South Tawton Parish Council Meeting Minutes

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JANUARY	Monday 23 rd
FEBRUARY	Monday 27 th
MARCH	Monday 20 th
APRIL	Monday 24 th
MAY (Annual Meeting)	Monday 22 nd
JUNE	Monday 26 th
JULY	Monday 24 th
AUGUST	Monday 21 st
SEPTEMBER	Monday 25 th
OCTOBER	Monday 23 rd
NOVEMBER	Monday 20 th
DECEMBER	Monday 11 th

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held at the Victory Hall, South Zeal, on Monday 26th June 2006 at 7.30 pm

Apologies were received from Councillors R Darch, Tilley, Pillar and Curtis
14 parishioners attended the meeting.

Declaration of Interest (for Items on the Agenda)

06/158 There were no declarations of interest.

06/159 Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 22nd May 2006 were circulated, read and confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

06/160 Councillor A White, Chairman, welcomed Mr Edwards from the Community Council for Devon to the meeting to talk to Council about Parish Plans. Mr Edwards began his address by explaining that the purpose of Parish Plans was to give everyone in the community a chance to say what they think about the social, economic and environmental issues affecting the Parish and how they would like to see their community developed and improved over the coming years. He went on to outline the benefits of Parish Plans and gave some examples, such as the identification of local housing needs, planning environmental improvements and providing a holiday club for local children. He emphasised the value of having written evidence of need when bidding for project funding.

Mr Edwards explained the funding for such projects. This, he stated, was made up of a DEFRA grant of 75%, up to a maximum of £2500, 20% ‘funding in kind’, such as volunteer time, venue hire and transport costs and a 5% cash contribution, probably from the Parish Council. He concluded his remarks by outlining the Key Steps from the formation of a Steering Group to Putting the Plan into Action and wished us well.

In answer to Councillor J Darch’s question as to whether a Parish Plan would be funded as we already had an existing Parish Appraisal in place, Mr Edwards answered that it would. Councillor Cann observed that the Council already consulted widely in other and many ways and asked why Mr Edwards therefore thought that this exercise was needed. Mr Edwards replied that he thought the Parish Plan gave a coherent view of peoples’ views and, unlike a Parish Appraisal, contained an Action Plan that lead directly to development from the collected data.

The Chairman, Councillor A White, thanked Mr Edwards for his time, help and advice.

06/161 06/141 Letter concerning noise from the A30. The Clerk provided copies of letters received recently from Mr.G. Healy. As there had been insufficient time to circulate these to Councillors, it was agreed to postpone a discussion of them until the next meeting.

06/162 Possible change to the First Devon and Cornwall bus Request Stop at Ford Cross. The Clerk reported that he had received information from Dr and Mrs Crawford of South Tawton, who were present at the meeting, that buses heading towards Okehampton may in future not stop at Ford Cross, beside the old garage, to set passengers down. As it had proved difficult to contact First Buses to verify this, Councillor Cann asked that the Clerk contact Mr Richardson Dawes to clarify the matter.

06/163             Wain Homes. Councillor Cann observed that the site around Wain Homes was becoming very overgrown and unkempt. He thought that this was a surprising state of affairs for an organisation that had won awards for building and presentation. Councillor Cann proposed and Councillor Souness (Vice Chairman) seconded that the Clerk be asked to write a letter to Wain Homes asking them to kindly attend to the matter. All agreed.

                        Correspondence

06/164             Improvement of the Path through Millfield. At the invitation of the Chairman, Councillor A White, Mr Ian Brooker (Dartmoor Ranger) described the plans to improve this footpath (No.1) He informed the Council that the landowners had kindly agreed to allow the path to be dug out to a depth of 4” and to have stone rolled in along its entire length. He also explained that a similar treatment would be given to the section of footpath in this field (No.2) that leads to the path behind the Oxenham Arms Hotel. It is hope that the work on footpath No.1 will be concluded by August or September, 2006.

06/165             Mr and Mrs Janes. Request for further information. The Clerk reported that he had received thanks and payment from Mr and Mrs Janes for furnishing them with the information they had requested. They had observed that it seemed that there were three items missing and had asked for copies of these. Whilst the Clerk thanked Councillors Cann and Souness (Vice Chairman) for their observation that they felt enough had been done to fulfil the obligation to Mr and Mrs Janes, he said that he would have another short search for this material.

06/166             Victim Support Devon. The Clerk explained that he had received a request from this organisation, a charity that provides help to those who suffer as a result of crimes including homicide, rape, burglary and domestic violence, for financial support. Whilst noting that this organisation covers Torbay, Teignbridge and South Hams as well as West Devon, it was proposed by Councillor Souness (Vice Chairman) and seconded by Councillor Cann that Council grant £50 to this Charity on this occasion. All agreed.

06/167             Dartmoor National Park Management Plan: First Review Working Groups. Councillor Cann kindly volunteered to consider the implications of this document and report to the next meeting.

06/168 WDBC Core Strategy Preferred Option Statement of Proposal Matters. Councillor J Darch explained that further explanatory documents would be forthcoming.

