July 2020 Draft

UPLOWMAN PARISH COUNCIL: MINUTES OF MEETING

 

Held on Thursday 16^th July 2020 using the online Zoom App, starting at 7.35pm.

Cllr C Slade (DCC) plus two members of the public present. Minutes by Mr R Hodgson, Clerk. Action points in bold. Approved on 17 September 2020

 

1. MEMBERS PRESENT

1.1 Present: CllrsT Milner (Chair), R Adcock, N Branton and K Baugh.

 

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

2.1 Cllrs R Norman and A McCombe had tendered apologies for absence due totechnology challenges and work engagements, respectively.

2.2 Co-option of councillor to replace Mrs S Floyd. The Clerk said that the vacancy had been advertised and, there being no call for an election, UPC was now free to co-opt a councillor. Cllr Milner said that Mrs M Moore had offered to serve, for which he thanked her. Mrs Moore was present at the meeting and inroduced herself. Cllr Adcock proposed accepting her offer. Cllr Milner said he would confer with the members not present and, provided they were in accordance, would invite Mrs Moore to the September meeting when co-option would be completed.

2.3 Absence of Cllr Norman. Cllr Norman, while wishing to continue as a councillor, had been unable to attend meetings held online. Cllr Milner had spoken with him and said that, as Cllr Norman had participated in planning site visits and contributed in other ways, he remained a valued member of UPC but by the time of the September meeting would have been absent for 6 months. Cllr Milner proposed that UPC should recognise Cllr Norman’s contributions and give him leave of absence for the period that the Coronavirus Act 2020 remained in force. On a show of hands, all were in agreement.

2.4 Cllr Slade provided an update from DCC. 300,000 newsletters were being sent to rural homes in Devon to inform residents of DCC’s covid responses. Work was starting on DCC’s largest ever road repair programme and £93m had been allocated for upgrading of the North Devon Link Road. DCC was undertaking a survey of electric vehicle use to identify where chargers would be needed. Cllr Slade said that DCC was coping well with the financial burdens imposed by Covid-19.

2.5 Cllr Radford had sent a report from MDDC. A special meeting was expected to adopt the Local Plan on 29^th July. There would be a consultation on the Greater Exeter Strategic Plan, which proposed large developments in Sampford Peverell, during September. £20m grants had been provided to local businesses during the pandemic.

 

3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETINGS (21 May and Planning Meeting of 11 June 2020)

3.1 Draft Minutes of the meetings held on Thursdays21^st May and 11^th June 2020 had been circulated. There were no changes requested and they were signed by the Chair as a true record of that meeting.

 

4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES

4.1 The Clerk had sent the audit exemption certificate to the auditor and the period for public exercise of rights would run until 24 July.

 

5. FINANCES

5.1 Current Balance:                          £7966.06

      Income since last meeting               £Nil

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

      R Hodgson, Clerk’s expenses (£8.30)

      J Veen, grass cutting and leat clearing (£90.82)

      R Norman, repairs to school path (£600.00)

6. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

6.1 20/00555/Full: Lowerman Cross, replace barn & convert barn. Had been approved by MDDC.

6.2 20/00675/Full: Uplowman House: replace piggery with residence, with Class Q Fallback. UPC had not objected and a decision was awaited.

6.3 20/00509/Full: Greenend, replace garage with livestock building & office. UPC had objected that this represented a visual intrusion into the rural  setting and a decision was awaited.

6.4 20/00728/Full: Beerdown lodge, change of use agricultural to garden. UPC had not objected and a decision was awaited.

6.5 20/00968/LBC: Stagg Mill, replace kitchen etc. This was discussed and UPC had no objection.

6.3 Review of UPC Planning procedures. The Clerk noted that all applications were now being posted on the UPC website. Cllr Milner had revised UPC’s  planning procedures. He proposed that applications with major impacts could be ‘called in’ by any councillor and details circulated by email to the village circulation list. After discussion, the revised procedures were agreed fro adoption by all members.

7. SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTHY LIVING

7.1 Cllr Branton said that the Covid-19 support hub continued. Newsletters were being sent at least fortnightly and shopping was being done for one or two elderly parishioners but the need for this had reduced a lot. The Clerk said that the newsletters would continue, possibly becoming monthly, and the PC should consider how this resource should be used in the longer term.

 

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:

8.1The Clerk said that he was now getting regular updates on progress with making the website ‘accessible’ to all viewers. This would require modification of some documents. The historic minutes had been taken down for the moment because they gave a large number of ‘fails’ and they might be reinstated later.

9. HALL AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION

9.1 People had been playing football in the tennis court so a lock had been put on the gate. There had been several groups congregating around the hall and the defibrillator door had been left open. Cllr Adcock thought it best to monitor and hope that antisocial behaviour would reduce as lockdown eased.

9.2 UHRA was considering safe ways of re-opening the hall.

9.3 Rob Adcock was discussing with Toby Norman the making and erection of flower boxes.

 

10. EMERGENCY PLANNING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

10.1 The Clerk said that the current pandemic had highlighted a need to update PC emergency planning. Cllr Milner suggested that a meeting be held to discuss this.

10.2 The Police & Crime Commissioner had established a scheme to bring ‘Counicillor Advocates’ together from communities to improve police/community interactions. Details had been circulated on 4^th June. Cllr Branton said that UPC should be involved. She and Cllr Milner said they would read the documents and report back.

 

11. VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

11.1 Cllr Adcock would get a quote for painting the bus shelter. He would also discuss positioning of the bicycle racks with UHRA.

11.2There was no progress with the DAA Landing site.

11.3 Deterioration of the ‘kissing’ gate on the church-school path was discussed. Cllr Branton said that this would need to be discussed with the land owner and she would do so.

11.4 Cllr Milner would look at the seats on the green and report back.

11.5 There was no further news of village broadband improvements.

 

12. STATE OF ROADS IN PARISH

12.1 The leat had been reported as requiring clearing. Cllr Milner said that this was usually the riparian owner’s responsibility but for simplicity UPC should clear the section between Granny Baker’s Cottage and the Redwoods on this occasion, which was agreed. Cllr Branton said she would get quotes. Additionally, the rail was in poor repair. The Clerk would consult with DCC Highways over its repair or replacement.

12.2 The village sign had disappeared from opposite the hall. It was suggested that this might be a suitable time to install a more decorative sign and that a competition might be run to design a sign. Cllr Milner said that he would put details together for circulation and would investigate possible costs. The Clerk would consult with DCC.

 

13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

 

The next meeting was confirmed for Thursday 17^th September, expected to be again by Zoom. Cllr Baugh apologised in advance that he would not be able to attend due to family commitents.

 

The meeting closed at 9.50pm

 

Public discussion

 

The Clerk said he had received reports that the seats on the green were in poor repair, that the leatleat needed clearing and that the rail beside the leat was rotting.

 

UPC Minutes of 16 July 2020