Bridford Parish Council Minutes of December 2016 meeting

Minutes of a meeting of Bridford Parish Council held at Bridford Village Hall on Monday 5th December 2016 at 7.00pm
Present: Cllrs F Miles (Chairperson), G Hearnden, A Lord, T Evans, E Price, R Dowding, J Padgham, Mrs J P Banks (Clerk) and one member of the public. Cnty Cllr J Brook and Dst Cllr A Ford attended for part of the meeting.
1	Apologies – none
2	Declarations of Interest – none
3	Public Discussion – A member of the public asked when the Bridford Church Carol service was being held. The Clerk will telephone him with the date and time.
MATTERS ARISING
4	Minutes – the Parish Council resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 7th November 2016 as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
5	Allotments – nothing further to report. Still three half plots and one full plot vacant.
6	Play Area – the climbing frame has been repaired but the next inspection is likely to recommend replacing it.
7	Defibrillator and Training – The defibrillator is currently in the care of the Chairperson until it can be housed in a permanent position. The recent training presented at the Village Hall by David Wood was of very high quality. Approximately nine people attended. The question was raised as to whether further ongoing training will be offered. When the defibrillator is in its permanent position, this will be considered.
8	Adoption of Telephone Box – BT has advised that the Bridford telephone box is available for adoption. The Clerk will now establish what the next step is towards taking over the box to house the defibrillator and follow the process through. BT did not answer the question regarding whether or not an emergency line could be retained for 999 calls. This needs to be established.
9	Village Garden – the solicitor has advised that whilst documentation has been received from one of the executors, no response has yet been received from the other. The Chairperson will get in touch with the family to try and get things moving. The Clerk confirmed that once under the ownership of the Parish Council. the Village Garden will be included under its insurance to provide public liability cover.
ANY OTHER MATTERS ARISING
Dst Cllr Amanda Ford joined the meeting. She was welcomed by the Chairperson and invited to speak
	Cllr Ford offered her support with the process of adopting the phone box and trying to retain the line for emergency calls. There is no further information regarding Broadband or confirmation when Air Band will go live. Cllr Ford again re-iterated that she is against the pay rise for Teignbridge District Council’s CEO and had no part in the decision. It is currently being looked into. Cllr Ford opposed the Council Tax Reduction Scheme and as a result this will be put back to Executive. She met with Mark Easton the PCSO for our area and was shocked at the amount of cover provided for a very large area. Teignbridge Action on Homelessness is being discussed at the meeting this week and Cllr Ford will report back following the meeting. Cllr Dowding asked if the Dartmoor new local plan had been raised at Teignbridge. The Chairperson briefly explained Bridford Parish Council’s thoughts and response to the consultation.
Dst Cllr Ford left the meeting at 7.30pm
10	Meetings attended by Parish Councillors – Cllr Padgham attended one of the Devon Highways Conferences and gave a brief resume. DCC has a new contractor – Skanska. There is a £20m shortfall in Highways. Out of four hundred villages, only twenty have signed up to join the Road Warden scheme, whilst forty-four now have Snow Wardens. At this point, Cllr Dowding reported having heard from the farm manager at Seven Acre Farm that the gritter appears to be seized up having had salt left in it since last winter. This needs to be serviced as a matter of urgency and arrangements will be made to establish the state of the machine and to get it back in working order. Cllr Dowding attended a TALC meeting where the main speaker was John Hart , leader of Devon County Council.
11	District Councillors Report – presented earlier in the meeting
12	County Councillors Report
Cnty Cllr Jerry Brook joined the meeting at 7.40pm. He was welcomed by the Chairperson and invited to speak
	Cllr Brook apologised for any confusion regarding the situation with NHS Consultations in Devon and confirmed that the consultation only applies to North Devon at the moment. He confirmed that the Bridford comes under South Devon and South Hams with regard to the NHS. Cllr Brook spoke highly of the DCC leader who has the job of re-juggling limited funds. At a DCC meeting this week, Councillors will lobby the Government for extra funding for Social Care. Health is a very serious problem and solutions must be found. Cllr Brook enquired what the state of Bridford Hill has been like during the recent cold weather. It was confirmed that the Hill had been gritted under the “secondary gritting route” plan on one occasion. A Parish Councillor mentioned the problems being experienced in trying to get the official training organised for our volunteer Snow Warden. Cllr Brook thought that this could be provided by an existing Snow Warden who had already received the briefing and offered to find out. The Parish Council has already chased up DCC many times and will try again..
Cnty Cllr Brook left the meeting at 7.55pm
PLANNING
Planning items for Discussion
13	Stonemill House Stone Lane, Bridford – re proposed construction for equestrian exercise arena (20m x 40m) in former agricultural field (DNPA ref 0618/16. Although, it was generally considered that there would be no objection, a site visit will be arranged to enable the Parish Council to meet with the land owners and discuss the application.
14	Any planning items for discussion since publication of the agenda – none
Planning items for Information
15	The Old Quarry, Pound Lane, Bridford – re proposed change of use of land to a mixed use as a former quarry and salvage business and the siting and residential use of a caravan. Appeal against enforcement notice “Dismissed and Notice Upheld”
