Minutes of Coldridge Parish Council Meeting 7.30pm on Thursday 19th September 2019
Minutes of Coldridge Parish Council Meeting 7.30pm on Thursday 19th September 2019 in the Village Hall
Present: Councillors Andrew Green, John Smith, Marion Born; Chris Burrows, Jim Sampson, John Daw
Apologies, Jeff Burrows, DCC Councillor Margaret Squires,
Clerk Keyth Richardson,
Open forum. 2 parishioners attended and two issues were raised.
One was the number of scam telephone calls received recently, apparently from the Inland Revenue. Concern was expressed that some older residents may be taken in by the fraudsters. John Smith agreed to use the Coldridge Calendar email list to make people aware of the problems and how to report them to the Action Line and put the details in the Coldridge Calendar.
The second issue was the continuing problem with the trees in the churchyard obscuring the WW1 Memorial Clock, which the Parish Council had paid to be restored. It was hoped that with the departure of the previous incumbent some action may be taken by the new powers that be.
Dr Peter Howard spoke on the Braunton Burrows-North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (UBR). This was the first in England and was established in 1976 and extended in 2002. As the River Taw, which runs through Coldridge drains northwards towards the Torridge Estuary, Coldridge is included in this area as part of the Transition Zone. The UBR has a bottom up approach and not top down and it is hoped to have a representative from each parish to be involved in this. There are many parishes in the UBR. The role of the representative is to keep an eye on all activities undertaken by the Coldridge community in the parish and report back to the Parish Council on an annual basis. The representative does not have to be a councillor, can be of any age, and should not be riding their own hobby horse; a wide vision is required. The main concern is with organisations who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, other environmental aspects have a lower priority. It is agreed there is no one solution to the problem. The University of Third Age has carried out a carbon footprint survey of Winkleigh, including for some individual households, and found that Dr Howard’s household was a bit below average. Anyone wishing to become active in the UBR should follow the link below to the team employed by the UBR.
https://www.northdevonbiosphere.org.uk/contact.html
There was some discussion following Dr Howard’s talk on the conflicting evidence, the importance of planting trees to help absorb carbon , the wider global issues of the rain forests being burnt on a large scale in Indonesia and the Amazon basin, that we should be enjoying the local beef products as they have a low impact on the carbon footprint, and that overall farming is not a big contributor to the problem, and growing food locally reduces food miles and the associated carbon footprints
There will be a Gresham College Lecture on 30th September https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/avert-climate-catastrophe It should be available on-line afterwards.
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Date |
item |
Decision |
|---|---|---|
|
2019/20-52 |
Recording of meetings |
The meeting was not being recorded |
|
2019/20-53 |
Apologies |
Jeff Burrows and Margaret Squires DCC sent apologies |
|
2019/20-54 |
Declaration of interest |
None reported |
|
2019/20-55 |
Approval and signing of 25th July Meeting Minutes |
These were approved by the meeting and signed by the chairman |
|
2019/20-56 |
Climate Emergency action by the Parish Council |
There was an open discussion on this. Some concern was expressed that agriculture is seen as problem in the UK. Currently the UK produces less than half the food it needs and in uncertain times such as these it is important for a country to be able to feed itself. Climate change is part of the cycle of life and climate is an average, with periods of higher and lower average temperatures and rainfall in the past. International air travel causes a significant carbon footprint. The Clerk was asked to write an article about the UBR for the calendar asking interested parties to contact the UBR team directly and to liaise with the Parish Council |
|
2019/20-57 |
Clerk’s progress report |
Following concern over the possibility of unauthorised development at Otters Holt Wood, Park Wood the clerk contacted the Planning Enforcement Officer, who has opened a file on this and will investigate. He also asked permission to attend the Annual Clerks meeting at MDDC on 15th October, which was given |
|
2019/20-58 |
DALC AGM |
This is on the 23rd October at Exeter Racecourse. The clerk reminded all councillors they are invited to attend, and he will be going as this year there will be some information on ensuring the website meets current accessibility requirements. |
|
2019/20-59 |
Amenity land update |
