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Annual Report 2007

The Annual Parish Meeting is held in May each year. This is the occasion when Committee Chairmen report on the activities of their Committee in the past year. It is also the opportunity for registered electors to raise matters of importance in the parish.

This Annual Report is based on the reports given to the Annual Parish Meeting in May 2007.

MAYOR'S ANNUAL REPORT 2006 - 2007:
Councillor Tony Inch

Bideford Town Council has yet again had a very busy and active year with twelve monthly full council meetings and one extra-ordinary meeting held to discuss the report by the consultants Terence O'Rourke. This report is an encouraging vision detailing how Bideford should be using all of its assets to regenerate not only Bideford but also the surrounding area. Regular committee meetings were held for Allotments, Staffing, Finance & General Purposes, Market Management, Planning, Torridge District Council/Bideford Town Council Liaison, and also meetings of the Public Transport, Underage Drinking, Newsletter and Documents Working Groups. All the committee meetings now have a 15 minute public participation slot at the beginning which provides members of the community with an opportunity to speak.

We also entertained our friends from Landivisiau for the 30th anniversary of the signing of the charter of friendship between the two towns. We will visit them in May when it will be the turn of Bideford to celebrate the 30th anniversary, represented by our Town Mayor.

We continue to try and make our town welcoming with our 20 planters and would like to say a big thank you to the handful of traders who put on some stunning displays but sadly we need more traders to take part. In order to encourage this, the Town Council awards cups each year for the best floral display, and the best Christmas display. These are presented at the Mayor Introduction ceremony.

This year has also seen changes in councillors. When Councillor Geoff Boundy resigned, the Council co-opted Councillor Mrs Sarah Lovera. This year came the sad news of the passing of one of our most hard working and most liked members - Councillor John Hadfield, a former Town Mayor and much loved and respected man who did so much for Bideford.

Over a year has passed since Bideford formed its own Youth Council and I am pleased to report that this year the second Youth Council was voted in. We look forward to hearing their fresh ideas. We wish them well and continue to support them financially.

As this year is an election year we also see some councillors who are not standing for re-election. They are Councillors Hugo Barton, David Daniel, William Isaac, Mrs Sarah Lovera, Mrs Marion Sankey and Miss Angela Walters. We thank you for all your work for Bideford Town Council and for our town.

ALLOTMENTS COMMITTEE REPORT 2006 - 2007:
Councillor Andy Powell

This year has seen a continued growth in interest in our 129 Allotments. (Note this is a growth of five plots on last year as provisions have been made for 'half' plots at Tricks and Marland). Despite this extra provision and a forthcoming increase in rents, the Allotments Committee can report that it currently has a waiting list of well over thirty people, with ALL allotment sites sharing that demand. This compares with a waiting list of around five persons three years ago. Indeed, a local resident on the waiting list has asked me personally whether the Town Council can acquire more land to satisfy this demand, something the Council may need to consider if the revival continues!

Whilst the Marland Allotment Association continues to go from strength to strength with its new fencing, disabled plot and (at long last) a plan for creating access for vehicles, it is particularly pleasing to see the formation of an Allotment Association at Pollyfield. We wish them both every success and will continue to offer our support in any way possible. We also respectfully note that the allotment holders at Tricks have voted to remain without an association. I herein assure them that they will continue to receive our support.

Less than satisfactory is the lack of activity with the Jigsaw project; especially in the light of their apparent success in Barnstaple and our ever extending waiting list.

Financially, income for 2006/2007 was £1,230 - this is £10 per plot for 123 plots - the school plot is provided free, and no charge was made for the half plots created this year as their rent was paid for as part of the original full plots they formed part of when the rent was due back in April.

Expenditure for the year was £2,960.81. This included rent to Devon County Council for Marland, path cleaning and hedge cutting, membership of the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners, and new gate posts at Tricks (twice); more skips, and the cost of fencing materials. I am particularly pleased to report that there are no rent arrears.

The Allotments Committee is committed to the continued investment and improvement of its portfolio. Provision has been made in the 2007/8 budget for fencing materials for Pollyfield and improvements to the central pathway at Marland. In return, members at both sites have indicated that they will provide the labour required for the site improvements. Grant funding is also being investigated. It is hoped that the 2007/2008 season will bear witness to the sale of produce from our allotments; and some form of exhibition or 'inter-allotment' competition.

As always, my grateful thanks to the Deputy Town Clerk for her efficient administration; and her strong but diplomatic handling of un-tended allotments this last year.

Thanks also to Mr Martin Moore for his unfailing assistance to others and his stalwart service as Deputy Chairman; and to all committee members for their enthusiastic support.

