Parish Council Minutes: May 2022
The minutes of the Annual Meeting of Oakford Parish Council held in the Committee Room at Oakford Village Hall on Monday 9th May 2022 at 7.30 pm
Present:
Cllr G Baylis (Chair), R Brain, J Cousins, J Cridland, J Mayer and V Stevens.
In attendance:
One member of the public and the Clerk, Mrs J Larcombe.
01/05/22. Election of Officers
Chair. Cllr G Baylis was proposed by Cllr J Mayer and seconded by Cllr V Stevens. There were no other proposals. Cllr Baylis was unanimously elected as chair and signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office form.
Vice-chair. Cllr R Brain was proposed by Cllr G Baylis and seconded by Cllr J Mayer. There were no other proposals. Cllr Brain was unanimously elected as vice-chair.
02/05/22. Co-option of a Councillor.
Julie Cridland was proposed by Cllr Mayer and seconded by Cllr Brain. It was unanimously agreed to co-opt her and she signed the Declaration of Acceptance Form before joining the meeting as a councillor.
03/05/22. To receive apologies for absence.
Apologies were accepted from Cllr Gould. Apologies were received from District Cllr R Stanley.
04/05/22. Declarations of Interest.
There were no declarations of interest at this point.
05/05/22. Public Forum.
A member of the public made a request for dogs to be allowed on the community area during events for the Platinum Jubilee. She felt that more people might attend if they were allowed to bring their dogs. Since the signs about the PSPO were put up the community area has become under utilised. There was a suggestion about raising funds to pay for the play equipment to be fenced off so that dogs could be allowed in the remaining area.
The member of the public also spoke about the sewerage works and the occasional flare ups and odour pollution. Some work has been carried out but in her opinion the reed beds are not fit for purpose and she expected that the smell would come back. She advised that the Environmental Health Department at MDDC needs to be Informed when the smell gets bad.
It was agreed to bring the following three items forward on the agenda as they were the ones the member of the public was interested in.
Cllr Cousins joined the meeting during this item.
06/05/22. Update on the sewerage treatment works.
There was a flare up in March, after the last parish council meeting. Cllr Baylis contacted South West Water (SWW) who told him that there was always a possibility that that sort of plant will smell. The flare up in March happened when the reed beds were being given a rest. Strong winds would have pushed the smell towards the village. Cllr Brain said the problem was that the bungalows were sited too close to the plant when they were built. The plant is supposed to be identical to systems in other villages but he questioned whether they had houses as close. There is land further down from the plant that has been untouched for a number of years and it was suggested that this could provide a site for the plant to be moved to so that it is further away from properties. The plant has grass and not reed in its beds and there was concern that it doesn’t function as well as it should do. If pollution gets into the stream the Environment Agency (EA) should be dealing with it. It was suggested that the Parish Council should ask the EA to take readings either regularly or when there is a smell. It was noted that in 2016 a digester was installed to deal with the smell. It was decided that next time there is a problem with the smell, Cllr Baylis will contact the EA and SWW. Even if the finding is that there is no pollution the Parish Council will be doing its job by finding this out. The member of the public will contact Cllr Baylis if the plant starts to smell again. Cllr Brain will deal with this should Cllr Baylis not be available.
Action: Cllr Baylis to contact EA and SWW the next time there is a problem with the smell from the sewerage treatment works. Cllr Briain to do this if Cllr Baylis is not available.
07/05/22. Celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
A request that dogs be allowed in the Community Area for the celebration events. Cllr Brain explained that the PSPO had become law after a process had been followed and the Parish Council cannot change it temporarily even though it has the freehold of the area. The order covers the whole area that has play equipment and if a fence was put up to separate the play equipment from the rest of the field it would need to be robust enough to prevent dogs getting through. Cllr Cridland noted the number of elderly people in the parish who are dog owners and said the community area was useful as a level and accessible area for those who are less able to walk their dogs. Councillors acknowledged that in the past work was carried out to make the area accessible for everyone and trees were planted. Cllr Mayer said it did restrict use and this is the only accessible piece of green in the village for people to walk their dogs. Councillors were reminded that at the time that the order was agreed there was a problem with dog poo and the Parish Council had been asked to do something about it.
