Minutes from March 2025 meeting

Newton St Cyres Parish Council

Minutes of Newton St Cyres Parish Council Meeting held in the Parish Hall Club Room on Thursday 6 March 2025

 

The meeting commenced at 7.00pm

Members present

Cllr G Barnell (Chair)                            

Cllr M Herpoldt-Bright                        

Cllr L Ouldridge

Cllr J Rimbon-Whittaker

 

In attendance:    D/Cllr M Binks (left 7.40pm), D/Cllr S Keable (left 7.55pm), J Hole Parish Clerk

 

Public Participation

Minuted under Item 4.3

Formal Business 

 

01/03/25    Apologies

                       Cllr J Dean, Cllr D Harris, C/Cllr M Squires

 

02/03/25    Declaration of Interest

                       None noted

 

03/03/25    Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 6 February 2025

                       Agreed and signed as a true record

 

04/03/25    Newton St Cyres Parish Council Issues relevant to Mid Devon District Council

4.1                 Planning Applications 

                       25/00254/CAT - Notification of intention to fell 1 Sycamore, reduce the height of 1 Corsican Pine by 50% within the Conservation Area at Court Orchard Copse, Station Road – no comment

4.2                 Planning Decisions

                       24/01704/HOUSE - Installation of 3 roof windows at Bidwell Barton House Newton St Cyres – no comment submitted under delegated authority – application withdrawn

4.3                 Report from District Councillors on issues relevant to the parish  

                      D/Cllr M Binks gave a brief update on MDDC response to the proposals for Local Government re-organisation, noting that Devon District Councils did not believe that Devon and Torbay residents would be best served by a single “mega” council covering the entirety of the area.   District Councils have therefore reached an initial agreement to work towards the formation of two new Councils that combine areas as follows: A Unitary combining the South Hams, Teignbridge and West Devon areas with Torbay and a Unitary including East, Mid and North Devon alongside Torridge District and the City of Exeter.

                       MDDC’s Building Control Department had attained ISO9000 accreditation.

4.4                 Quarterly Report - Planning and local authority update – Cllr G Barnell

                       Standing orders were suspended to allow participation by D/Cllr S Keable.

                       Cllr G Barnell had circulated a report giving an update on the government changes to housing targets and the knock-on effect for MDDC Local Plan and our Neighbourhood Plan (NHP).

                       D/Cllr S Keable updated the meeting on the timetable for the local plan which would now go to consultation in Spring 2027 followed by Government verification in December 2027.  A new system means the Local Plan is less likely to be turned down at the end of the process as it now has to pass three gateway compliance checks during its production.  The Local Plan would be portable and could be moved to a unitary authority in May 2028.

                       D/Cllr S Keable informed the meeting that he is working with the Norther Devon Railway Development Alliance to try to increase train capacity – number of stops and number of carriages. 

                       It was resolved:

• Cllr G Barnell to inform MDDC that Newton St Cyres has stopped its NHP
• That Cllr G Barnell would set up a green spaces group to work on getting the Rec ground and Glebe field identified as a green space for inclusion in MDDC local plan

                       Standing order were reinstated

 

05/03/25    Newton St Cyres Parish Council issues relevant to Devon County Council

5.1                 Report from County Councillor on issues relevant to the Parish

                       There was no report

5.2                 Footpaths – to note DCC increase in funding for footpaths - can we bid for additional DCC funding to improve our paths especially FP1 and FP4 and update from Footpath Warden

                       DCC had funding of £6.8million for improvements to the footpath network.  It was noted that the annual footpath survey was due to be completed by 31 March

                       It was resolved that the Clerk would set up a meeting with DCC Footpath Officer, the footpath warden, Cllr G Barnell, Cllr D Harris/Cllr M Herpoldt-Bright to discuss how Newton St Cyres might access funding for improvements to our footpaths

5.3                 To note meeting with DCC Officers on March 13 at 7pm to discuss outcome of the Boniface Trail consultation – consultation results circulated separately

                       Noted that Cllr J Dean would chair the meeting

 

06/03/25    Finance

6.1                 To agree Payments and note Receipts:

                       These were agreed as:

Expenditure – current account	£	Receipts – current account	£
Bank Charges (Jan)	6.00	DCC CE grant	437.00
NSC Parish Hall – room hire Dec to Feb	39.00	DCC Locality grant	500.00
A J Carpenter – new noticeboard at Sweetham	120.00	VAT	970.84
J Hole – Salary and expenses	*414.83	Receipts Car Park Maint acct
HMRC – PAYE	59.00	None

*adjusted figure due to arithmetic error

It was oted that the new noticeboard at Sweetham had been sponsored by The Beer Engine and it was resolved that Cllr G Barnell would write a thank you letter for this generous support

