INSTOW PARISH COUNCIL

ANNUAL REPORT

MUNICIPAL YEAR

2009/10

Instow: Time and Tide Are With Us”

INDEX

Introduction by the Clerk – Roger Jacob Page 3

Report of Chairman – Cllr Stewart White Pages 4 - 5

Draft Annual Accounts Page 6

Details of Parish Councillors Page 7

Parish Council Meetings 2009/10 - Councillors Attendance Page 8

Record

Dates of Council Meetings 2009/10 Page 9

Dates of Council Meetings 2010/11 Page 9

INSTOW PARISH COUNCIL

Clerk’s Report 2009/10

Dear Parishioners

I am delighted, yet again, to put together this introduction to Instow Parish Council’s annual report (2009/10). This particular period represents my ninth completed fiscal year as Clerk and it has been equally exacting, challenging and unique as in previous years, albeit most gratifying and worthwhile, in countless ways.

The parish council’s achievements throughout the year 2009/10, and its aspirations for the future, are fully covered by Council’s Chairman, Cllr Stewart White, whose full and comprehensive report follows.

I am greatly honoured and privileged, however, to sincerely thank all those people who have made my role, and indirectly that of Council, so much easier throughout the year. This includes, and in no particular order of importance, Mrs Rose Day (IPC’s Environment Consultant and former Chairperson now member of the TTEF in her role as Chairperson of the AOBN), Andy Cameron/Bruce Cramp (Instow Website), Melvyn Harris (Parish Handyperson), Peter Cook (Beach Cleaner), Pat Staddon (Press Liaison), Peter Yeo (Instow in Bloom), Andy Bell (North Devon Coast and Countryside Service), Simon Haughton (DCC Footpaths) and Leslie Smith MBE (Secretary Devon Association of Parish Councils). I would also like to thank Mary Jane Scott, our Internal Auditor who has excelled in her first year in the post; thank you Mary Jane for all your help and assistance.

I should also like to highlight the positive contribution and support of both Cllrs Rodney Cann (DCC/NDDC) and Brian Moores (NDDC) who have both worked tirelessly throughout the year to support Instow.

I am delighted to report that Instow still enjoys an excellent professional relationship with Constable Terry Hodgson (Neighbourhood Beat Manager) and Police Community Support Officer Jessica Meaker and this is most pleasing; long may it continue!

In conclusion, I would like to place on record, what a great delight and pleasure, indeed honour, it is to serve the parish of Instow as your Clerk; Instow Parish Council’s strengths unquestionably stem from its team-like, non-political and corporate-like approach that many others Councils could do well to follow.

Roger W Jacob

Clerk to Instow Parish Council

“Instow: Time and Tide Are With Us”

INSTOW PARISH COUNCIL

Chairman’s report for Instow Parish Council’s Annual Parish Meeting (15^th April 2010) and Annual Report 2009/10

Dear Parishioners

Thank you all for attending Instow Parish Council’s Annual Parish Meeting 2010.

Instow Parish Council was delighted to achieve re-accreditation as a Quality Parish Council in 2009; it first achieved Quality Parish Council status in 2005 by successfully excelling in all statutory duties of town and parish councils that represent the standard that an efficient, effective and well run parish council should achieve. Instow Parish Council had to attain more stringent and complex criteria on re-accreditation and its attainment is warmly welcomed by the Council and I am sure, the community it represents. As of February 2010, only 5 Quality Parish Councils in Devon had re-accredited and this included Instow Parish Council.

Instow Parish Council has also adopted the “Power of Well Being” (POWB); this government initiative has been designed to extend the power to councils to promote or improve the economic, social or environmental well-being of the area they represent. All Instow Parish Councillors and the Clerk had to undergo specific training for the purpose and a formal resolution to adopt the power was necessary. As of February 2010, only 47 town and parish councils in the country had adopted the POWB out of a total of approximately 9,000.

