Minutes from February 2024 meeting
Newton St Cyres Parish Council
Minutes of Newton St Cyres Parish Council Meeting held in the Parish Hall Club Room on Thursday 1 February 2024
The meeting commenced at 7.00pm
Members present
Cllr G Barnell (Chair) Cllr S Parker
Cllr J Browne Cllr J Rimbon-Whittaker
Cllr J Dean Cllr A Staite
Cllr D Harris Cllr P Stephenson (left 8pm)
Cllr L Ouldridge
In attendance: D/Cllr M Binks, C/Cllr M Squires (left 7.50pm); 3 members of public (1 left 7.50, 2 left 8.30pm), J Hole, Parish Clerk
Public Participation
A parishioner reported that a cherry tree received from the land mark trust would be planted at the Rec ground.
Community Speed Watch – a parishioner volunteered to take part in the scheme and knew of two other who were interested - Cllr J Dean requested they contact him to register – two other parishioners had also registered their interest.
Formal Business
01/02/24 Apologies
None
02/02/24 Declaration of Interest
None noted
03/02/24 Minutes of the last meeting – to be agreed and signed as a true record
3.1 Parish Council meeting held on Thursday 7 December 2023
3.2 Notes from informal agenda setting meeting held 18 January 2024
Agreed and signed as a true record
04/02/24 Newton St Cyres Parish Council Issues relevant to Mid Devon District Council
4.1 Planning Applications (5.1.1 and 5.1.2 for information only as deadline for comments has passed)
4.1.1 23/01879/FULL - Change of use of land from agricultural building to domestic to include erection of home workshop and classic car storage building at Langford Farm
4.1.2 24/00020/CAT - Notification of intention to remove one Hawthorn tree within a Conservation Area at Village Green
4.1.3 24/00124/LBC - Listed Building Consent to replace chain-link fence and hedge with 7m x 1.7m concrete block rendered wall at 33 The Village, Pump Street, Newton St Cyres, EX5 5BY – no comment
5.2 Planning Decisions
5.2.1 23/01519/FULL - Siting of a shipping container to replace existing shed at Newton St Cyres Recreation Ground Club – grant permission
5.2.2 23/01802/CAT - Notification of intention to remove a Leylandii Hedge within the Conservation Area at Glebe House Church Lane Newton St Cyres Exeter EX5 5BN – grant permission – no comment
5.3 Report from District Councillors on issues relevant to the parish
D/Cllr M Binks reported that recruitment of Planning Enforcement Officers continued to be an issue for MDDC and by the end of February there would be no Enforcement Officers. D/Cllr M Binks offered any assistance he could with regard to NSC’s Neighbourhood Plan.
Cllr G Barnell requested that D/Cllr M Binks speak to MDDC Officers re a fence along the footpath to Court Orchard which required an urgent repair as there was a danger it would fall into the footpath.
06/02/24 Newton St Cyres Parish Council issues relevant to Devon County Council
6.1 Report from County Councillor on issues relevant to the Parish
6.1.1 To consider if application for 20mph speed limit in Station Road should remain or be revised
The Clerk explained that in 2022 an application was made for a 20mph speed limit in Station Road from Court Orchard up to the river bridge. DCC had recently sent out an invitation to Town and Parish Council to bid for this year’s allocation of 20mph speed limit. Cllr G Barnell was in favour of a 20mph zone which would include other measures to reduce speed as well as a speed limit. However, this application process only covered a 20mph zone.
After discussion it was resolved:
- To re-submit the application for a 20mph speed limit along Station Road from Court Orchard up to the River bridge.
- Cllr J Dean to liaise with the Clerk to submit the application ensuring that all the reasons to justify a 20mph speed limit were noted on the application
6.1.2 Outstanding DCC issue
- i) Overgrown vegetation on School Hill pavement;
DCC had sent a notification that the overgrown vegetation had been cleared. However, the work had been carried out by the road wardens and not DCC. There was still significant grass/soil encroachment over the pavement. It was agreed that the road wardens would clear what they could with the soil being taken to the allotments. They would ensure safe working and complete a risk assessment.
- ii) Rock face opposite Station Road
C/Cllr M Squires was asked to make sure DCC are aware of the Parish Council’s concerns and to pass on the request that a risk assessment is carried out.
iii) Plans to devolve DCC Maintenance
Cllr L Ouldridge had attended a Crediton Cluster meeting where DCC plans to devolve some of their highways work was discussed and a suggestion was made that parishes joined together to employ a contractor to carry out work. However, it was not clear what would be devolved and more information was required. C/Cllr M Squires was not aware of plans to devolve DCC Maintenance and would make enquiries.
6.1.3 C/Cllr M Squires reported that budget setting was ongoing with adult care and children’s services making significant demands on the budget. Some HS2 money had been received for highways maintenance.