Chris Burrows led on this by reporting on the meeting held on August 12th between himself, the clerk and the chairman with the landowner, Di Wastenage and the farm manager, Graham Nott. It is clear from the fact that the meeting took place that they are interested in working with the council on this. The actual land they may sell was discussed, and this was less than had been hoped for. The cost was skirted round, with the councillors being asked how much they would pay, and the owner asked how much she wanted. No conclusion was reached on this. It was followed a half-hour discussion on general farming matters, and local issues which was good natured and reinforced the councillors’ belief that a deal was going to be possible. The onus is currently on the landowner to contact the clerk with a proposal. If nothing had been forthcoming in the next four weeks the Clerk was asked to follow up with Di Wastenage It was agreed that if a deal was possible then there would be a full public meeting to explain the whole situation, the search for an alternative space, and when appropriate the setting up of a management committee composed of two councillors, a village hall representative, parents from the toddlers group and other parents in the parish, who would take on the day to day operation and drive the plans forward. Without clear public backing the project would not proceed, and if this was the case the concept of purchasing amenity land would be shelved for a generation. |
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2019/20-60 |
Highways |
Frogbury Cross. A discussion took place on this, at which some anger was expressed that the meeting with Helen Carty from the MDDC neighbourhood team had not led to resolution of the problem of poor visibility. Despite agreeing to visit the tenant of number 1 Ms Carty had not done so, and although it was learnt that another member of the team, Sharon Rice, had done so no report was supplied to the Parish Council. Ms Carty had changed jobs and her successor had not kept the Clerk informed as to progress or about a site visit she had undertaken. The Clerk was asked to pass on the concerns of the Parish Council who would be likely to hold MDDC responsible for any fatality at the junction in which poor visibility was a factor. This correspondence to include Steve Tucker DCC Highways. The visibility splay at this junction is considerably less than that which would be been insisted on by DCC for other roads/tracks joining this fast road. The Chairman had some correspondence with the Chair of Nymet Rowland Parish Council over visibility being impaired due to vegetation at Allerbridge Cross, but this was all in hand. Park Mill Bridge continues to be in a hazardous condition with no obvious work from DCC Highways to make it safe. John Daw was asked to send pictures of it to the Clerk so he could follow it up with DCC and copy in Margaret Squires. |
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2019/20-61 |
Church Clock Centenary celebration |
The Chairman confirmed this was to be held at 3.00 on 16th November in St Matthew’s church. He has been liaising with Dave Clarke, who will give a talk, [possibly assisted by Luke Ridge] and Sue Lawrence Church Warden It was agreed the Clerk would ask Ivan Krisnik to lend the copy of the information he had collected on the WW1 casualties commemorated in the clock to be part of this event, and to give a short presentation. |
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2019/20-62 |
VE Day Celebrations May 8th 2020 |
Following on from the last Parish Council meeting it was confirmed that an event would be held in conjunction with the Village Hall. As yet no information had been forthcoming regarding national celebrations but it was agreed to hold an evening event similar to that held in Nov 2018 with an opportunity for parishioners to display information on their family’s role in in WW2 and incorporate a bring and share supper and Beacon lighting. VJ day is on August 15th and some consideration of this could be built into the VE day event. |
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2019/20-63 |
Councillors Training |
This was raised to ensure all councillors are aware that the need to keep up to date with issues that affect the Parish is important and will be a key aspect of applying for a renewal of the Quality Council status in about 4 years’ time. |
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2019/20-64 |
Finance |
The following payments were agreed Clerks wages £153.48 Clerks expenses £4.95 A Kendall clock winding £30 M Mann clock winding £30 H Smith grass cutting £100 |
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2019/20-65 |
Councillors reports |
The ride on tractor used for grass cutting appears to have one or more of the rear axle bearings failed and as result is unusable. Chris Burrows has agreed to take a closer look at it in the next couple of months. The Council may need to consider purchasing a replacement.
John Daw reminded the Council that S106 money is available. It was mentioned that if the amenity land is purchased this could be used towards the cost of setting up a children’s playground. It cannot be used to purchase the land.
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2019/20-66 |
Date of next meetings |
November 21st Dates for 2020 16 Jan, 19 Mar 14 May, 16 July, 17 Sept, 19 Nov |
The meeting closed at 21:30
Signed: