February 2013 Minutes
BRIDFORD PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a meeting of Bridford Parish Council held at Bridford Village Hall on Monday 4th February 2013 at 7.00pm.
Present: Cllrs S Purser (Chairman), G Hearndon, A Lord, T Evans, D Goodwin-Hughes, J Binghma,
Mrs J P Banks (Clerk). Cnty Cllr Brook attended for part of the meeting. There were no members of the public present.
1. Apologies – Cllr E price
2. Declarations of Interest – none
3. Public Discussion
Shooting – the Parish Council has received a report that a rare breed lamb was shot in a field at Bridford on Friday 18th January. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the police using the new telephone number, quoting crime reference JC/13/29.
First Responders – a Parish Councillor mentioned that the Teign Valley First Responders need to purchase a second kit and asked if some sort of fund raising event could be organised to buy it. The Chairman confirmed that the Parish Council has previously made a donation of £200 and had also made funds available from the District Councillor’s fund. It is not a Parish Council matter but it was agreed to ask for the item to be included on the agenda of the 2013 Three Parishes meeting.
4. MATTER ARISING
5. Minutes – The Parish Council resolved to approve and accept the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 7th January 2013 as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
6. Allotments – Interest has been expressed in one of the vacant half plots and an agreement has been sent out. Tenants to be given first two months free of charge as they have agreed to rotovate and prepare it for use themselves.
7. Play Area – annual RoSPA inspection will take place during March 2013.
8. Village Hall – Cllr Lord attended the recent Village Hall Committee meeting. The Parish Council has been asked if it would finance the provision of a Village Hall direction sign as the building is not easy to find. There was a tiny unofficial sign on a post at the top of Pound Lane but this is no longer in place. The Parish Council has no objections to the Village Hall Committee providing a sign but would not be in a position to pay for it and suggested that the Committee would be wise to contact DNPA to find out if permission is required.
9. Bridford’s website – Christow Parish Council has kindly provided details of the supplier of it’s new website. This was discussed at length and it was decided that Bridford ideally, needs a “village” website, not one solely for the Parish Council. A plea will be put in Unity asking for volunteers in the village who would be willing to set up and maintain a new website. In the meantime, the current Bridford website has been paid for the next six months, but with John Lund being in hospital, it has not been updated for some time and if somebody would bewilling to take this on temporarily, the web provider has indicated that it would be relatively easy to show somebody else what to do
10. Bus Shelter cleaning letter sent to TDC. No response to date. In diary to follow up.
11. Suggested proposal to widen the junction of Pound Lane with B3193 – letter sent to DCC. With Cnty Cllr Brook being copied in. No response to date.
12. Snow Warden – Cllr Goodwin-Hughes reported a very busy January. Each run uses 110kgs and can be done in 45 minutes. There has been a good response to the request for volunteers. It has been suggested that a chalk board could be placed at the top of Pound Lane detailing when the hill was last gritted. The residents of Butts Close have requested that their road is included in the gritting programme. Many comments of appreciation received. Snow Warden Cllr Goodwin-Hughes was nominated a “Snow Hero” and was interviewed on BBC Radio Devon. The grit bin at the end of Butts Close cannot be accessed with cars parking in front of it. Volunteers will move it further back on the grass when it has been emptied. An item will be put in Unity asking for details of any mishaps that have occurred on Bridford Hill as a result of ice and snow. It is proposed to start a register as this would build a case for Bridford to be reinstated onto the primary gritting scheme.
Cnty Cllr Brook arrived at 7.35pm and was welcomed by the Chairman.
Cllr Goodwin-Hughes asked if DCC could supply some high visability vest, some shovels and a wheel barrow.
Cnty Cllr Brook stated that DCC currently has 10,000 potholes to fill. It is encouraging to see that working is currently taking place on some of the back roads.
The main budget meeting will take place on 21 February when it is hoped that there will be a Resolution to set the 2013/14 budget. Cnty Cllr Brook reaffirmed his support to his Parishes, but suggested that it is always easier if he can submit a question to the appropriate person / dept. Written responses take a lot longer. It has been noted that at Whetcome ‘bump’ the steel barrier is now hanging where the road has been further undermined. Trees are also a massive risk to the road; Cnty Cllr Brook will find out if it is possible for DCC to fell some of them. Cnty Cllr Brook will be holding his Chairman’s Annual Service at the Parish Church at Credition on Sunday 3 March 2013.
