Agenda for April 2021

Newton St Cyres Parish Council

Notice of Meeting of Parish Council

Dear Councillors

I hereby give notice that a Meeting of the above-named Parish Council will be held remotely using Zoom on Thursday 1 April 2021 at 7.00pm.

All members of the Council are hereby summoned to attend for the purpose of considering and resolving upon the Business to be transacted at the meeting set out hereunder.

Dated this 26 March 2021

Signed                    Jane Hole

Clerk to the Parish Council        parishclerk@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk          01392 851148

 

Public Participation – please email jimenright@newtonstcyres-pc.gov.uk by 6pm on Thursday 4 March for details of how to join the zoom meeting

 

Public Participation

Public Question Time.  Members of the public are invited to give their views and ask questions on issues on this agenda or to raise issues for future consideration by the Parish Council.

Formal Business 

(Members of the public may not take part in the formal business of the Parish Council except under special circumstances) 

01/04/21     Apologies - To receive apologies 

02/04/21     Declaration of Interest

2.1              Register of Interests.  Councillors to update as required

2.2              Personal Interests.  Councillors must declare any personal interest in items on the agenda and their nature.

2.3              Prejudicial Interests.  Councillors must declare any prejudicial interest in items on the agenda and their nature and they must leave the meeting for that agenda item. 

03/04/21     Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 4 March 2021 (previously circulated)

To be agreed and signed as a true record 

04/04/21     Mid Devon District Council

4.1              Planning Applications:

21/00392/FULL - Alterations to existing access and creation of additional parking for the Church at The Vicarage, Church Lane, Newton St Cyres  

4.2              Planning Decisions:

21/00220/CAT- Notification of intention to remove 3 Ash trees within a Conservation Area at Coburg Cottage, Pump Street, Newton St Cyres – grant permission

4.3              Report from meeting with Crediton Town Council re future planning for Crediton

4.4              Update on tankers/trailers along Langford Road – to agree any action

4.5              District Councillor, Cllr G Barnell, to report on MDDC business relevant to the Parish

 

05/04/21     Finance

5.1              Parish Council Receipts Current Account:

VAT refund - £481.64

5.2              Parish Council Payment Current Account: 

Item	Payee	Purpose	Amount £
5.2.1	Ian Salter	Bus shelter cleaning	32.00
5.2.2	J Hole	Reimbursement for Defib battery	287.50
5.2.3	J Hole	Salary and expenses	338.72
5.2.4	HMRC	PAYE	36.40

5.3              To approve signatures for this month’s cheques                         

5.4              Balances (after above transactions)

5.4.1           Parish Council Current Account balance: £15,077.74

5.4.2           Footpath Account: £268.02 

5.4.3           Car Park resurfacing fund balance: £6,014.18

5.5              Financial Statement and Budget Monitor (attached)

5.6              To consider if the Parish Council should renew its membership of the Plunkett Foundation at £240.00 and to consider joining CPRE (Minimum membership fee is £36.00) 

06/04/21     Matters raised by the Chair 

6.1              None 

07/04/21     Councillor’s Reports    

7.1              Update on Coronavirus and NSC PC community response

7.2              Areas of Responsibility reports

7.2.1           Risk Assessments (Assets assessment carried out in September 2020)

7.2.2           To note and agree update to Community Resilience Plan following discussions with Environment Agency – circulated                  

08/04/21     Clerk’s Report     

8.1              To note VAT course (£30.00) booked for 6 April (previously agreed).  

09/04/21     Parish Council

9.1              Review of Annual Parish meeting   

9.2              To consider electronic speed signs and to note a quote has been requested for a radar speed sign

9.3              To discuss if the Parish Council should retain the old School Path.  If yes, to agree replacement of fencing posts as required

9.4              BT Kiosk by Belluno.  To agree either i) to relocate the defibrillator, ii) to relocate the books or iii) to agree daily/weekly checks to ensure books are kept tidy.

