Minutes from October 2018 meeting

Newton St Cyres Parish Council

Minutes of Newton St Cyres Parish Council Meeting held in the

Parish Hall Club Room on Thursday 4 October 2018 

The meeting commenced at 7.30pm 

Members present

Cllr J Enright (chair)                      Cllr G Quicke

Cllr D Baker                                   Cllr A Reeves

Cllr J Baker                                    Cllr P Taylor

Cllr G Barnell (left 9.15pm)            Cllr C Southcott

Cllr S Parker                              

In attendance: 1 member of public, J Hole, Parish Clerk 

Business to be Transacted

Public Participation

• Police Report

Cllr J Enright gave a brief report on a useful Police Neighbourhood meeting held in Crediton also attended by Cllr A Reeves and the Clerk.  Amongst other issues, the problem of drugs, was discussed and a note of the police briefing on this had been posted on the PC Facebook page.

• Public Question Time

There were no questions

Formal Business

01/10/18     Apologies

Cllr P Hare-Scott, MDDC and Cllr M Squires, DCC 

02/10/18     Declaration of Interest

None noted 

03/10/18     Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 6 September 2018

Agreed and signed as a true record 

04/10/18     Mid Devon District Council

4.1              Planning Applications:    

None       

4.2              Planning Decisions:

18/01196/HOUSE - Erection of single storey extension to rear at Orchard View 5 Meadowlands, West Town Road – grant permission

4.3              To note report of excessive commercial and agricultural traffic using Langford Road – update on enquiry to planning

Cllr J Enright reported he was waiting for further information.  Cllr D Baker confirmed that planning permission was granted some years ago for tractors to take compost to Bidwell Barton and that planning conditions regarding route to be taken and time of day were in force. 

4.4              To consider notification from MDDC that Shobrooke Parish Council have applied for funding of £1,677.96 for a new playground fence from the S106 “general pot” which leaves £1,014.14 available to either parish

Shobrooke’s application was noted and agreed.  Cllr D Baker asked if there were any suitable projects in NSC that could apply for the remaining S106 funding?   It was suggested that the village green required weed treatment and the Clerk would obtain a quote.  In addition, perhaps the arboretum might have a project and Cllr A Reeves would make enquiries.

4.5              To consider a letter of support to Shobrooke Parish Councils application to Communities Together Fund (previously TAP) for a new grit bin to be located at Shute Cross.

It was resolved to provide a letter of support

4.6              Report from Cllr P Hare- Scott

There was no report 

05/10/18     Finance

5.1              To approve signatures for this month’s cheques

Cllr D Baker and Cllr G Quicke

5.2              Parish Council Receipts Current Account:  None

5.3              Parish Council Payment Current Account

These were agreed as:

Item	Payee	Purpose	Amount £
5.3.1	NSC Parish Hall	Room Rent - July to Sep	39.00
5.3.2	NSC Parish Hall	Electricity for outside lamp	30.00
5.3.3	Dorset, Devon CRC	Grass cutting at churchyard	120.00
5.3.4	Simon Saunders	Grass cutting	240.00
5.3.5	J Hole	Salary and expenses (incl SLCC membership)	422.61
			£851.61

 

Since the agenda had been sent, an invoice for grass cutting at the new graveyard had been received for £130.00 from R Nethercott and it was resolved to make payment this month                       

5.4             Balances (after above transactions):       

5.4.1          Parish Council Current Account balance: £10,723.84

5.4.2          Footpath Account: £388.02 

5.4.3          Car Park resurfacing fund balance: £3,000.66

5.5             Financial Statement and Budget Monitor

Noted.  Cllr D Baker asked if there was a maintenance list this year?  There was not and it was agreed that the Clerk would circulate last years list to Cllrs S Parker and C Southcott, who would consider if there was any new work to be done.

Clerk to check where the noticeboard repairs had been coded to as the cost was not shown against noticeboards.

