Minutes of a meeting of Bridford Parish Council held at Bridford Village Hall Monday 2nd March 2015 at 7.00pm.
Present: Cllrs S Purser (Chairman), G Hearnden, E Price, F Miles, J Bingham, A Lord, T Evans (arrived at 7.10pm), Mrs J P Banks (Clerk), Cnty Cllr Brook attended for part of the meeting and three members of the public.
- Apologies – none
- Declarations of Interest – none
- Public Discussion
Village Hall – a Parishioner who cleans the Village Hall wished to draw the Parish Council’s attention to the fact that she did not consider the Hall was being managed in a satisfactory manner having found on different occasions, the water heater left on, fire doors propped open and the building generally not being left in an acceptable state following an event. The Parish Council agreed to write to the Village Hall Committee to ask them to review their management of the building and to ensure that there is in future, a nominated person who the cleaner can liaise with and who will be overall responsible in the event of problems.
Anglers Cottage – a Parishioner reported that this property has been empty for at least three months and in its current state of repair is becoming an eyesore. It is not known who owns the property. The Parish Council will contact Teignbridge to see what can be done.
Hedge at Pound Lane – although the roadside hedge has been cut at Shippen, the inside requires cutting back to ensure visibility on the hill when the leave start to grow. The Parish Council will write to the land owner.
Hedge at Pound Lane adjoining Oxenpark Gate – this has long been an issue with letters sent to the builders of the estate being ignored. As outstanding issues still remain, a management company has never been established.
School Lane – a Parishioner commented on the state of the road surface which is generally very mossy with a number of potholes. Devon County Council is responsible for the road until it becomes a footpath to the church when it becomes the responsibility of the DNPA Ranger. Both will be contacted to see if any repairs can be undertaken.
Slurry / mud on the road still running down off the field between Neadon Lane and Windhill Gate when it rains. The Parish Council will contact Seven Acre Farm to see if they now have the road cleaning equipment that they were going to obtain and to request that the road is kept free of slurry.
Gentleman of the Road – a Parishioner advised the Parish Council that a tramp has taken up residence in the church during the day. The PCSO has been advised.
Rowden Wood – oil debris running down has been reported. Environmental representatives have been to investigate. The Dartmoor Ranger to be asked if he is aware.
Item 24 – District Councillors Report brought forward – the District budget was approved which included the Devon County precept. District Council currently in ‘purver mode’ in the run up to the Elections on 7th May.
Cllr Purser left the meeting at 7.35pm and Cllr Hearnden took the Chair
Item 20 – Request for funds from Bridford Church – brought forward to allow representatives of the church present at the meeting to speak.
The yew trees in the churchyard and the lower hedge require cutting back and the estimate is £300. The Parish Council resolved to make £250 available from funds generated from the textile bank. The Clerk confirmed that the Village Hall would still be receiving the 20% of any funds received as a result of the textile bank, agreed when the scheme was
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originally set up. It was agreed that the 20% payable to the Village Hall should be paid at the end of the Parish Council’s financial year.
MATTER ARISING
4 Minutes – The Parish Council resolved to approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on February 2nd 2015 as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
5 Allotments – nothing new to report. Plot 3 still vacant and being advertised.
6 Play Area – RoSPa annual inspection to take place this month. Nothing else to report.
7 Village Hall – refer to public discussion. There is a management issue, not directly the Parish Council’s problem.
8 Skip in driveway at 6 Scattor View – at the February meeting it was recorded in the minutes that there was concern about a permanent skip in the drive of 5 Scattor View. This was incorrect and should have been number 6. A letter has been sent to the occupier of number 5 apologising for any embarrassment or inconvenience this may have caused.
