Minutes from October 2020 meeting
Newton St Cyres Parish Council
Minutes of Newton St Cyres Parish Council Meeting held remotely via Zoom on Thursday 1 October 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: 1 member of public, J Hole, Parish Clerk
Public Participation
There was none
01/10/20 Apologies
Cllr M Squires, DCC (another meeting), Cllr G Barnell, MDDC (another meeting)
02/10/20 Declaration of Interest
None noted
03/10/20 Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 3 September 2020
Agreed and signed as a true record
04/10/20 Mid Devon District Council
4.1 Planning Applications:
20/01403/TPO - Application to remove 2 stems of 1 Lime tree and reduce the height by approximately 3m; reduce 1 Holm Oak tree by cutting back to boundary by approximately 2m and reduce the spread of 1 Yew tree by approximately 2m, protected by Tree Preservation Order 08/00008/TPO at Church of St Cyr and St Julitta, NSC – no comment
4.2 Planning Decisions:
None
4.3 District Councillor, Cllr G Barnell, to report on MDDC business relevant to the Parish
A draft petition from Cllr G Barnell had been circulated intended to be supported by four Parish Councils, and relevant District Councillors It asked DCC and MDDC to work together to produce a joint transport assessment and plan that addresses the impact of new housing developments in and around Crediton on the communities between Crediton and Exeter, giving priority to active travel options and addressing the impact of additional traffic on road safety, on pollution, and on the quality of life of those whose daily lives are harmed by increasing road traffic. It was agreed to support this petition.
05/10/20 Finance
5.1 Parish Council Receipts Current Account:
£20.00 allotment rent (pro rata for 2 new plots)
£67.85 DCT Grant for Covid signage
5.2 Parish Council Payment Current Account
These were agreed as:
|
Item |
Payee |
Purpose |
Amount £ |
|---|---|---|---|
|
5.2.1 |
Archer Signs |
Covid signage |
£81.42 |
|
5.2.2 |
Simon Saunders |
Grass cutting parish |
160.00 |
|
5.2.3 |
Simon Saunders |
Grass cutting churchyard |
120.00 |
|
5.2.4 |
SLCC Enterprises Ltd |
SLCC virtual conference for Clerk |
30.00 |
|
5.2.5 |
GeoXphere Ltd |
Parish online software licence |
90.00 |
|
5.2.6 |
NSC Parish Hall |
Electricity for outside light |
40.00 |
|
5.5.7 |
J Hole |
Salary and expenses |
369.32 |
|
5.5.8 |
HMRC |
PAYE |
67.20 |
5.3 To approve signatures for this month’s cheques
Cllr G Quicke and Cllr S Parker
5.4 Balances (after above transactions)
5.4.1 Parish Council Current Account balance: £11,723.81
5.4.2 Footpath Account: £268.02
5.4.3 Car Park resurfacing fund balance: £6,013.88
5.5 Financial Statement and Budget Monitor
Noted
5.6 Quarterly Bank Reconciliation
Noted for checking and signing by cheque signatories
06/10/20 Matters raised by the Chair
6.1 To confirm correct Parish Council communication channels with MDDC/DCC
Cllr J Enright explained that communications from the Parish Council to MDDC and DCC should only come from the Parish Clerk, as the Proper Officer and not from individual councillors.
07/10/20 Councillor’s Reports
7.1 Update on Coronavirus and NSC PC response
Cllr D Hodge reported that help was still available if required.
7.2 Areas of Responsibility reports
Boniface Trial – Cllr S Parker reported a positive meeting had taken place between members of the Boniface Trail group and DCC including a DCC engineer. DCC had agreed to put the trail forward for future S106 contributions.
Recreation Ground – the Rec had purchased Covid signage. Unfortunately the Parish Council could not reimburse the Rec as the grant received for Covid signage had already been used to purchase signs
Parish Hall – it was hoped that the hall would open shortly following clarification on the numbers allowed in each room
7.2.1 Allotments – quote for work
The Clerk had received a quote to strim one plot and to clear two other plots that were badly overgrown. After discussion it was agreed to wait until the spring before taking any action. When the next plot was rented it could be strimmed at the time of rental and then consideration would be given to clearing the overgrown plots so that there was always one plot that would just require strimming prior to renting.
7.2.2 To note risk assessment of assets
The risk assessment of assets had been circulated and was noted.
