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My Council

Committee Functions

COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE

Planning 

  1. Responds to all planning consultations from The District Council and County Council.
  2. Responds to planning policy documents.
  3. Responsible for overseeing Parish Plan.

Policy and Finance

  1. Is responsible for managing the Council’s finances.
  2. Recommending the annual budget and the precept to Torridge District Council.
  3. All monies raised by precept for the Council’s day to day expenses are collected by the District Council from the Council tax payers of the parish of Great Torrington  i.e. what you spend comes from within the parish – there is no government grant towards it.
  4. Matters of a policy issue rather than a technical day to day management issue are considered by committee.  So if the Council considers whether to maintain monuments and memorials it will be considered first by Policy.  If agreed the day to day management will transfer to the Environment Committee.
  5. Allocation of annual grants.

Environment Committee

This committee deals with the majority of the Council’s day to day business.

Such matters as

  1. Donnacroft sports facilities
  2. Parish Paths maintenance
  3. Liaison with Highway Authority
  4. Christmas lights/trees
  5. Daily liaison with District re: the condition of parish, e.g. litter, refuse
  6. Snow Warden.

The committee also manages the day to day affairs of the Council Charity, The Common Allotments Charity.  Each Member of Council is a trustee of the Charity.   The Charity owns land at Weare Trees which it lets for agricultural purposes, and a good number of allotments.  The money raised is  then distributed in the form of annual grants to local organisations.

COMMITTEE TERMS & CONDITIONS

Mace Bearer – Tim Cloke

Tim spent the entirety of his happy childhood in Great Torrington and has always been a proud Torringtonian. At primary school, he was never happier than on Mayfair day when dancing around the May pole. From the age of 8 until he turned 18 he was a member of the Silver Band and proudly recalls taking part in civic events and marching through the town, and has been fortunate to be able to continue playing with the band on occasions even after moving away from Torrington to go to university and start his teaching career. 

In 2004 he left Torrington to study history and to qualify as a history teacher. Although his first teaching job took him to historic Kent, he continued to visit his friends and family in Great Torrington and never stopped considering Great Torrington as ‘home’. Indeed, from the moment he accepted the job in Kent he held returning to Great Torrington as a long-term ambition. Happily, in 2017 he was able to realise this ambition and was delighted to accept the role of history teacher at Great Torrington School and move back to Great Torrington. Teaching has always given him satisfaction, but the chance to return home and inspire Great Torrington’s young people to take an interest in their heritage – and to teach in his former school – has proved to be the greatest satisfaction of all. 

His knowledge of Great Torrington’s history is a passion that extends well beyond his profession, he well appreciates the historic significance of the town maces and the role of the town council in Great Torrington’s vibrant civic calendar. He is therefore delighted to have the opportunity to further contribute to the life of Great Torrington; the home town which has done so much for him and feels truly honoured to repay his debt to the town in this way.

Role of the Deputy Mayor

The Role of Deputy Mayor is one of supporting the current Mayor.

This may seem to be and in some respects is a less arduous task. However the Deputy Mayor will be expected to undertake some of the roles of the Mayor who may not be able to attend all functions and events.

The Deputy Mayor must also be ready to assume the Chairmanship of Council Meetings in the absence of the Mayor. For this reason the requirements under the heading Chairman of the Council in the Mayor’s job description apply to the Deputy Mayor. In particular item 11 relating to Standing Orders.

The Deputy Mayor is not paid an allowance but may claim expenses for official duties.

Should the Mayor for whatever reason be no longer able to undertake his/her duties it will be the duty of the Deputy Mayor to take over the role until either, the Mayor is able to assume his/her duties, the Deputy Mayor is confirmed as Mayor OR a new Mayor is appointed.

Mace Bearer – Carole Weeks

Our first female Mace Bearer (as far as we know!), Carole has lived in Great Torrington all her life. She comes from a family who have resided in the town for several generations. She loves its traditions and is keen to play her part in keeping them alive.

A huge fan of Mayfair, she joined in with the maypole dancing and the guard of honour for the May Queen and her entourage as a child.

She has had several jobs over the years including working for School Pictures at Greenbank, the meat factory, social services, and Dartington Crystal where she met her husband, Paul. Indeed, her connection to the glass factory goes back to when her Swedish step-father helped to set up the glass factory in the 1960s.

Carole now runs her own cleaning business, a venture she embarked on nearly 20 years ago.

Carole applied to be a Mace Bearer as it is important to her that the traditional roles of the town are carried out by local people. She was delighted to take up the post in 2022 and now attends the Town Council’s numerous civic occasions.

Council Procedures

The Town Council follow a set of procedures to ensure that they operate an efficient , transparent and accountable service to its residents.

Confidence in local democracy is achieved when elected councillors are seen to live up to the high standards that the public expect and paid officers work to a robust set of procedures . Every Council is required to adopt a Code of Conduct which sets out the rules governing the behaviour of its elected , co-opted and independent members. In addition , members are required to record on the public register, their financial and other interests.

The Great Torrington Town Council and its members follow a set of procedures to ensure that the service they offer to you , is efficient , transparent and accountable. A copy of all Town Council procedures are available by clicking onto the related download below.