Minutes from July 2020 meeting

Newton St Cyres Parish Council

Minutes of Newton St Cyres Parish Council Meeting held remotely via zoom on Thursday 4^th July 2020 

The meeting commenced at 7:00pm 

Members present via Zoom 

Cllr J Enright (chair)                            Cllr S Parker                           Cllr R Cashmore

Cllr D Hodge                                       Cllr G Quicke                          Cllr R Scopes

Cllr C Southcott                                   Cllr E Ouldridge                      Cllr P Taylor

In attendance (both part-time)            MDDC Cllr G Barnell              DCC Cllr Margaret Squires

Public Participation 

Five members of the public were present

Questions were raised concerning the recently published Greater Exeter Strategic Plan that proposes a large development of housing around the Sweetham area. Cllr Enright detailed that the plan will be available on the Parish Council Website as soon as possible, together with maps and explanations pertinent to the Newton St Cyres area. He is also organising a public meeting in early September so that responses can be coordiated. This may still be on Zoom. There will be a six month consultation period with the plans due to be adopted in 2023. Cllr Barnell explained the context of the development. He cautioned that for any objections to carry weight they should be well-reasoned. For example, a large tranche of the land included in the plan is clearly within the flood plain. The plan has not yet been approved by Mid Devon District Council and will be discussed at the next cabinet meeting. Members of the public can attend.

Also mentioned was the problems of traffic flow when there are road works on the A377. Cllr Enright suggested that the questioner should contact Devon County Council who have responsibility for roadworks. 

Speeding lorries on the A377 was raised as an issue and it was suggested that we should write to Hauliers. To have effect it would be better for names, times and preferably number plates to be noted so that the drivers could be identified. If these details were passed to the Parish Clerk then they would be followed up.

Lack of high speed broadband to Sweetham and the paucity of trains stopping at the station were also raised.

Formal Business 

01/07/20     Apologies

No apologies were received. 

02/07/20     Declaration of Interest

Cllrs S Parker and P Taylor declared a prejudicial interest in item 4.1. They were left the meeting for this item.

 

03/07/20     Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 4 June 2020

Agreed and signed as a true record 

04/07/20     Mid Devon District Council

4.1              Planning Applications:

20/00743 - Conversion of existing annex to separate dwelling including raising of roof for first floor at Lilly Farm, Newton St Cyres – no objections were raised to this application

20/00744/FULL - Erection of 2 dwellings following demolition of barn Location at Lilly Farm, Newton St Cyres     - no objections were raised to this application.

20/00898/HOUSE - Alterations to enclose part of existing porch at Ridgeway House, Newton St Cyres – no objections were raised to this application.

4.2              Planning Decisions:

20/00587/CLP - Certificate of lawfulness for the proposed erection of an extension to carport, conversion of carport to garage, alterations to parking bay and driveway with associated landscaping at 1 Kingfisher Close – grant permission

20/00827/PNAG - Prior Notification for the erection of an extension to an agricultural storage building at Five Elms Lane, Newton St Cyres – prior notification is not required

4.3              LGA Consultation on new Code of Conduct – Cllr Enright summarised this previously circulated document. The new code is very similar to the existing code. In their work as councillors, council members must be responsible, open and honest. They are entitled to their own opinion, but must make clear that they are not representing the council unless they have prior clearance from the council. There are more sanctions cited than in the previous code. The council approved this new code of conduct.

4.4              District Councillor, Cllr G Barnell, reported on MDDC business relevant to the Parish. The District Council is continuing to support both businesses and individuals through the Covid 19 crisis. Currently they are supporting High Streets as they re-open. The council budget is under extreme pressure but Mid Devon is by no means one of the councils worst affected as they rely less on car park receipts and property development than some other councils. There has been a seriously worrying increase in the need for debt counselling and food bank use as the economic effect of the crisis starts to be really significant.

Cllr Barnell also outlined the boundary commission changes that would put the Parish of Newton St Cyres together with Cheriton Bishop, Yeoford and Hittisleigh. He suggested that this was inappropriate and instead suggested a grouping with Shobrooke and Sandford. After some discussion, the council unanimously agreed to support this alternative. 

05/07/20     Finance

5.1              Parish Council Receipts Current Account:
None                                

5.2              Parish Council Payment Current Account:

 

Item	Payee	Purpose	Amount £
5.2.1	Koncepta	Domain name renewal/10 x email accounts	264.00
5.2.2	Simon Saunders	Grass cutting parish	320.00
5.2.3	Simon Saunders	Grass cutting churchyard	240.00
5.2.1	J Hole	Salary and expenses	288.84
5.2.2	HMRC	PAYE	57.00
		Total	1,169.84

                                                           

5.3              To approve signatures for this month’s cheques Cllr P Taylor and Cllr G Quicke

5.4              Balances (after above transactions)

5.4.1           Parish Council Current Account balance: £13,404.94

5.4.2           Footpath Account: £268.02 

5.4.3           Car Park resurfacing fund balance: £6,013.73

5.5              Financial Statement and Budget Monitor noted

5.6              It was agreed that urgent cheques can be signed before the September meeting if required (as there will not be a meeting in August) by Cllrs P Taylor and G Quicke although G Quicke will not be available for 2 weeks in August.

