January 2021

UPLOWMAN PARISH COUNCIL: MINUTES OF MEETING

 

Held on Thursday 21^st January 2021 using the online Zoom App, starting at 7.30pm.

Cllr C Slade (MDDC) plus one members of the public present. Minutes by Mr R Hodgson, Clerk. Action points in bold. Approved on 18 March 2021

 

1. MEMBERS PRESENT

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

 

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

2.1 Cllr R Normanhad tendered apologies for absence due totechnology challenges.

2.2 Review of meeting arrangements: Meetings would continue to be held remotely (on line) for the

foreseeable future, given the currently continuing movement restrictions.

2.3 Cllr Slade had circulated a report on DCC matters. A budget of £578.4m had been approved, with

£35.6m additional for services. Grants of up to £700 were available for organisations working in covid affected communities and a new support programme had been launched for ppeople who’d lost their jobs. Cllr Slade’s Locality Budget was now all spent.

2.4 In Cllr Radford’s absence, Cllr Slade said that the MDDC budget deficit was now reduced to £0.4m. The 3 Rivers company was being restructured and back on track. Garden waste was a growing business and the three-weekly waste collecton trial would start for 1000 premises after lockdown ends.

 

3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETINGS (19 November 2020)

3.1 Draft Minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 19^th November 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 PCC had not completed their review of the church survey and would report to the March meeting.

 

5. FINANCES

5.1 Current Balance: £5962.04

Income since last meeting £Nil

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

                       R Hodgson, Clerk’s expenses (£11.85)

                       DALC, £72.00 agreed for training for Cllr Moore, to beinvoiced in due course.

                       As agreed in November, £128+VAT would be due to Chieflowman Farm Ltd for replacing the East Mere Cross signpost.

5.3 A revised budget for 2021-2 had been circulated. After discussion, Cllr Milner proposed that the precept request for 2021-2 should be set at £3,200, an increase of £100 in line with inflation. On a show of hands the proposal was carried with Cllr Moore against the motion. It was agreed that the UPC’s membership of DALC would continue and that the subscription could be deducted from the precept by MDDC. The Clerk would inform MDDC.

5.4 Cllr Milner had heard from most councillors regarding the Clerk’s appraisal and would be in contact to arrange a discussion within a week.

 

6. PLANNING APPLICATIONS

6.1 20/01378/CLU: Roselands, built 8m from agreed position in 1964. Had been approved by MDDC.

6.2 20/01250/FULL: Uplowman House. Convert outbuilding to residential (and related Listed Building

Consent application). Had been approved by MDDC.

6.3 20/02162/House: 1 Chapel Cottages, Convert ext building to 4-bay garage. This was discussed in the meeting and councillors raised no objection. The Clerk would inform MDDC.

6.4 20/02159/PNCOU: East Mere Fm, convert redundant buildings to 5 dwellings under Class Q. This was raised by Cllr Adcock who had received a notice from concerned neighbours. The site was just outside the Uplowman parish boundaries and could generate significant traffic on some very restricted highways in the parish. Cllr Milner commented that this was an application that would impact Uplowman but UPC would not have heard about it through the usual channels. He considered that UPC should be made aware of such relevant applications. Cllr Slade said that he had been told that afternoon that the application was withdrawn. He advised writing to the planners again, cc himself and Cllr Radford. Cllr Milner would draft an email.

 

7. SUSTAINABILITY AND HEALTHY LIVING

7.1 Cllr Milner noted that the emailed newsletters continued at fortnightly intervals. He and others found them informative and entertaining. It was agreed that they should continue.

7.2 Cllr Moore had joined a meeting of the Community Energy lobby group. Due to her broad band dropping, she had missed part of the meeting. Devon was now developing its own carbon reduction plan and Cllr Milner felt that UPC should follow these developments.

 

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:

8.1  Mrs P Holley had written to say that the village welcome pack was outdated. Cllr Milner said he had updated it now and wondered whether paper copies, which need frequent revision, were still appropriate. All agreed that paper ones were to be preferred.

9. HALL AND RECREATION ASSOCIATION

9.1 Due to current Covid restrictions, the hall remained closed and there was nothing to report.

 

10. EMERGENCY PLANNING AND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

10.1 The Clerk said that reviewing the emegency plan should include face-to-face consultations with people and groups in the parish, which was not at present possible. It was agreed to keep this work until after movement restrictions had been lifted. The Clerk would circulate the old plan to all.

11. VILLAGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS

11.1 Cllr Adcock said that the bus shelter roof would be repaired during February. The shelter would then need cleaning down and painting. His estimate of £1500 for the project still stood. There was no progress on installation of the bike rack.

11.2 Air ambulance night landing site: The Clerk said there had been some encouraging responses to the request for support. It was agreed that a fund-raising committee would be needed and Cllr Branton would draft a second letter for the village news to seek members.

11.3  Broadband: Openreach had responded with cost estimates and an outline of the gant funding arrangements. The group had almost completed a survey of all the parish to ascertain those wishing to join. Cllr Milner suggested circulating another email to encourage those who had not yet replied, which the Clerk would do.

11.4 Mrs Veen had offered to install a replacement bench on the Green in memory of her parents. All were happy to accept this generous offer and Cllr Milner would liaise with Mrs Veen.

11.5 The Parish magazine had offered £550 for village projects this year. After brief discussion, it was agreed to allocate this money to restoring the wrought iron kissing gates at the church and in School lane. The Clerk would reply to the Parish magazine and Cllr Branton would liaise with the PCC.

11.6 A general discussion followed on developing projects for the benefit of the village. A number of suggestions were made, including: Christmas decorations for the Green; cast iron signs (see 12.1); a flower box for the village entrance; renew the rails by the leat; a fence at the playing field, and a PA system for the hall. Cllr Milner said that costings would be needed and then projects like these could be funded as opportunities arose. The Clerk would maintain a list.

 

12. STATE OF ROADS IN PARISH

12.1 Mrs Christie McCombe had been investigating ways of restoring the traditional cast iron sign posts within the parish. It was likely to cost about £1500 per post and there was as yet no clear way to obtain posts. It was agreed that this was a desirable project but that the East Mere post should be replaced in wood for the time being while investigations continued. The Clerk would arrange.

12.2 The sewer outside Greenend had now overflowed three times. The Clerk would contact South West Water to ask for their plans to prevent this regular pollution recurring.

12.3 DCC Highways had written asking the PC to prioritise routes for maintenance. It was agreed that the two main routes were the north-south route from Sampford Peverell towards Huntsham and the east-weest route from Tiverton to Whitnage. The Clerk would inform Highways. Councillors would add important drainage points after reflection.

12.4 It was noted that 4x4 vehicles ‘greenlaning’ were causing a nuisance along the Whitnage Lane bridleway.

 

13. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

The next meeting was confirmed for Thursday 18^th March 2021, expected to be again by Zoom.

 

The meeting closed at 10.05pm

Public discussion: None that was not covered in the meeting

 

UPC Minutes of 21 Jan 2021