Parish Council Minutes: February 2023
DRAFT MINUTES
These minutes will be agreed at the Parish Council meeting to be held on 13th March and might be subject to slight amendment
The Minutes of a Meeting of Oakford Parish Council, held in the Committee Room at Oakford Village Hall on Monday 13th February 2023 at 7.30 pm
Present:
Cllr’s G Baylis, (Chair), R Brain, J Cridland, L Gould, J Mayer and V Stevens.
In attendance:
District Cllr A Moore, two members of the public and the Clerk, Mrs J Larcombe.
129/02/23. To receive apologies for absence.
Apologies received from Cllr J Cousins.
130/02/23. Declarations of Interest.
No Declarations of Interest.
131/02/23. Public Forum.
The members of the public did not wish to speak, they were there to observe the meeting.
132/02/23. To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 9th January 2023 as an accurate record of the meeting.
The minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting and were duly signed by the Chair.
133/02/23. Matters arising from the minutes, not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
Referring to the flooding at Rookery Hill, near the Old Police House, Cllr Gould said Gordon Summers had in the past put in a drain at the edge of the field but that was now blocked or broken. Cllr Stevens volunteered to speak to the owners of the field and ask them to have a look at the drain pipes.
Action: Cllr Stevens to speak to the field owners and ask them to have a look at the drain pipes at the edge of the field.
Action (Outstanding from the December 2022 minutes): Cllr Baylis to speak to the landowner where the road floods at the top of Rookery Hill to suggest that a long trench could be dug to take the water away.
134/02/23. Planning
a) To comment on any planning applications received before the meeting.
23/00179/TPO Application to reduce 1 Rowan tree and 1 Birch tree protected by Tree Preservation Order 21/00009/TPO by 2m. Location: Bakery Cottage, Oakford.Comment: Oakford Parish Council has no objections.
b) To note any planning decisions made by MDDC.
No decision notices received.
c) To discuss draft letter to be sent to MDDC regarding criteria for decisions on PNAG applications.
A letter drafted by Cllr Cridland was circulated prior to the meeting. Councillors thanked Cllr Cridland for drafting such a well written letter and agreed that it would be signed by the Clerk and sent from the Parish Council to Angharad Williams, Development Management Manager MDDC. A title in bold will be added at the start of the letter to highlight the reason for the letter. District Cllr’s Andrew Moore and Ray Stanley will be cc’d into the correspondence. A copy of the letter will also be sent to Stoodleigh Parish Council.
Actions: The Clerk to add the Parish Council’s letterhead and her signature to the letter and send by email to Angharad Williams, cc’ing Cllr Moore and Cllr Stanley. The clerk will also send a copy of the letter to Stoodleigh Parish Council.
d) Any other planning matters.
No other planning matters.
135/02/23. Highways:
a) Any matters to note or report.
The new Neighbourhood Highway Officer for Tiverton West is Melanie Mckenna.
Cllr Baylis reported that he had received correspondence regarding the condition of the road from Spurway Mill to the A361. The road has been patched in places but the patching has come out and the road is reported to be in a dangerous condition. Cllr Baylis will contact Cllr Richard Chesterton.
Cllr Gould reported another incident with a vehicle getting stuck on Hangmans Hill. Although there is a warning sign ‘Not suitable for long vehicles’ at one end there are no signs that warn about the gradient, bend and slippery surface and satnavs are sending drivers who shouldn’t be using it, along this piece of road. Damage is being caused to banks and verges and debris is being left on the road. Cllr Brain felt a safety barrier was needed where there is a steep drop. Cllr Baylis will take the lack of suitable warning signage and the need for a safety barrier up with Cllr Chesterton.
The condition of the road surface at Black Cat is still in a poor condition. It is believed to be scheduled for repair in May 2023. This has not been picked up by Bampton Town Council, whose parish it is in.
Action: Cllr Baylis to contact Cllr Chesterton regarding the condition of the road from Spurway Miil to the A361 and the lack of appropriate warning signage and safety barrier at Hangmans Hill.
b) DCC Snow Warden Scheme.
