Agenda and minutes

The retiring Mayor will call for nominations and put them to the vote.  This will be followed by:

A          Declaration of Acceptance of Office by the Mayor

B          Presentation of Chain of Office

C          New Mayor’s Acceptance Speech

The retiring Mayor called for nominations for the role of Mayor of Dawlish for the 2023/24 municipal year.

Resolved that Councillor Rosie Dawson be elected the Mayor of Dawlish for the 2023/24 municipal year.

At this juncture, the Mayor duly signed and read out the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, was presented with the Chain of Office by the retiring Mayor and read out her acceptance speech.

The Mayor advised that her consort for the year would be her husband James Dawson, and that two further escorts would be Inna Yevko, and her daugther Katherine Dawson.

She presented the chain to Inna Yevko.

The Mayor will call for nominations and put them to the vote.

The Mayor invited nominations for the position of Deputy Mayor of Dawlish town Council.

Resolved that Councillor Lin Goodman-Bradbury be elected Deputy Mayor of Dawlish for the 2023/24 municipal year.

At this juncture, the Deputy Mayor duly signed and read out the Declaration of Acceptance of Office and was presented with the Deputy Mayor’s medallion by the Mayor.

To receive, note and where requested, approve the reasons for apologies for absence.

There were no apologies for absence.

There was no Part II.

To declare any disclosable interests relating to the forthcoming items of business (if any).

There were no declarations of interest.

To receive and consider requests for dispensation (if any).

There were no dispensations.

To approve, sign and adopt the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 5 April 2023.

Members considered the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 5 April 2023.

Resolved that the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 5 April 2023 be approved and signed as a correct and accurate record.

To receive the Minutes of the following Committee(s) for adoption (if any) – Members are requested to refer to the Town Council’s website to view said Minutes:

·         Civic Amenities Committee – 15 February, 15 March 2023

·         Finance & General Purposes Committee – 23 February, 23 March 2023

·         Manor House & Riverside Centre Committee – 8 February, 8 March, 24 March, 5 April 2023

·         Planning Committee – 16 February, 9 March, 30 March 2023

Resolved that the minutes set out below, approved by the relevant Committee and signed by the Chairman as a correct record of that meeting, be adopted:

·         Civic Amenities Committee – 15 February, 15 March 2023

·         Finance & General Purposes Committee – 23 February, 23 March 2023

·         Manor House & Riverside Centre Committee – 8 February, 8 March, 24 March, 5 April 2023

·         Planning Committee – 16 February, 9 March, 30 March 2023

The Mayor advised that two urgent items for information only would be taken at this juncture.

The County Councillor for Dawlish stated that Devon County Council had announced six areas within the county had been awarded 20mph speed limits following submission of 50+ applications.  He confirmed that of those six, two were located in the Parish of Dawlish – one being Cockwood, and the other being Dawlish Central.  These would be implemented in the coming weeks.

He further advised former Mayor of Dawlish Pauline Bloomfield’s husband, Roger had passed away.  Mrs Bloomfield had been a long serving councillor and had been Mayor of the Parish with Roger acting as her consort.  It was agreed that the Mayor would send flowers and condolences to the Bloomfield family.

Resolved that the updates be noted.

Town Council is recommended to resolve that those Members yet to sign their Declaration of Acceptance of Office be allowed to do so before or at a meeting fixed by the Council in accordance with the Local Government Act 1972, Section 83(4)(C) but in no event not later than 2 months from their date of election, if necessary.

The Mayor advised that this item had been withdrawn due to all Members having signed their declaration of acceptance of office prior to the annual meeting.

To consider approving and adopting the Terms of Reference of the Council’s Standing Committees having been recommended by each Committee for approval.

Members considered adopting the terms of reference following reviews by the relevant committees.

Resolved that the terms of reference for the each committee be approved as set out in the agenda report.

To elect councillors to the following committees en-bloc, as presented in the agenda report.

A          Finance & General Purposes

B          Civic Amenities

C          Events

D          HR      

E          Manor House & Riverside Centre

F          Planning

Resolved that the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are ex-officio Members of all Committees with voting rights.

Finance & General Purposes Committee

1.      Cllr Martin Wrigley (Chair)

2.      Cllr Lynda Littlewood (Vice Chair)

3.      Cllr Jill Graham-Ellis

4.      Cllr Martin Heath

5.      Cllr Mike James

6.      Cllr John Petherick

7.      Cllr Linda Petherick

8.      Cllr Huw Weatherhead

Civic Amenities Committee

1.      Cllr Alison Foden (Chair)

2.      Cllr Mike James (Vice Chair)

3.      Cllr Jill Graham-Ellis

4.      Cllr Anthony James

5.      Cllr Allan Pyne

6.      Vacancy

7.      Vacancy

8.      Vacancy

Events Committee

1.      Cllr Lisa Mayne (Chair)

2.      Cllr Rachel Hardy (Vice Chair)

3.      Cllr Anne Heywood

4.      Cllr Huw Weatherhead

5.      Cllr Martin Wrigley

HR Committee (note; the Chair and Vice Chair are elected at the first meeting of the Committee)

1.      Cllr Rachel Hardy

2.      Cllr Lin Goodman-Bradbury (Deputy Mayor)

3.      Cllr Anthony James

4.      Cllr Lisa Mayne

5.      Cllr Linda Petherick

Manor House & Riverside Centre Committee

1.      Cllr Rachel Hardy (Chair)

2.      Cllr Martin Heath (Vice Chair)

3.      Cllr Anthony James

4.      Cllr John Petherick

5.      Cllr Linda Petherick

6.      Cllr Allan Pyne

Planning Committee

1.      Vacancy (Chair)

2.      Cllr Allan Pyne (Vice Chair)

3.      Cllr Alison Foden

4.      Cllr Martin Heath

5.      Cllr Anthony James

6.      Cllr Mike James

7.      Cllr Martin Wrigley

8.      Vacancy

To appoint Members to represent the Council on external bodies as per the agenda report.