06/02/24 Finance
6.1 To agree Payments and note Receipts
These were agreed as:
|
Expenditure – current account |
£ |
Receipts – current account |
£ |
|---|---|---|---|
|
PCC – Surgery at Coffee morning x 5 |
50.00 |
Newton House – donation re RWS |
400.00 |
|
Arboretum – Surgery x 2 |
20.00 |
|
|
|
Parish Hall – Surgery x 2 |
20.00 |
|
|
|
Gardening Club – Surgery x 1 (reimbursement to Clerk) |
10.00 |
|
|
|
Nick Gillon – RWS expenses |
71.68 |
|
|
|
DALC – Training for new Cllrs |
36.00 |
|
|
|
MDDC supply and installation of bin at Rec |
307.73 |
|
|
|
J Hole – reimbursement for 2 x replacement Defib pads |
154.78 |
|
|
|
J Hole – Salary and expenses Dec and Jan |
788.58 |
|
|
|
HMRC – PAYE Dec and Jan |
110.80 |
|
|
Cllr J Dean asked if money raised by the Road Wardens (RW) should be ringfenced or go into general funds? After discussion it was resolved that:
- income generated by the RW would be ringfenced for funding resilience equipment and activities including the RWS ( to be reviewed at the end of the next financial year).
- Cllr G Barnell and the Clerk would bring forward a scheme of delegation setting out spending limits for RW.
6.2 To approve on-line authorisation for this month’s payments
Cllr J Dean and Cllr J Browne
6.3 Balances (after above transactions)
6.3.1 Parish Council Current Account balance: £13,683.83
6.3.2 Footpath Account: £88.02 (included in Current Account balance)
Noted that Cllr S Parker would be completing the annual P3 forms to apply for a footpath grant
6.3.3 Car Park resurfacing fund balance: £7,292.39 (separate bank account)
6.3.4 Neighbourhood Plan grant: £3,581.00 (included in Current Account balance)
6.4 Financial Statement and Budget Monitor
Noted
6.5 To agree purchase of Rescue throw lines £16.99 x 6 = £101.94 - Possibly via grant funding? Also purchase of new batteries for torches in Resilience Sheds
Cllr G Barnell suggested that equipment in the resilience sheds should be assessed for obsolesce.
After discussion it was resolved:
- That Cllr L Ouldridge would discuss with Cllr P Stephenson requirements and the Parish Council would consider the purchase of throw lines and batteries once the total spend was known. It was noted that batteries would last longer left in their packaging until needed and then removed after use.
07/02/24 Other Parish Council Matters
7.1 Review of Policies
7.1.1 To review and agree grant giving policy
A draft policy had been circulated and it was resolved to adopt
7.1.2 To review and agree Co-option policy
A draft policy had been circulated and it was resolved to adopt
7.2 To confirm Cllr roles and responsibilities – list circulated for confirmation and to agree informal Cllr meetings with Chair/Vice Chair to progress action points and to consider WhatsApp group
It was resolved that:
- The list of roles and responsibilities was accurate and would be posted on the Village Green Noticeboard.
- Cllrs J Rimbon-Whittaker and J Browne would meet with Cllrs G Barnell and L Ouldridge in February to discuss service level agreements ahead of the meeting with the Parish Hall, Rec Ground and the Church. The Clerk to arrange these meetings
- The Clerk would set up a WhatsApp group to aid communication amongst Cllrs. Noted that no decisions would be made and the group would be for information sharing only.
7.3 To agree PC Google drive to store PC information – eg information relating to Community Resilience
It was resolved to go ahead and the Clerk would circulate details
7.4 To note change of date for May meeting to Thursday 9 May
Noted
7.5 To note nominations for Volunteer of the Year award are open and close on 23 February
It was resolved:
- to keep the number of winners to one per year
- to extend the closing date to 28 March to allow publicity in the Newton Wonder and other media channels – Clerk to action
7.6 To note land owner has agreed that NEW can hedge laying at the allotments
Noted
7.7 To note rota for attendance at Parish Council surgeries. Cllrs to swop with another Cllr if they are unable to attend.
Details of the rota had been circulated and were noted
7.8 To agree date and format for Annual Parish Meeting (Between 1 March and 1 June)
It was resolved:
- To hold the Annual Parish Meeting on Wednesday 29 May at 7pm in the Parish Hall main hall
- That the main topic for discussion would be “Development and the Parish”. The Neighbourhood Planning Team will be asked to circulate a report on their work to date and to make proposals for future development in the Parish.
7.9 Churchyard – to consider and agree future arrangements
The Clerk had circulated information and advice received from DALC and MDDC was noted.
It was resolved:
- That Cllr G Barnell would bring forward a proposal to the next meeting on a way forward.
7.10 Littering on the Village Green
This issue has been resolved
7.11 Feedback from clerk appraisal
Cllrs were reminded not to forward email addresses without the permission of the owner of the address.
Cllrs were reminded of the Importance of using Parish Councillor email address and not personal emails. Cllr L Ouldridge reported that the Apple shop were able to help with setting up emails for anyone struggling to make Apple work
It was noted that correspondence, grant applications etc should go through the Clerk unless agreed otherwise
08/02/24 Forward Agenda Planner/Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda
8.1 Review of agenda planner for future meetings.
Correspondence to note: MDDC State of District Debate confirmed as 20 March 2024
A timetable for quarterly Cllr reports had been circulated and Cllr G Barnell suggested that Cllrs could circulate a short report in advance of the meeting if they wished.
Cllr S Parker suggested that Bled kits should be placed with the defibs. Cllr J Browne had some available and would liaise with Cllr P Stephenson
09/02/24 Date of next Parish Council meeting: Thursday 7 March 2024 at 7pm in the Club Room
End of Formal Business
Public Participation
There was none
The meeting closed at 9pm