Minutes from December 2020 meeting

Newton St Cyres Parish Council

Minutes of Newton St Cyres Parish Council Meeting held remotely via Zoom on Thursday 3 December 2020 

The meeting commenced at 7.00pm 

Members present via Zoom

Cllr J Enright (Chair)                      Cllr G Quicke

Cllr R Cashmore                            Cllr G Scopes

Cllr D Hodge                                  Cllr C Southcott

Cllr L Ouldridge                              Cllr P Taylor
Cllr S Parker                             

In attendance:  Cllr M Squires, DCC, 2 members of public, J Hole, Parish Clerk 

Public Participation

A member of public had raised some questions regarding the broadband survey – these would be addressed later in the meeting.  They had also attended some of the DCT Resilience meeting and emailed a recommendation regarding purchase of PPE – this would be addressed later in the meeting

Cllr R Cashmore noted that he had recently become aware of the Community Right to Build legislation and would share some information with Councillors for consideration over the Christmas period 

Formal Business

01/12/20     Apologies

Cllr G Barnell, MDDC (MDDC Meeting) 

02/12/20     Declaration of Interest

None noted 

03/12/20     Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 5 November 2020

Agreed and to be signed as a true record 

04/12/20     Mid Devon District Council

4.1              Planning Applications:

None      

4.2              Planning Decisions:

None

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

                   Notes from an estate walkabout which Cllr G Barnell attended with a MDDC Housing Officer had been circulated.  Various action points were noted including clearing a footpath in New Estate, clearing a communal pathway in Court Orchard, clearing the garage forecourt and grass on the road entrance to Tytheing Close.  Several gardens were not being maintained and rather than sending a letter telling residents to tidy up, Cllr G Barnell had asked if residents could be offered assistance from a local volunteer if there was one.  MDDC made welfare calls to vulnerable residents and Cllr G Barnell had asked MDDC to find out if any would like telephone support from the parish.  Cllr D Hodge had emailed Cllr G Barnell to suggest that a phone buddy system could be considered where one person calls three people and those three people then call three others. 

05/12/20     Finance

5.1              Parish Council Receipts Current Account:

NatWest Bank £100.00 – compensation for poor service    

5.2              Parish Council Payment Current Account

These were agreed as:

Item	Payee	Purpose	Amount £
5.2.1	Steve Parker	Vodafone electricity	30.00
5.2.2	J Hole	Salary and expenses	301.13
5.2.3	HMRC	PAYE	36.40

                         

To re-sign a cheque for AET Flood Defences for £600.00 (cheque lost by company) and to cancel previous cheque                   

Since the agenda had been circulated an invoice for grass cutting at the Churchyard for £120.00 and Village Green grass cutting for £80.00 had been received.  It was resolved to pay both.                  

5.3              To approve signatures for this month’s cheques

Cllr G Quicke and Cllr P Taylor

The bank had confirmed that all new signatories had been added except for Cllr D Hodge.  Another online form required completion which the Clerk had tried to do but the form did not work.  The bank had advised to try completing the form on a different device or failing that to phone the business team for assistance.

5.4              Balances (after above transactions)

5.4.1           Parish Council Current Account balance: £16,036.25

5.4.2           Footpath Account: £268.02 

5.4.3           Car Park resurfacing fund balance: £6,013.98

5.5              Financial Statement and Budget Monitor

Noted

5.6              Quarterly Bank Reconciliation

Noted.  To be checked and signed by cheque signatories

5.7              To agree cost of resilience sheds maintenance

A quote had been circulated for refelting and weatherproofing the three sheds.  After discussion it was agreed to postpone this maintenance to the spring.      

5.8              To agree cost of replacement poles for depth marker gauge

An estimated cost had been circulated.  It was noted that DCC advice is not to drive though any flood water.  However, it was felt that the depth gauges provided information only and not an invitation to drive through flood water so after discussion it was agreed to go ahead with replacement posts.  Clerk to check installer can put the gauge in the correct location.

5.9              To agree budget and precept for 2021/22

A draft budget and precept had been circulated.  It was noted that this year’s budget would have an underspend for newsletter printing and hall rent.  There was also a £300.00 allowance for a housing survey which would not take place.  However, it was agreed to amend this to the costs of a broadband survey, if agreed later in the agenda. 

The Parish Hall and the Recreation Ground had both applied for a £500.00 grant and Cllr J Enright proposed that this should be increased to £1,000 each to help out with the effect of COVID-19.  This would be in addition to the rent and WIFI obligations and was agreed unanimously.                                                                       

Following receipt of a request, it was resolved to grant £100.00 to the Citizens Advice Bureau. 

It was resolved to keep the precept unchanged from last year.

