The Chair to advise the Committee of any items on which members of the public have requested to speak and advise those members of the public present of the details of the Council’s public participation scheme.
For those members of the public who have submitted any questions or statements, please note, a three minute time limit applies to each speaker and you will be asked to speak before Councillors debate the issue.
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Minutes:
The following members of the public spoke on agenda item 9, Community Governance Review for the Unparished Area of Taunton:-
Brian Larcombe, who raised the following points:-
· Concern was raised on lack of information on what the parish wanted.
· He had only heard information on Taunton Town Council and ‘moving forward’.
· Cheddon Fitzpaine had felt that it had been singled out as part of the Review.
· He understood why the Town Council was important with the New Unitary Council on the way.
· Concern was raised on the timing of the Review.
· He believed that the New Unitary Council and Local Community Networks should be set up first and then Taunton Town Council.
Jo Pearson, who raised the following points:-
· She objected the proposed area of Cheddon Fitzpaine and that it would be taken over by the Taunton Town Council.
· She had attended many meetings and also completed the consultation.
· Concern was raised that nobody seemed to be listening to the residents of Cheddon Fitzpaine.
· She believed that the Working Group had twisted the results of the consultation.
· She assumed that the councillors would not have read all the documentation within the agenda pack.
· Concern was raised on the cost of council tax.
Jason Woollacott, who raised the following points:-
· Cheddon Fitzpaine had strongly opposed the proposal.
· He advised that majority of Cheddon Fitzpaine did not want to be absorbed into the Taunton Town Council.
· He believed that Somerset West and Taunton Council did not know the area of the parish very well at all.
· Cheddon Fitzpaine had felt that they needed to seek legal counsel.
· He wanted to protect the parish.
Tessa Dean, who raised the following points:-
· She represented Trull Parish Council.
· Concern was raised that the postcards detailing the consultation had not been distributed properly.
· She believed that there had been no proper consultation with the parishes or public.
· Trull did not want to be included in the Taunton Town Council area.
· Concern was raised that the comments made by Trull Parish Council had not been included within the report.
· Concern was raised on what would happen to the funds received as part of the Community Infrastructure Levy.
· She believed the Review had been a disaster for all surrounding parishes.
Michael Batsch, who raised the following points:-
· He believed that abolition should be the last resort and that the Working Group had ignored that.
· He believed that the Working Group had misinterpreted the legislation.
· Cheddon Fitzpaine had now sadly been led to seek legal counsel.
Brian Heath, who raised the following point:-
· He had been running a community garden in Taunton and wished to carry out a re-launch of the project.
Ian Talbot, who raised the following points:-
· Highlighted that Bishops Hull had not been included in the Review.
· He mentioned that Longrun and Roughmoor had been included, but that technically they were part of Bishops Hull.
· He was confused by the proposals.
· Concern was raised that a boundary review could not be carried out without proper consultation.
Paul Canham, who raised the following points:-
· Concern was raised on the major opposition to the proposed changes for Cheddon Fitzpaine.
· He highlighted that the views of the residents were very important and should be listened to.
· Concern was raised on lack of funding.
· He urged councillors to reject the proposal.
Pat Whitworth, who raised the following points:-
· Cheddon Fitzpaine had always been a lovely caring community.
· Councillors were urged not to support the division of the area.
· She believed in local democracy which had not been followed in this case.
· She was a volunteer in the area and cared about the outcome of the Review.
Giuseppe Fraschini, who raised the following points:-
· Highlighted the consultation responses and that the majority of Cheddon Fitzpaine were opposed to the proposals.
· The residents of Cheddon Fitzpaine did not want to be part of Taunton Town Council.
· He urged Full Council to listen to what the residents wanted.
Dave Mitton (SALC), who raised the following points:-
· He supported a Taunton Town Council for the unparished area and had urged the council to take action years ago.
· He did not support the wider project as it impacted on the surrounding parishes as it was an unknown entity.