Agenda and minutes

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

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Goodman-Bradbury, Hardy, A. James, J. Petherick, L. Petherick, and Pyne.

Resolved that the apologies be noted.

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 6 December 2023.

Members considered the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 6 December 2023.

It was noted that Councillor Foden’s Town Councillor report had been omitted.  The Town Clerk apologised for the oversight, and it was

Resolved that the minutes of the Town Council meeting held on 6 December 2023 be approved and signed as a correct and accurate record subject to the inclusion Councillor Foden’s Town Councillor report.

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:

·         HR Committee - 13 October 2023

·         Manor House & Riverside Centre Committee - 14 November 2023

·         Planning Committee - 16 November 2023

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

• HR Committee - 13 October 2023

• Manor House & Riverside Centre Committee - 14 November 2023

• Planning Committee - 16 November 2023

To receive any updates from the Town Clerk (if any).

The Town Clerk reported that:

·         On the evening of 4 January he had attended a meeting of the Local Government Association’s Peer Review Panel who were currently undertaking a review of Teignbridge District Council and the way in which they worked.  This meeting was regards the Council’s relationship with Town and Parish Councils.  He was joined by two other Town Clerk’s in the area, in addition to three local Parish Councillors.  The reported would be published on the LGA’s, and Teignbridge District Council’s website.

·         The Town Council’s Town Crier, Stephen Cunliffe had retired at the age of 94 having been the Town’s Crier for 44 years.  Arrangements were being made to establish a budget heading in next year’s budget for the recruiting and kitting out of the new Crier, and thoughts were being had as to how best to mark such long service to the Parish.

Resolved that the report be noted.

To receive the Town Mayor’s announcements (if any).

Councillor Dawson

December 2023

1st - Lantern parade, light switch on and charity panto

3rd - Helping Father Christmas on the Lawn

6th - Full council then young people’s gig

12th - Emergency task and finish group

13th - Opening St Gregory’s Christmas Tree Festival

24th - Crib service St Greg’s CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

25th - Lonely Christmas projects visits, four care homes and Dawlish Hospital CANCELLED DUE TO COVID

ISSUES

•          Elm Grove Road lorries - continuing to communicate with residents and TDC regarding safety, flashing lights still not working outside schools

•          Childcare Crisis - now 7 people have come forward to further explore Childminding in our parish! Really successful collaborating with DCC and I will be speaking to them in January about how we reflect this, expand further and encourage other areas to model this way of problem solving in communities

•          DCC Pinpoint service - closure despite many PAs and families relying on it to find care, choice is empowerment

•          Thefts from Dawlish Cemetery

CHRISTMAS SAVED BY DAWLISH PEOPLE - a family reached out for help from me as Mayor 7 days before Christmas. No heating, hot water, no money for food and no gifts for the children. I appealed for anonymous donations of gifts, referred for assistance with food vouchers and arranged for top up of card for heating over Christmas as well as referring to organisations who can support longer term and build family resilience. The people of Dawlish really delivered on the Christmas kindness!

To consider a Notice of Motion submitted by Councillor Dawson, that Dawlish Town Council be recommended to write to Exeter Coroner's Office (referring to the deaths of Albina Yevko, and Brendon Burnage) and Network Rail CEO, Directors, and safety team, robustly seeking safety improvements (railings or similar) on the old sea wall from Dawlish Warren to Dawlish, in order to prevent further deaths and injuries.

The Town Council considered a Notice of Motion which called for the Council to write to Exeter Coroner’s Office (referring to the deaths of Albina Yevko and Brendon Burnage) and Network Rail CEO, Directors and safety team, robustly seeking safety improvements (railings or similar) on the old sea wall from Dawlish Warren to Dawlish, in order to prevent further deaths and injuries.

The Mayor recounted the story of the events leading up to, and after the death of Albina Yevko and the impact the loss had had on her mother, friends and wider family.

The Town Clerk read out a statement from Dan Pooley, a friend of Brendon Burnage who tripped and fell off the old sea wall at night.  He submitted that the coroner had called for immediate action to make the wall safer, but this was ignored by the then British Rail.

After discussion, it was

Resolved that the Town Council to write to Exeter Coroner’s Office (referring to the deaths of Albina Yevko and Brendon Burnage) and Network Rail CEO, Directors and safety team, robustly seeking safety improvements (railings or similar) on the old sea wall from Dawlish Warren to Dawlish, in order to prevent further deaths and injuries.

To consider a proposal from a member of the public to establish a Working Group to investigate the feasibility of applying for potential UNESCO Geopark status.

Members considered a report requesting the Town Council to explore the feasibility of applying for UNESCO Geopark status as part of the Town’s future place marketing strategy to enhance economic, social and environmental development.

At this juncture, Standing Orders were suspended to permit the report author, Wayne Munday, to address the meeting.