Cnty Cllr Brook joined the meeting at 7.50pm. He was welcomed by the acting Chairman and invited to speak. The County Council budget eventually went through, one variation being the decision to continue to fill the grit bins. £100,000 has been put back into the bus scheme to allow more time to decide how to go about the process of operating this service. Otherwise, no great changes to the original budget proposals. The “Achilles’ heel” is the outstanding debt, being money borrowed from the public loans board which was then loaned out to others to generate funds. £250,000 is still outstanding but is not able to be paid back yet. The next payment date is not until 2027. Funds are being put back each year to be able to pay the money back and this takes away a considerable amount of the revenue budget. To maintain the capitalprogramme within the county, assets have been reviewed. With the reduction of staff, some satellite buildings have been mothballed down and sold. The capital project is supported by assets that are no longer functional or required by the County Council. Cllr Lord asked Cnty Cllr Brook if he knew what was happening regarding the bus proposals to cut out Hennock from the weekly Newton Abbot service, but he had no further information.
Cnty Cllr Brook left the meeting at 8.12pm
ANY OTHER MATTERS ARISING
9 Meetings Attended by members of the Parish Council – none
PLANNING
For Discussion
The following items were dealt with between meetings due to the short timescale for submitting the observation sheets
10 Amerys, Bridford – amendment to original plans. Change from flat to pitched roof extension and amendments to window design and front elevations (DNPA ref 0001/15) “ The Parish Council has no objections”
11 Pound Cottage – amendment to approved DNPA ref. 0026/14 to insert new window and omit door (DNPA ref 0051/15) “The Parish Council has no objections”.
12 Any items for discussion received since the publication of the agenda – none
For Information
13 Seven Acre Farm, Bridford – Grant of Conditional Planning Permission re siting of temporary dwelling for agricultural worker (DNPA ref. 0710/14)
14 Springwater Stables, Bridford – refusal to issue a Certificate of Lawful Use or Development (DNPA ref 0700/14)
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15 Any items for information received since the publication of the agenda
Amerys, Bridford – Grant of Conditional Planning Permission re single storey extension
(DNPS ref. 0001/15)
FINANCE & ACCOUNT
16 Account balances as at 25th February 2015 – current account £3,413.59 and deposit account
£3,175.01. Balances include £623 earmarked for Play Area, £120 balance of refundable deposits for allotments & £327.20 re proceeds of contents of textile bank)
Balances allow for all expenditure and income detailed below.
17 Income
Bank interest re December 2014 £ 0.26
Bank interest re January 2015 £ 0.27
18 Expenditure
Mrs J P Banks re Clerk’s salary for February 2015 £180.54
Mrs J P Banks purchase of HP laptop computer £399.00
Microsoft Office programme £ 79.99
MacAfee anti-virus programme £ 20.00 £498.99
Mrs J P Banks paid to IBIS UK to transfer HMRC files from old laptop £ 10.00
DALC re New Councillors Course 28 January for Cllr F Miles £ 30.00
Information Commissioner re renewal of Data Protection registration £ 35.00
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 statement.
19 Reimbursement of Christmas tree lights £24.39 authorised for payment at January PC meeting – the Parish Council re-authorised this payment to be made under S137 payments in retrospect.
ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
20 Request for funds from Bridford Church – item dealt with earlier in the meeting.
21 Teign Tennis Trust request for a PC representative to attend its AGM 18th March 2015 Cllr Bingham will represent the Parish Council.
22 Any items received for discussion since the publication of the agenda – none
ITEMS FOR INFORMATION
23 Social Enterprise Workshops 2015 – information at www.devoncommunities.org.uk
24 Any items for information received since the publication of the agenda
Building Better Communities – Jewson pledges £100,000 for community regeneration
projects
RoSPA Playsafety Playground Inspection Training Courses available
Teign Valley Community Hall – letter from the secretary trying to recruit new committee members from all the Valley Parishes.
May 2015 Elections – the Clerk advised members of the Parish Council that she has a limited number of Nomination Packs. Deadline for receipt of completed nomination papers at Forde House, 4.00pm Thursday 9th April 2015.
25 District Councillors Report – given earlier in the meeting.
26 Public Discussion – nothing else for discussion
27 Date of next meeting – Monday 13th April 2015 7.00pm in the upstairs room at the
Village Hall
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Original copy signed by the Chairman 13th April 2015
CORRESPONDENCE FOR CIRCULATION (Appendix A)
Newsletters and Circulars
Funding News February 2015
Advice Teignbridge February 2015
Reports and Agendas
Dunsford approved minutes for January 2015
Letters sent
Various
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