STAFFING, FINANCE & GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE (S,F&GP) 2006-2007:
Councillor Hugo Barton

Bideford Town Council is keen to support organisations that work for the benefit of its residents and each year invite applications for financial assistance. In this, the final year of this Council, our Committee dispensed a total of £37,710 which benefited Young Carers, Torridge Community Transport, the Town Band, Sea Cadets, the Bideford & Instow Railway Group, Bideford Folk Festival, Citizens Advice Bureau and numerous others.

In order to spend such funds we do of course first have to raise them; this is done through the annual precept, which is levied through council tax. The Committee recommended that the precept for 2007/2008 be set at £336,000 which equates to a 62% increase (approximately 33p per week for the typical household). This amount was agreed at Full Council. Whilst some Members expressed concern regarding the burden council tax places on many people it was also felt that support is available for people on low incomes and the majority of Members took the view that it was right for the Town Council to be more proactive in delivering the things that the town needs.

Other work over the last twelve months included our on-going attempt to provide new town signs. This has been running for awhile and was somewhat stalled through uncertainty as to exactly what was wanted, the legal position, and finally, having decided to invite submissions by way of a design competition, a total lack of entries! Over to the new Council to see if this can be taken forward.

On a more positive note the Council approved a contribution towards the proposal to ensure that waiting for buses on The Quay in inclement weather was a touch more bearable by the placing of ends on two of the bus shelters. These should be in place shortly.

Other issues were the appointment of a new web designer to replace the Council's website; the proposal for a Citizens Award, Christmas lighting and various staffing matters.

This is my final report as Chair of the S,F&GP Committee and may I first thank all members of the Committee for their hard work these last four years. It is also my final term as a member of the Town Council and my thanks to fellow members for what has by and large been a constructive working relationship these last twenty years. There have been difficult times but on the whole we have tried to work together for the benefit of Bideford.

MARKET MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE REPORT 2006-2007:
Councillor David Ratcliff

The Committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month to discuss activities and the progress of various initiatives with the Market Manager.

The overview for the Pannier Market in the last year has seen it struggling with footfall. This is a problem which is occurring nationwide. We have of late held a meeting with most traders from the market, to discuss these problems with a presentation from a marketing consultant who was delegated with the task of implementing recommendations to the Council. We still await the outcome.

Our joint venture with Torridge District Council regarding the farmers markets has proved useful with the formation of a committee made up generally of traders/producers to drive these favourite venues forward during summer and with a view to holding these inside the Pannier Market during winter. The Market Manager is our representative on the committee.

Refurbishment of units has taken place and overall a combination of a fall in receipts, and bad debts have resulted in the operating budget being seriously curtailed and that expenditure and income for year 2007/8 will be closely monitored.

I sincerely hope that we can see the market turn itself around into the vibrant community building that it should be.

PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT 2006 - 2007:
Councillor Mrs Caroline Church

The Planning Committee has a total of seven members and meets every three weeks. The planning meetings fall within the timescale set by Torridge District Council because responses are required within the statutory period for determination. Currently the Town Council is a consultee for all planning applications in the Bideford area and we either recommend approval or refusal of each application. Decisions are taken by a show of hands and the recommendations of the Committee are then ratified at the next full Town Council meeting. Councillors do have the opportunity to amend or overturn a recommendation of the planning committee at full Council.

At the beginning of each meeting there is the opportunity for members of the public to discuss a planning application. This session is limited to 15 minutes and if more than one member of the public wishes to speak then the time is allocated accordingly. During the last year local residents have attended in large numbers. For example on 31 May 2006, 34 members of the public attended concerning an application at Mines Road, East the Water and on 14 February 2007, 29 members of the public attended concerning an application at Lime Grove.

The applications that we receive are diverse and can range from a garden shed to a supermarket or large housing estate. In the last year we have considered a total of 209 planning applications. The Planning Committee can consider different types of application, such as reserved matters, outline planning permission, full planning permission or listed building consent.

Bideford is very special place in terms of historical buildings, conservation areas and places of historical significance. As a consequence the Planning Committee must consider whether a listed building or conservation area will be adversely affected by a planning application.

Planning procedure has now changed. In the past should the Planning Committee have recommended refusal then that application would be referred to councillors on the Plans Committee at Torridge District Council for decision. However, such a decision may now be taken by an officer. Generally planning law may also change whereby smaller applications may not be decided by local councils, but by a check list of acceptability. Whatever the future, I wish the new Planning Committee well.

Finally I would like to thank the Planning Committee for all their hard work over the last year and especially to those who are no longer councillors. I would also like to thank our Deputy Clerk for her commitment and patience.