Mr Munday submitted that:

·         He was a non-executive director of Fossil Coast Trust

·         Such a status would make Dawlish a destination, building on its natural assets and cliff face which was currently poorly understood

·         It would place the Parish on the international stage with such a designation

·         It was currently situated between two existing geoparks covering the Devonian and Triassic periods

·         There were three other sand dune geoparks in the world – Abu Dhabi, New Brunswick, and the Canary Islands

·         Before applying a feasibility checklist of approx. 100 questions needed to be completed

·         Submission would be in July 2025 with a formal application anticipated in October of the same year

·         The feasibility study would look at what needed to be done, the benefits, and risks of the work

·         There were caveats in that within 100km of existing sites it would need to show complementarity amongst others

·         A working group was suggested to explore the checklist and report back in 6 months’ time.  A small budget of £2,500 was suggested for any expenses, branding, visits to other geoparks in addition to producing digital assets.  The majority of time would be given by Mr Munday

·         A decision on the application would be made by UNESCO in 2028.

Following questions, Mr Munday advised that:

·         No development was being requested

·         No access to the cliffs was being requested

·         No conversations had yet been had with relevant landowners, Network Rail and Teignbridge District Council

·         Such a designation would support increased commercial activity and support the local economy

The Mayor thanked Mr Munday for his contribution.

At this juncture, Standing Orders were reinstated.

It was proposed before the Town Council made a decision to form a working group and commit time and monies to the project, initial discussions be had with relevant stakeholders – Teignbridge District Council, Devon County Council, Torbay Council, Dawlish Town Council, Network Rail, and Mr Munday to explore the far reaching responsibilities and opportunities such a project could entail, before reporting back to the Town Council to decide on next steps.

Resolved that initial discussions be had with relevant stakeholders – Teignbridge District Council, Devon County Council, Torbay Council, Dawlish Town Council, Network Rail, and Mr Munday to explore the far reaching responsibilities and opportunities such a project could entail, before reporting back to the Town Council to decide on next steps.

The Manor House & Riverside Centre Committee recommends that the Town Council approve the appointing of a preferred contractor to undertake external repair and redecoration works to the Manor House in the Spring of 2024.

Members considered the recommendation and report of the Manor House & Riverside Centre Committee (MHRCC) which recommended the appointment of a preferred contractor to undertake external maintenance and redecoration works of the Manor House in the Spring 2024.

The Vice Chair of the MHRCC noted that the contract was fixed, however there could be instances where price variations were impossible to negate.  Any changes to the tender sum would first need to be approved by the Council’s surveyor, acting as a Contract Administrator for the project.

The Town Clerk advised that should the listed building consent decision regards the Manor House canopy be received before or during these works, there would be a variation of contract order made to ensure the same contractor completed those works so as to reduce the need for two lots of scaffold, two contractors on site etc.

Resolved that

(a)    WMS Ltd be appointed contractor for the works on a tender sum (all plus VAT) of £66,633.04, plus the difference of contingency of £2,100, plus a 15% uplift of £10,309.96 with a total budget of £79,043

(b)   That funds be allocated from the Property Capital EMR of £38,026.20, with remaining funds being vired from the Conservatory EMR of £41,016.80

(c)    That any underspend in the project be put back into the appropriate EMR.

The HR Committee recommends that the Town Council approves the virement of £3,250 (representing half the course fee) from general reserves to the Community Governance Qualification Ear Marked Reserve to enable the Town Clerk to undertake the final level (6) 2-year Honours Degree in Community Governance, in partnership with De Montfort university, Leicester following the successful completion of Level 5 - Foundation Degree in Community Governance. 

Resolved that £3,250 representing half the 2-year course fee be vired from general reserves to the Community Governance Qualification Earmarked Reserve to enable the Town Clerk to complete Level 6 of the Community Governance Honours Degree Programme.

The Town Council is recommended to approve and adopt the proposed Health & Safety Policy as provided by the Town Council’s Health & Safety advisory service, Peninsula.

Resolved that the Health & Safety Policy be approved and adopted.

To receive a report from the County Councillor (if any).

Councillor Wrigley

Councillor Heath left the meeting at 8.38 p.m.

Councillor Wrigley reported that:

·         reports continued to be made regards the number of potholes affecting roads within the parish.  Unfortunately £9M of funding meant to be spent on pothole repair had in fact been used for general road repairs.

·         The new Chief Executive was beginning to make a difference in children’s services which accounted for one of the largest spending areas in the County Council’s budget,

·         Further information on the devolution deal was awaited with a meeting early in February which would identify how this might look

·         He thanked the Mayor for her efforts to bring about an increase in childcare provision within the Parish of Dawlish.

Councillor Heath rejoined the meeting at 8.40 p.m.

The Mayor referred to the lack of flashing lights on Elm Grove Road and that the Safeguarding Officer at Teignbridge might be able to assist – Councillor Wrigley would contact the relevant officers.

The Mayor referred to recent pothole repairs on Stockton Hill which had now been un-done with traffic and recent weather conditions.  Councillor Wrigley advised he would report this again to Highways.

Resolved that the report be noted.

To receive reports of District Councillors (if any).

Councillor Foden

Councillor Foden reported that the light not working outside the Barton Surgery had now been repaired.

Councillor Wrigley

Councillor Wrigley advised that the head of planning at Teignbridge District Council had left prior to the Christmas break.  Her interim successor, Sim Manley was in post with a task of increasing efficiency of the department.

Resolved that the reports be noted.

To receive reports of Town Councillors (if any).

Councillor Heywood

Councillor Heywood she had attended Traffic Management for Community Events at Bovey Tracey Town Council, together with the Town Clerk on 5 January.  This would enable them to apply for road closures, place signage on the road, and direct vehicles operating within road closures.

Resolved that the report be noted.