| Minutes of a meeting of Bridford Parish Council held at Bridford Village Hall on Monday 9th April 2018 at 7.00pm
Present: Cllrs G Hearnden (acting Chairman), A Lord, R Dowding, T Evans, J Padgham, E Price, Mrs J P Banks (Clerk). Three members of the public were present. Cnty Cllr Brook attended for part of the meeting |
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| 1 | APOLOGIES: Dst Cllr A Ford | |
| 2 | DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST – Cllr Dowding declared a personal interest in items 20 and 21. | |
| 3 | RESIGNATION OF CHAIRMAN – Cllr Francis Miles tendered her resignation on 19th March 2018 She thanked her Parish Councillors for their hard work and humour resulting in a very productive stint over the past few years. She particularly expressed her appreciation and gratitude to the Clerk who has been a steady and efficient backstop to ‘all our labours’. | |
| 4 | NOTICE OF CASUAL VACANCY – A Notice of Casual Vacancy was lodged with TDC and published on 20th March 2018. If an election is not requested by midnight on 9th April, the Parish Council will meet to co-opt a new Councillor at 7.00pm on Friday 13th April at the Village Hall, | |
| 5 | PUBLIC DISCUSSION – a Parishioner wished to bring to the attention of the Parish Council (i) the state of the road between Heltor View and Plaistow Green. Potholes, mud and flooding are making the road dangerous to ordinary cars and virtually impassable to pedestrians. The regular movement of tractors is adding to the problem. Farmers are requested to keep the roads and lanes clean. The Chairman has spoken with the farm manager at Seven Acre Farm. Highways will be contacted with regard to repairing the road damage. Parishioners are encouraged to use the DCC ‘Report a Problem’ page on the DCC website. The more people who report problems, the more likely to get something done. (ii) There has been a river of water hitting the road just above Seven Views. This is a result of unusually severe wet weather conditions recently and no action to be taken. (iii) A large puddle in front of the grit bin at the bottom of Pound Lane is preventing access to it. The Parish Council will make arrangements to get this filled in.
A Parish Councillor raised the subject of car parking problems in the village. This will be on the agenda for public discussion at the Annual Parish Meeting in May. |
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| MATTERS ARISING | ||
| 6 | MINUTES – the Parish Council resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 5th March 2018 as a true and accurate record of the meeting, subject to one amendment. | |
| 7 | ALLOTMENTS – three half plots remain vacant. | |
| 8 | PLAY PARK – a resident living next to the Play Park in Butts Close reported that the net behind the goal has dropped resulting in children climbing into her garden to retrieve footballs. The Clerk has ascertained that it requires re-hanging and has advised the resident that this will be done when the ground is hard enough to erect a scaffolding tower. The goal net also needs replacing. The RoSPA inspection of the Play Park took place in March and a report has been received. Most of the ratings are low or medium risk and any work considered necessary will be carried out. The Parish Council authorised the purchase of a new football goal net and basket ball net to be purchased by the Clerk and remedial work to be undertaken at the Play Park by Colin Banks. The table tennis project is ongoing, weather has prevented any further progress. | |
| 9 | BRIDFORD HILL AND SNOW WARDEN – the Snow Warden team worked extremely well in its attempts to keep Bridford Hill open during the recent snow. The team plan to have a review meeting to plan for next winter. It is thought that the towable gritter will probably need replacing with a more robust mobile and this will require funding from grants and possibly fundraising. A letter of thanks has been sent to the Snow Warden team. | |
| 10 | PARISH PLAN – the Parish Council met on 21st March to review the Parish Plan and subsequent amendments are being made to the document. It was suggested that the Parish Council should, in its support to the Village Hall, be able to assist with a grant in the event of an emergency. This will be on the agenda for further discussion and finalising at the Parish Council meeting in May. | |