Resolved that the following councillors be appointed as representatives to outside bodies as follows:

To approve the bank signatories and method of operating the accounts.

Resolved that

Resolved that

A     The CCLA (Churches, Charities and Local Authorities) Bank, Nat West Bank Plc and Lloyds Bank PLC (“the Banks”) shall be our bankers.

B     The Bank shall be authorised to honour all cheques or other orders for payment drawn, made or accepted on our behalf including bills of exchange and promissory notes, even if any payment causes any accounts to be overdrawn or increase any existing overdraft, provided that such documents are signed by any two of the following Councillors:

·         The Mayor

·         The Deputy Mayor 

·         The Chairman of Finance and General Purposes Committee 

·         The Chairman of Civic Amenities Committee

·         The Chairman of Events Committee

in accordance with specimen signatures.

The Bank shall act on all specimen signatures in accordance with any instruction, notice, request, or other document in writing concerning our account (including the opening of new accounts) affairs or property.

C     The Bank shall be sent a copy of any future resolutions which affect the terms of the above resolutions.

D     The Bank shall be notified in writing of any change of officials authorised to sign on our behalf.

E     The Bank will permit the Town Clerk and/or Finance Officer, subject to specimen signatures, to have access to the accounts for administration, including authorisation for:

·         the transfer of funds between accounts

·         the closing and re-investment of investment accounts

·         information on the accounts including withdrawals, payments in, standing orders, direct debits, direct credits, transfers, and balances.

 F    The Bank shall otherwise continue to operate our account(s) in accordance with the mandate.

To review and adopt the Standing Orders of the Council.

Members reviewed the Council’s Standing Orders.

It was proposed that standing order 3x be amended to read:

3 x       Town, District, and County Councillors wishing to submit reports may give succinct verbal reports at the meeting, or must do so in writing to the Proper Officer at least three clear days before the meeting to enable the report to be included with the agenda publication, providing sufficient time for Members of the Council to consider the reports’ content and ask questions of the Councillor at the meeting regards the content, if applicable. Those councillors submitting reports be permitted to report on matters arising between the agenda publication date, and the day of the meeting only.

It was further proposed that an amendment to the proposal be made to have councillor reports tabled at the end of the agenda to enable sufficient time to debate the substantive items of business.

This being agreeable to the mover of the original proposal, it was

Resolved that the Council’s Standing Orders be adopted, subject to standing order 3 x being amended to read:

3 x       Town, District, and County Councillors wishing to submit reports may give succinct verbal reports at the meeting, or must do so in writing to the Proper Officer at least three clear days before the meeting to enable the report to be included with the agenda publication, providing sufficient time for Members of the Council to consider the reports’ content and ask questions of the Councillor at the meeting regards the content, if applicable. Those councillors submitting reports be permitted to report on matters arising between the agenda publication date, and the day of the meeting only.

To review and adopt the Council’s Financial Regulations.

Members considered the Council’s Financial Regulations for adoption.

Resolved that the Council’s Financial Regulations be readopted.

The Finance & General Purposes Committee at its meeting held on 27 April, recommends that Town Council adopt the Reserves Policy as set out.

Members considered adopting the Reserves Policy having been reviewed and recommended for approval by the Finance & General Purposes Committee.

Resolved that the Reserves Policy be approved and adopted.

To note that the Council has in place adequate arrangements for insurance cover in respect of all insurable risks.  This Policy is due for renewal in June.

Resolved that the Council currently has in place adequate arrangements for insurance cover in respect of all insurable risks. Members noted that the Policy was due for renewal in June 2023.

To resolve that this Council may continue to exercise the General Power of Competence as a consequence of the following conditions being met –

(a)          That the number of members of the council that have been declared to be elected is equal to or greater than two-thirds of the total number of members of the Council;

(b)          That the Town Clerk holds the relevant qualification (CiLCA, and CertHE Community Governance), and training.

Resolved that this Council continue to exercise the General Power of Competence by virtue of the following conditions being met:

(a)    That the number of members of the council that have been declared to be elected is equal to or greater than two-thirds of the total number of members of the Council; and

(b)   That the Town Clerk holds the relevant qualification (CiLCA, and CertHE Community Governance), and training.

The council is recommended to defer the actions and reviews required by Standing Order 5J I-XXI not covered in this meeting to a future meeting of the Town Council.

Consideration was given to deferring the actions and reviews required under Standing Order 5j not covered in this meeting to a future meeting of the Town Council.

Resolved to defer the actions and reviews required under Standing Order 5j not covered at this meeting to a future meeting of the Town Council.