of the following committee meetings were received and considered and it was resolved to adopt them en-bloc (NC)

Cllr D Clayton – The Woodyard Project, have not yest heard anything since appointment.  The Town Clerk informed the meeting that he had been chasing this and contact would be made very soon.

To consider and approve a recipient for the RAF Community Plate to be presented at the Annual Town Meeting on Monday 29^th April 2024.

Details of nominations attached.

The RAF Community Plate was presented to the Town of Barnstaple in 1974 to be awarded annually by the full Town Council to an individual or group deemed by the Council to have made an outstanding contribution to the wellbeing of the community during the foregoing year (Standing Order 29. RAF Community Plate).

The presentation of the RAF Community Plate shall be made at the Annual Town Meeting, on Monday 29th April.

Nominations for the award of the RAF Community Plate:

Cllr V Elkins      Sound It Out Dementia Support Group - Meet every fortnight at Christ Church Barnstaple. They support both careers and people with dementia with advice when required plus lots of singing and fun.

Cllr L York          Barnstaple Ladies Choir – they have been singing all over North Devon and beyond for 40 years entertaining while raising funds for local charities.

Cllr I Williams    Mr T Steer for his activities in support of the Tarka Rail Initiative and improvement of rail services between Barnstaple and Exeter and the new initiative for the reopening of the line to Bideford.

All nominations received seconds and the vote was as follows:

Sound It Out Dementia       12

Barnstaple Ladies Choir     2

Mr T Steer                             6

The RAF Community Plate for 2024-25 will be awarded to Sound It Out Dementia.

8.15PM - Cllrs A Shah, S Jusef & I Williams left the meeting at this point.

Neighbourhood Plan.

A working group has met twice to discuss project initiation of the Neighbourhood Plan.

Barnstaple Guildhall External Renovation

Significant sections of render need renovation / replacement. Sections to be replaced include the ground floor section on the High Street and three of the cracked and hollow render sections to the Pillars on the first floor because of previous inappropriate repairs.

Some of the stonework has already been stripped of old render ready to receive new lime render.

Where needed windows have been measured for repair.

Roof repairs are needed to the apex section above the town crest.

Colours for the repainting have been suggested by the paint supplier and decorator to get best effect on the render surface.  These have been approved by Historic England and North Devon Council Conservation Officer.

The Bell, which was sent to Loughborough for repair and returns the first week in May.

The clock goes for repair this week.