Minutes May 14 2018
Minutes of the Meeting of Stoodleigh Parish held on May 14th 2018, immediately following the Annual Parish Meeting
Members present -: Chairman Cllr P Talbot Vice Chair Cllr D Honnor Cllr L Biles Cllr W Knowles Cllr G Parkman Cllr P Pennington Cllr A Rigamonti
1. Apologies – there were none
2. Declarations of Interest – there were none made
3. The Public – there were none present
4. Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held March 26th – these were approved and signed as a correct record
5. Planning reports and outcomes
17/01733/FULL Erection of livestock building, Beacon View – approved
18/00544/CAT Felling tree at Molesworth – no objection
18/00114/TPO Remove 4 Sycamore Trees, 1 Sawyard Cottages – consent
18/00147/TPO Crown reduction 1 Beech Tree, Kingsmeade Farm – consent
18/00196/HOUSE Erection of a single storey extension, Wheatcroft – approved
18/00258/CAT Recoppice of twin stemmed Beech Tree, The Old Forge – no objection
18/00568/CAT Removal of trees at Little Daymer – pending consideration
18/0592/FULL Erection of shed & greenhouse, Haresdown Wood – retrospective approval, awaiting
6. Reports
a) County Council – this report is attached. A mention was given of a marked rise in road accidents involving horses and riders of late and that improved visibility is an important factor in prevention. District Council – Work to build the Premier Inn has begun with a predicted opening date of summer 2019. The plan for the regeneration of Tiverton town centre is currently out to consultation. Some demolition will take place in Fore Street and new dwellings and shops will go up in the market area. District Cllr Stanley complimented the council on the recent organised Litter Pick. He felt it disturbing the amount of rubbish collected, far more than anticipated. A prosecution is pending for one particular case of fly tipping in Mid Devon.
b) Councillors – on the subject of footpaths the vegetation beside the church path has been cleared. Although technically in Washfield parish, a temporary wire fence across a bridle way and a fallen tree were reported as potentially causing some obstruction. The drain has been mended on The Drive but pot holes still remain. Inspection of road surfaces in the area by Steve Leigh is still pending – he continues to welcome reports of particular stretches of damaged road surface. More money for repair has been allocated from central government but the actual work seems to have slowed down. The Road Warden training had not fully materialised, navigation of the complicated website had deterred volunteers. The appointment of such could have improved the situation.
7. The Playground – the action required following the annual inspection was discussed. Additional bark is needed to repair the surface but the suggestion was made that rubberised matting would give a more permanent solution. Cllr Knowles offered to research cost and availability of such materials. Cllr Pennington would like to provide a better facility for children to cycle in safety.
8. The Defibrillator – the actual pads are due for replacement in June and the cost is £52. It was decided against purchase of another set specifically for children.
9. The Cricket Club – the toilet has arrived and the design seems well chosen for the location.
10. Villages in Action – there was little interest to participate in the scheme.
11. GDPR – the Clerk explained that a new email address had been created for security reasons and would soon be used for correspondence, although the change over for all contact could take a while to implement. Stoodleighp@gmail.com . A spreadsheet has been started justifying why some personal information is retained by the council. The response to letters asking for consent to hold personal information has been poor so far. More investigation into the most appropriate privacy notice for the website is ongoing. The good news is that appointment of a Data Protection Officer will not be mandatory for parish councils.
12. Resignation of the Clerk – the Clerk explained the reasons behind her decision. It was anticipated that this might be the last year in office for several members of the council and continuity was felt important. Appointing a new clerk during the current year might impact on efficiency. The matter was discussed further once the meeting closed, in the absence of the clerk.
13. Finance
Current Nat West bank balance as at 12/4/18 £10,723.11 this was boosted by the precept payment.
It was agreed to consider the Annual Governance Statement and accounts after the Annual Parish Meeting on the 30th May. The papers are currently with the internal auditor in Minehead.
Payments were approved for -: Insurance £236.91 Tax & Accounts £43.20 Playsafety £79.80 Village Hall £23