Minutes of a meeting of Bridford Parish Council held at Bridford Village Hall April 7th 2014 at 7.00pm.
Present: Cllrs S Purser (Chairman), G Hearnden, E Price, A Lord, D Goodwin-Hughes, J Bingham, Mrs J P Banks (Clerk). Cnty Cllr Brook attended for part of the meeting and there were no members of the public present.
1 Apologies – none
2 Declarations of Interest – none
3 Public Discussion – Parish Councillors highlighted various potholes which will be reported via the DCC Highways website. The hedge at the top of School Lane requires cutting back. The land owner will be asked to arrange for this to be done.
MATTER ARISING
4 Minutes – the Parish Council resolved to approve the minutes of its meeting held on 3rd March 2014 as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
5 Allotments – one of the allotments has not had any attention for some time and is now becoming overgrown. A letter has been sent to the tenant but it is believed that they may no longer be living in Bridford.
6 Play Area – RoSPA report. Cllr Price kindly prepared a response and recommendations list which was discussed by the Council. Cllr Bingham volunteered to cut back branches overhanging the slide and arrangements will be made to fill in the holes in the tarmac on the BMX track. Nothing else was considered to be essential maintenance at this time. The Chairman thanked Cllr Price for preparing the response.
7 Village Hall – there is a meeting on 14 April at 4.00pm
8 Moretonhampstead Hospital – no target date yet set for the opening of the hub.
ANY OTHER MATTERS ARISING
9 Meetings Attended – the Chairman attended a recent TALC meeting. The work on the updating of the Christow Exchange is close to be completion. Residents will not get a fibre optic cable from the cabinet to their home unless they pay for it. However, the speed should improve significantly. To obtain ‘superfast broadband’ it will be necessary to sign up with the service provider. Those closest to the cabinet will benefit the most.
Representatives from Highways spoke at the meeting and it is clear that there should be something in place to allow workmen to repair additional ‘unmarked’ potholes while on site repairing those on the official remit. There are no plans to de-classify any roads at the moment.
A councillor asked how the work at Whetcombe is progressing. Things are going well and according to plan, possibly ahead of schedule.
Cnty Cllr Jerry Brook joined the meeting at 7.40pm The Chairman invited welcomed and invited him to speak.
There are currently five items for consultation and the whole issue of these consultations has been called into question with a special meeting being arranged to discuss it which will allow Councillors to air their views and may generate some ideas. There has to be a £49m saving overall next year and these savings have got to come from somewhere. A list of the number of holes located in the road network has been issued and there are still 3,000 remaining to be filled on minor roads, the challenge being how much is in the budget. The previous Councillor who headed up Young People’s Services has resigned from DCC, his portfolio being taken over by James McGuiness. The Chairman mentioned there being a
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big issue with young people not being allowed to speak at a Council meeting. Cnty Cllr Brook replied that the said young people were there by courtesy of youth workers and had they asked to speak in advance of the meeting, this would have been permitted. There has to be some form of youth provision for the very vulnerable. The voluntary sector has become very reliant on Charity funding. Volunteer carers who give up work to care for elderly relatives are saving the County money but are also giving up their pensionable rights.
A Parish Councillor asked if roads repair work is checked carefully enough afterwards. Cnty Cllr Brook stated that the County does not have sufficient staff to go around checking work but if it is wrong the contractor does have an obligation to go back and do it again.
Cnty Cllr Brook left the meeting at 7.55pm
PLANNING
Items for Discussion
The following item was circulated to Parish Councillors and dealt with between meetings due to the short timescales for a response.
10 Rock Valley Farm, Bridford – application for Prior Notification re construction of an agricultural storage barn 22.9m x 9.2m (DNPA ref. 0155/14) “The Parish Council has no objections to this application”.
11 Seven Acre Farm, Bridford – re proposed agricultural workers dwelling (DNPA ref. 0165/14)
Comments deferred pending a site visit arranged for 12th April 2014
12 Any items received for discussion since publication of the agenda
Bridford Barton – re proposed: raise height of existing chimney above thatch, full planning permission and listed building consent (DNPA ref. 0186/14). “The Parish Council has no objections as long as it is done in an appropriate style for a listed building of this character”.
Items for Information
13 Searles, Bridford – notice of Grant of Conditional Planning received re proposed extension to dwelling (DNPA ref. 0059/14)
14 Many Waters, Bridford – re erection of extensions to dwelling (following removal of existing extensions). (DNPA ref. 0060/14) this application has been withdrawn.
