Minutes 10th November 2021
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
held on Wednesday 10th November
at 7.30pm in the Village Hall
Present: Cllr A Birmingham, Cllr S Luxton, Cllr R Tillett, Cllr N Vickers, Cllr W Gallois, Cllr W Honan and Cllr E Hollingsworth
In Attendance: Carole Oliphant (Clerk), Cllr Sara Randall-Johnson (DCC), Cllr Henry Gent (DCC), Cllr Jamie Kemp (EDDC) and one member of the public
38/21 Apologies:
None
39/21 Declarations of interest
Councillors were reminded of the need to make declarations as appropriate
40/21 Minutes of the meetings held on Thursday 2nd September 2021
Were agreed as a true record and SIGNED by the Chairman
41/21 Public Question Time
No questions were asked by the public present
42/21 DCC
Cllr S Randall-Johnson explained to Council that DCC were announcing their 4-year financial plan and that Adult and Children services were overspent at this stage but should balance out by year end. The number of packages of care had increased to 32k hours per month. There were approximately 1000 job vacancies in the care system throughout Devon and the repercussions of this would see more people having to stay in hospital.
43/21 EDDC
Cllr J Kemp explained that EDDC had issued an apology for recent missed refuse collections but the targets were now being met. He explained that an Innovation & Resilience fund of £2.4m had been launched to help businesses and organisation coming out of the pandemic.
44/21 Financial Items
The account summary to October31st (previously approved by Cllr A Birmingham) was NOTED.
It was NOTED that the following payments were approved remotely in accordance with Financial Regulations
2 x Payments to Carole Oliphant (September & October Salary)
2 x Payment to HMRC (September & October Salary)
2 x Payment to BT for Village Hall WiFi (paid by DD on 28.09.2021 & 28.10.2021) - £28.15
It was NOTED that: Payments approved by Councillors S Luxton, A Birmingham and R Tillett in accordance with the Financial Regulations
Council was presented with the draft budget 2022-2023 which recommended an increase in the precept of 2.04% to £48.39. The final budget would be agreed at the January meeting.
45/21 Cycleways Exe Valley Park
The Council had before it, and NOTED, a *report from Cllr Gallois on the prospects of a cycleway/footpath or bridleway between Brampford Speke and Stoke Cannon.
Cllr Gallois informed Council that EDDC had identified various funding streams but that the financing of any such cycleway would come from DCC. The project would be too large for the Parish Council to finance or manage.
Cllr Gent informed the Council that although he was supportive of the initiative it was not without substantial costs and that getting landowners on board would be critical to its success. He explained that the project would be unlikely to be linked to the Boniface Way but could maybe be linked to the Exe Valley Way. There was an aspiration to have a linked Exe Valley Way which would link Topsham to Broadclyst.
Cllr Randall-Johnson explained that in reality the timeframe for any such cycleway could be in excess of 20 years and that the most important element was gaining agreement from landowners for their land to be used. It would be beneficial if local residents could be involved in landowner negotiations.
It was AGREED to explore the creation of a pressure group with Cllr Gallois and interested members of the public to lobby DCC and EDDC to provide cycleways from the village and look at possible options. Councillor Gallois was asked to report back in 6 months.
Note* Report attached to the minutes
46/21 Church Path
It was AGREED that DCC Highways would be contacted to see if the materials (plainings) could be provided without a cost to the Council and if so, the Contractor would be contacted to provide an alternative quotation for labour only.
Although partial funding had been secured through the S106 agreement it would leave a shortfall in funding of the repairs.
It was RESOLVED to provide the Chairman and Cllr W Gallois delegated authority to approve spending from unearmarked reserves to cover any shortfall in funding.
(Proposed by the Chairman)
47/21 Village Hall Survey
The Chairman summarised the background to this item and that the Brampford Speke Village Hall Trust (BSVHT) and representatives from the Parish Council had met and identified what repairs were necessary and key costs had been identified. Based on the previously estimated substantial cost to fully replace the roof, the working group had suggested that the focus of work would be directed to carrying out immediate repairs only.
Subsequent to the above, Cllr Luxton had managed to secure a quotation for a replacement roof which was below previous estimates but estimated at £8k - £14k (inc VAT). A discussion was held around the pros and cons of exploring this option and/or progressing with just the immediate repairs required. It was decided that the option to fully replace the roof should be explored. In consideration, it was noted that the current estimate to repair the roof provided by the working group was in the order of £4200.
A member of the public had very kindly offered to pay for the repairs to the roof and confirmed that they would put this in writing.
The Chairman of BSVHT had confirmed that they were happy to support the Parish Council in pursuing and organising the repair to the roof.
After discussion and an explanation of the processes involved by the Clerk, it was AGREED that if the re-roofing was to proceed, then this work as it is a structural repair, should be organised and managed by the Parish Council and not via the BSVHT.
Cllr Luxton provided further detail on the viability of the Hall and confirmed that bookings had increased substantially with the school being the main income stream. It was AGREED therefore that a Village Hall Survey on the viability of the Hall was no longer required and could be looked at again in the future if and when required.
Cllr Kemp (EDDC) agreed to contact EDDC planning department to investigate if planning permission would be required to replace the roof as the Hall was in the Conservation Area.
Council AGREED that Cllr S Luxton and a representative from the BSVHT would create a specification to tender document which would include quotations for different types of roofs and insulation (if this was found to be required). The specification would also ask for separate quotations for all parts of the roof that needed replacing including the main roof and porch so that the Council could understand the full costs and make informed decisions on the extent of the repairs required.
It was therefore RESOLVED that:
The Parish Council would go out to tender for a replacement roof in accordance with its Standing Orders:
1. To advertise the tender in the local village newspaper and on the Council’s website
2. To obtain 3 quotations for works required
3. To use a sealed bid process with quotations being returned by 31.12.2021 and award of contract in January 2022
4. Parish Council to initiate and fund planning permission if this was required
(Proposed by the Chairman)
It was also AGREED that notwithstanding the pending outcome of exploring the roof replacement option, that the VHT should continue to progress with the immediate repairs that have been proposed as necessary.
48/21 Other information/correspondence received for possible action/discussion/attendance
• Cllr R Tillett advised that he would circulate a draft of the next Speke Up submission
• It was AGREED that no Parish Council Newsletter was required in addition to the monthly Speke Up submissions
• The induction Pack was being updated
• The Community Land Trust had identified two potential sites, one in Cowley in addition to the site previously highlighted at Longview.
• The Station Hill drainage works had been completed and Cllr Tillett would contact DCC Highways to report serious erosion next to the bridge
• Cllr Gallois would work with the Footpath Warden to look into the possibility of replacing a footpath gate on the Stoke Cannon path with a disabled accessible alternative
• Cllr Gallois would contact the School about the overgrown hedge.
49/21 Next Meeting
Meeting finished at 9.48 pm. Next meeting 12th January 2022.