SOUTH TAWTON PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held at the Victory Hall, South Zeal, on Monday 22 nd August 2005 at 7.30 pm

Apologies received from Councillors Pillar, Tilley and Souness (Vice Chairman)

Six Parishioners ,Mr Thomas, Agent for Mr Reddaway and one member of the public attended the meeting.

Declaration of Interest (for Items on the Agenda)

05/60 There were no declarations of interest

05/61 Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 25 th July 2005 were circulated, read and confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Matters Arising

05/62 5/32 Councillor C White enquired about the need for new bunting. The Chairman, Councillor A White, explained that it had been discussed at the July meeting and thought suitable. The bunting had been used on the day that the Post Chaise came through the village and was suitable for the decoration of future celebrations, such as Trafalgar Day.

05/63 5/33 The Clerk suggested that as Colonel Clark was unable to attend this meeting he should be invited to attend the September meeting to discuss the formation, management and brief of the Parish Emergency Management Team. All agreed.

05/64 5/30 The Chairman, Councillor A White, explained that the arrangements for Trafalgar Day on 21 st October were in hand. It is hoped that the venue for the picnic will be the Playing Field. The South Zeal players will perform an enactment and music will be organised.

05/65 5/52 The Chairman, Councillor A White, with Revd. and Mrs Smart and Mrs J White had met with Mr Martin Stoddart, Local Services Officer, DCC and Brian George, County Engineer , on Wednesday 3 rd August 2005 to discuss concerns about 'Trees alongside the former A30 near Ford Cross South Zeal'. The Chairman considered that it had been a useful meeting. He reported that it had been arranged for quotations to be sought for the suggested work and that future correspondence on these matters would be copied to the Parish Council.

05/66 5/57 The Clerk reported that he had written to ask West Devon Borough Planning Department about the application for the observed work at Livaton Farm (Application Reference Number 7333/2005/OKE) which the Parish Council had not seen. It would appear that the application had been listed in April 2005 and that the Borough Council had a record of the consultation sheets being sent to the Parish Council at that time. However, the Parish Council has no record of receiving this documentation.

Correspondence

05/67 The Clerk received a decision from the Planning Inspectorate stating that the Order proposing "to delete part of Bridleway 57 South Tawton from the definitive map and statement for the County of Devon" is Not Confirmed. In the light of this decision Councillor Cann proposed and Councillor Curtis seconded that the Clerk write to Devon County Council Highways Department and to the Dartmoor National Park Authority to ask for the section of Bridleway 57 described in the Planning Inspectorate Order Decision Reference FPS/J1155/7/44 to be reinstated. Majority decision.

05/68 Clerk reported that he had received documentation from Devon and Cornwall Policy Authority publicising information about Stop and Search procedures and rights. This information is displayed on the Parish Council notice board.

05/69 The Clerk received a letter from the Monitoring and Enforcement Officer of Dartmoor National Park Authority stating that the Authority had received a complaint of noise pollution resulting from the use of trial and quad bikes on the old spoil heaps, Ramsley Hill and asking if the Parish Council had received similar complaints. Councillors confirmed that they had not received any complaints recently but agreed to monitor the situation.

05/70 The Clerk received a letter from the secretary of the Dartmoor Visitor, a Local Events Diary, offering to include the Parish's local events in the Winter Edition. Councillors were asked to contact the Clerk to suggest items for inclusion.

05/71 The Clerk received minutes of the Dartmoor National Park Authority Development Control Meeting.

05/72 The Clerk received a copy of the Dartmoor National Park Local Development Framework Scoping Report.

05/73 The Clerk received a copy of Devon County Waste Local Plan and invited Councillors to use the enclosed copies of the Comment Form.

05/74 The Clerk received an application form for the Devon Association of Parish Council Annual General Meeting.

05/75 The Clerk passed on a letter to Councillor R Darch listing dates of future meetings of the Parish Link Committee. The Clerk had responded to requests for information about the structure of the Parish Council.

05/76 The Clerk received a document concerning the Commons Registration Act 1965 for Bude Farm, Sticklepath.