Dartmoor National Park has issued notices of Refusal of Planning Permission in respect of the following applications:
15 Pound Cottage, Bridford re proposed erection of two storey extension and alterations to existing dwelling (DNPA ref. 0026/14)
16 Lowton Lane – re proposed erection of barn (DNPA ref. 0062/14)
17 Any items for information received since publication of the agenda
Shippen Farm, Bridford – Grant of Conditional Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent re: Re-submission of consent 0340/09 conversion to holiday accommodation and demolition of garage (DNPA ref. 0092/14)
FINANCE & ACCOUNT
18 Account balances as at 1st April 2014 – current account £2,404.44 and deposit account £3,172.11 (balances include £851 earmarked for Play Area, £150 balance of refundable deposits for allotments & £88.40 re proceeds from textile bank)
Balances allow for all expenditure and income detailed below.
19 Income
Bank Interest re February £ 0.26
Nathan’s Waste re textile bank £ 36.80
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20 Expenditure
Mrs J P Banks re Clerk’s salary for March 2014 £170.51
HMRC re Clerk’s PAYE £128.00
Mrs J P Banks re admin expenditure 1 Jan – 31 March £90.86
Mrs J P Banks re use of home as office 1 Jan – 31 March £54.00 £144.86
Additional Expenditure details received since publication of the agenda
Playsafety Limited re RoSPA inspection £89.00 + £17.80 V.A.T. £106.80
DALC annual subscription £99.67 + £15.06 V.A.T £114.73
The Parish Council resolved to approve the accounts and authorise the expenditure.
The Chairman checked the invoices to the cheque book and the reconciliation to the bank
21 Annual Audit – the appointed date for the audit of the accounts of Bridford Parish Council
is 2nd June 2014.
FOR DISCUSSION
22 Grass cutting tenders – the three year contract has been awarded to Graham Dicker, being the
only tender submitted.
23 Standing Orders – the Parish Council resolved to adopt the revised standings orders relating to Bridford Parish Council.
24 Consultation on a Draft Transparency Code for Parish Councils with a turnover not exceeding £25,000. This was discussed and the consultation question answer sheet completed.
25 Any items for discussion received since the publication of the agenda – none
FOR INFORMATION
26 Warnings – the Police are reminding motorists not to leave valuables on display when leaving
their vehicles, after a securely parked vehicle was broken into at Kennick Reservoir car park.
27 Governments Flood Grant – Repair and Renew – now open for applications. Details from
www.teignbridge.gov.uk/floodrepairandrenew
28 The Old House Eco Course – DNPA 10th May. View at www.dartmoor.gov.uk/spabcourse
29 DCC’s Library Services Review / Children’s Centres Review – public consultation starting
22 April 2014, subject to DCC’s Cabinet approval.
30 Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 – notice of Election Meetings will be displayed on the notice Board.
31 Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning Programme – support and grants available to help with Neighbourhood Plans.
32 Prince’s Countryside Fund – grants available. Details at www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk
33 Any items for information received since publication of the agenda
Supporting Communities in Neighbourhood Planning Programme DCLG has made £10.5m available to provide support and grants to help with Neighbourhood Plans. Details at http://mycommunityrights.org.uk/neighbourhood-planning
34 District Councillors Report from Dst Cllr Stephen Purser. The Electors Fund for this year has all been spent. Christow, Dunsford and Bridford jointly put their funds towards replacement LED lighting at Teign Valley Community Hall; Ashton and Trusham are jointly funding some seating benches for Trusham while Doddiscombsleigh and Dunchideock are funding work on Doddiscombsleigh’s war memorial. It is currently generally quiet at Teignbridge. The budgets have gone through.
35 Public Discussion – a Parish Councillor mentioned the lack of public attendance at Parish Council meetings. The Chairman confirmed that this is quite general across the Valley. With the Elections coming up next year, it would be good to get Parishioners along to the meetings
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to see what goes on and to generate some interest for future Councillors. Item to be put in Unity. If Parish Council positions are not filled, Teignbridge has an obligation to put people in to run the Council. The Chairman announced that The Tri-partite Parish Council Meeting will be hosted by Dunsford this year, the date is yet to be decided.
36 Date of next meeting – the combined Annual Parish meeting and Annual Parish Council meeting at the Village Hall on Wednesday 14th May at 7.00pm . All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Original copy of minutes signed by the Chairman 14th May 2014
CORRESPONDENCE FOR CIRCULATION (Appendix A)
Miscellaneous
South West Water Business Plan Update to 2020
Newsletters
DALC Newsletter March 2014 TDC Monthly Update February 2014
DCC Community News Roundup March 2014 Rural Services Network weekly digest
Clerks and Councils Direct March 2014
Reports and Agendas
Dunsford PC February 2014 minutes Police Report, Chudleigh
Police Report, Teign Valley & Rural
Letters sent
Various
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