9.5              To note Chapter 8 training has been booked for 3 volunteers.  To agree payment of travel expenses and PPE equipment – estimate of cost below

9.6              Update on “Gateway to Mid Devon” proposal 

9.7               To discuss meeting arrangements from June 2021

10/04/21     Devon County Council

10.1            Outstanding Highways issues (see below)

10.2            New Highway issues

10.3            County Councillor, Cllr M Squires, to report on DCC business relevant to the parish 

11/04/21     Miscellaneous Correspondence         

Connecting Devon and Somerset new contracts update - see below

Update to lockdown protocol for Operation London Bridges

“Life on the Verge”, presentation on 22 April 2021 – all welcome

Draft Resource and Waste Strategy for Devon and Torbay https://www.devon.gov.uk/haveyoursay/consultations/draft-resource-and-waste-management-strategy-for-devon-and-torbay/

Devon Climate Emergency Council Support Network - Survey Findings and 1st Meeting on 7 April 2021 – see below

Correspondence re train service between Exeter and Okehampton - see below

Any other correspondence will be available at the meeting.                       

12/04/21     Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda

Each Councillor is requested to use this opportunity to report minor matters of information not included elsewhere on the agenda and to raise items for future agendas.  Councillors are respectfully reminded that this is not an opportunity for debate or decision making. 

13/04/21     Date of next PC meeting: Thursday 6 May 2021, 7pm – via zoom

                  

End of Formal Business - Public Participation 

 

Agenda Item 5.5

Budget Monitor

 

 

Agenda item 9.2

PPE required for Training Course (costs for 3 volunteers)

Boots:                          £100.00

Hi viz jackets:              £90.00 (Personalised with NSC Road Warden)

Hard hat:                     £21.00

Ear Defenders:            £12.00

Eye protection:            £12.00

Safety gloves              £30.00

Total:                          £265.00

Travel expenses to course in Tiverton

 

 Agenda item 9.7

Remote meetings update from DALC
Many of you have likely seen Government's announcement confirming that the legislation enabling remote meetings will not be extended beyond the 6 May 2021. This was confirmed in a letter sent to Council Leaders yesterday evening by Luke Hall MP.

We are extremely disappointed with this news, and are aware of concerns councils will have in not only conducting their usual business, but also for the wellbeing of councillors, staff and the public attending their meetings.

NALC chairman, Cllr Sue Baxter, has responded to express her disappointment, as has the Local Government Association in their statement.

The government has also updated the guidance on the safe use of council buildings following this confirmation, aimed at helping councils operate safely and securely, including using existing powers to reduce the number of face-to-face meetings deemed necessary. We are aware that some suggestions are largely suited to larger authorities, and we hope to issue further guidance to support our smaller councils in due course.
 
A 12 week call for evidence has also been launched about how remote meetings have been used to inform any potential future legislation regarding their use beyond the coronavirus pandemic. I urge all our members to respond to the consultation. NALC will be responding to this consultation and will be discussing this with other key stakeholders who have already been working with them on this issue.

There is still a glimmer of hope...

Hertfordshire County Council, Lawyers in Local Government and Association of Democratic Service Officers (supported by NALC) are continuing their pursuit of a court judgement on whether remote meetings are possible under existing legislation.  A declaration is expected by the end of April. 

So at the 11th hour - remote meetings may still be possible, but all councils must have a contingency plan in place should that not come through.

Best wishes
Cara Stobart, County Officer

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Agenda Item 10.1 - Outstanding Highways issues

1. Speed restrictions in Station Road – SCARF re test requested – with Cllr M Squires
2. Request for a School sign in Station Road and possible zig-zag lines outside the school – declined - requested this is re-considered. Cllr M Squires to check if PC can put up sign
3. Request for a Road Safety audit on A377 in centre of village
4. Chapter 8 training for volunteers – now booked, remove from list
5. Drain cover on A377 – passed to BT as a fault
6. Relocate grit bin from outside old school to Tytheing Close
7. School Hill – clear grass etc back from pavement
8. Lower pavement on the bus stop side of Tytheing Close to facilitate easier access
9. Salt bin for Kingfisher Close
10. Parking restrictions in layby near Godolphin Close – see reply below

Response from Neighbourhood Highways re item 10. above

Having had a chat with the team it is agreed that the best way to get the parking restrictions is through our yearly HATOC waiting restrictions review.   I know Cllr Squires has asked if this can be added to the proposed improvement scheme.

I have just added it to the current list, but please bare in mind this is not a quick process.

If we try to push this through with the scheme it is likely to hold it up due to the consultation periods.

I have asked the design/delivery team that if they are approached regarding this issue to recommend that it is passed through the Parish Council to Cllr Squires

When the scheme is in progress there will be temp parking restrictions in place anyway so it will give us a good indicator of where the issue gets displaced too.