The payment for Vodafone electricity was due.  The Clerk reported that Cllr S Parker had lost the cheque issued in May, so this would need to be reissued. 

06/10/18     Matters raised by the Chair

6.1              Proposed new school path. To note that solicitors have been instructed not to undertake any more work until funding is secured.  Kingswood Homes have confirmed their agreement in principal to the new path.  To consider the future of the project

The Clerk had received a letter of support for the project from the school.   Discussion took place on the cost involved and the likely benefit to the parish. Although the school had not been asked to contribute financially, it was though unlikely that they would have any funds to put towards the path.   If a path was desirable because of concerns regarding speeding traffic, then maybe traffic calming measures should be considered?  A copy of the DCC’s current speed limit policy had been received and the Clerk would forward to all Councillors for information.  It was resolved that Cllr J Enright would follow up with Ian Sorenson and explore further traffic calming measurers.

6.3              Review of new e-mail addresses

Not all Councillors were using their new addresses yet.  Cllrs to let the Clerk know when they have their new address set up so that their old address can be deleted from the google group 

07/10/18     Councillor’s Reports    

7.1              Areas of Responsibility reports. 

Update on risk assessments.  Notes from Car park meeting circulated separately

Allotment – to note minutes from allotment holders meeting – circulated separately.  To consider if a new allotment tenant may keep bees at the allotments

Footpaths – Cllr S Parker reported that the strimmer used for P3 work had broken and the cost of a new strimmer could be reimbursed under the P3 scheme with the agreement of the Parish Council.   This was agreed and Cllr S Parker would request payment from DCC.

Boniface Trail – A meeting had taken place with the landowner to discuss the route around the new school and new houses.  A grant application had been made to CTC and Tesco may be able to help with future funding.

Bus Stop – The Village Green bus shelter needed to be rebolted and Cllr S Parker agreed to do this.

Allotments – the notes from the meeting had been circulated and were noted. The new tenant who was interested in keeping bees had withdrawn his interest at the present time.  Ferreting to control the rabbits had not yet taken place but this had been chased up.  The clearing of two allotment including the bramble patch should have been completed now.  A collective compost heap was being considered.   Allotment holders were keen to drop flyers advertising the allotments into the new houses in Station Road and Cllr G Barnell would pass a copy of the leaflet to the Clerk who would distribute with the new welcome pack which would be delivered shortly. The hedge would be cut soon.  Another allotment holders meeting would take place in six months’ time

Resilience sheds – the Rec and hall sheds had been checked against the inventory and Smallbrook would be checked shortly.  DCC had been asked if they would pay the maintenance contract for the tipping rain gauge for another year.  If they would not then the Parish Council would need to fund.

Village Green – the BKV sign needed repair and Cllr S Parker would undertake this

New Graveyard – Cllr D Baker enquired when an application for change of use should be made?  It was resolved that the Clerk should find out from planning if there was any time limit on change of use applications for when the new use should start.  Cllr A Reeves would assist with the planning application when required.

Press – The winter newsletter was due and articles etc should be sent to Cllr J Baker by the end of the month

Recreation ground – a new DAAT sign was required.  Clerk to obtain a quote for a sign to say “This is a Devon Air Ambulance landing site – one of the first in Devon” with a picture of a helicopter and red on black writing.

Dog bin – the dog bin in Court Orchard had been overflowing for a few days, although it had now been emptied.  Clerk to find out how often it should be emptied. 

Arboretum – a planning meeting had been held to determine short, medium- and longer-term plans

CRG – the repairs to the wall at Shuttern brook had now been completed.  A copy of the CRG plan had been circulated and the Clerk would pass on comments received for minor amendments and arrange a CRG review meeting.

School -   the school had been advised via a parent that the flashing lights would likely be moved in the new year.

Car park minutes – these had been circulated and were noted

Surgery – Cllr G Barnell, October, Cllr J Enright, November and Cllrs J and D Baker, December.  