| 11 | VILLAGE GARDEN – the Chairman acknowledged the death of Roger Clark who was instrumental in originally setting up the Village Garden and who has done a tremendous amount of work at the garden himself and organised the team of volunteers. It was unanimously agreed that there should be some sort of memorial to Roger in the garden. Suggested a letter of condolence should be sent to Mrs Clark, | |
| 12 | PARISH FOOTPATHS – there are still a couple of footpaths to be checked when the weather permits. | |
| 13 | REPLACEMENT OF SEAT AT POUND LANE – a quote of £345 has been received to replace the seat. Enquiries to be made re grant funding. A suggestion was made to engrave Bridford Parish Council (for example) into the back of the seat, rather than a plaque as a deterrent to anyone thinking of stealing it. This would obviously add to the cost. It is thought that the original seat was to commemorate the millennium. | |
| 14 | IVY GROWING UP ELECTRICITY PYLONS – Western Power has removed some of the ivy to make the pylons safe. | |
| Cnty Cllr Brook joined the meeting at 8.00pm. He was welcomed by the Chairman and invited to speak | ||
| The budget went through in February as per the draft. There were increases in three departments but Highways remained the same. It was necessary to purchase large additional supplies of salt to cope with the recent severe weather. Cllr Brook asked the Council how it coped with the recent snow. The volunteer scheme worked well. Cllr Brook indicated that funds may be available to assist with the purchase of a better quality towable gritter and that purchasing it with the assistance of a loan could be a possibility. There are still monies available from Invest in Devon (proceeds from the sale of Exeter Airport) for capital projects.
Cllr Brook confirmed that he would be happy to assist with the purchase of the new seat (agenda item 13) from the Locality Budget. |
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| Cnty Cllr Brook left the meeting at 8.10pm | ||
| 15 | BRIDFORD MOBILE PHONE SIGNAL – Vodaphone, Dst Cllr Ford and MP Mel Stride have been contacted to try and assist with the problem of an intermittent, sometimes non existent mobile phone signal at Bridford. The letter to Vodaphone has not been acknowledged and to date, the problem remains ongoing. | |
| OTHER MATTERS ARISING | ||
| 16 | DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT – no report, District Councillor not present | |
| 17 | COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT – report detailed above | |
| 18 | MEETINGS ATTENDED – the Parish Council was represented at the recent TALC meeting, when none of the speakers turned up. There was a discussion about the new Data Protection laws. The Clerk is working to ensure that the Parish Council is compliant with this. | |
| PLANNING FOR DISCUSSION | ||
| The first two applications were dealt with between meetings, informal comments to be ratified at April Parish Council meeting | ||
| 19 | 5 SCATTOR VIEW, BRIDFORD – re proposed use of agricultural land as domestic (DNPA ref. 0109/18). No objections. Decision ratified by the Parish Council 9th April 2018 | |
| 20 | LAND AT BRIDFORD WOOD HOUSE, BRIDFORD – re proposed erection of log store (DNPA ref. 0119/18). No objections. Decision ratified by the Parish Council 9th April 2018 | |
| 21 | BRIDFORD BARTON, BRIDFORD – re Listed Building consent re proposed repairs to glazing in garden room, capping to existing chimney stack, window repair, replacement loggia and wall reconstruction with general landscaping (DNPA ref. 0151/18). Site visit undertaken 9th April 2018. The Parish Council supports this application and is pleased to see this Grade 1 Listed Building being sympathetically restored. | |
| 22 | BRIDFORD BARTON, BRIDFORD – re full planning permission re proposed erection of loggia and greenhouse (DNPA ref. 0152/18). Site visit undertaken 9th April 2018. The Parish Council supports this application | |