 

 

Miscellaneous correspondence

 

Broadband

The Government’s launch of Project Gigabit today has been warmly welcomed by Connecting Devon and Somerset. The Digital Secretary’s announcement confirms that CDS is in line for further investment through the third tranche of Project Gigabit. 

The move will complement the current deployment of full fibre broadband under CDS’ new and existing contracts which are supported by Government investment.  The planned and live delivery in the CDS region currently exceeds £100 million of investment which will provide gigabit connectivity to around 80,000 of the most rural properties in the UK. 

The Secretary of State also unveiled the new UK Gigabit Voucher scheme which goes live on April 8. This is further good news for our region. CDS has been working successfully with the Government’s Building Digital UK agency and local communities to reap the benefits of the current voucher programmes. 

To date, communities across our region have benefited from £9.2 million of investment through these voucher schemes, more than any other region in the UK and helping to provide full-fibre broadband to more than 6,750 homes and businesses. 

A copy of the full Connecting Devon and Somerset’s news release can be found below and also in summary via this link.

Project Gigabit investment welcomed by Connecting Devon and Somerset

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Dear Parish Councillors and affiliated individuals,

I recently emailed to share the findings of a recent survey designed a to better understand the range of needs and demands of councils across Devon – full findings are attached.

This previous email, also included an invitation to a Zoom meeting to continue to understand the support needs and to shape a support networks. The event is on April 7^th 2-4pm and currently has 52 people registered, which feels like a great number to start building from – if you have not yet registered and are interested you can register for the event by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/devon-climate-emergency-council-support-network-1st-meeting-tickets-146388860021

This event will be followed by a second meeting in late June – with a feedback survey in-between these meetings to shape network design. By consciously shaping the network with member input, we believe this gives it a greater chance to accurately meet your needs, and be long lasting.

Devon Communities Together (in conversation with DALC and New Prosperity Devon) will host these meetings. However, the impetus of designing a future network’s structure will lay with those who join the meetings. In the spirit of transparency, we must note that Devon Communities Together, at present, does not have the funding in place to be able to host more than two meetings – but of course we seek to remain involved into the future and will be using the survey findings and subsequent conversations as evidence of need in forthcoming funding applications.  

As well as exploring need, long-term objectives and viability, the event will also have an expert speaker and provide some stories and examples of frameworks and process which have worked elsewhere, especially around community engagement. A draft agenda outline is attached. 

Finally, below are some further resources which are may be valuable for you:

1.      Devon Climate Emergency website has some great links to resources for community groups and for also some advice for Parish Councils

2.      Action on Climate in Teignbridge have created a very helpful resource pack for town and village councils available here.

3.      Exeter University and the Centre for Sustainable Energy have created an impact tool to access your parishes carbon footprint (just search by parish). Our expert speaker Frank Benbow, of Bratton Fleming parish council, was involved in trailing this tool, and will explain more in our meeting. Available here: https://impact-tool.org.uk/

You are all experts in your own community, and I hope you can join us on April 7^th.

Best wishes,

Harry and Team at DCT

 

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We’re really pleased to let you know that the Government has today announced £40.5m of funding to enable services to recommence between Exeter and Okehampton later this year. 

The Dartmoor line was closed almost 50 years ago; but returning regular, daily services to this line has been a long-held ambition of ours and was the most sought-after additional routes in our most recent franchise consultation.

We’re grateful to you; our partners and supporters; through your relentless campaigning we are turning this aspiration into a reality. 

Since the beginning of 2020 we’ve been carrying out detailed investigations to understand what infrastructure and railway control system improvements are needed; and now that the green light has been received and investigations have been completed, we’ll start immediately to undertake a range of ahead of fully reopening the railway to passengers. 

A service will initially run every two hours from the autumn, increasing to an hourly service towards the end of 2022. This will benefit students heading to colleges in Exeter as well as tourists travelling in the other direction towards Okehampton for Dartmoor, easing congestion on local roads. 

You may have also seen that the next phase of the South West Rail Resilience Programme between Dawlish and Teignmouth on the south Devon coast has also been funded by the Government. Work will begin later this summer on a rock shelter and netting to address instability on an area of steep, high cliffs to the north of Parson’s Tunnel. This work, combined with the new sea wall at Dawlish, will keep trains running to the south west for generations to come. 

Thank you for your continued support, 

Mike Gallop                                                                Mark Hopwood

Interim Wales and Western Managing Director           Managing Director

Network Rail                                                                GWR