Minutes from May 2019 meeting

Shobrooke Parish Council

Minutes of Annual Parish Council meeting held in the Village Hall on Tuesday 14 May 2019 

The meeting commenced at 7.30pm 

Members Present: 

Cllr C Boult                              Cllr J Ingham

Cllr B Curle                             Cllr A Jones

Cllr C Furse                             Cllr L Pitts

 

In attendance:

R Ayre (left 7.40pm), J Hole, Parish Clerk 

Business to be Transacted

Councillors duly signed Declaration of Acceptance of Office prior to the start of the meeting and Register of Members’ Interest Forms were given out.  It was noted that Register of Interest Forms must be completed within 28 days and returned to the Clerk for forwarding to MDDC 

01/05/19     Election of Chairman and Vice Chairman

To receive nominations for Chairman and to receive the Chairman’s declaration of acceptance of office form

R Ayre chaired the start of the meeting and invited nominations for Chair.  Cllr C Furse was proposed by Cllr C Boult and seconded by Cllr A Jones and it was resolved unanimously to elect Cllr C Furse as Chair

To receive nominations for Vice Chairman

R Ayre invited nominations for Vice Chairman and Cllr J Ingham was proposed by Cllr B Curle and Seconded by Cllr L Pitts and it was resolved unanimously to elect Cllr J Ingham as Vice Chair.

Cllr C Furse duly signed the Declaration of Acceptance of office form and chaired the meeting.  R Ayre left the meeting 

Public Participation

There was no public present 

02/05/19     Apologies

Cllr G Barnell, MDDC, Cllr M Squires, DCC, Cllr A Ripper (apology received after the meeting 

03/05/19     Declaration of Interest

None noted 

04/05/19     Minutes of the last meeting held on Tuesday 9 April 2019 

Agreed and signed as a true record 

05/05/19     To consider any applicants for co-option – two posts are available

There were no applicants. Clerk to put a notice in The Brooke

06/05/19     To adopt the power of competency

The Council is eligible to adopt this power as more than 2/3rds of Councillors were elected and the Clerk is qualified.  See brief explanation of power circulated separately.

A brief explanation of this power had been circulated and it was resolved unanimously to adopt the power of competency 

06/05/19     Mid Devon District Council

6.1              Planning Applications:

19/00628/HOUSE – Erection of porch at Rose Cottage, Shute – no comment

19/00568/FULL and 19/00571/LBC – Planning and Listed Building Consent for demolition of cloakroom and porch, internal alterations, erection of a porch and extension to North elevation and extension to existing conservatory to South elevation with alteration to window over, replacement of tile roof with natural slate and erection of a garage block at Lower Living, Shobrooke – no comment             

6.2              Planning Decisions:

19/00272/FULL - Erection of single storey extension at 1 Burrington Drive, Shobrooke – grant permission

18/02029/FULL – to note appeal against refusal of planning permission for the Conversion of redundant workshop to 2 dwellings at (Commercial Unit, Shute Farm) Shute - noted

6.3              Report from Cllr Graeme Barnell

There was no report 

07/05/19     To review: (on website unless stated otherwise)

7.1              Standing Orders - approved

7.2              Financial Regulations - approved

7.3              Risk Assessments.  Clerk to print copies for signing at next month’s meeting

7.4              Complaints procedure - approved

7.5              Bank signatories – it was resolved to remove R Ayre and J Lee as signatories and to add Cllr J Ingham and Cllr A Jones.  Completed “new party” forms to be returned to the Clerk for onward transmission to the bank

7.6              Dates for meetings in 2020 – approved

7.7              Asset register - approved

7.8              To confirm Insurance Policy.  This had been circulated separately and was approved

7.9              Code of Conduct - approved

7.10            Parish Council Action plan.  Clerk to add maintain the Kiosk and defibrillator

7.11            Training and Development Policy - approved

7.12            Publications Policy (FOI) - approved

 

08/05/19     Election of officers/representatives

8.1              Crediton Neighbourhood Plan representative.  This post was no longer required

8.2              Neighbourhood Watch Officer – Cllr L Pitts would continue

8.3              Raddon Hills representative – Cllr C Boult would continue and Cllr C Furse would also attend

8.4              Snow Warden – Cllr C Boult would continue

8.5              Playing Fields Liaison Officer – Cllr C Boult would continue

8.6              Delegated responsibility: 

                   Footpath Warden.  Fred Harper would continue until August.  Then Carole Maher and Colin Dagnell would work together, Colin noting areas where work was required and Carole reporting work required to the PC and arranging for the work to be carried out in accordance with PC procedure.  A list of landowners would be requested from Fred Harper.

Playing fields representative.  It was resolved to advertise in The Brooke for volunteers to form a committee to assist with play park management.  In the meantime, Cllr C Boult would cover this role to include weekly checks

Website Officer.  Clerk to continue

8.7              To consider new post of Defibrillator/kiosk Officer (to include weekly reporting for defib)

 It was resolved to create this post and Cllr A Jones would continue to monitor the kiosk and undertake the weekly defibrillator checks.  Cllr A Jones would put a note in the kiosk to let parishioners know that if the defibrillator is used, they must report this use to the PC so that new pads can be fitted.  Cllr A Jones agreed to find out the cost of replacement pads and speed of delivery and a decision would then be made on whether spare pads should be purchased.  If spare pads were required in the meantime then Cllr C Boult offered the use of his spare pads.

8.8              To consider a new committee – Staff and Personnel Committee

The Clerk had proposed this new committee to allow for salary discussions and performance appraisals to be carried out.  It was resolved not to form the committee and the Clerk would present a paper for discussion at the next meeting for an increased scale point and additional hours.

