January 2025 DRAFT

UPLOWMAN PARISH COUNCIL: DRAFT MINUTES OF MEETING

 

Held on Thursday 16^th January 2025 in Uplowman Village Hall, starting at 8.00pm.

Cllrs C Slade (DCC), J Lock (MDDC) and two members of the public present. Cllr G Westcott had another meeting. Minutes by Mr R Hodgson, Clerk. Action points in bold. Subject to approval on 20 March.

 

1. MEMBERS PRESENT and PROCEDURAL MATTERS

1.1 Present: Cllrs M Moore (Chair), J Mayne, A McCombe, and D Westerman.

 

2. APOLOGIES AND REPORTS FROM MDDC & DCC

2.1 Councillor D Thomas, working, Cllr R Adcock (away), and Cllr K Baugh had tendered apologies for absence.

2.2 Cllr Slade had sent a report on DCC matters. He noted that DCC had voted to press ahead with plans to devolve powers to Devon and Torbay as a future unitary authority under the current government strategy. Devon’s application would be considered later in the month. DCC had been granted £83.6m for additional pot hole repairs. In response to a question, Cllr Slade said that DCC was working on options for replacing Airband as provider of broadband under the CDS scheme.

2.3 Cllr Lock said that the options for devolution were being discussed at MDDC. She reported that auditors had found errors in the charges made for local authority rents – those who had underpaid would not be chased while MDDC would repay those who had overpaid. MDDC waste recycling was still going well and it was planned to add used nappies to the collection.

 

3. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING (21^st November 2024)

3.1 Draft Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 21^st November2024 had been circulated. There were no changes requested and they were signed by the Chair as a true record of that meeting.

 

4. FINANCES and PROCEDURES

4.1            Current Balance: £4060.73

          Income since last meeting :£Nil

It was noted that one cheque for £25 had not yet been cashed.

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

     AP Hayman, grass cutting, £35.00

     R Hodgson, Clerk’s expenses, £9.55

4.3 The draft budget prepared by the Clerk was discussed. It was agreed to add a £250 contingency for work to reduce flooding. UPC’s reserves policy had been circulated. This had been set at £3,500 in 2016 to provide cover for a range of possible contingencies. The proposed budget would restore the reserves to the level set in 2016. It was agreed that the allowances made should be reviewed so that reserves could be built up if needed.

4.4 After modifying the budget as discussed, the Clerk was instructed on a show of hands to request a precept of £4,750.00 for the financial year 2025-6. It was also agreed that membership of the Devon Association of Local Councils would continue and that the subscription could be deducted from the precept. The Clerk would inform MDDC.

 

5. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

5.1 23/01916/FULL: Redwoods, Change of use to 3 dwellings. Decision on appeal awaited.

5.2 24/01033/FULL: Hill Farm, revised catle shed layout. UPC had not objected and decision awaited.

5.3 24/01741/FULL: Sweetings, erect barn. UPC had no objection and decision awaited.

 

6. VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

6.1 The Redwoods Pub project:There was no further news.

6.2 Parish website: Mr T Milner noted that the registration of the Uplowman.org.uk domain would lapse in 18 months time. Mr T Donald had circulated the current content of the new website on which he was working and it was agreed that a further meeting with him was needed to work out details of how the need of the UHRA would be incorporated. It was noted that one consequence of devolution could be that UPC might lose the hosting of its web pages by MDDC.

6.3 Cllr McCombe would view the webinar on establishing .gov.uk domains and emails. This would be discussed in the March meeting.

6.4 First Aid Training: UPC had provided subsidised first aid training for parishioners in 2022. The certificates would expire soon. Several parishioners had expressed interest in taking a refresher. It was agreed that UPC would look into arranging this and would provide a 20% subsidy to parish residents.

 

7. SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTHY LIVING

7.1 Nothing to report at this time.

 

8. 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:

8.1MDDC was conducting a survey of locations where there was no mobile signal in homes. The Clerk would circulate this request and draft a list of such locations in Uplowman for MDDC.

 

9. HALL AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION

9.1 No report.

 

10. EMERGENCY PLANNING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

10.1 Nothing to report.

 

11. STATE OF ROADS IN PARISH

11.1 Whitnage Lane signage: The Clerk was asked to follow up with DCC to arrange a time to discuss options.

11.2 In response to the Clerk’s enquiry, DCC Highways had said that their Dragon Patcher machine was currently not operating and that resurfacing of the Sampford Peverell Road had been scheduled but no date could be given.

11.3 Flooding between the village and St Peter’s Church: Cllr Moore had met Meg Booth, Director of Environment, Climate Change and Transport at DCC. Meg had offered to help sort out responsibility for flooding. Cllr Moore had written with details and a response was awaited. MDDC was developing a risk register of emergency hot-spots. The Clerk was asked to write to add flooding in Uplowman to the register.

 

12. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting was confirmed for Thursday 20^th March 2025, to be in the Hall at 7.30pm.

 

The meeting closed at 9.20pm

 

Public discussion:

 

The poor state of the road between Uplowman and Sampford Peverell was raised. The questioner was assured that UPC had been in continuous contact with the Neighbourhood Highways Officer and that it had been informed that the work was scheduled.

 

A parishioner had written to say that the leat seemed to be filling with sediment and there was a risk that it might overflow. It was noted that maintenace of hte leat was the responsibility of riparian owners and UPC’s funds were available as last resort. However, it was also said that any clearing of sediment must be done carefully to avoid damaging any clay lining in the leat bed. There was a risk of the leat blocking underneath the Redwoods skittle alley or the road. The Clerk would ask DCC Highways to inspect the culvert. Cllr Westerman noted that the sluice boards controlling water in the leat had been removed, resulting in additional flows in it, which might be contributing to the concern.

 

Cllr Moore had been give a notice relating to a planned motor rally through Uplowman in the early hours of 9^th February. The Clerk would circulate information to the parish as it might affect people travelling to/from work shifts.

 

DRAFT MINUTES OF 16 January 2025