06/169 King George 5th. Sports and Community Centre Reception. The Clerk reported that this new centre in Moretonhampstead was now open.

06/170 Dartmoor Visitor Local Events Diary. The Clerk distributed reply sheets to Councillors so that they could submit information for the Winter Edition of the Local Events Diary.

06/171 Copy of letter concerning roadside collection of garden waste. The Clerk read a letter from Mrs I Madders asking West Devon Borough Council if it would be possible for a roadside collection of garden waste. The reply from the Borough Council stated that the idea would be considered in the next few weeks when the collection points for the Green Waste vehicle on Saturdays were reviewed.

06/172 Standards Committee report. The Clerk reported that an agenda and recent minutes of the Committee were available.

06/173 Dartmoor National Park Authority Community Forum Notes. The Clerk reported that these had been received and were available

06/174 Children playing games on the road at Zeal Head. Reports had been received that there were complaints from parishioners living between Zeal Head and Ford Cross concerning children playing games in the road. The matter had been referred to the Neighbourhood Beat Officer.

06/175 Letter concerning hedge cutting. A letter had been received from Revd. and Mrs Smart who stated that they had been dismayed to discover that the hedge on the South-East side of the road between Zeal Head and Ford Cross had been cut back whilst wild flowers were still in flower. Councillor Cann, whilst agreeing that this was a pity, pointed out that this was necessary to improve road safety at this time of year.

06/176 Council thought that this area should be improved to complement the excellent job that had been done to refurbish and renovate Church House. The Clerk, who had already sought Mr David Youle’s opinion on the matter, was asked to confer with Mr Stoddart (Highways Maintenance Engineer) to investigate the options.

Progress on proposal to provide bike dirt-jump. Financial support. Report from Councillor J White.

06/177 Councillor A White (Chairman) welcomed the young parishioners who attended the meeting, distributed and thanked them for the bike dirt-jumps plans that they had brought with them and congratulated them on the monies (some £200) that they had raised to help support the project. Councillor J White, who had been liaising with the young parishioners and their parents about the project, reported that a bank account had now been opened. It was decided that the plans for bike jumps East of Ramsley Stream would not be considered at the moment. It was agreed that two quotes for constructing the jumps as shown in the plans and for improving the drainage of the site be obtained for the next meeting. Council were pleased that the project seemed at last to have made progress.

06/178 Council asked the Clerk to confer with Mrs J Rumble, Senior Planning Officer (Community), Dartmoor National Park, about the provision of three new granite boundary stones.

06/179             Council were concerned that little progress seemed to have been made concerning the drainage problems on Addiscott Hill. Proposed by Councillor C White and seconded by Councillor Cann, the Clerk was instructed to write once more to Mr M Stoddart (Highway Maintenance Engineer) to complete the planned work. All agreed.

                        Planning

06/180 DNPA 0283/06 (Jo Burgess,8th June 2006) Mr I Howard, Olditch Farm, Sticklepath
Dwelling and garage at Site adjacent to Olditch Farm. Full planning permission.
At an extraordinary meeting of members of he Council Councillor Pillar reminded Councillors of this application and that Council had already decided that they would be happy with the plan when and if DNP saw fit to grant permission. This decision was endorsed.

06/181 WDBC 8864/2006/OKE (K Graham, 16th June) Mr RWR Reddaway, Livaton Farm, South Tawton
Prior Approval notification for erection of general purpose agricultural storage building.
The councillors in attendance at an extraordinary planning meeting agreed to support this application with one condition, that being that the entrance to the proposed site (being widened from 4 to 6 meters) is done without the existing oak tree being felled.

The Clerk wished it to be noted that this application had not been a Prior Approval Notification and that there had therefore been no need for a special meeting to decide the issue.

06/182 DNP 0343/06 (Chris Hart, 19th June 2006) Mr P Stanton, Exeter Diocesan Board of Finance Ltd., for The Vicarage, South Tawton.
Relocation of pedestrian and vehicular entrance to improve safety for vehicle access and egress.
The Council agreed to support this application.

06/183 WDBC 9063/2006/OKE(Adrian Noon, 7th July, 2006) Mr R Mawle, Woodhome Farm, South Tawton.
Conversion of barns to two dwellings. Full Planning Permission
After a site-meeting and consideration of a letter of concern from a parishioner, the Council considered that the conversion plans are acceptable and would preserve the structures for the future. However, they observed that there appeared to be an over-burden of parking facilities for the site with suitable under cover parking in the Dutch barn being adequate. A more suitable use of the area to the North of Barn 1 should be pursued.

Determination

06/184 DNPA 0298/06 Mr and Mrs Watson, Okehayes Nursery, Sticklepath.
Replacement of two polytunnels with a block and slate store/workshop.
Granted, with conditions.

06/185 Councillor Cann volunteered to help Councillor Pillar with the Planning Applications for the next month.

Accounts

06/186 Proposed by Councillor A White and seconded by Councillor J Darch and agreed by all, the accounts were adopted.

06/188 In presenting the end of quarter accounts to the Council, the Clerk thanked Councillors Pillar and Curtis for their careful oversight and guidance for this quarter.