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March 2023

UPLOWMAN PARISH COUNCIL: DRAFT MINUTES OF MEETING

Held on Thursday 16th March 2023 in Uplowman Village Hall, starting at 7.55pm.

Cllr C Slade (DCC) and six members of the public present. Minutes by Mr R Hodgson, Clerk. Action points in bold. Approved on 18th May 2023

 

  1. MEMBERS PRESENT

1.1 Present: Cllrs M Moore (Chair), K Baugh, A McCombe, N Branton, D Westerman, and R Adcock,

 

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

2.1 No apologies for absence had been received.

2.2 Cllr Slade had reported on DCC matters. The ‘Growing Communities’ Fund would be repeated in 2023. A new fund had been set up to support emergency planning at parish level. The Locality budget continues but would be reduced to £5,000 per DC councillor. In response to a question, Cllr Slade said that he would be pressing the developers of Braid Park to complete the planned through road because the temporary route via Putson Lane was in bad shape and not suitable for heavy traffic. He also noted that DCC had received a big grant for pothole repairs. When these were done, normal resurfaceing would resume.

2.3 No report had been received on MDDC matters. Following ward boundary changes, Cllr Radford would no longer represent Uplowman following the election in May and was thanked in absentia for his support over the years.

 

  1. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING (19th January 2023)

3.1 Draft Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 19th January 2023 had been circulated. There were no changes requested and they were signed by the Chair as a true record of that meeting. Thanks were expressed to Cllr Westeran for acting as Chair for the January meeting.

 

  1. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

4.1 The Clerk had confirmed that Mr T Milner was still providing welcome packs to new parish residents. The PC expressed its appreciation of Mr Milner’s work and agreed to support it.

 

  1. FINANCES

5.1 Current Balance: £6005.09

Income since last meeting (locality budget for Trim trail: £1100.00

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

R Hodgson, Clerk’s salary and expenses, £737.15

UHRA, Hire of hall for 2022-3, £105.00

5.3 Review of provisional year-end accounts: These had been circulated and were noted.

5.4 Councillors were reminded that there would be an election in May. All, apart from Cllr Branton, planned to stand. Cllr Branton was warmly thanked for her contributions to the PC’s debates and work.

 

  1. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

6.1 22/00753/Full, Land at Stonebridge, replace shed with 2 dwellings, UPC objected, Awaiting decision.

6.2 22/01345/FULL: Chamberlains, relocate equestrian building. UPC no object, decision awaited

6.3 22/02325/F, Hill Farm, erect ag workers cottage. UPC no objection, decision awaited

6.423/00385/FULL: Hill Farm, erect cattle shed. Cllr Branton declared an interest, being related to the applicant, and did not contribute to the discussion. No objection was raised but councillors wished to be reassured that waste emanating from the shed would be adequately stored and managed. The clerk would respond accordingly.

6.5 23/00354/FULL: Willow Barn, erect holiday cottage. The site had been visited by Cllrs Adcock & Westerman. In discussion, it was agreed that the site would be close to the neighbouring Marigold Cottage and likely to cause light and noise intrusion there. There was also a risk to Marigold Cottage’s thatched roof from the planned woodburner. The access had been newly created without permission, removing part of an old hedgerow. For these reasons, councillors objected to the application. The Clerk would draft a response.

6.6 Resiting of Elmore football ground. There had been two public meetings, both opposed to the plans, and so far no planning application had been made.

 

  1. VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

7.1 Village signs: these were still being made.

7.2 Broadband update: Airband now said that installation would be delayed until late summer of 2024.

7.3 Funding applications had been made for the trim trail and related equipment. £1100 had been received from Cllr Slade’s Locality budget for a table tennis table and £3000 had been offered from the Growing Communities fund. The outcome of other applications was awaited. It was noted that, if all the applications made were granted, UPC’s turnover the following year would necessitate an audit.

7.4 Devon Wildlife Trust had provided a crab-apple tree to mark the forthcoming coronation of HM Charles III. It was with Cllr Adcock for planting in the churchyard. Cllr Moore would talk to the wardens to fix a location for it. A proposal made in January to plant an oak tree had not been pursued.

 

  1. SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTHY LIVING

8.1 Cllr Moore noted that this item should be a matter for all councillors. Cllr Adcock said that the Devon Carbon Project had talked to the UHRA about community energy schemes using the Hall but UHRA did not propose to pursue it.

 

  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:

9.1Mr Curd had outlined Tiverton Harriers’ plans to repeat the 10k road race in Uplowman on bank holiday 29th May. It would be similar to the event run last year. Cllr Branton noted that moving it to the end of May would put it in the farmers’ main silaging period and a note should be put in the newsletter.

 

  1. HALL AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION

10.1 Cllr Adcock said that the UHRA had not yet decided on the positioning of the trim trail. They had decided to install a sound syste and had received a quote of £3750 for a suitable one.

 

  1. EMERGENCY PLANNING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

11.1 No volunteers had come forward to join an emergency planning group. It was decided that Cllrs Adcock, Westerman and Moore plus Mrs J Murley and the Clerk would form such a group and set up a meeting.

  1. STATE OF ROADS IN PARISH

12.1 It was noted that a new crack had appeared in the recently repaired Whitnage lane. The Highways Officer had inspected roads in Whitnage and agreed that they should be resurfaced.

12.2 The Clerk was asked to investigate establishment of snow-wardens to facilitate maintenance of the grit bins.

 

  1. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting was confirmed for Thursday 18th May 2023, to be in the Hall. The Chair repeated the thanks of UPC to Cllr Branton and expressed a hope that she would resume duties as a councillor when her busy life permitted.

 

The meeting closed at 9.10pm

Public discussion:

Mr J Curd presented proposals of Tiverton Harriers to stage a 10k road race in Uplowman on 29th May. This would start around 10am and should be finished by 12-1230pm. Councillors agreed that the 2022 event had caused no problems and welcomed Mr Curd’s proposals.

 

An update on the trim trail proposals was presented, as described in Minute 7.3. This was supported by several parisioners.

 

Mrs J Murley of Marigold Cottage presented her objections to Planning Application 23/00354/FULL, which would, if permitted, be built close to her thatched home and present potential noise nuisances and fire risks.

 

 

 

MINUTES OF 16 March 2023

Minutes of meetings held in 2023