16	Any planning items for information received since publication of the agenda – none
	Cllr Dowding wished to bring to the attention of the meeting, an ‘eyesore’ on Pound Lane at Seven View, considered to be a distraction to motorists. The Parish Council has previously supported planning applications for ‘appropriate building’ here and queries the current situation, at first deciding to write to DNPA but after discussion, considering that a meeting with the property owners first, would be favourable. The owners will be contacted to try and arrange this.
FINANCE & ACCOUNTS
17	Account balances as at 7 November 2016 Current account Investment account	5139.47 3343.34 8482.81
	(Balances include earmarked funds: £90 refundable allotment deposits, £525 Play Area, £43 Village Garden, £45 textile bank + £35 percentage to Village Hall)
18	INCOME Bank Interest re October 2016 Grant from DCC Locality Budget	0.14 200.00 200.14
19	EXPENDITURE Mrs J P Banks re November salary Playdale Playgrounds Ltd – parts to repair climbing frame Mr C Banks re repair of climbing frame Mrs J P Banks re purchase of new padlock, keys & chain for Play Area gate	192.56 66.25 48.00 19.66 326.47
20	Account balances as at 5 December 2016 Current account Investment account	4813.00 3543.48 8356.48
	The Parish Council resolved to approve the accounts and authorise the expenditure. Cllr Dowding, having been delegated by the Chairperson, checked the invoices to the cheque book and the reconciliation to the bank statement.
21	Budget for 2017/18 – the draft budget was circulated to Parish Councillors prior to the meeting. Cllr Dowding did not think that the layout of the figures was very easy to understand and offered to re-do the figures in a more ‘user friendly’ format. The Clerk is happy to liaise with him over this and the budget will be on the January agenda again for discussion and a decision on the amount of precept required for 2017/18. Cllr Evans suggested that this figure should be increased considerably to enable the Parish Council to engage the services of a contractor to grit Bridford Hill. The Chairperson asked Cllr Evans to find out how much this would cost.
	Annual Review of Bridford Parish Council’s Standing Orders – the Chairperson identified some typing errors and queried one part of the document which was then accepted and signed by the Chairman and the Clerk. Future reviews of the Parish Council’s Standing Orders will take place at the Annual Parish Council Meeting in May.
23	Annual Review of Financial Regulations – reviewed and accepted by the Parish Council. Signed by the Chairperson and the Clerk
24	Annual Review of Statement of Internal Control – reviewed and accepted by the Parish Council. Signed by the Chairperson and the Clerk.
25	Annual Review of Risk Assessment – the Clerk clarified that the assessment relates only to the operation of the Parish Council. The Parish council reviewed and accepted the document which was signed by the Chairperson and the Clerk.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
26	DNPA New Local Plan – the Parish Council having had two separate meetings to discuss the Consultation was asked by the Chairperson if it wished to discuss Governance at that point and add it to the Consultation or discuss it separately . The decision was made with 100% in favour to discuss the subject of Governance separately and the Parish Council then resolved to agree to forward its ‘Response to the Consultation’ to DNPA in its agreed format.
27	Governance – the question was raised whether DNPA members should be appointed or should we be able to vote for the people who govern us. Various views were put forward by individual Parish Councillors. The Chairperson suggested that thought should be given to this subject prior to the next Council meeting and put on the January agenda.
28	Anglers Cottage – the formal notice requiring the owner to carry out repair works by a specified date is due to expire in the new year. Devon Building Control continues to periodically monitor the building which is not currently thought to be dangerous and it is not considered that urgent works are required. The Parish Council will request that the building is inspected at least three monthly. TDC to be asked if the property does become considered dangerous, if there is any further recourse such as a compulsory purchase order.
29	Any items for discussion received since publication of the agenda – none
ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
30	Bridge Repairs at Leigh Cross –
31	Any items for information received since publication of the agenda Local Energy Advice Project – LEAP – a home visit scheme designed to give households support to help lift them permanently from fuel poverty. Training course at Exeter 7th December. The Parish Council did not consider that it was appropriate to take this on but would be keen to receive any further information or advertising material. South Devon Coastal Local Action Group (SDC LAG) and Greater Dartmoor Local Enterprise Action Fund (GD LEAF) Funding Programmes – details to be published in Unity and on the website.
32	Public Discussion – Cllr Price advised that she has cancelled the next textile collection as there is insufficient in the container to warrant it. A Parishioner asked for more information about the SDC LAG and GD LEAF schemes and was give a copy of the details which were advised to the Parish Council. A Parishioner advised that he wished to volunteer to assist the Woodland Park and was given the names of the appropriate people to get in touch with.
33	Date of next meeting – Monday January 9th at 2.00pm

	………………………………………………………………Chairperson 9th January 2017

	CIRCULATION Newsletters, Reports & Circulars Copy of Simon Lee’s Annual Report TALC November Draft Minutes Christow Parish Council October Minutes Devon Senior Voice Everyone’s Tomorrow Autumn / Winter 2016 Healthwatch Voices Autumn 2016 Miscellaneous Dates for 2017 TALC meetings Christmas Waste and Recycling Information Correspondence sent Various

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