Parish Council Minutes: October 2024
DRAFT MINUTES
These minutes will be agreed at the Parish Council meeting on 11th November 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 at 7.30pm on Tuesday 15th October 2024
Present:
Cllr’s G Baylis (Chair), J Cridland, F Cross, L Gould J Levick, J Mayer and P Potter.
In attendance:
County Cllr R Chesterton and the Clerk, Mrs J Larcombe
73/10/24. To receive apologies for absence.
Apologies were received from District Cllr’s C Adcock and R Gilmour.
74/10/24. Declarations of Interest.
No declarations of interest.
75/10/24. Public Forum.
No members of the public present.
76/10/24. To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 9th September 2024 as an accurate record of the meeting.
The minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting and they were duly signed by the Chair.
77/10/24. Matters arising from the minutes, not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
A thankyou card for Mr & Mrs Northcott was signed at the meeting.
78/10/24. Planning
a) To comment on any planning applications received before the meeting.
No applications received.
b) To note any planning decisions made by MDDC.
24/01055/Full Retention of a roof over existing yard area. Location: Land and building at NGR 289774 123266 East Tapp Farm, Oakford. Decision: conditional approval granted.
24/01071/House Erection of two storey and single storey rear extension following demolition of existing extension and conservatory. Location: Lower Oakford, Oakford. Decision: conditional approval granted.
c) Update on alleged planning breaches.
The planning enforcement team remains under-resourced and the recruitment process continues. Consideration is being given to funding more effective enforcement in the (challenging) budget planning for the next financial year. John Millar, Area West Planning Lead MDDC, continues to work on resolving planning breaches at Spurway Barton, saying that communications with the Agent have improved.
d) Devon Countywide Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) consultation.
Cllr Chesterton explained a plan has already been produced for Tiverton and Cullompton but didn’t include Oakford. Councillors decided to send a response to say there isn’t a good cycle route from the rest of Devon to Exmoor. They recognised that this will not happen as finances are at the moment but who knows what will happen in the future. Cllr Baylis will draft a response.
Action: Cllr Baylis to draft a response and circulate for agreement.
e) Draft Devon & Torbay Local Transport Plan consultation.
Noted.
f) Any other planning matters.
Cllr Cross reported that she had attended a training session organised by DALC on Planning Enforcement and Appeals and offered to share the Powerpoint presentation. The training session reminded everyone that S106 contributions have to be returned if they are not used within a given time frame.
Action: Cllr Cross to share Powerpoint presentation from training session.
79/10/24. Highways:
a) Any matters to note or report.
Although it is in Bampton parish it was noted that signage at Black Cat still needs to be repaired.
One of the salt/grit bins was crushed by a hedge trimmer but has been replaced.
Now is the time to go around the parish and check the level of grit/salt in the bins so this can be reported online.
Action: Councillors to check the level of grit/salt in the bins so that this can be reported online.
b) Invitation to meet with Cllr Richard Chesterton and Melanie Mckenna to discuss highways issues in the parish.
Cllr Chesterton invited councillors to meet with him and Melanie Mckenna, DCC Neighbourhood Highways Officer (NHO) to discuss the highways issues in the parish and he will suggest some dates. Sometimes meeting face to face makes it easier to explain problems rather than sending emails. They had a positive meeting with Templeton Parish Council and want to do the same with other parishes in the Tiverton West ward. Once it is decided what work is required step 2 will be to decide on priorities. Melanie is submitting an in-depth programme of bids for work in Tiverton West. Most NHOs cover two areas but Melanie is only covering one at present as the neighbouring NHO is close to retirement.
Action: Cllr Chesterton to suggest some dates for the meeting.
c) Update on flooding issues/blocked drains.
Cllr Baylis has reported flooding on Rookery Hill and on the road by the Police House on the Highways website. The flooding on Rookery Hill was right across the road and nearly reached the bench. It was there for the best part of a week but has gone today. Highways have sent a response to Cllr Baylis to say they are looking into it and have left it with their contractor.
d) Update on improving signage on Hangmans Hill.
No change.
e) To minute that the parish map has been printed.
The map has been printed and collected and is now fixed on the back of the board in the centre of the village. It was suggested a QR code could be added to the website so that people could open the map on their phones and follow it. The Clerk suggested that as the board in the centre of the village had been funded by a grant from the Batsworthy Cross Community Fund, photos of the board could be sent to them to use to promote the fund. Cllr Baylis will send photos to the Clerk.
Action: Cllr Baylis will send photos of the board in the centre of the village to the Clerk. The Clerk to send to the Batsworthy Cross Grant Fund co-ordinator.
80/10/24. Footpaths
a) Update on handover to new P3 Co-ordinator.
Cllr Cridland reported that she and her husband had met with Tony Northcott for a handover. He had told them that in the past there had been an induction type of course for new wardens.
b) Update on 2024-25 P3 funding.
Despite sending further emails to the Rights of Way email address and to Jon Boyd the Clerk still hasn’t received a purchase order number to claim the P3 Grant for Oakford. Details will be passed onto Cllr Chesterton.
Action: The Clerk to share copies of the emails sent to Jon Boyd and the Public Rights of Way team email address with Cllr Chesterton.