8.9              To consider a new committee - Play Park Refurbishment Committee

The Clerk had proposed this committee to help with the work that will be required to get new play equipment sourced, funded and installed.  Cllr B Curle and Cllr L Pitts agreed to draw up a specification for equipment in the first instance.  If any volunteers came forward to help with the play park, they could contribute to the refurbishment project. 

09/05/19     Road and Footpaths

9.1              Outstanding Road and Footpath issues

i) Various pot hole between Exeter Hill Cross and Stumpy Cross. DCC website noted that the reported pot holes had all been assessed on 15 March but did not state if any action would be taken

ii) Drains at Exeter Hill Cross. An update from DCC stated that this gully has been added to the annual inspection.  When last inspected by our gully team 07/03/19 they reported that the cover was stuck and this has now been forwarded to our contractor to repair and then clean this gully.

9.2              New issues identified

None noted 

10/05/19     Finance

10.1            Parish Council receipts Current Account:

                   

Item	Payer	Purpose	Amount £
10.1.1	MDDC	Precept	5,358.00
10.1.2	MDDC	Grant for grit bins	279.00

                                                                                                                                        

10.2            Parish Council payments current account:

It was resolved to make the following payments:                  

               

Item	Payer	Purpose	Amount £
10.2.1	ICO	Data Protection Registration	40.00
10.2.2	A Jones	Reimbursement for materials (keys/paint)	14.00
10.2.3	BHIB	Insurance	235.92
10.2.4	DB Fencing	Fence at playpark	2,253.55
10.2.5	J Hole	Salary and expenses	212.84
10.2.6	HMRC	PAYE	3.40

                                                                                                                                       

The Clerk noted that Chairman’s expenses had been used to purchase a small gift for the internal auditor who does not charge for doing the audit

10.3            To approve signatures for this month’s cheques

Cllr C Furse and Cllr L Pitts

10.4            Balances:

10.4.1          Parish Council Current Account balance: £6,918.83

10.4.2          Parish Council Footpath balance (in above current account figure): £311.74

10.4.3          Parish Council Reserve Account balance: £5,792.93

10.5            Financial Statement and Budget Monitor

Noted.  After discussion Cllr B Curle proposed and it was agreed unanimously that £3,000.00 of the money in the reserve account should be ringfenced for new play equipment and that £2,000.00 should be transferred from the current account to the Reserve Account.  The Clerk noted that Parish Councils should kept 40% of their precept in reserve

10.6            Annual Return

The Annual Return documents had been posted on the website

10.6.1 To approve Part 1 Annual Governance Statement 2018/19

Councillors resolved unanimously to approve Part 1 and the Chair and Clerk duly signed the form

10.6.2 To approve Part 2 Accounting Statements 2018/19

Councillors resolved unanimously to approve Part 2 and the Chair and Clerk duly signed the form

10.6.3 To sign Certificate of Exemption stating that during 2018/19 the higher of the authority’s income for the year or gross annual expenditure did not exceed £25,000

This was duly confirmed and the form signed by the Chair and the Clerk

10.7            To confirm arrangements for grass cutting at the playpark

Cllr B Curle noted that although the expenditure for the playpark grass cutting had been agreed in December, the contractual arrangements had not.  After discussion it was resolved that the Clerk contact the current volunteer and find out the cost of equipment hire for the next three years and then obtain an additional two quotes for the same time, assuming RPI increases if hire was not available for the required period. 

11/05/19     Councillor’s Reports                                    

11.1            To consider any Councillor reports for areas of responsibility

Cllr A Jones noted that a pane of glass in the kiosk had been broken, most likely as a result of strimming.  He had replaced the glass with Perspex

11.2            Playing Fields report

The fencing had been completed. Cllr C Boult would add a gate he had spare to the end of the fencing by the wall to stop children climbing over the wall and getting behind the fencing.  The tyres from the basket swing were currently being stored in the gap and had been padlocked to the fence to stop their removal. When the replacement telegraph pole is delivered it could be stored in the gap area and painted before installation.  Cllr C Boult confirmed the play park inspections were taking place and these would be e-mailed to the Clerk. 

 

12/05/19     Clerk’s Report

12.1            To consider paying the Clerk’s membership of Society of Local Council Clerks (total cost approx. £100.00 - to be split 50/50 with NSCPC)

It was resolved to pay half the annual cost of the Clerk membership of SLCC

12.2            Update on barking dogs

The Clerk had contacted MDDC who would issue a Community Protection Notice warning letter.  If barking continued to be a problem after this, they would look at getting recordings using noise monitoring equipment.  Councillors reported that the barking had decreased. 

13/05/19     Parish Council

13.1            To consider draft Crediton Neighbourhood Plan – circulated separately.  Comments invited by 20 May 2019

The draft plan had been circulated.  No comments were made except for how well presented and put together the plan was.  Clerk to send a note to the plan committee

13.2            To consider any training needs

It was resolved that Cllrs J Ingham, L Pitts and B Curle would attend a planning course and the Clerk would circulate dates.  Cllr J Ingham may also attend a Chair course 

14/05/19     Devon County Council

14.1            Report from Cllr M Squires

There was no report 

15/05/19     Miscellaneous Correspondence

Letter re use of land at Mill – noted

Thank you from Mid Devon Mobility for grant

Letter from resident re new fencing at play park – comments noted 

16/05/19     Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda

It was agreed to send a note of thanks to Robert Ayre and John Lee for their past work on the Parish Council

 17/05/19     Date of next meeting: Tuesday 11 June 2019 in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm 

End of formal business

The meeting ended at 9.05pm