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 24th July 2006 at 7.30 pm

06/190 Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 26th June 2006 were circulated, read, confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

06/191 06/162 Possible change to the First Devon and Cornwall bus request stop at Ford Cross. The Clerk reported that after several conversations with Devon County Council Transport Coordination Department and with the Customer Relations Department of First Devon and Cornwall he had established that drivers were being instructed not to stop at this point ‘on safety ground’. The reasons being given included reduced visibility over the brow of the hill and, referring to Ford Lane, that they ‘are not allowed to block a road’. The Clerk reported that he had written to Mr Williams (Customer Relations, First Devon and Cornwall) asking that the matter be reconsidered by the Planning Department. He awaits a reply.

06/192 06/163 Wain Homes site. The Clerk reported that he had met with Mr Paul Land of Wain Homes, handed him a letter and explained the Council’s concerns about the somewhat unkempt state of their site. Mr Land had stated that the matter was in hand.

06/193 06/165 Mr and Mrs Janes. Request for further information. In response to Mr and Mrs Jane’s request for information that they considered to be missing from the original bundle that the Clerk had sent to them, the Clerk reported that he had conducted another search and had not been able to locate this material. He had informed Mr and Mrs Janes of this.

06/194 06/171 Collection of garden waste. Following Mrs I Madders’s letter concerning this matter, Mr Barron (Waste Education Officer, West Devon Borough Council) had been in touch with the Clerk to discuss setting up a periodic collection of garden waste from the Parish as a trial. The Clerk reported that he was due to meet with Mr Barron in the Recreation Ground car park this week to explore the matter further. Councillor Souness, Vice Chairman, who expressed concern about the possible dumping of waste between visits and the wear and tear on the car park, agreed to attend this meeting on behalf of the Recreation Ground Association and the recommendations would be brought to the next Parish Council meeting.

06/195 06/176 South Tawton Village Square. The Clerk reported that he had spoken to Mr M. Stoddart (Devon County Council Highways Maintenance Engineer) about the possibility of improving the square. Mr. Stoddart said that he would confer with Mr N Bowles (Contracts Supervisor Devon County Council, ) and report the outcome to the Clerk. It was proposed by the Clerk and Mr Stoddart that Mrs J Rumble (Senior Planning Officer (Community) Dartmoor National Park Authority) be involved in these discussions.

06/196 06/178 Parish Boundary Stones. The Clerk and Councillor A White (Chairman) had now identified the three stones in question and the Clerk had received encouragement from Mrs J Rumble (Senior Planning Officer (Community), Dartmoor National Park Authority) to forward the details to her.

06/197 06/179 Drainage on Addiscott Hill. The Clerk reported that he had conferred with Mr M Stoddart (Highways Maintenance Engineer, Devon County Council) and with Mrs. Janes, Mr and Mrs Geikie and Mrs Lewis about the need for further work on the hill to improve the drainage. The Clerk was instructed to write to Mr Stoddart asking that the work identified as still needing completion be addressed as soon as possible. All agreed.

06/198 Bank and wall at Hillcrest Lane, South Tawton. The Clerk reported that he had observed that the wall and bank had again been damaged. He had also received a letter from Mrs I Madders suggesting that the grass bank on the left of the lane looking up the slope should be cut back to provide more room for the refuse vehicle. The Clerk had contacted Mrs J Rosser, (Secretary to the Chief Executive, West Devon Borough Council) who had replied to say that the matter would be dealt with. Councillor J Darch reported that he had also contacted Mrs H Dobby of West Devon Borough Council about the matter.

06/199 Cross at Addiscott. Councillor A White, Chairman, asked about the visibility of the Cross at Addiscott. Councillors reported that they thought the Cross was visible at the moment.

06/200 Trees at Ford Cross. Councillor J White asked about the trimming of some of the trees at Ford Cross, which had been arranged some time ago. The Clerk stated that he would enquire of Mr Stoddart (Highways Maintenance Engineer, Devon County Council) about this and report back.

06/201 Sustainable Military Training on Dartmoor. The Clerk reported that he had received a document outlining the timetable for the re-negotiation of licences to train on Dartmoor beyond 2012.

06/202             Changes to the Electoral Registration procedures. In outlining the document received from Ms C Allen (West Devon Borough Council Electoral Services Officer), asking Council for advice on representatives making visits to properties that had not returned the annual canvass form, the Clerk expressed some concern about the amount of time that this additional work would incur. It was suggested that more information was required before a recommendation about the proposed data collection could be debated. All agreed.

06/203             ING Direct Sanctuary Awards. Councillor Souness took this document to examine.

06/204 West Devon Borough Council Satisfaction Survey. The Clerk presented this document to the Council.

06/205 Formal Complaint about excessive noise from event in Recreation Ground on 30th June. After playing part of a DVD received from Mr P Kilgannon to demonstrate his point, Council debated the matter. It was agreed that as this was the first time this event had been held it was hoped that the committee organising the occasion would take note of Mr Kilgannon’s observations and make suitable adjustments, were a repeat to be planned next year. The Clerk was asked to write to Mr Kilgannon stating that Council had taken note of his observations.