06/07/20     Matters raised by the Chair 

None 

07/07/20     Councillor’s Reports    

7.1              Update on Coronavirus and NSC PC response. There have been no requests for help from the support group during the last month. However, Cllr D Hodge reported that he has been asked to consider how the support group will respond in the event of a resurgence of the disease.

7.2              Areas of Responsibility reports. Councillors had nothing to report in their various areas of responsibility except those listed below.

The A377 - this continues to see excessive speeding through the village. Cllr D Hodge has made a complaint about speeding on the Devon County Council website.

Boniface Trail –  A meeting will take place on Monday 6^th July between several Parish councillors and Devon highways to push for support for the Boniface Trail project.  It was felt quite strongly, that both MDDC and DCC were treating this project as certain outcome, when in fact it is still at an early stage and cannot progress without proper funding.

The footpath up school hill is very overgrown and a danger to pedestrians, as in places it forces them into the road.

Bus shelters – the bus shelters in the village are very overgrown.

Litter picking – very little activity in this area. Most of the village remains reasonable although the A377 is seeing quite a lot. The recently purchased litter-pickers need to be given out so this can be remedied.

Rural footpaths – Cllr S Parker is continuing to cut back some overgrown paths. There has been some use of mountain bikes on the paths through the woods. This is illegal and DCC are sending some no cycling signs for the Parish Council to erect.

We are still waiting to hear the outcome of the negotiations on the old school site.     

7.2.1             Car Park Management Report - No meeting held this year due to restrictions. There have been no crises or major developments over the last year. A lot of the spaces are occupied overnight (and quite a few during the day) by neighbouring residents. MDDC removed a vehicle that had been parked for weeks. It is proposed to have a closure day during the Christmas-New Year period. The surface is still good.

7.2.2           Cllr L Ouldridge reported MDDC Climate Conversations zoom meeting. Here the Mid Devon plan to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030 was outlined. Some items have been budgeted for, but much is still very much in the future. For example a budget has been prepared to update the waste vehicle fleet and for tree planting, but little else.                  

08/07/20     Clerk’s Report

None                  

09/07/20     Parish Council

9.1              Update on progress with Community Shop. Cllr R Cashmore reported that he is considering seeking planning advice about the siting of the building for the new shop.

9.2              To note there will not be a meeting in August (unless required for planning) and the September meeting will be via zoom.  To agree at the September meeting the arrangements for the October meeting.

9.3              To consider invitation from Police and Crime Commissioner to join the Councillor Advocate Scheme – Cllr Damien Hodge expressed interest and the parish clerk will put his name forward.

9.4              To consider proposal from Hydro-Logic services for maintenance of tipping rain gauge from 31 July 2020 – The quote is incorrect. However the council agreed to accept a quote of for one visit to the single tipping gauge per year.

9.5              Average speed cameras - email sent to DCC and Peninsula Road Safety Partnership (PRSP) re average speed cameras – PRSP state they have no input to decision making.  Waiting for response from DCC.

9.6              To agree formation of working party to work with PCC to agree plan for new graveyard. Cllr J Enright and R Cashmore will join the working party together with the parish clerk.

9.7              To consider a grant application to purchase signage in the event that we activate our CRP and need to maintain safe distancing in our evacuation site – this was approved.                  

10/07/20     Devon County Council

10.1            Outstanding Highways issues

1. Speed restrictions in Station Road – SCARF re test requested but no reply. The parish clerk will send another email, copied to Cllr M Squires.
2. Request for a School sign in Station Road and possible zig-zag lines outside the school. This was declined but the council felt that there was an urgent need for at least a school sign. Cllr M Squires was asked to urgently pursue this.
3. Uncollected road signs. It was suggested that if the contractors name is on the back of the sign, then the details should be given to the parish clerk and she would write to the contractor concerned.
4. Request for a Road Safety audit on A377 in centre of village
5. Footpath from Layby to bus stop in Half Moon – request to DCC to improve surface/land owner re hedge. The owner has trimmed the hedge.
6. School Hill pavement – grass needs clearing – Cllr M Squires was asked to urgently issue this issue too.
7. Various Drains

 

10.2            New DCC issues

Cllr M Squires was also asked to look into the non-functioning speed camera on the bridge at the bottom of school hill. It was felt that a sign that flashed up the speed to drivers as they came down the hill could slow some down.

The new road wardens are awaiting chapter 8 training before they can start to carry out repairs. This is not possible at the moment due to Covid 19.

10.3            Report from County Councillor, Cllr M Squires, - Cllr Squires reported that the recycling centres were still only accepting domestic rubbish. Cllr Ouldridge asked her if it could be made clear what businesses should do with their rubbish otherwise there will be a dramatic rise in fly-tipping. 

11/07/20     Miscellaneous Correspondence

Thank you from Half Moon parishioner for cutting back of footpaths

Report of mountain bikes on FP 22 – DCC are sending “no bikes” signs                                                                                      

Survey request – impact and use of Devon’s bus network – Cllrs R Cashmore and P Taylor will respond.

There is a stoat eating the letters place in the post box at the top of school hill. The parish clerk was asked to write to the Post Office informing them of this.                       

12/07/20     Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda

None 

13/07/20     Date of next meeting: Thursday 3 September 2020, via zoom at 7.00pm. 

End of Formal Business - Public Participation

There were further questions concerning the Exeter Strategic Plan. These comments were included in the section at the front of the meeting.