Minutes for May 2013BRIDFORD PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the combined Annual Parish meeting and Annual Parish Council meeting held at Bridford Village Hall on Wednesday 8th May at 7.00pm.
Present: Cllrs S Purser (Chairman), G Hearnden, A Lord, E Price, J Bingham, T Evans, Mrs J P Banks (Clerk) and four members of the public.
Election of Chairman – Cllr Stephen Purser was re-elected as Chairman
Election of Vice Chairman – Cllr Geoff Hearnden was re-elected as vice Chairman
Acceptance of Office forms were signed by the Chairman and Vice Chairman.
Apologies – Cllr D Goodwin-Hughes, Simon Lee (DNPA Ranger)
Declarations of Interest – none
Appointment of Committees
| Neighbourhood Watch | Steve Simm |
| Rural Aid | Cllr S Purser |
| Village Hall | Cllr A Lord |
| TALC | Cllr S Purser DNPA Consultative Committee All Parish Councillors |
| Bridford Trust | Cllrs Purser, Hearnden & Goodwin-Hughes |
| Planning | All Parish Councillors |
| Lengthsman | The Clerk |
| Playing Field | Cllr E Price |
| Tree Warden | David Price |
| Parish Plan Development | All Parish Councillors |
| Allotments representative | Francis Leversedge |
| Allotments PC representative | Cllr E Price |
| Website | currently John Lund |
ANNUAL PARISH MEETING AND PUBLIC DISCUSSION
Chairman’s Report – see appendix (i)
DNPA Ranger’s Report – postponed due to absence of Simon Lee.
Public Discussion.
Thanks were conveyed to the Parish Council from Ken Bridgeman re a token of thanks from the PC for installing the new timetable in the bus shelter.
A Parishioner commented on the efficiency of DCC’s system for reporting potholes.
It was agreed that a get well card should be sent to Simon Lee following his accident.
MATTER ARISING
Minutes – the Parish Council resolved to approve and accept the minutes of the meeting held on 8th April as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
Allotments – plot 4b has been taken, the tenant to use the allotment rent free until 1st October in lieu of the Parish Council arranging for the plot to be weeded and rotavated. The tenant of plot 2a has given notice but a new tenant is waiting to take it over. The prickly hedge adjacent to plots 6a & 7a has been cut back as a matter of health and safety as it was ‘attacking’ the allotment tenant.
Play Area– Cllr Price has gone through the RoSPA report and highlighted tasks that require attention. The Parish Council resolved to employ Colin Banks to do the work, to be paid on an hourly basis. A meeting will be arranged with Cllr Price so that she can discuss exactly what needs to be done.
Village Hall – a draft document has been drawn up which sets out suggested changes to the Constitution to modernise it and a meeting has been arranged in order for the suggested changes to be ratified by the existing committee. The Parish Council is of the opinion that the existing trustees have a duty to ensure that plans / committee are in place to ensure the future running of the Hall.
Review of Parish Plan – a separate meeting will take place on 17th June.
Meetings attended – the Chairman attended a DNPA planning meeting. There is to be a new planning regime. There will now be two enforcement officers. The Chairman also attended a Farmers’ Forum at DNPA where there was a presentation on the Hil Farm project, what they have been doing and a discussion as to where it should go in the future. It was agreed that it should continue but it is not known how it will be financed.
Cllr Lord attended a meeting of the Village Hall committee. Discussions took place re the official re-opening and also the constitution. There is a further meeting on 14th May.
PLANNING
Items for Discussion
The following item was dealt with between meetings due to short timescales for
submitting responses:
16 Wheal Augusta, Bridford – Construction of greenhouse and hot tub within garden (DNPA re. 0189/13). “The Parish Council has no objections”.
17 4 Greenhill Cottage, Bridford – proposed ground floor extension to the rear of Property (DNPA ref. 0219/13). “The Parish Council has no objections”.