06/206 Discussion and decision about Mr Healy’s proposed letters to Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Highways Agency. The Chairman, Councillor A White, thank Mr Healy for attending the meeting and, after introducing the subject, asked Mr Healy to outline his concerns. Mr Healy explained that he was asking that the letters he had drafted for the Council be sent on behalf of people living in the areas of South Tawton and Wood within this parish and for others living in other parishes, because the noise generated by the concrete stretches of the A30 was intrusive and getting worse. Following discussion, it was agreed that the Clerk should send Mr Healy’s letters to the Dartmoor National Park Authority and the Highways Agency with a covering letter from the Council supporting the views expressed in them.

06/207 Draft Travel and Subsistence Policy. The Clerk distributed copies of a Travel and Subsistence policy. It was agreed that this be put on the September agenda.

06/208 Nominations for the Edward Morshead Awards, 2006. Councillor Souness (Vice Chairman) suggested that Church House be put forward by the Council for consideration. All agreed.

06/209 Recreation Ground toilet security. After discussion on the merits and otherwise of locking the toilets overnight, an amendment, proposed by Councillor Cann and seconded by Councillor J Darch, ‘that the toilets be locked overnight’ was defeated by 5 votes to 2 and the motion, proposed by Councillor Pillar and seconded by Councillor J White, ‘that the arrangements be left as they are at the moment’ was carried by 5 votes to 2.

06/210 Discussion about Parish Plans following presentation at the June meeting. Councillors felt in-touch with the wishes and aspirations of the community. Therefore it was thought that whilst Council may well revisit the matter in the future, the benefits of producing a Parish Plan were, at the moment, outweighed by the effort and cost of producing it.

06/211 Bike Dirt Jumps. Councillors were impressed and delighted to hear Councillor Souness (Vice Chairman) report that he had been in contact with Mr S McCaffery who had volunteered to undertake all the ground-work necessary for this project, free of charge. Councillor Souness described that this involved the bike dirt jumps to the West of the stream and that, as agreed before, there would be no development of this project East of Ramsley stream. The fence separating the dirt jumps from the rest of the ground to the North would be financed separately. To this end, it was proposed by Councillor Cann and seconded by Councillor Pillar that authority be given to Councillor A White (Chairman) to spend up to £500 to purchase and have installed a suitable post and rail fence. All agreed. On another unrelated matter, Council were also grateful for the offer by Mr McCaffery to dig out the shillet traps in Ramsley stream free of charge.

06/212 Dartmoor NPA Management Plan: First Review Working Groups. Report by Councillor Cann. Councillor Cann reported that he had attended the first of three meetings of the Review Working Group which were examining matters pertaining to Social and Economic needs, Conservation and Landscape and the National Environment. Within these headings he explained that an emphasis was being placed on support for older people and making the region attractive for young people to work within it. This review would cover subjects ranging from the provision of amenities, such as shops and pubs, to the implications arising from the predicting that by 2026 over half of the population living within the National Park would be over 60 years old. The Council agreed Councillor Cann’s offer to attend the remaining meetings of the Review Working Group

06/213 Proposal by Col. A Clark to produce a joint Parish Emergency Plan with Sticklepath Parish. Thanking Colonel Clark and his working party once more for this Emergency Plan, the Council agreed to the suggestion that a joint plan be produced with Sticklepath parish.

06/214 Tasks for the Parish Lengthsman’s visit in August 2006. The Clerk asked that Councillors kindly inform him of tasks for the Parish Lengthsman who next visits the parish on August 11th.

06/215 DNPA (0483/06) (Darren Summerfield, 31st July) Mr and Mrs D Carter, Lynhayes, Sticklepath
Kitchen and porch extension. Full Planning Permission.
The Council agreed to support this application.

Determination

06/216 DNP 0343/06 Mr. P Stanton, Exeter Diocesan Board of Finance, for The Vicarage, South Tawton.
Relocation of pedestrian and vehicular entrance to improve safety for vehicle access and egress.
Granted. Conditions, existing access permanently closed to match existing within one month.

06/217 DNPA 0325/06 Mr. and Mrs. D Capon, The Cottage, South Zeal
Single storey extension housing bedroom/bathroom.
Granted. Conditions. Matching materials, painted external joinery, brown stained cladding, nailed slates, flush roof lights.

06/218 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.
Granted. Conditions. Landscaping scheme first. Planting directly after completion build.

APP/Q1152/A/06/2017162/NWF Renewable Energy Systems UK Ltd. for Den Brook, Itton Moor.

To erect 9 wind turbines, electricity transformers, control building, wind monitoring mast, access tracks, crane hardstandings and associated works, plus a temporary construction compound and two temporary wind monitoring masts. No date fixed. Representations in triplicate by 8th August 2006.

06/220 Councillor Pillar stated that it was not always necessary for two Councillors to make site visits but welcomed Councillor J White’s offer to attend were it to be needed.

Accounts

06/221 Proposed by Councillor Cann and seconded by Councillor Souness (Vice Chairman) and agreed by all, the accounts were adopted.

06/222 It was agreed by all that the invitation to attend an ‘Introduction to Planning’ course organised by the Devon Association of Parish Council should be deferred by a year.

06/223 Audit of Account year ending March 31st 2006. Approval of Annual Return to Audit Commission. The Clerk informed the Council that the Annual Audit of Accounts by the Audit Commission had been called. It was proposed by Councillor Cann and seconded by Councillor J Darch that the completed Annual Audit Report be approved, signed and returned. All agreed.