A member of the public has suggested to Cllr Baylis that the Parish Council should join the DCC Snow Warden scheme. This would entitle the parish to a supply of salt/grit. Volunteer snow wardens would receive training and warning emails in cold weather to advise them when snow and ice were forecast and updating them on when gritting would be taking place and any other actions DCC were taking. Councillors were concerned about the difficulties and dangers of spreading salt/grit on the hills in the parish. Cllr Baylis will find out more about the scheme and report back to the March meeting. It was suggested that councillors and members of the public should check that there is salt/grit in the grit bins nearest to where they live and report it to DCC if they are empty.
Actions: Cllr Baylis to find out more about the DCC Snow Warden scheme and report to the March meeting. Clerk to add item on Snow Warden scheme to the March agenda.
Councillors to check grit bins to make sure they have salt/grit and report to DCC if they are low or empty.
136/02/23. Reports.
a) County Cllr.
No report.
b) District Cllr.
Cllr Moore reported that 10 older council owned homes in School Close, Bampton will be demolished and replaced with 18 new homes of various sizes. The tenants have been consulted and have been quite positive. The planning application will be submitted in May/June and it is hoped that the present homes will be demolished in the autumn, ground works will start in January 2024 and the new environmentally sound homes will be completed in September 2024. Any empty properties could be used as temporary housing until they are demolished.
Cllr Moore explained the challenges facing MDDC in setting the budget for 2023-24. In order to set a balanced budget it will need to use some of its reserves which will be reduced to £1.8million, less than the £2million reserves it aims to hold. The budget will go to the Full Council meeting on 22nd February 2023 for agreement.
He told councillors the Cabinet is in disarray at present and a Cabinet meeting has had to be cancelled as it would not have been quorate.
The Housing Department are dealing with the tenant issue previously reported concerning the use of MDDC owned car parking.
Cllr Moore told councillors that this would be the last meeting he would be attending as he was standing down in May. Cllr Stanley would attend the March meeting, before purdah started. He is also standing down in May.
The need for voter ID at polling stations was noted – to be covered under item 142/02/23.
Cllr Baylis thanked Cllr Moore and Cllr Stanley for all their work on behalf of the parish. Cllr Moore said that helping the parishes in his ward had been the most rewarding part of his work.
137/02/23. Community Area:
a) Any points to note from inspection of community area.
Cllr Brain informed councillors that he had inspected the Community Area and there were no issues to report. He gave his report to the Clerk to file. He commented on how well the area where the wall was demolished had recovered and noted that you wouldn’t know that it had ever been there. He felt it was an improvement without the wall.
Cllr Brain will not be standing for re-election on May 4th and the new Parish Council will need to arrange for the regular inspections to be carried out.
Rospa will be carrying out the annual inspection of the play equipment and Community Area during March.
b) Update on planting of free landmark tree.
A bare rooted Crab apple tree has been delivered and a decision needs to be made on where to plant it. It was decided to have a site meeting at the Community Area on Saturday 18th March at 11.00am to agree where to plant the tree and then plant it. The suggestion of installing a path will also be considered.
Action: Councillors to meet at the Community Area at 11.00am to decide where to plant the tree and then plant it. Also consider the installation of a path.
c) To discuss grass cutting quotes and agree contract for 2023.
The Parish Council had advertised locally and on social media for quotes. Two quotes were received and they were considered by councillors. It was agreed to award the contract for 2023 to David Murphy subject to proof of public liability insurance. Cllr Baylis will draft an acceptance of the quote. The Clerk questioned whether a risk assessment was required.
Action: Cllr Baylis to draft an acceptance of quote.
d) Update on quotes for S106 grant funding application.
Normally the Parish Council would need to provide 3 quotes for the same or similar work/equipment but in this case Cllr Stevens has agreed to provide the labour for free and the cost is the fencing materials. If anyone else gives a quote they will include labour as well as the fencing materials and they will not be comparable. It was felt that it wasn’t fair to expect contractors to spend time preparing quotes for work that they were not likely to be given. Cllr Moore volunteered to speak to Jo Williams, MDDC S106 Officer, to see if she would accept the quote for the fencing materials only because in this case the labour is being provided for free.
Action: Cllr Moore to ask if the quote for the fencing materials only will be acceptable on this occasion for the application for S106 funding as labour will be provided free of charge.
e) Any matters to note.
There were no matters to note.
