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March 2022

UPLOWMAN PARISH COUNCIL:  MINUTES OF MEETING

Held on Thursday 17th March 2022 in Uplowman Village Hall, starting at 8.20pm.

Cllr C Slade and 5 members of the public present. Minutes by Mr R Hodgson, Clerk. Action points in bold.

Approved on 19th May

  1. MEMBERS PRESENT

1.1 Present: CllrsM Moore (Chair), N Branton, K Baugh, A McCombe, and R Adcock

  1. APOLOGIES, PROCEDURAL MATTERS AND REPORTS FROM MDDC & DCC

2.1 Apologies for absence had been received from Cllr D Thomas (unwell) and D Westerman (away).

2.2 Cllr Slade reported on DCC matters. His Locality budget had now closed and would re-open, albeit reduced, in May. DCC was supporting social enterprise start-ups with workshops and advice. DCC were offering subsidised home composting bins to reduce garden waste. Cllr Slade said he would be pleased to take the issue of pot holes further up in DCC if UPC could provide written details of the problematic holes.

2.3 Cllr Radford had circulated a report on MDDC activities. MDDC was starting consultation on a new Local Plan by seekeing comments on issues facing residents. MDDC was working with other councils to support the government’s homes for refugees scheme and the Devon Pension Fund was divesting itself of any Russian investments. A budget of £14.8m was now agreed for the coming year.

  1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING (20th January 2022)

3.1 Draft Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 20th January 2022 had been circulated. There were no changes requested and they were signed by the Chair as a true record of that meeting.

 

  1. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

4.1 The Chair reminded councillors that she had undertaken her duties for only the current year and that a new Chair should be elected in May. After discussion, she agreed that she would coninue as Chair for one more year only.

 

  1. FINANCES

5.1                                                          Current Balance: £5680.18

  Income since last meeting (grants from Parish Magazine) £650.00

5.2 The following payments were approved and cheques signed to effect the disbursements:

R Hodgson, salary (£700.00) plus expenses since November (£12.79)

UHRA, hire of hall for 2021-22 (£220.50, including First Aid training use).

D Robinson, First Aid Training SW (£720.00).

5.3 The Clerk presented draft accounts for information, noting that they would be finalised for the May meeting. There were no comments. Cllr McCombe had not yet completed the change of signatory process. He would submit the papers to Nat West.

5.4The Clerk’s salary was confirmed, as discussed in January, to be £1450 for the coming year.

 

  1. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

6.1 21/02462/Full: Willow Barn reposition stables. Had been approved by MDDC.

6.2 21/02187/Full: Rosebank erect new shed. UPC made no objection. MDDC decision awaited.

6.3 22/00244/HOUSE: Locks End rear extension. UPC No Objection, decision awaited.

6.422/00277/HOUSE: 1Wallflower Cott extn. UPC No Objection, decision awaited.

6.522/00115/FULL: Lowerman Fm, infill between two barns. This was considered in the meeting. The barns were considered to be in a prominent position on the horizon and would form a large visual block when joined as proposed. UPC agreed to object to the application on grounds that it was not in keeping with the rural character of the location. The Clerk would inform MDDC.

6.6Sip Shed: Application to vary licence. UPC had circulated details in the monthly newsletter and considered representations by affected neighbours. UPC had concluded that longer hours and extending the licence to outside areas could present a nuisance for neighbours. A representation had been sent to the Licensing officer to recommend retaining the restriction on consumption of alcohol outside the premises. The Licensing committee would consider the application on 28th March. It was agreed that UPC would not attend or add to its written representation.

 

  1. VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

7.1 Uplowman community broadband project: Airband were now contracted by CDS to provide broadband connections and would conduct public consulations in Uplowman later in 2022.

7.2 Parish News grant: Cllrs Branton and Adcock would provide quotes for the options discussed previously.

7.3 Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Other groups in the village were making plans for the celebration to be in June. Councillors agreed that they would support such plans and UPC would not make separate plans.

 

  1. SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTHY LIVING

8.1 Community Energy Scheme: There was interest in a community energy scheme. Cllr Moore would draft a note for inclusion in the next Uplowman newsletter.

 

  1. CORRESPONDENCE

A list of correspondence received and sent had been circulated. Attention was drawn to the following items of interest that were not covered elsewhere:

9.1No additional correspondence considered.

 

  1. HALL AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION

10.1 Fencing was being erected at the leat end of the football field. A new refridgerator had been installed.

  1. EMERGENCY PLANNING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

11.1 8 parishioners had taken the first aid training on 12th March and a further 12 were expected to do so on 26th. In response to comments by the trainer, Cllr Adcock would check whether there was a debrillator preparation kit available and where the Hall accident book was kept.

11.2 Martin Rich of Devon Communities Together would attend the May meeting to advise on redrafting Uplowman’s emergency plan.

11.3 Cllr Moore proposed that UPC should offer to support any parishioners who wished to offer accommodation to refugees from the conflict in Ukraine and to mediate, if needed, with MDDC. All agreed.

 

  1. STATE OF ROADS IN PARISH

12.1 UPC would draft a report on potholes for Cllr Slade. Cllrs Moore and Branton would produce details of the deteriorated road surface at Whitnage and Cllr Westerman’s notes would be developed to give details of the holes presenting the greatest risks to road users.

 

  1. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting was confirmed for Thursday 19th May 2022, to be the Annual PC meeting in the Hall.

The meeting closed at 9.35pm

 

Public discussion:

Mr J Curd of Tiverton Harriers confirmed that plans were well advanced for a 10k road race starting and finishing at the Hall on Bank Holiday Monday May 2nd. They were hoping for 150 runners. The race would start at 10.30am and expected to be completed within about 2 hours.

Mrs A Williams, head of Development Management at MDDC, attended to introduce herself. She emphasised a desire to work with parishes and promised to respond to all enquiries. She reminded councillors of her monthly zoom training presentations. She accepted that permitted development orders were a challenge and said that her officers had strict rules governing how they dealt with these.

Several parishioners made representations concerning the Sip Shed licence application. They considered that additional alcohol consumption outside the building would result in noise and nuisance for the neighbours.

The matter of parking at the cross roads was raised. Large parked vehicles obscure sight of other vehicles approaching the junction. It was noted that there used to be a ‘no parking’ sign on the Redwoods and perhaps this might be reinstated. Signs bought by Clr Branton on behalf of UPC had yet to be erected.

MINUTES OF 17 March 2022

Minutes of meetings held in 2022