81/10/24. Reports:
a) County Cllr Report.
The Clerk was asked to circulate the report that Cllr Chesterton had sent to another Council in his ward that she clerks. There was a reminder that any applications for funding from Cllr Chesterton’s Locality Budget need to be made by February 2025.
Action: the Clerk to circulate a report from Cllr Chesterton.
b) District Cllr Report.
Cllr Adcock’s written report for October had been circulated by email prior to the meeting.
82/10/24. Community Area:
a) Any points to note from inspections of community area.
Cllr Levick gave printed copies of his reports for the last two months to the Clerk. When he carried out an inspection on the 13th October he noticed that some planks had been placed in the hedge. The entrance into the field is very slippery following recent heavy rain. Cllr Levick will look into what can be done to make this area safer.Arrangements need to be made to cut back the overhanging branches near the entrance.Councillors acknowledged how well the grass in the community area had been cut this season and agreed to ask Nick Hampton (Hampton Maintenance) for a quote to cut it during the 2025 season. It was noted how well the grass around the Village Hall had been cut.Nick Hampton will also be asked if he could provide a quote to replace the handrails of the bridge and to put something on the walking surface to prevent it being slippery.
Actions: Cllr Levick to: look into how the slippery area at the entrance to the playing field could be made safer; ask Nick Hampton for a quote for grass cutting for 2025 and, if he is interested, for a quote to replace the handrails on the bridge and to put something on the surface to prevent it being slippery.
b) To report the amended PSPO came into effect on 8th October 2024.
The new PSPO was noted. Dogs will now only be banned from the area that is fenced off, dogs will be allowed to run free on the rest of the field. The old PSPO sign will be removed and MDDC will provide a new sign with the official wording. Cllr Baylis will update the website and Facebook.
Action: Cllr Baylis to update the website and Facebook with details of the amended PSPO.
c) To discuss the possibilities of creating a footpath from the Village Hall car park to the Community Area.
Deferred to the next meeting as Cllr Stevens was not present.
d) Any matters to note.
None.
Cllr Potter and Cllr Chesterton left the meeting (8.25pm)
83/10/24. Finance
a) To approve any invoices or expense claims presented for payment.
It was resolved to make the following payment: Mrs J Larcombe - £150.45 Clerk’s salary (Payment ref: 2425/24).
Since the last meeting a payment of £180.00 has been made to Hampton Maintenance (Payment ref: 2425/22) and a payment of £390.00 has been made to Ken White Signs for the map (Payment ref: 2425/23). A service charge of £18.00 was taken from the current account at the end of September
An internal transfer will be made from the Instant Access Account to the Current Account to return the balance to £500.00.
b) To note any receipts since the last meeting and the bank balance.
Bank interest of £102.53 was received at the end of September
The Current Account balance is £500.00 and the Instant Access Account balance is £13,375.25.
c) Bank reconciliation 30.09.24.
The bank reconciliation and bank statements were checked and signed by Cllr Levick.
d) To note budget v actual April to September 2024.
The report was noted. There were no areas of concern.
84/10/24. To discuss how best to use the Oakford Parish Council Facebook page.
The Parish Council Facebook page is being handed over to Cllr Baylis and Cllr Cross and it will be used to share parish council information and notifications with parishioners. Cllr Cross will tidy it up ready for a relaunch and awareness will need to be built up.
Actions: Cllr Cross to tidy up the Parish Council Facebook page ready for a relaunch.
85/10/24. Arrangements for the defibrillator training on Saturday 30th November.
The Village Hall has been booked from 9.30am. Teas and coffees will be provided by the Parish Council. The session will also include CPR training. Cllr Baylis will keep advertising the training, particularly as it gets closer. Cllr Mayer asked for a poster for the inside of the Village Hall as lots of people are expected at the hall on Remembrance Sunday. Final arrangements will be discussed at the meeting on 11th November.
Actions: Cllr Baylis to continue to advertise the training, particularly closer to the 30th November. Cllr Baylis to provide a poster for Cllr Mayer to display inside the Village Hall.
86/10/24. Correspondence.
The following correspondence was noted:
DALC Newsletters
MDDC press releases
MDDC – latest side waste statistics late August/early September and September plus local surgery dates
MDDC – Promotion of Pension Credit
MDDC – Public Sector Decarbonisation Funding Scheme
MDDC – New Cabinet Member for Parish & Community Engagement
MDDC – Revised Town & Parish Charter finalised
Environment Agency - Understanding your community’s risk of flash flood. The areas in the parish at risk of a flash flood are Oakfordbridge and Spurway. Some people have signed up to receive an early warning from the Environment Agency. Details of how to sign up to receive this information are on the notice board at Oakfordbridge.
Police & Crime Commissioner consultation of Police & Crime Plan
NALC - launch of new website.
The Oakford poppy display will be put up on 1st November. The Parish Council’s donation to the Royal British Legion (RBL) will be resurrected. The Clerk will add this to the November agenda.
Action: The Clerk to add agreement of a donation to the RBL to the November agenda.
87/10/24. To confirm the date of the next meeting.
The next meeting will be held on Monday 11th November 2024.
The meeting closed at 8.55pm.