Bridford Parish Council Minutes 6th March 2017

Minutes of a meeting of Bridford Parish Council held at Bridford Village Hall on Monday 6th March 2017 at 7.00pm.
Present: Cllrs F Miles (Chairperson), G Hearnden, E Price, T Evans, A Lord, R Dowding, J Padgham, Mrs JP Banks (Clerk), Cnty Cllr Brook attended for part of the meeting. There were no member of the public present.
1	Apologies – Dst Cllr A Ford
2	Declarations of Interest – Cllr Evans declared an interest in item 20.
3	Public Discussion – no items for discussion.
MATTERS ARISING
4	Minutes – the Parish Council resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 6th February 2017 as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
5	Allotments – awaiting the return of the agreement for plot 3. Three half plots remain vacant.
6	Play Area – the annual RoSPA inspection will take place during March.
7	Gritting Machine and treating Bridford Hill – the Chairperson reported that she does have a short list of volunteers to operate the gritting machine. There is no issue with regards to liability, responsibility remains with the County Council. The Parish Council will pursue some form of contracting out. The Chairman and Clerk will decide on the wording for invitations to tender. In the meantime, the Chairperson will contact the volunteers in the event of the severe weather. The Clerk to check to see if the bags of salt have been delivered to Seven Acre Farm.
8	Adoption of Telephone Box – BT has advised that it is no longer available for adoption and will continue to operate as a coin operated telephone box. In view of this decision, the Parish Council will contact BT and request that the box is restored and maintained.
9	Defibrillator – telephone box no longer an option to house the machine. Other options discussed – the telegraph post next to the phone box, outside the Chapel and outside the Village Hall. Awaiting response from Western Power regarding permission to use the telegraph pole and whether they would sponsor the electricity to power the heated cabinet. Electrical power supply refurbishment being undertaken at the Village Hall, this would be convenient to include the installation of the defibrillator. The Clerk to email Councillors with the response from Western Power and a final decision will be made regarding the location.
10	Village Garden – the solicitor has now heard back from all parties concerned and the transfer will now proceed. The garden requires some replanting. Cllr Hearnden to look into obtaining some alpines. There are earmarked funds for the garden which would cover the costs of some new plants. Cllr Hearnden to look at the garden with his son and decide what plants would be best to improve it. The PC will take over responsibility for the garden when the transfer of title is completed. Rota for volunteers needs to be revised.
11	Angler’s Cottage – TDC has advised that the owner is in breach of the Improvement Notice as the works have not been completed by the specified date. Further action will follow.
Cnty Cllr Brook joined the meeting at 7.45pm.
	The Chairperson welcomed Cllr Brook and invited him to speak. The proposed County Council budget for 2017 was accepted. £23m less than last year and there will be some redundancies as a result. It is a case of giving with one hand and taking with the other. There will be increases in council tax. There is still a question mark over how the Authority will be able to deliver in a rural based area. 60% over three years will make a big difference in being able to deliver. There is an increase in the subsidy to the rural bus network. Roads are losing £1.5m – 2m. Social care is a very serious issue which local MP’s are now far more responsive to. Next year will be the biggest challenge. Cllr Hearnden reported to Cnty Cllr Brook that Bridford Hill is deteriorating by the day with potholes and the collapse of the road edges. Advised to continue to contact Simon Pearson at Highways requesting urgent remedial work.
Cnty Cllr Brook left the meeting at 7.55pm
12	Further training courses to be arranged with David Wood re first aid and use of the defibrillator. The Clerk is compiling a list of names of those interested.
13	Parish Plan – Parish Council resolved to adopt the revised Parish Plan updated January 2017. A copy to sent to Teignbridge, Pamela Woods at DNPA and the Parish website.
ANY OTHER MATTERS ARISING
14	Meetings attended by Parish Councillors – none
15	District Councillors Report – Dst Cllr Ford was not at the meeting
16	County Councillors Report – dealt with earlier in the meeting
PLANNING
For Discussion
17	Seven Views, Pound Lane, Bridford – amended plans (DNPA ref 0023/17) proposing to remove the decorative ironwork. The Parish Council has no objections to the application.
18	Any planning items for discussion since publication of the agenda – none
For Information
	Rockside, Bridford Road, Christow – Grant of Conditional Planning Permission re replacement garage in different location on site (DNPA ref 0008/17)
19	Any planning items for information received since publication of the agenda – none
20	Burnicombe Farm – application to divert footpath and bridleway. At the invitation of the landowner, the Parish Council visited Burnicombe Farm and independently agreed that the proposed plans are acceptable. The Parish Council was not consulted by DNPA when the original application was made. Need to find out who is responsible for notifying the appropriate Parish and inviting comments.
FINANCE & ACCOUNTS
21	Account balances as at 6th February 2017 Current account Investment account	3441.32 3743.78 7185.10
	(Balances include earmarked funds: £90 refundable allotment deposits, £525 Play Area, £43 Village Garden, £81 textile bank + £43 percentage agreed to Village Hall)
22	INCOME Chilcon Limited re contents of textile bank Bank interest January	44.00 0.16 44.16
23	EXPENDITURE Mrs J P Banks re February salary Information Commissioner re Data Protection renewal	192.56 35.00 227.56
24	Account balances as at 6th March 2017 Current account Investment account	3257.76 3743.94 7001.70
	The Parish Council resolved to accept the accounts and approve the expenditure. Cllr Dowding, being designated by the Chairperson, checked the invoices to the cheque book and the reconciliation to the bank statement.
25	Bank Account Signatories – the Clerk has now been added to the Santander account. The Parish Council agreed that this will be for purpose of telephone contact with the bank only and that the Clerk will not sign cheques.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
26	DALC Planning Training Course – the Parish Council resolved to authorise the cost of £36 per attendee for Cllrs Miles, Dowding and Padgham to attend the course at South Molton on 9th March
27	Any items for discussion received since publication of the agenda – none
ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
28	Devon & Cornwall Police Alerts – notification of a male person acting suspiciously on a forest path in the vicinity of Bullers Hill, jumping out and startling a woman and her dog. The public to be vigilant and report anything suspicious. A new scam involves a very realistic email being received which purports to be from the Police and headed up ‘Notice of Intended Prosecution’ and asks you to click on a link for further details. The link will probably infect your computer with malware. Suspected scams should be reported to www.actionfraud.police.uk.
OLIC	National Plant Monitoring Scheme – needs volunteers. Details to be passed to Cllr Hearnden and Bridford Trust and to be published in Unity.
30	Any items for information received since publication of the agenda – none
31	Public Discussion – the owners of the Spinney have notified the Parish Council of their intention to apply to fell a beech tree which is subject to a TPO for safety reasons. DNPA tree officer has inspected the tree and identified fungus in the roots.
32	Date of next meeting – Monday April 3rd at 7.00pm

	Signed by the Chairperson 3rd April 2017
	CIRCULATION Newsletters, Reports & Circulars Dunsford PC approved January minutes Correspondence sent Various

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