Minutes 14th May 2020
Parish Council meeting on Thursday 14th May 2020 at 8 p.m.
Due to COVID-19 this meeting was held remotely via video conferencing
1 MEMBERS PRESENT
Mr G. Hall (Chairman), Mr D. Berry, Mr N. Baker, Mrs J. Mitchell, Mr P. Lake, Mr. M. Lake, Mrs P. Colthorpe (District Councillor), Mrs M. Squires (County Councillor)
2 Parishioners
2 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None
3 NON-ATTENDANCE
Mr. R. Hill, Mr. G. Kingdom
4 MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS
The minutes of the meeting held on 16th April 2020 had already been circulated prior to the meeting.
Proposal: Agreement to the content of the minutes was proposed by Mrs. Mitchell and seconded by Mr M. Lake and was unanimously agreed by the meeting. Minutes will be signed by the chairman in due course.
5 DECLARATION OF INTEREST
Mr P. Lake declared a personal interest for Planning Applications 20/00594/MFUL
6 MATTERS ARISING
The Chairman reported that he had been contacted by Mr Richard Gough, the Chairman of Cadeleigh Parish Meetings stating that he had received complaints from parishioners about a farmer locking a gate at Thongsleigh Wood/Buzzards Wood which has allowed access for over 40 years to a circular walk which is owned by the National Trust. This is on Cruwys Morchard and Cadeleigh parish boundaries.
Mr Gough will be contacting Devon CC and Mid Devon DC about public rights of way and also the National Trust to see what the situation is regarding access and he will report back to us.
7 PLANNING APPLICATIONS (20/00381/FULL) – Erection of an agricultural livestock 7 PLANNING APPLICATIONS (20/00381/FULL) – Erection of an agricultural livesbuilding 714sqm (Building A) (20/00472/FULL) – Erection of an agricultural livestock building 714sqm (Building B) (20/00515/HOUSE) – Erection of a dairy building, access track and yard area all at Riggledown Farm. Pennymoor.
A discussion took place about these planning applications.
Proposal: Mr P. Lake proposed and Mr M. Lake seconded agreement to these planning applications and the meeting unanimously agreed.
8 PLANNING APPLICATION (20/00540/FULL) – Erection of an agricultural storage building and erection of extension to yard area ay Chapple Farm, Pennymoor
A discussion took place expressing concerns for this application
Proposal: Mr Berry proposed and Mr P. Lake seconded refusal of this planning for the following reason:
1. There was no supporting information with the application for drainage etc
2. The access road is in bad repair and will only get worse if this application was agreed
The meeting unanimously agreed
9 PLANNING APPLICATION (20/00594/MFUL) – Erection of 5 poultry units; biomass boiler unit; attenuation pond; access track; hardstanding; landscaping and associated infrastructure at Edgeworthy Farm, Nomansland.
Mr P Lake was removed from the remote video meeting
Discussion took place by the meeting followed by concerns raised from the parishioners who live near to the planning site.
Proposal: Mr Berry proposed and Mr M. Lake seconded recommending refusal for this application for the following reasons:
1. Since similar local developments have occurred over the past several years as suspected the volume of heavy lorries had increased
2. The lorries used to and from these facilities have increased in size.
3. The roads used for deliveries have deteriorated extremely badly and the Highways department can’t keep up with the repairs.
4. The traffic plan with this application is the same plan used 5 years when the planning was originally put forward, therefore no notice has been taken of any consequences to other Anaerobic digesters in the parish/ local area.
5. Hedgerows have been damaged by the oversize lorries and nothing done to repair them.
6. This plan does not deal with green energy as expected. The meeting unanimously agreed
Mr. P Lake was brought back into the remote video meeting
10 ANNUAL INSURANCE RENEWAL
The clerk stated that she had received the annual insurance renewal from Community First with Zurich Insurance with effect from 1st June 2020. They were offering to provide a 3-year long term agreement at a reduced rate for 3 years. A discussion took place.
Proposal: Mr Berry proposed and Mrs Mitchell seconded agreement to the 3 year agreement with an annual payment of £164.01 and the meeting unanimously agreed. The clerk would back a BACS transfer for payment to Community First.
11 ACCOUNTS 2019/20
The clerk had provided the meeting with a copy of the accounts for 2019/20 before the meeting.
Proposal: Mr Baker proposed and Mr P. Lake seconded approval of the accounts and meeting unanimously agreed.
12 ANNUAL RETURN
a) Certificate of Exemption
The clerk had provided the meeting with a copy of the Certificate of Exemption before the meeting – AGAR 2019/20 Part 2.
Proposal: Mrs Mitchell proposed and Mr Berry seconded approval of this Certificate and the meeting unanimously agreed.
b) Annual Governance Statement
The clerk had provided the meeting with a copy of the Annual Governance Statement before the meeting – Section 1 AGAR 2019/20.
Proposal: Mr M. Lake proposed and Mr P. Lake seconded approval of this Annual Governance Statement and the meeting unanimously agreed.
c) Accounting Statements
The clerk had provided the meeting with a copy of the Accounting Statements before the meeting – Section 2 AGAR 2019/20. The meeting gave YES answers to the first 8 questions with N/A for question 9 on the statement.
Proposal: Mr Baker proposed and Mr Berry seconded approval of these Accounting Statements and the meeting unanimously agreed.
13 HIGHWAYS PROBLEMS
Cllr Squires reported that Steve Tucker (Highways Dept) was driving around parishes inspecting roads and making a note of potholes that need repair.
Meeting closed 8:52 p.m.