 

06/12/20     Matters raised by the Chair 

6.1              None

 07/12/20     Councillor’s Reports    

7.1              Update on Coronavirus and NSC PC response – to note application for COVID-19 support grant and to consider its use

Since the agenda had been circulated, confirmation had been received that a £500.00 COVID-19 Support grant had been agreed by DCC.  This could be spent on PPE, IT support during the pandemic and volunteer expenses associated with COVID-19 assistance.  Standing Orders were suspended and a member of public explained that it had been recommended at the Community Resilience event that evacuation centres should have PPE available for use by anyone evacuated (and this included children).  Standing Orders were reinstated. After discussion a vote was taken and a majority agreed that the Clerk should contact the Parish Hall and the Rec and find out if they had any PPE supplies.  If not, to provide costs for agreement at the next meeting.

7.2              Areas of Responsibility reports

Community Resilience – report from Co-Ordinators meeting and to agree updates to CRP  

The amended CRP had been circulated and was noted.

Grit bins – Cllr G Scopes had spoken to our Neighbourhood Highways Manager and discussed the possibility of relocating the grit bin currently outside the old school, to Tytheing Close.  This was resolved and the Clerk would ask DCC to arrange. The grit bins were full.

Bench – the wooden bench on the Village Green was rotten.  Clerk to get quote for a repair

New graveyard – a meeting between interested parties had agreed a way forward with regard to accessing the new graveyard

Allotment – an existing tenant wanted to take on another overgrown plot and it was resolved not to charge rent until renewal in April.   

08/12/20     Clerk’s Report

8.1              To agree Christmas cards

Agreed the same as last year                  

09/12/20     Parish Council

9.1              To note response from Peninsula Road Safety Partnership – there is no significant speeding issue in NSC – the software is not available to buy separately and requires a licence which is £2,500 per speeding device.   DCC will be producing a report. 

The name of the software and the .dat file had not been provided by Peninsula Partnership and Councillors were disappointed with the response.  However, it was agreed to wait until receipt of DCC report before taking any further action.  Clerk to chase if not received during January.

9.2              Update on Broadband survey

Cllr J Enright updated the meeting.  The working party had sought permission from councillors to publicise a short online broadband survey and this had generated 70 responses.  Most were either unhappy or very unhappy with their current broad band service.   In order to reach more people in the parish it was proposed that a mailed survey should be sent to all households asking them to either complete a paper version or another online version.  The mailing would be delivered by Royal Mail in January and would include a reply paid envelope.  Costings had been considered and should fall within the £300.00 budget allowance.  The new survey would ask for Broadband speeds as government grants were only available where speeds were less than 10mbs.  A link to a broadband speed checker would be provided.    Cllr D Hodge asked about uploads speeds as these were just as important for home working.  Cllr R Cashmore advised that it was only download speeds that were taken into account for Government funding.  Cllr G Scopes noted that he had changed to using 4G and now received a much improved service – did  other parishioners know about this option which did not cost anymore?   Cllr M Squires advised talking to CDS and Cllr J Enright agreed this would happen once more information and responses were recorded.  A vote was taken and all were in favour of sending out a questionnaire.

9.3              To consider projects suitable for grant application to DCC Locality Fund held by Cllr M Squires.  Allotment? Provision of NSC foodbank?

Cllr G Scopes noted that the allotments required a lot of work to tidy them up and it was noted that the old sheds had yet to be removed.

The Clerk had been approached by a parishioner who had suggested provision of a foodbank, similar to ones in Bideford where a storage box is provided and donations made and people can then take what they need. It was agreed to give some thought to where this could be located.

Cllr M Squires suggested that she would be able to purchase a new bench for the Village Green and this was agreed.  Clerk to apply

9.4              Complaints of dog fouling in Court Orchard – to agree to put up notices?

The Clerk had obtained some signs from MDDC and would put these up in Court Orchard 

10/12/20     Devon County Council

10.1            Outstanding Highways issues

There were no updates.  Clerk to chase up drain cover repair.

Cllr M Squires suggested raising the issue of double white lines on the A377 when the crossing is installed. 

10.2            New Highway issues

None noted

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

A report had been circulated and was noted.  Cllr M Squires noted that the School Crossing patrol had been absent for some time.  Details of a DCC volunteer scheme had been sent to the Clerk.

Cllr R Cashmore asked Cllr M Squires to discuss the proposed slurry lagoon in East Devon with EDDC Ray Bloxham and Michelle Woodgate (DCC) and Cllr M Squires agreed. 

11/12/20     Miscellaneous Correspondence

DCC zoom invitation to budget meeting 7 December

DCC Interim Carbon Plan                                   

12/12/20     Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda

None noted 

13/12/20     Date of next meeting: Thursday 4 February 2021, 7pm – via zoom 

End of Formal Business

Public Participation

It was noted that broadband speeds depend on which checker is used. Broadband service is much better using 4G although even this does not provide a 100% reliable service. 

The meeting finished at 8.40pm