05/77 The Chairman, Councillor A White, introduced a number of topics focussing on Addiscott Cross and the surrounding area, including matters relating to drainage, the maintenance of the verges and the state of the cross itself. Parishioners were invited by the Chairman to speak about their concerns. Mr D. Sampson of South Tawton , whilst grateful for the work that Mr Martin Stoddart, Local Services Officer, DCC had been able to do to improve and maintain the road drainage, felt that his workforce's efforts were hampered by the reaction of a local parishioner who seemed to obstruct the work. Mr Sampson's observations were echoed by Mr A. Geikie of Addiscott, who stated that DCC Highways Department had been helpful but that there were two or three places left unfinished. Councillor R Darch said that the land drains on the left-hand side of the road, looking to the West, were in a much better state than those on the right. It was also stated that the verges on the right were less well tended than those on the left. Further, it was intimated that the reason for these noted differences lay in the approach that the work-teams felt able to adopt to work on either side of the road. Whilst Councillor Cann was pleased that DCC Highways Department had done one side of the road, he proposed and Councillor J Darch seconded a motion that the Clerk write a letter to DCC asking that these matters be addressed and the faults remedied as soon as possible, certainly no later than the end of October, 2005. All agreed.

In response to the observation that the Cross was becoming obscured by the surrounding vegetation, it was proposed by the Chairman, Councillor A White, and seconded by Councillor R Darch that the Clerk write to the landowner asking permission to have the area around the Cross cleared so that it became fully visible. All agreed.

Planning

05/78 South Tawton Primary School , South Zeal

Resolution of Breach of conditions.

The Chairman, Councillor A White, explained how the situation had arisen and how it had been resolved to the satisfaction of the Dartmoor National Park Planning Authority. Work was now at an advanced and satisfactory stage. Councillor Cann emphasized that the Parish Council had not been responsible for the problem and the Chairman thanked Councillor Cann, Vice-Chairman Councillor Souness and the Clerk for their help in bringing the matter to a satisfactory conclusion.

05/79 Mr G. Healy, Woodball, Wood, Okehampton, South Tawton

7855 Construction of tanalised timber workspace with wood store. Withdrawn.

7936 Change of use of land to form part of residential curtilage and erection of workshop/store

The Parish Council agreed to support this application.

05/80 Mr R Reddaway, Livaton Farm Buildings , Livaton, South Tawton

Change of use of barns to create four residential units

After debate, the Parish Council agreed not to support this application on the grounds that it was over-development of the site, that the road system was not adequate for the proposed use and that it would cause inconvenience to local residents. Councillor J Darch reserved his decision.

05/81 Miss Sharp, Oxenham Manor, South Tawton

Riding arena for private use

The Parish Council agreed not to support this application although it was suggested that they would look with more favour on an application that placed the development closer to the house.

05/82 Mr R Mawle, Woodholme Farmhouse, South Tawton

Conversion of barns to two dwellings

The Parish Council decided not to comment on this application except to observe that the buildings involved were, as part of the Wood Estate designed by Thomas Morson, of considerable historic importance and international significance. Councillor J Darch reserved his decision.

Extra Planning that Councillors agreed to discuss

05/83 Mr and Mrs A Trussler, Little Grove, Ramsley Road, South Zeal

Granny annex, car port and conservatory to replace existing

The Parish Council agreed to support this application.

Accounts

05/84 It was proposed by Councillor Cann and seconded by Councillor J Darch that the accounts be adopted. All agreed.

05/85 The Clerk distributed a briefing paper that described an apparent anomaly in the Parish Council's accounting system. Whilst making it absolutely clear that this suggested no impropriety or mis-management by the Council, its Proper Officer or Responsible Financial Officer, he explained that, on advice, the mixing of Public and Charity funds in a single account made financial administration more difficult and the financial position of the Parish Council less clear. It was proposed by Councillor Cann and seconded by Councillor J White:

• i. that the amount of public money held in deposit in the South Tawton Parish Council Hoare Allotment Field Account be calculated and then transferred to the Current Account or another account containing Council public money.

• ii. that the Responsible Financial Officer be asked if he would kindly issue an extra Statement of Funds as soon as possible to record the position that the new Responsible Financial Officer will be inheriting.

All Agreed.

05/86 The Chairman, Councillor A White, joined by the other members of the Council, congratulated Councillor Cann on being elected an Honorary Alderman of the County of Devon .

05/87 At 9.15 pm Councillor Cann and the Members of the Public left and the Parish Council moved into Part 2 procedure.

The Parish Council returned to Part 1 procedure and the meeting ended at 9.40 pm .