Broadwoodkelly Annual Parish Meeting - 2008

The Annual Parish meeting was held in the Village Hall on Tuesday 29 April 2008 at 7:30 pm.

Present:  Chairman of the Parish Council T Hill and Parish Councillors R Gant, F Hawkey, R Heggadon, Mrs J Maunder and M Reed together with Borough Councillor D Weeks, the Guest Speaker Mrs Kay Bickley, six parishioners and the Parish Clerk.

Apologies:  There was an apology for absence from Councillor M Skinner.

The Chairman thanked everyone for coming and welcomed Mrs Kay Bickley JP.

Minutes of the last meeting held on 8 May 2007 were read and approved.

Matters arising:  Councillor Hill reported on a meeting held in Winkleigh on 26 April 2008 that aimed to encourage the local community to take part in proposals to draw up plans for the future development of the airfield site.

Talk:  The Chairman then invited Borough Councillor David Weeks to address the meeting. Amongst the topics he covered were:

1          Rises in Council Tax, which had gone up by 4.5%;  he explained that this above-inflation increase was largely due to the low level of grant from central government which had been raised by only about 1%.

2.         Waste Disposal. A pilot study had shown that food represented 28% of the total waste collection. It was hoped to extend the separate collection of this waste, which could now be processed by the Bio-gas plant in Holsworthy.

3.         Council administration. Savings were being made by WDBC sharing staff with South Hams and Teignbridge.

4.         Boundary Commission Review. Exeter's bid to become a unitary authority had been turned down and new proposals were being examined. West Devon, South Hams and Teignmouth could become a unitary authority with 60 members, each member representing about 4000 voters.

5.         Customer Service Centres - these had proved a great success.

A short discussion followed, with concerns expressed about the costs of becoming a unitary authority - there would be savings but not in the short term.

Mrs Dee Gant thanked Councillor Weeks for the help and support that he had given the parish over the past few years and Chairman T Hill added his thanks on behalf of the Parish Council.

Guest Speaker: Mrs Bickley said she was based in Okehampton but sat in courts in Exeter, Honiton and Cullompton - these latter two courts being mostly concerned with non-police business. She gave a short history of JPs and went on to describe how they are now appointed. Applicants need to be between 18 and 69 years, with no criminal record. In making appointments care is taken to maintain a balance on the ‘bench' in terms of gender, occupation and ethnicity. There is much training and many appraisals but no need for legal qualifications. Common sense is essential.  Three magistrates will usually form the ‘bench' at a sitting;  they will hear evidence, decide on guilt and assess seriousness. 5% of offenders will go on to the Crown court.  There are currently many drug/drink offences.  Magistrates' courts do not deal with any offence requiring more that a two years sentence. Mrs Bickley handed out leaflets (copies in the minutes book) showing how the Court System works and further details about the magistracy.  The meeting then joined in a sentencing exercise based on a case study involving a youth charged with actual bodily harm. There then following a lively discussion about that case and other questions raised by the talk.

The Chairman thank Mrs Bickley for most enjoyable and informative talk No other topics were raised for discussion and the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.50 pm