08/10/20 Clerk’s Report
8.1 Clerks laptop is nearly one year old. To consider cost of care/repair package: 1 year policy £96.00; 2 year policy £180.00 and 3 years £240.00
After discussion it was agreed not to take out insurance. The Clerk would ensure that regular back up were taken and pass a memory stick to the cheque signatories for safe keeping each month. Work was also saved to the cloud and it was agreed to find out how to share this with the Chair
8.2 Update on companies contacted regarding speeding vehicles
The Clerk had contacted three companies; one had not responded, another had promised to remind drivers of the relevant speed limits and the third requested details of dates, times and size of lorries. It was agreed to put a note in the Newton Wonder asking parishioners to forward details of speeding commercial vehicles, providing as many details as possible
09/10/20 Parish Council
9.1 Update on progress with Community Shop
There was no progress to report
9.2 To consider results speeding results from DCC traffic monitor. To consider the PC strategy to ensure that speeding on the A377 is addressed. To note safety record of A377.
Comments on the DCC data had been circulated from Cllr G Barnell, a member of public and two Councillors. Cllr J Enright noted that monitoring equipment had been installed on the village green only, on Monday 28 September but removed by Wednesday 30, possibly due to the temporary traffic lights that were in operation on those days. Cllr D Hodge had access to calibrated speeding equipment and offered to measure traffic speeds. After discussion it was agreed to ask DCC to address some of the issues raised in the correspondence and for sight of the raw data. If answers were not satisfactory, then more direct action may be considered.
9.3 Broadband update and to note update received from Connecting Devon and Somerset
Cllr R Cashmore noted that this area was still in the first phase of implementation and that the second phase had been cancelled which meant we were four years behind the rest of the country. If broadband speeds were not at the recommended minimum level then individuals could claim £1,500.00 and businesses £3,500.00 towards finding an alternative solution. Cllr R Cashmore had copies of community surveys he had previously used and these could be circulated to parishioners to find out if enough people were interested in joining together to find a solution. The survey could be delivered to all houses in the parish by the Post Office. Cllr R Cashmore would forward survey details to the Clerk and Chair and it was agreed to put a proposal forward for the next meeting.
9.4 Update on plans for new graveyard
Cllrs J Enright and R Cashmore and the Clerk had met with a Church representative at the Churchyard to discuss access arrangements for the new graveyard. Several access options were available and the next step was to arrange a meeting with all concerned parties to take matters forward. If the Parish Council did not take on the maintenance of the old Churchyard when it was closed, the responsibility would fall to MDDC and the Clerk would speak to other parishes where MDDC maintained churchyards to find out how well maintenance is carried out. The church was considering increasing parking spaces at the Church which would require planning permission
9.5 Report from training course on Planning and to consider response to planning consultation
Details of the Governments proposals had been circulated and Cllrs J Enright and R Cashmore had attended a webinar about the proposals. It was agreed that Cllr J Enright would reply to the consultation on behalf of the Council. Depending on whether or not the Government proposals were adopted, Cllr J Enright suggested that the Parish Council should give consideration to a Neighbourhood Plan.
10/10/20 Devon County Council
10.1 Outstanding Highways issues
These were noted
10.2 New DCC issues
Road closure notice for A377 26/27 October and to note request from Parishioner to ask DCC to make good the drain cover on the A377 by Newton House at the time of the closure
Clerk to clarify with DCC where the road closure was and what it was for. It was agreed to re-add the loose drain cover to the list of outstanding highways issues as this was causing a nuisance to local residents. Loose stones above the A377 near the Newton House bridge in the Churchyard had been reported to DCC
10.3 County Councillor, Cllr M Squires, to report on DCC business relevant to the parish
A report had been circulated and was noted
11/10/20 Miscellaneous Correspondence
Explanation about double white lines on A377 – DCC had explained that “single or double white lines were regulated for use in areas where forward visibility on higher speed roads are insufficient for safe overtaking manoeuvres. They should not be maintained in a 30mph speed restricted area as vehicle speeds are lower and they also prevent any stopping\parking obstructions. It was not an offence to overtake on the dashed centre line and within any village or urban area there will be many circumstances were this is both necessary and desirable to do so”. Clerk to forward comments from parishioner regarding this explanation and reply to DCC with concerns.
Cllr J Enright had been contacted about a large steel framed greenhouse that had been erected and had passed the query to Cllr G Barnell.
12/10/20 Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda
None noted
13/10/20 Date of next meeting: Thursday 5 November 2020, 7pm via zoom
End of Formal Business
Public Participation
There was no participation
The meeting closed at 8.34pm.