Annual Parish Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Stoodleigh Annual Parish Meeting, held in the Parish Hall on Wednesday May 22nd, 2019 at 7.00pm.

Members present -:
Chairman Cllr Biles Cllr Davey Cllr Knowles Cllr Parkman Cllr Payne

1. Apologies – from Cllr Widdowson

2. Declarations of Interest – none declared

3. Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held 30th May, 2018 – these were approved and signed as a correct record

4. Retiring Chairman’s Report – Phil Talbot gave a very comprehensive report detailing the work and contribution made by the council during the last year. A copy is attached.

5. Reports from Local Organisations

Stoodleigh Working Action Group had financed the Village Fun Day and will do so again in 2019. Visits made had included Beer Caves, Bickleigh Castle and to the ever popular Turf Inn. On the agenda for this year are excursions to the RNLI at Exmouth, the light house at Start Point, Exmoor and Wells. With some assistance from one of Polly Colthorpe’s budgets the Millenium Bench
has been replaced which is beneficial to everyone.

Cricket Club – The club runs 2 sides and Dick Sibley was pleased to report that the league side is holding position in the second division. The friendly side plays on a Thursday evening and a total of 26 players participated. New faces are always welcome. A new wicket mower was acquired and Steve Partridge has been able to keep the ground in excellent order. The state of the ground along
with the setting makes the venue a favourite with visiting teams. The toilet block is functioning well after the struggle to actually install the facility. Thanks go to Lizzie at the Stoodleigh Inn for her hospitality.

The Parish Hall Committee – many different ways of raising money have been tried. The auction in jointly in aid of the Church and Parish Hall was extremely successful. The combination of breakfast followed by a dog walk has also been well supported. Easter and an Autumn Market still continue along with the weekly book club, coffee morning and the healthy options of zumba and pilates. There was a Lundy slide show and a Rural Life exhibition. In fact a real variety of events. Linda wished to thank all those who supported and helped in the organisation, behind the scenes and on the day.

The Garden Club – this has been in existence for some time and meets monthly. The Annual Garden Show held in August is open to all. Various visits and demonstrations are held through out the year, as well as a summer and winter garden party. The flower tubs at Kissing Gate are the responsibility of the members and carefully maintained.

St Margaret’s Church – please see the Treasurer’s report

The History Group – Thanks to Malcom for providing a written report which is attached.

The Website - this is hosted by MDDC and was upgraded again in 2016. Jean and Geraldine ensure that the website is kept up to date and information is uploaded as soon as possible. The news and calendar of events seem the most popular sections and there have been over 1000 users in a month according to google reports. The website is reliant on a regular flow of information from the local community to keep it interesting and current. A real selection of items have been exchanged through being advertised on here. Community email has over 100 people signed up and this has a link to the website where probably more detail can be found on any newsflash circulated.

The Stoodleigh Inn – in the absence of the trustees Lizzie gave a summary of the current situation and future plans. Work on the new toilets will start in the autumn, now going to be a complete new build. Trade and support for the club has increased and outdoor benches and swings have been bought. Arrangements are in place for a marquee to be hired from June -September especially for functions and special events to prevent overcrowding in the normal bar area. Hopefully parking will not become a major issue. Feedback and suggestions from patrons on any additions/alterations are most welcome. There is opportunity for another trustee and anyone interested should contact Hole & Pugsley, solicitors.

6. Stoodleigh Parish Hall Improvements - unfortunately the preliminary discussions with the neighbour did not come to fruition so the committee has had to make their own plans and arrangements. One of the original ideas was to raise the floor in the hall but this was to prove far too costly. It would seem that to raise the kitchen floor and alter the access to the toilet is now the best option. Researching the best value for money is still a priority. Additional
funding is still needed.

7. Definitive Map Review – the Clerk attempted to summarise the principle behind this. DCC are carrying out an update, comparing designated rights of way as indicated on Ordnance Survey Maps with what is actually happening on the ground. It was thought that the presentation might be of interest to several and ideally held on a Tuesday or Friday summer evening, the venue being confirmed after a date is agreed.

8. Open Forum

Enthusiasm for signpost restoration seems to have waned. The 2 restored so far took a great deal of time although the end result was good. An offer was made of hardwood, which would be cut to replace any damaged finger boards. The council would reimburse for paint and lettering etc. Cllr Davey offered to coordinate any response resulting from another Community Email.

Provision of dog poo bins was another request. The clerk will try to establish the feasibility and cost of emptying such a facility. A site for the bin would still need to be determined.

The SWAP Box – a reminder that plants and produce are always wanted and the season for abundance is approaching!