| 23 | ANY PLANNING APPLICATIONS FOR DISCUSSION SINCE PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA – none | |
| PLANNING FOR INFORMATION | ||
| 24 | SEVEN VIEWS, BRIDFORD – Grant of Conditional Planning Permission re replacement dwelling (DNPA ref. 0015/18) | |
| 25 | LARKSPUR, BRIDFORD – Grant of Conditional Planning Permission re alterations to roof to include dormers and new pitched roof on garage (DNPA ref. 0065/18) | |
| 26 | CEDAR HOUSE, BRIDFORD – Refusal of Planning Permission re construction of standalone double garage (DNPA ref. 0016/18) | |
| 27 | ANY PLANNING ITMES FOR INFORMATION RECEIVED SINCE PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA – none | |
| FINANCE & ACCOUNTS | ||
| 28 | INTERNAL AUDIT 2017/18 – Penny Clapham will undertake this year’s internal audit, date to be arranged, fee £50. | |
| 29 | ACCOUNT BALANCES 5TH MARCH 2018
Current account Investment account |
5,711.89 3,746.12 9,458.01 |
| 30 | INCOME
TDC Elector Fund to assist Table Tennis project Bank interest February 2018 Bank interest March 2018 |
480.00 0.32 0.29 480.61 |
| 31 | EXPENDITURE
Mrs J P Banks re March 2018 salary £200.93 re holiday pay 2017/18 £292.08 Mrs J P Banks re admin re-imbursement 1 Jan – 31 Mar 2018 £125.17 re use of home as office 1 Jan – 31 Mar 2018 £ 54.00 HMRC re Clerk’s PAYE Quarter ended 5 April 2018 Rev J F M Miles re land registry search Playsafety Ltd re RoSPA Inspection £91.00 + £18.20 vat Bridford Village Hall re PC meetings room hire 1 Jan – 31 Mar 2018 £48.00 re contribution to PO rent 1 Jan – 31 Mar 2018 £44.00
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493.01
179.17 223.80 6.00 109.20
92.00 1,103.18 |
| 32 | ACCOUNT BALANCES 9TH APRIL 2018
Current account Investment account |
5,088.71 3,746.73 8,835.44 |
| 33 | Balances include earmarked funds: £120 refundable allotment deposits / £4,043 Play Park / £67.50 Village Garden / £136.76 Clothing Bank | |
| The Parish Council resolved to accept the accounts and approve the expenditure. Cllr Dowding, delegated by the Chair checked the cheques to the invoices and the reconciliation to the bank statement. | ||
| OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION | ||
| 34 | COMPLAINT RE MOVEMENT OF TIMBER LORRIES – correspondence from a Parishioner re length of length and weight of lorries passing through Bridford. The Parish Council does not consider that any action is appropriate. Providing the vehicles are licensed and insured, they are entitled to use the highway. | |
| 35 | ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION RECEIVED SINCE PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA – none | |
| OTHER ITEMS FOR INFORMATION | ||
| 36 | BRIDFORD RURAL SKIP DAY 2018 – will take place on Saturday 7th July in the lay-by at the top of Pound Lane | |
| 37 | THREE PARISHES MEETING 2018 – will be hosted by Dunsford Parish Council 17th April at Dunsford Village Hall. Items to be requested for the agenda: Roads / Snow / Valley Neighbourhood Plan | |
| 38 | DNPA RANGER TEAM MANAGER – Simon Lee, previously Park Ranger for the Teign Valley has been promoted to this post, formerly known as Head Ranger. The Ranger for this area is now Pete Rich | |
| 39 | ANY OTHER ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION RECEIVED SINCE PUBLICATION OF THE AGENDA – none | |
| 40 | PUBLIC DISCUSSION – | |
| 41 | DATE OF NEXT MEETING – the next meeting will be the Annual Parish Council meeting to be held on Monday 14th May 2018 at 7.00pm in the upstairs room of the Village Hall, to be followed by the usual monthly Parish Council meeting. The Annual Parish meeting will take place on Tuesday 22 May 2018 in the upstairs room of the Village Hall at 7.00pm. All are welcome at both meetings. | |
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Original copy signed by the vice Chairman 14th May 2018 |
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CIRCULATION Newsletters, Reports & Circulars Dunsford PC approved February minutes Christow PC approved January minutes Christow PC approved February minutes Miscellaneous Letter from Devon & Cornwall Police 2018/19 Teignbridge Precept list Correspondence sent Various |
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In the Teign Valley