Minutes of a meeting of Bridford Parish Council held at Bridford Village Hall Monday 10th November 2014 at 7.00pm.Present: Cllrs S Purser (Chairman), G Hearnden, E Price, T Evans, A Lord, F Miles, Mrs J P Banks (Clerk), Cnty Cllr Brook attended for part of the meeting. There were no members of the public present.
- Apologies: Cllr J Bingham
- Declarations of Interest – none
- Public Discussion – mud on the road at Windhill Gate is running down the hill and into the drains at Oxenpark Gate. A request will be made to the owners of the farm to clear the mud from the road. Blocked gullies are causing flooding at Plaistow Green. The lengths man will be asked to clear this as it will freeze during severe weather conditions.
MATTER ARISING
- Minutes – the Parish Council resolved to approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on October 7th 2014 as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
5 Allotments – plot 3 remains available as a whole or two half plots. Will continue to advertise.
6 Play Area – the insurance company has confirmed that it will not quote for cover re tennis lessons on the Play Area. The Parishioner offering his expertise is looking into providing cover from a professional body of which he is a member.
7 Village Hall – meeting held 9th November. A new secretary has been appointed.
8 Snow Warden – a volunteer has come forward and the appropriate training brief is in hand. The Chairman has cleaned and oiled the gritter and fitted a new connecting plug. The gritter is now back in the shed and there is an ample supply of salt.
Cnty Cllr Brook joined the meeting at 7.08pm and the Chairman invited him to speak.
The current main topic is the Highways Consultation – there are grave concerns by a lot of people and everyone should be encouraged to take the opportunity to comment and show their displeasure at the proposals. The County Council do not accept that the majority of the county is rural without transport facilities. Roads in rural areas should be a priority as this is the only transport system for those going to work. Could volunteers within the parishes undertake some of the work currently carried out by the Lengths man?
The Boundary Commission is reorganising the counties. There will be 60 county councillors
Instead of the current 62. Funds are still available for projects.
Cnty Cllr Brook left the meeting at 7.22pm
- Alleged Comments by DNPA Planning – a letter from Dr Mortimer was read out.
ANY OTHER MATTERS ARISING
9a Highways Department has confirmed that it will investigate the hedge overhanging the road at Weeke Barton.
10 Meetings Attended by any members of the Parish Council – none
PLANNING
Items for Discussion
The following item has been circulated to Parish Councillors between meetings and comments submitted due to short timescales for responses.
11 8 Oxenpark Gate, Bridford – re proposed rear single storey extension (DNPA ref. 0584/14)
“This is a modest extension in keeping with its surroundings and does not cause any overlooking problems”
12 Any items received for discussion since publication of the agenda – none
Items for Information
13 Site at Heltor Woods – notice of appeal against enforcement notice issued 4th August 2014 (DNPA ref. ENF 0188/13)
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14 Pound Cottage, Bridford – Notice of Appeal against refusal of a householder application (DNPA ref. 0390/14)
A Parish Councillor asked what the general ruling is regarding site visits by DNPA, under what circumstances a site visit is made and if a Parish Council can request one. The question will be put to DNPA. It was considered that if a site visit had been made originally relating to item 14 above, there may have been a different outcome.
- Any items for information received since publication of the agenda
Land to the north west of Springwater Farm, Bridford – barn being used for residential purposes to be the subject of a report at the next Development Management Committee meeting. Notification arrived while Clerk on holiday, deadline for comments missed. The Parish Council will send comments in retrospect. (DNPA ref. ENF/0215/12)
FINANCE & ACCOUNT
16 Account balances as at 25th October 2014 – current account £5,462.48 and deposit account
£3,173.95 (balances include £623 earmarked for Play Area, £120 balance of refundable deposits for allotments, £400 re replacement computer & £277 re proceeds of contents of textile bank)
Balances allow for all expenditure and income detailed below.
17 Income
Bank interest September 2014 £ 0.27
Mrs K Jones allotment rent £ 15.00
Nathan Waste re textile bank £ 49.60
18 Expenditure
Mrs J P Banks re Clerk’s salary for October 2014 £ 176.68
The Parish Council resolved to accept the accounts and approve the expenditure. The Chairman checked the invoices to the cheque book and the reconciliation to the bank statement.
FOR DISCUSSION
19 2015 Parish Council meeting dates – the dates for 2015 have been agreed and circulated and
will be published on the website, the notice board and in Unity.
- Any items for discussion received since the publication of the agenda
The Electors Fund – Dunsford Parish Council has requested that Bridford donates its grant to support its plans for the Village Green. As Bridford has no plans for any future projects it was unanimously agreed to donate its grant to Dunsford Parish Council.
FOR INFORMATION
21 Tough Choices – Proposals for budget savings for 2015/16 in Waste Management – comments invited. Details can be found and comments on the proposals made at https://new.devon.gov.uk/wastebudget by 19th November 2014.
22 Free Highway Code Training –available for cars, motorbikes and lorries. Details at Rightdriver.co.uk
23 Dartmoor Access Forum – seeking new members. Details available on www.dartmoor.gov.uk/aboutus/au-participation/au-dartmoor-access-forum
24 Notice of road closures – road past Hillside View, Bridford (outside Rookery Brook) from
Monday 8 December 2014. Anticipated finish Tuesday 9 December 2014. Diversion will be signposted.
25 Warnings – none
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26 Any items for information received since the publication of the agenda Electoral Review of Devon – for details and interactive maps visit www.consultation.lgbce.org.uk or www.lgbc.org.uk
Leisure services in Teignbridge – letter from Moretonhampstead parish Council to TDC re smaller parishes having limited access to facilities and having to pay more than their fair share through their council tax, together with TDC’s reply.
Bridford Wood – the National Trust will be thinning out oak trees in the middle of Bridford Wood for approximately two weeks during November.
27 District Councillors Report – the joint IT venture between the three District Councils has been agreed and has been up and running since 1st November. Money is to be spent on the baulking station behind the District Council offices to cater for new arrangements which will be coming in next year. All plastics will now be collected, cardboard treated differently and weekly food waste collections will be resumed.
The first turf was cut for the new housing development at Christow on 7th November. These will be the first passive houses in a National Park anywhere in the world with anticipated annual heating costs of £100.
- Public Discussion – there was some confusion as to who was the second nominated Parish Council representative for the Bridford Trust. As David Price is already a member of the Trust, it was agreed that Cllr Miles as a Parish Councillor, should represent the Parish Council together with Cllr Purser.
29 Date of next meeting – Monday 1st December 2014 7.00pm in the upstairs room at the Village Hall
All members of the public and the press are welcome.
Original copy signed by the Chairman 1st December 2014
CORRESPONDENCE FOR CIRCULATION (Appendix A)
Reports and Agendas
Christow PC approved September minutes
Dunsford PC approved September minutes
Newsletters and Updates
Healthwatch Voices Autumn 2014
Letters sent
Various
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