138/02/23. Update on the purchasing and siting of waste bins.
Cllr Cridland volunteered to help erect the new waste bin on the triangle of grass at the entrance to the village. Cllr Stevens also volunteered to help. It was though that this could be done after the site meeting at the community area. Cllr Mayer will follow up on the other waste bin that was going to be purchased from a local pest controller.
Actions: Cllrs Cridland, Mayer and Stevens to erect the waste bin on the triangle of grass at the entrance to the village after the Community Area site meeting.
Cllr Mayer to chase up the purchase of the other waste bin.
The members of the public left the meeting.
139/02/23. Finance
a) To approve any invoices or expense claims presented for payment.
It was resolved to make the following payment: Mrs J Larcombe - £174.85 Clerk’s salary for January 2023 (Payment ref: 2223/24).
b) To note any receipts since the last meeting and the bank balance.
There have been no receipts since the last meeting. The Current Account balance is £8,585.12.
c) Annual Review of the Effectiveness of Internal Controls and Internal Audit.
A Policy Statement prepared by the Clerk was circulated prior to the meeting. Councillors reviewed the policy statement and were satisfied that internal controls and internal audit were effective.
d) Appointment of Internal Auditor.
It was agreed to appoint Karen Ward.
140/02/23. To review the Council’s Business Risk Assessment.
An updated Business Risk Assessment was circulated prior to the meeting for councillors to review. Information relating to Covid had been removed. The draft February 2023 Business Risk Assessment was adopted without any changes.
141/02/23. Update on CHT moving the defibrillator to the phone box.
A detailed specification for the defibrillator has been given to CHT and they have asked if the defibrillator is ready to be moved to the phone box, which it is. The charge will be £250 + VAT.
142/02/23. District/Town & Parish Council Elections on May 4th including Voter ID.
MDDC has emailed a press release and posters to the Parish Council and asked for its help to make the public aware that they will need to provide photo ID when they go to vote at polling stations on May 4th. Information will be put on noticeboards and on Facebook.
All Town and Parish Councillors in Mid Devon will come to the end of their term of office on May 9th, the date that the new council comes into office.
Key dates are:
- Notice of election will be given on 17th March 2023.
- The period for nominations is from 18th March 2023 to 4pm on 4th April.
- The statement of persons nominated/uncontested no later than 4pm on 5th April 2023.
The Clerk will bring nomination papers and a Register of Electors to the meeting on March 13th.
Action: The Clerk to bring nomination papers and a Register of Electors to the meeting on March 13th.
143/02/23. DCC P3 Scheme – to note the submission of the forms for 2022-23 to DCC.
Tony Northcott, Footpath Warden, has confirmed that he has emailed all the completed forms to Ros Davies, DCC Parish Paths Liaison Officer ahead of the deadline of 14th February 2023. He has reminded her that the Parish Council is expecting to contribute towards the cost of the upcoming improvements to Footpath 5a from the earmarked P3 funds that it is holding. Cllr Gould reported that she had reported a number of issues such as posts and way markers that are missing. She explained how faults on footpaths can be reported online on the DCC website.
Cllr Moore left the meeting.
144/02/23. To report whether there have been any issues with smell from the sewerage treatment works.
No issues reported.
145/02/23. Correspondence:
The following correspondence was noted.
DALC – Nominations for Garden Party at Buckingham Palace
DALC Newsletters
MDDC press releases
DCC - Health and Social Care Skills Accelerator Programme (HSSAP) – Marketing Toolkit
Batsworthy Cross Wind Farm Community Fund – update and discussion meetings.
The Chair and Clerk are planning to attend a meeting on 9th March with Penny Schofield, Devon Community Foundation, who is responsible for the fund. She would like to get some first hand feedback on the ‘visibility’ of the fund to local communities, what Parish Councils see as current and future priorities for their local communities and the ways in which they can make the fund as relevant and accessible as they can to local groups.
Cllr Stevens reported that he has spoken to the owner of the piece of land at Oakfordbridge where the Parish Council would like to site a notice board it already owns. Cllr Stevens and Cllr Baylis will arrange to site the notice board.
Action: Cllr Baylis and Cllr Stevens to arrange to site the notice board.
146/02/23. To agree the date of the next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on 13th March 2023.