08/05/22. To minute the reporting of concerns to DCC regarding a tree suffering from
Ash Die Back on the road heading north from the Old School House, Oakford.
It was noted that Old School House is now known as Rowan House. The Ash tree on the triangle by the community area is badly affected by Ash dieback. Where the channel was widened a few years ago it cut into the bank under the tree, Water rushes around it in winter and the bank is washing away over time. Cllr Baylis has reported the tree to MDDC and their report says the tree is 50% affected. Big branches have been removed previously. It is now on a 20 day notice to be taken down. The fir trees further along the bank can be looked at once the Ash tree has been taken down.
09/05/22. To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 14th March 2022 as an accurate record of the meetings.
The minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting and they were duly signed by the chair.
10/05/22. Matters arising from the minutes, not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
There has been no update from Cllr Chesterton regarding the removal of some of the bank in Nethercott Lane.
Action: the Clerk to ask Cllr Chesterton for an update..
11/05/22. Planning
To comment on any planning applications received before the meeting.
No applications received.
To note any planning decisions made by MDDC.
22/00280/CAT Notification of intention to fell 3 Ash trees within the Conservation Area. Location: Longworth, Holme Place, Oakford. Decision: no objections.
22/00179/Full Removal of condition (e) of planning permission 80/01078/FULL relating to an agricultural tie. Location: Exeridge Farm, Bampton. Decision: permission refused.
Any other planning matters.
It has been brought to the Council’s attention by residents at Townwood that a caravan has been brought onto the small area where there are scrap cars/brokers yard without planning permission. It was thought that it had just been sited there for a temporary period but this will be kept under review.
12/05/22. Highways: any matters to note.
Potholes have been filled in on roads in the parish in preparation for surface treatment. Test holes have been drilled in the B3227 between Red Deer and Stable Cottage in preparation for replacing the slippery road surface.
13/05/22. Reports
- a) County Cllr. No report.
- b) District Cllr. No report.
14/05/22. Community Area
a) Cllr Brain to give a verbal report on the Community Area play equipment-post ROSPA report. Cllr Baylis and Cllr Brain have carried out some work. Cllr Brain has contacted the company that supplied the birds nest swing and he was told the specifications had been changed. They will send him a copy. They didn’t think that there was a problem but Cllr Brain will check. While the fence is not the responsibility of the Parish Council some of the posts are rotten. Cllr Stevens will contact the owner of the adjacent field and ask permission to put some new posts in. The older picnic table has rotted away and is beyond repair. It will be removed. All the other furniture is in a good condition. The goal post that is in a poor condition will be removed. The protruding foundations at the base of one of the legs of the other goal post will be made good. The contractor that built the kick wall has been asked to give a quote to remove it.
Action: Cllr Stevens to ask the owner of the adjacent field for permission to put in some new fence posts.
Cllr Brain to check the connection of the secondary safety chains on the birds nest swing when he receives the new specifications.
b) To report whether S106 funding can be used to remove the kick wall. Cllr Stanley has investigated this and in an email to the Clerk he passed on advice from Jo Williams, MDDC Officer responsible for S106 but there was no clarification as to whether this funding could be used to pay for the removal of the kick wall/ There is £9,000 plus available for new equipment. Councillors felt that removing the wall would be the start of a new project. The Clerk will contact Jo Williams to clarify whether the S106 funding can be used to remove the wall.
Action: the Clerk to contact Jo Williams for clarification whether S106 funding can be used to pay for the removal of the kick wall.
c) To minute that the plaque in memory of Richard Stevens has been fixed to the bench.
The Clerk had thought this had been completed when the agenda was published but this action is still outstanding. Cllr Baylis agreed to do it.