Cnty Cllr Brook left the meeting at 7.50pm
ANY OTHER MATTERS ARISING
13. Meetings Attended by any members of the Parish Council. The Chairman attended the recent TALC meeting. Lesley Tucker, Finance Officer for TDC spoke about precepts and budgets. Neil Aggett spoke about Localism and the Right to Bid.
The Chairman and Cllr Hearnden attended the last Bridford Trust meeting. Planning Permission has been given for the compostable toilet. It was discussed how money from the Sustainability fund would be spent.
PLANNING
Items for Discussion – none
14. Any Items for discussions received since publication of the agenda
Land at Middle Westcott Farm, Doccombe – re proposed erection of agricultural dwelling. (DNPA ref. 0031/13) The Parish Council objected for the following reasons:
1.The livestock building is not yet built.
2. Financial and functional tests should be undertaken relating to the 75 acres and including taking into account the capital cost of construction of the substantial farmhouse and livestock buiding.
3. If any permission is granted, it should be on a three year temporary basis.
4. The Parish Council believes that the farmhouse proposed would have a visual and detrimental impact on the landscape.
5. The Parish Council considers that the building should be located near the existing settlement of Westcott.
This was a majority decision
Items for Information – none
15. Any items for information received since publication of the agenda
The Grange, Bridford Mills, Bridford – Grant of Conditional Planning Permission re renewal
Of extant permission ref. 0210/09 for two storey extension to dwelling (DNPA ref 0633/12)
FINANCE & ACCOUNT
16. Account balances as at 28th January 2013 – current account £2,875.30 and deposit account £2,863.60 (balances include £1,557.20 earmarked for Play Area and £25 Christmas tree expenses) Balances allow for any expenditure and income detailed below.
17 Income:
Banks interest December 2012 £ 0.24
18 Expenditure
Mrs J P Banks re Clerk’s salary for January 2013 £162.96
D.A.L.C. New Councillor training for John Bingham £25.00 + £5.00 VAT £ 30.00
The Parish Council resolved to accept the accounts and authorise the expenditure. The
Chairman checked the invoices to the cheque book and the reconciliation to the bank
statement.
18a Precept – the Clerk confirmed that the one off grant of £350 from TDC would be deducted
from the agreed figure requested of £6,250 making a net payment due from TDC of £5,900.
FOR DISCUSSION
19 DALC County Committee 2011-2015– Casual vacancies. There was no interest.
20 Buckingham Palace Garden Parties – The Chairman has already attended and is therefore not eligible for nomination. No other Councillors expressed a wish to attend.
21 Standard of Repair of Potholes – Lustleigh Parish Council is not happy with the standard of pothole repairs and has asked Bridford to support it in a bid to get something done. A reply will be sent to Lustleigh advising that Bridford does not consider the situation ideal, but believes that it gets a reasonable service and that Highways Department is doing what it can.
22 Hire of the Village Hall for future PC meetings – the Parish Council will ask if it can hold it’s future meetings in the main upstairs room.
23 Any items for discussion received since publication of the agenda – none
FOR INFORMATION
24. Preventing Crime in Rural Communities – next event to be held 15 February 2013 at the Royal Cornwall Showground.
25. TDC “The HEAT Project” – All households will receive letters giving details of the scheme
26. Any items for information received since publication of the agenda
Consultation on Admission Arrangements fo Devon Schools 2014/15 and Education
Transport 2013/14 – can be viewed at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionarrangements
Warning – re area dial codes. Details will be published in Unity
Public Consultation – Responding to Incidents Review. A local meeting will be held at Police HQ Middlemoor 28 February. Confirmation of attendance is required.
27. District Councillors Report from Dst Cllr Stephen Purser. The budget is ongoing. Council rebate scheme has been approved. The grace period for owning empty properties has been reduced. It is proposed to do away with Band E on the housing waiting list. Band E currently has 1700 waiting for housing so this will effectively reduce the waiting list.
28 Public Discussion – no further items for discussion.
29 Date of next meeting – 7.00pm Monday 11thh March 2013 at the Village Hall. This date
has been changed from the original published date for March.
Original copy signed by the Chairman 11th March 2013
CORRESPONDENCE FOR CIRCULATION (Appendix A)
Reports and Agendas
Christow PC December 2012 minutes
Miscellaneous
Clerks & Councils Direct Councils suppliers year book
Amendments to Register of Electors
Planning online results of recent questionnaire / survey
Newsletters
Everyone’s tomorrow January 2013
Clerks & Councils Direct