6.2                 To approve on-line authorisation for this month’s payments

                       Cllr L Ouldridge and Cllr J Dean

6.3                 Balances (after above transactions)

6.3.1            Parish Council Current Account balance: £9,224.48

6.3.2            Footpath Account: £788.02 (included in Current Account balance)

6.3.3            Parish Hall Car Park maintenance fund balance: £6,698.94 (separate Bank account)

6.4                 Financial Statement and Budget Monitor

                       Noted.  The end of year balance was up from the projected figure as several items had not gone through in this financial year such as the legal fees for the transfer of the land at the arboretum, repair to the fence and the repair to the Half Moon bus shelter.  It was resolved:

• to add additional lines into next year’s budget to allow for items to be carried forward.
• That the Clerk would confirm with the Parish Hall and Church if they wished to access their grants in 2025/26

6.5                 To sign bank forms to remove J Browne as signatory and add Cllr M Herpoldt-Bright

                       The form was duly signed

6.6                 Quarterly Bank reconciliation

                       This had been circulated separately and was duly signed

6.7                 To consider grass cutting quotes

                       Two quotes had been circulated and it was resolved:

• To go with the cheaper option. 
• To discuss at the Parish Hall’s September review meeting grass cutting around the hall

 

07/03/25    Other Parish Council Matters

7.1                 Update on proposed works at the allotments

                       The Clerk had received a verbal quote to remove 22 dead elms from around the allotments.  Cllr D Harris had arranged to meet with the land owner next week to discuss the ongoing maintenance of hedges/trees and the plans for the cut wood.   It was resolved:

• To pay the contractor £500.00 with some being left on account for future work required
• To make payment for the work before the April Parish Council meeting in order to comply with the terms of the locality grant which requires the money to be spent by 31 March
• To accept the verbal quote and go ahead with the removal as soon as possible. Noted that the nesting season is starting.
• That Cllr G Barnell would email Cllr D Harris to confirm the areas for discussion with the landowner

7.2                 To consider renewal of Quality Council Award

                       The Clerk gave a brief explanation of the award and after discussion it was resolved not to renew the award

7.3                 Broadband and internet provision

                       Cllr G Barnell had contacted Connecting Devon and Somerset to find out if the parish was eligible for the new voucher scheme.  It was resolved that Cllr L Ouldridge would contact the Newton Wonder and see if an update to the previous Newton Wonder article.

7.4                 Annual Report – to print or not to print?

                       After discussion it was resolved:

• That a written report to all households should be maintained. However, the format would be changed and would no longer include reports from parish organisations.
• That the new format would be no more than double sided A4 and include a note from the Parish Council Chair of achievements over the year, the Parish Council QR code and a brief summary of the accounts.
• That Cllr L Ouldridge would ask the Newton Wonder if the A4 summary could be included in a special edition of the Newton Wonder and delivered to all houses in the parish and if so, what the cost would be

7.5                 To agree date and format for Annual Parish Meeting (Between 1 March and 1 June)

                       It was resolved:

• To ask the Britian In Bloom organisers to make a presentation in May about the entry – Cllr J Rimbon-Whittaker to speak to the organisers.
• To agree a date in time to publicise in the April Newton Wonder
•  Light refreshments would be provided – cost to be agreed

7.6                 To note feedback from Half Moon Parishioners re future of Bus Shelter and to agree any actions

                       A note asking if Half Moon residents wanted the bus shelter to be kept or taken down had been delivered to houses in Half Moon and seven replies had been received.   Taking into account the feedback it was resolved

• To dismantle the current shelter – Clerk to obtain a quote
• Clerk to contact DCC to provide a new bus stop pole following removal of the current shelter

                       iii)       To cost a new shelter for possible inclusion in 2026/27 budget.  This would need to include a site survey to find out if moving the shelter further up the layby would improve the line of sight. 

7.7                 Resilience update - Report on drain at Smallbrook and Snow wardens – Cllr L Ouldridge

                       The collapsed drain at Smallbrook was on private land and a meeting had taken place with the landowner who was waiting for the contactor to carry out the work.  It was resolved to send a letter to the landowner (at the landowners request) to help encourage the contractor to carry out the work as soon as possible.

                       Cllr L Ouldridge had completed the Snow Warden co-ordinator training and had written a Snow Plan as required under the DCC Snow Warden Scheme and this would be circulated shortly. 

                       Volunteer snow wardens were required and the plan was for each warden to be responsible for a grit bin.  To date two new wardens had been recruited.

 

08/03/25    Forward Agenda Planner/Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda

8.1                 Review of agenda planner for future meetings

                       The planner was updated

                       Minor matters

                       Noted that the Volunteers thank you party could be held at Sherwood in June on a date to be agreed.  

                       The Britian in Bloom organisers had enquired if they could apply for a locality grant to tidy up various areas of the parish including Parish Council benches.  Unfortunately, the DCC locality grant was now closed and would not be available until after the May elections.  It was resolved to review the Parish Council asset maintenance schedule at the next meeting.

                       Clerk to find out cost of a graffiti removal product. 

                      

09/03/25    Date of next Parish Council meeting:  Thursday 3 April 2025 at 7pm in the Club Room

 

End of Formal Business

Public Participation

There was none

The meeting closed at 9.20pm