I am pleased to report that Lesley Smith MBE (Parish Council Officer – Devon Association of Parish Councils) has been quoted as saying: - “I am delighted Instow has been able to achieve re-accreditation as a Quality Council, and gone on to adopt the new Power of Well Being. That puts this small council at the forefront of town and parish councils in the country – something local people can be very proud of”.

Issues of note and achievements throughout the year have been the finalisation of the extension of the 30 mph speed limit in the Bideford direction of the B3233 and the on-going Village Gateway “speed reduction” project (to be funded by a DCC grant arranged by Cllr Cann) that should be in place during the forthcoming financial year. It was hoped this would have been in situ by now but burocracy and health and safety issues have ensured slow yet measured progress. The parish council has also been engaged on activities involving the updating of the parish plan that should be published soon, an abortive, as it turned out, attempt to introduce a children’s play area within the grounds of All Saints Chapel, a partnership survey with the Rural Housing Enabler (Exmoor, North Devon and West Somerset) on Affordable Housing needs in Instow (results still awaited), proactive cooperation with the North Devon Council in introducing new legislation to control dogs on the beach, negotiating a 25 year extension to the beach lease with the Crown Estate (and a similar period with the MOD) and hands-on liaison with Defra as regards the forthcoming introduction of European Legislation appertaining to water quality and the responsibilities of beach controllers.

One major disappointment, however, has been that we are still no further forward in knowing when the proposed new school is to be built in Instow and this is something that the parish council feels very frustrated about. Hopefully the recent meeting at County Hall, initiated by Cllr Cann (DCC), to discuss the concept of building the new school on the footprint of the current one might bear fruit. It will certainly rule out the current long, complex and protracted enquiries to establish a suitable site elsewhere; we can only hope.

Instow Parish Council continues to work extremely closely with our Police colleagues, Constable Terry Hodgson and PCSO Jessica Meaker, Jess has been especially active in the field of Neighbourhood Watch by setting up three new schemes during the year.

Instow Parish Council is extremely proud of the community spirit that emanates within the parish and I cite here, for example, the excellent on-going work of Instow in Bloom, the Community on Show Committee, Parish Hall Committee, Parish Magazine, Adopt a Beach Group, Taw and Torridge Estuary Forum, Instow Website and the pragmatic support to the parish of the North Devon Coast and Countryside Service, led admirably by Andy Bell and his team.

What are our challenges for the forthcoming year? Well we are hopeful that suitable projects are going to materialise from the ‘Ransom Strip’ consultation that took place in the parish about 3 years ago (although the lack of available land is always going to challenge us) and that the long awaited new charter toilets on the Quay car park will finally be built; a legal challenge is still being pursued. We are also very hopeful and optimistic that a more fruitful and legally tenable arrangement can be achieved as regards Instow Parish Council’s control and use of the Quay car park. IPC is currently in protracted negotiations with NDC and it is hoped that this year’s licence will be replaced in 2011/12 by a much improved security of tenure and predictable fiscal footing.

I have again thoroughly enjoyed a most rewarding year as chairman and especially thank my fellow Councillors and those parishioners who have attended our meetings and positively contributed to council’s business. I especially thank my vice chairman, Cllr Green, for his support and also wish to place on record council’s particular and heartfelt thanks to our clerk, Mr Roger Jacob, who is now is his 10^th year as Clerk and completed his 100^th meeting back in February.

Instow Parish Council is particularly indebted to his drive and commitment particularly in putting together IPC’s Quality Parish Council’s re-accreditation portfolio and for motivating and encouraging the council to be one of the first (5%) town and parish council’s in the country to achieve the POWB

Stewart White

Chairman of Instow Parish Council

“Instow: Time and Tide Are With Us”

INSTOW PARISH COUNCIL

DRAFT RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNT 2009– 2010

(Post Internal Audit)