08/10/18     Clerk’s Report  

8.1              None 

09/10/18     Parish Council

9.1              To consider existing Press/media policy (circulated separately) and social media – Cllr D Baker

Cllr J Enright noted that the comment in this month’s Newton Wonder regarding the sale of CTC offices could not be discussed as it was not an agenda item.

Cllr D Baker reported that we were required to have a policy that covered social media and our existing press/media policy did not cover it adequately.  Cllr J Enright had some example policies which he would forward to the Clerk and Cllr J Baker.  It was important to ensure that social media input was controlled and the content agreed.  The new policy should not contradict any other existing policies.

9.2              To note any update on ownership of overgrown south side of A377 opposite Newton House

Cllr P Taylor would advise at the next meeting

9.3              Revising the Parish Action plan – Notes from Cllr G Barnell circulated separately

Cllr G Barnell had circulated a suggested new format for the action plan which grouped areas into seven main strategic headings.  He felt there were a number of issues with the existing action plan including omission of key issues, not linking sufficiently to the parish plan, and not supporting a strategic approach to the council’s work.  If the action plan was to be a live document it needed to be reviewed at each meeting.  Cllrs thanked Cllr G Barnell for his work on this.   It was not clear how the proposed seven headings would link to the existing areas of responsibility and how this would work on a practical basis as current areas of responsibility had been allocated linked to Councillor individual areas of interests. Cllr D Baker said that Cllr G Barnell should be more careful with his choice of words when reviewing the plan as they criticise previous work on the plan.   After discussion it was agreed that Cllr J Enright would re-organise the existing action plan to address some of Cllr G Barnells concerns and bring back to a future meeting for further discussion.

9.4              Report from DALC AGM and conference

Cllrs J Enright and D Baker reported that the conference had been useful and very worthwhile with interesting seminars which would inform future Council work.  Areas included a highways seminar which had discussed the road warden scheme and rural mental health issues 

10/10/18     Devon County Council

10.1            Outstanding Highways issues

Drainage in Sand Down Lane – no further issues had been reported and it was therefore agreed to remove this item from the list

Cllr D Baker enquired if the Clerk had received a reply to the email sent to Cllr M Squires and copied to Meg Booth, Head of Highways listing the areas which had been outstanding for some time.  The Clerk had received a reply from Cllr M Squires with regard to the policy for 20mph outside school only and would circulate to all councillors for information.  It was resolved that Cllr J Enright would write as Chairman to DCC’s Chief Executive with regard the concrete blocks by Langford Road, advertising signs on A377 and resurfacing of School Hill

It was noted that the drain cover at Half Moon had been repaired and the manhole cover on the bridge in Station Road had been marked up.

There was no update on the flashing sign on School Hill obstructed with ivy and a meeting had not been arranged to inspect the road surface at the entrance to Station Road from A377.  There was no update on when average speed cameras might be installed and Cllr J Enright reported that Ian Sorenson was still waiting for feedback from the pilot scheme in Cornwall.  It was hoped that public consultation on the possible installation of average speed cameras could be combined with the planned parish council recruitment exercise for next year’s elections.

10.2            New DCC issues

There were none

10.3            Report from Cllr M Squires

There was no report 

11/10/18     Miscellaneous Correspondence  

A request for letters of support for a Repair Café in Crediton – Clerk to circulate details                  

12/10/18     Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda

                   Cllr D Baker enquired if the Clerks appraisal had been carried out as this had not been reported to Council.  Cllr J Enright confirmed the appraisal had taken place and signed off by the Staff and Personnel Committee.  The Clerk had been asked to let Cllr J Enright know if hours in excess of paid hours were being worked.

 13/10/18     Date of next meeting: Thursday 1 November 2018 in the Clubroom, Parish Hall, 7.30pm 

End of Formal Business 

 

Public Participation

There was none         

The meeting closed at 9.30pm