Action: Cllr Baylis to fix the plaque to the bench.
d) Update on members of the public reporting breaches of the PSPO.
Cllr Stanley has emailed to say that he is given to understand that providing the taker of a video is showing dog activity in the area covered by the PSPO MDDC will prosecute. This is different from the information that the enforcement officer gave to Cllr Baylis. Cllr Baylis will check with the Enforcement Officer.
Action: Cllr Baylis to check the advice given by Cllr Stanley with the enforcement officer.
15/05/22. Finance
a) To approve any invoices or expense claims presented for payment. It was resolved to make the following payments:
Mrs J Larcombe - £161.85 Clerk’s salary (Payment ref: 2223/03)
Devon Association of Local Councils - £92.70 annual affiliation fees (Payment ref: 2223/04)
Karen Ward - £50.00 internal audit (Payment ref: 2223/05)
Since the last meeting the Clerk’s April salary of £161.85 has been paid (Payment ref: 2223/01)
b) To note receipts since the last meeting including the grant from the Batsworthy Wind Farm Community Grant Fund. The precept of £5,455 and the Batsworthy Wind Farm Community Grant of £3,175 have been received.
The Current Account balance is £15,897.51
c) To note the ordering of the Community Notice Board using grant funding.
The notice board has been ordered and a 50% deposit of £1905 (includes VAT) has been paid (Payment ref: 2223/02).
d) To receive the Internal Auditor Report for 2021-22.
Ms Ward reported that she had carried out an internal audit on Oakford Parish Council, limited to the matters required on the statutory Annual Internal Audit Report 2021/22. All of the internal audit objectives have been clearly met and financial records and the website were accurate and up to date. There were a few minor queries which the Clerk was able to clarify and no matters of concern. She had therefore signed the AGAR Internal Audit report for 2021/22.
e) To approve the Annual Governance Statement for 2021-22.
Councillors approved the Annual Governance Statement.
f) To approve the Accounting Statement for 2021-22.
Councillors approved the Accounting Statement.
g) To approve the signing of the Certificate of Exemption for 2021-22.
Councillors approved the signing of the Certificate of Exemption.
16/05/22. To agree a Data Protection Policy.
The draft version will be tidied up and presented to the next meeting for agreement. There will be a three year review date.
Action: the Clerk to tidy up the draft Data Protection Policy for agreement at the 13th June meeting.
17/05/22. Action against Himalayan Balsam.
Cllr Gould has emailed Cllr Stanley but has not received a reply. Cllr Baylis will remind him.
Action: Cllr Baylis to remind Cllr Stanley that Cllr Gould has not received a reply to the email she sent him about Himalayan Balsam control.
18/05/22. Celebrations for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Request that dogs be allowed in the Community Area for the celebration events. This was covered under item 07/05/22.
Arrangements for the lighting of a beacon. Cllr Stevens will liaise with the land owner about the arrangements for the setting up and lighting of the beacon. A parishioner is willing to help and Cllr Mayer will liase with them and Cllr Stevens about the arrangements for the lighting of the beacon on the evening of Thursday 2nd June. Cllr Stevens has the wood for the beacon and will deliver it. A special hymn will be sung when the beacon is lit.
Action: Cllr Stevens to liaise with the landowner of the land about arrangements for the setting up and lighting of the beacon and deliver the wood.
Cllr Mayer to liaise regarding arrangements for the evening.
Report on events being held in the parish over the bank holiday weekend.
There are no events planned for Friday 3rd. The Jubilee Jamboree will be held on Saturday 4th and a village photo will be taken. There will be an afternoon tea on Sunday 5th June.
19/05/22. Correspondence.
The following correspondence was noted:
DALC Newsletters
MDDC Town & Parish Newsletter April & May 2022
Tiverton Neighbourhood Policing Team – Councillor Letter
MDDC/Tiverton Pannier Market – Invitation to be Village of the Day
20/05/22. To agree the date of the next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on 13th June 2022