RECEIPTS
Precept - NDDC		6300.00
Grant – NDDC & DCC		1276.00
Mooring Fees		1000.00
Car Park Receipts		12425.45
Vat Refunds		302.33
Beach Cleaning Grant 2009/10		1800.00
Interest		10.06
Other Grants (MOD, Footpath etc)		650.00
Sundries		214.63
Grass Cutting Grant		2442.42
	Total: -	26420.89
PAYMENTS
Handy Person	2996.00
Grass Cutting & Verge Maintenance	2022.00
Beach Cleaning – Labour	3075.00
Beach Cleaning – Tractor Costs	1655.61
Clerk’s Salary inc QPC O/Time	5700.00
Clerk’s Expenses (Motoring, Stationery & other costs)	1464.36
Insurance	1339.74
Grants-Burial Ground	872.00
-All Saints Project	200.00
-Parish Magazine	546.00
-Village Hall	436.00
-Website	110.00
Telephone – Parish Number	375.49
Footpath Maintenance	266.00
Crown Estates	870.77
Maintenance & Repairs	519.98
Car Park – Licence & Costs	2123.84
Audit	327.75
Other Expenses – includes DAPC, QPC, Printing, etc.	1361.37
	Total: -	26261.91
Balance of Year		+158.98
Cash Balances Brought Forward 1^st April previous Year		14,972.58
Cash Balances Carried Forward 31^st March 2010		15,131.56

Note: - Instow Allotment & Recreation Ground Nationwide Treasurers Trust a/c number 0465/704133146 as at 31^stMarch 2010 = £5049.88

“Instow: Time and Tide Are With Us”

INSTOW PARISH COUNCIL

LIST OF INSTOW PARISH COUNCILLORS

(As at 18^th February 2010)

Chairman: -

Cllr S A F White of 11 Old Rectory Close, Instow, Devon EX39 4LY

No email address

Vice Chairman: -

Cllr M J Green of Bar Beacon, Anstey Way, Instow, Bideford EX39 4JG

MichaelGreen@care4free.net

Cllr P Cook of 8 Venn Close, Instow, Devon EX39 4LZ

No email address

Cllr N K Crombie of Highfield, Anstey Way, Instow EX39 4JF

crombie@ansteyway.fsnet.co.uk

Cllr Mrs. T Dipper of Winsbury, New Road, Instow, Devon EX39 4 LN

tracy.omara@virgin.net

Cllr C Harper of Seaquel, Bridge Lane, Instow, Bideford EX39 4 JD

chas.harper@tiscali.co.uk

Cllr A Johns of Westaway, Anstey Way, Instow, Devon EX39 4JQ

sales@johnsofinstow.co.uk

Cllr G J May of The Barton, Instow, Devon EX39 4LU

No email address

Cllr B A Thomas of 6 Venn Close, Instow, Devon EX39 4LZ

benj.thomas@fsmail.net

The Clerk: -

Mr R W Jacob MCMI of 2 Sticklepath Court, Lake near Tawstock, Barnstaple

EX31 3HN. Tel No 01271 372408 (answer phone)

kernow@rwjacob.free-online.co.uk

County Councillor: -

Cllr R Cann of Kimberley, Bickington Road, Barnstaple EX31 2HB

rodneycann@rodneycann.net

District Councillor: -

Cllr Mr B Moores of Breakers, Marine Parade, Instow, Bideford EX39 4JJ

bmo8777539@aol.com

Instow: Time and Tide Are With Us”

Instow Parish Council

Councillors Attendance Record 2009/10

Name of Cllr

Meeting

16.4.09

Meeting

21.5.09

Meeting

18.6.09

Meeting

16.7.09

Meeting

17.9.09

Meeting

15.10.09

Meeting

19.11.09

Meeting

10.12.09

Meeting

21.1.10

Meeting

18.2.10

Meeting

18.3.10

Total

Max 11

Mr P Cook

11/11

Mr N Crombie

9/11

Mrs T Dipper

11/11

Mr M Green

10/11

Mr C Harper

7/11

Mr A Johns

7/11

Mr G May

9/11

Mr B Thomas

11/11

Mr S White

11/11

Key: -

P Present

A Absent (Apologies tendered)

“Instow: Time and Tide Are With Us”