Any items received for discussion since publication of the agenda – none
Items for Information
Whippletree Farm, Lower Hole, Bridford – letter of approval of work described in notification re construction of two polytunnels (each 25.6m x 7.3m) and one glasshouse/storage shed (10m x 6m)
Any items for information received since publication of the agenda
Teign Valley Woodlands – the five year permissive access agreement between the owners and DNPA ended in March 2013. The owners have indicated that they do not wish to enter into a new access agreement at this time as the woodlands are up for sale.
Risk Assessment – the Parish Council resolved to approve and accept the revised risk assessment
The Notice of Appointment of Date for the Exercise of Electors Rights for the year ended 31st March 2013 is currently displayed on the notice board.
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Date of External 2013 Audit is 8th June.
The 2013 Internal Audit took place on 12th April. There are no issues requiring attention and the Parish Council once again has a clean bill of health.
The Receipts and Payments Account for the year ended 31 March 2013 and Supporting Statement were approved by the Parish Council and signed by the Chairman and Clerk Annual Return for year ended 31st March 2013 – the Parish Council answered ‘yes’ to all of the questions in the Annual Governance Statement and passed a resolution to approve and accept the accounts in section one and the Annual Governance Statement in section two.
Review of cheque signatories – reviewed at the end of last year. No changes required.
Annual PAYE returns P35 & P14 re year end 5 April 2013 have been completed and submitted online and P60 given to the Clerk.
Account balances as at 2013 – current account £4,685.86 and deposit account £2,886.58 (balances include £1,557.20 earmarked for Play Area and £25 Christmas tree lights)
Balances take into account the expenditure and income detailed below.
29 Expenditure Mrs J P Banks re Clerk’s salary for April 2013 £ 168.80
Mr K Abraham re 2013 Internal Audit £ 90.00
G Dicker re grass cutting Jan-March 2013 £ 105.00
Society of Local Council Clerks subscription £ 75.00
Mrs J P Banks re Graham Read repair to printer £ 15.00
Income TDC 1st half of precept less DALC sub £3,011.41
Bank Interest not noted in minutes y/e 31/3/13
August 2013 £ 0.23
September 2012 £ 0.23
October 2012 £ 0.23
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.
FOR DISCUSSION
Three Parishes Meeting 2013 will be held on 14 May at TVCH Christow. Cllrs Purser, Bingham, Price and Lord have indicated that they will attend.
DNPA Forum 22nd May. Cllr Evans asked for a question re visitor numbers to the Park to be included on the agenda
FOR INFORMATION
Warnings from Devon and Cornwall Police – a shed in the Chudleigh area was broken into and tools stolen, entry being gained by breaking a padlock. Residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious.
Police have received a report of sheep and lambs being attacked by dogs resulting in two lambs having died of the injuries. Police ask all dog owners to keep them under control when in the vicinity of livestock.
Change of property name – The Barn, Lower Westcott Farm, Bridford has been
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registered as Lower Westcott Farm Cottage
District Councillors Report – everything currently very quiet with the Annual Council meeting due to take place. The plan for Teignbridge is working its way through the system. There is a growing body of people wishing to stop building on green fields. There is a major management review which will reduce the management positions from seventeen to twelve. There will be a chief executive and four business leads.
Public Discussion – A Parishioner asked how long the traffic lights would be at
Whetcomebe. Devon County Council Highways is looking into a scheme to repair the road which has been undermined by the river, a repair which is likely to cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
A Parishioner asked if the hedge at the top of Pound Lane would be cut. It was explained that the hedge remains the responsibility of Stephens Builders who built the Oxenpark Gate properties and the Parish Council has no responsibility for its maintenance. Mr Stephens has been approached previously but to no avail.
37 Date of next meeting – 7.00pm Monday 3rd June 2013 at the Village Hall.
Original minutes signed by the Chairman 3rd June 2013
CORRESPONDENCE FOR CIRCULATION (Appendix A)
Reports and Agendas
DNPA minutes of Town and Parish Council Workshop meeting 15 April 2013
Miscellaneous
List of precept payments for Teignbridge
DNPA staff contact details – planning directorate
Copy of the update on the formal complaint against DCC re Bridford Hill
DNPA – A Guide to Certificates of Lawfulness
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