1 Minutes for a meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council 23/7/08
ROCKBEARE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes for a meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council held at 7pm on Wednesday 23rd July 2008 at Marsh Green Hall.
Present: Cllrs Colin Please (Chairman), Ian Please, John Trigger, David Dart and Shaun Forsyth, Cllr Peter Bowden (District Councillor), PC Dave Smith and three members of the public.
Apologies:Cllrs Moira Trigger (Vice Chairman), Colin Ivison and Cllr Derek Button (County and District Councillor).
1APOLOGIES: To receive apologies for absence. AS ABOVE.
2MINUTES: Minutes of the last meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council held on Wednesday 18th June 2008 were signed as a correct record of that meeting. AGREED.
3DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & RISK ASSESSMENT: To receive declarations of interest and to note any additional risks. Cllrs Colin and Ian Please declared an interest, as application number 08/1853/FUL is the property neighbouring theirs. As such they did not take part in the discussion nor vote on the application.
MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED TO RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
4PLANNING
4.1Decisions (for information)
none
4.2Applications (for recommendation)
08/1663/FUL 2 Southbrook Court, Southbrook Lane – single storey rear extension Recommendation: APPROVAL
08/1853/FUL Bycott, Marsh Green – double garage and alterations to access
Recommendation: APPROVAL
4.3Appeals
APP/U1105/A/08/2075668/WF 3 Grange Cottages – extension over garage to form bedroom – written representations invited to the Planning Inspectorate, Bristol by 29th July 2008.
4.4Parish Plan – update was given on the progress of the plan and there was some speculation about the likelihood of Cranbrooks progress in the short term due to the credit crunch. A meeting has been held with Rockbeare School Governors and the Manor. A stall for people to engage further with the plan at the fete where key issues were ranked by importance. The Community Council of Devon will be contacted for further assistance shortly and a first draft is to be produced towards the end of September.
4.5Housing Needs Survey - to be requested via CCD through parish paln group.
5HIGHWAYS
5.1There is a hedge overgrowing the bridge which is to rearside of 8 Stoneylands which is in desperate need of cutting in order to save an accident happening (about 100 yards down Clay Hill from the school). Clerk to thank highways for the extensive work being done in the parish at present (especially on Allercombe Lane).
6ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY FACILITIES
6.1BT removal of Telephone Boxes - Letter from Maitland Walker solicitors acting on behalf of their client Mr Colin Coleman representing the Independent Service Company Ltd. (ISC), who are a provider of telecom services. The ISC do not want any telephone boxes in parishes removed until they have been given the opportunity to be a provider of services and asks that each parish contact him direct with details of any phone box which is under threat of removal and to confirm if the parish will be resisting its removal.
6.2EDDC Dog Control Orders – proposed ban on dogs for Rockbeare Playing Field and School Playing field. Agreed with the addition of the grounds of the Village Hall and the green verge opposite the school.
6.3Draft Proposal for a Unitary Government for Devon. On the 7th July 2008 the Government published their draft proposal on which comments are now invited. The proposal is for a Devon Unitary Authority comprising the existing County with no changes to Plymouth or Torbay. The full draft can be seen at . Representations can be made by email via the above link or in writing to the Review Officer, Devon review, The Boundary Committee for England, Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London, SW1P 2HW.
6.4EDDC letter received from Mark Williams offering attendance at a meeting to discuss the above if required and further letter inviting members of the parish council to attend a meeting in the Council Chamber at 6pm on Wednesday 30th July 2008. Response requested ASAP.
7REPORTS
7.1Community Policing – 18/6/08 to date there have been two crimes in the village, one assault (named offender) and theft of solar lights. PC Smith was soaked with sponges at the fete to raise funds for the hall and has also raised £500 from the police for the village drop in centre.
7.2Health and Safety
7.3Parish Field – Nothing to report
7.4Playing field – Nothing to report
7.5County and District Cllr Derek Button
Another busy month at the District Council! As well as normal Committee meetings, Cllr Button attended meetings of a Task and Finish Forum relating to Audit and Corporate Governance that has been concentrating on risk management and a working party looking at planning the Local Development Framework. (LDF). With regard to the LDF, you will appreciate that East Devon’s LDF has to accord with principles for development outlined in the approved Regional Spatial Strategy. As you know, this is currently in draft form only and is under review. However, it seems likely that the Strategy will require levels of growth in housing and employment land allocation that are very large indeed. East Devon is currently preparing a draft issues and options report relating to the LDF and, in view of the likely levels of growth required, some of the options that will be set out in that report will require very careful consideration and, no doubt, will cause considerable concern in some areas. As you know, one of the options set out in the Enquiry in Public Panel’s response to the draft RSS was for a new community of up to 6,000 homes north of the railway at Cranbrook. I have argued that this is wholly unacceptable because much of the land concerned is owned by the National Trust or flood plain.The Issues and Options document is currently under discussion and present thinking is that it should be published in September.
Cllr Button has been trying to help a number of families on the house waiting list for some and am pleased to report some limited successes in this respect in recent weeks.
County Council has also been busy with the normal range of meetings, 13 Parish Council meetings, a number of meetings of the School Exclusions Task Group, Development Control site visits and the inaugural meeting of the Hill Barton Liaison Group.
The Boundary Committee has published its draft proposal unitary local government in Devon on 7th July (report of a meeting held in Exmouth on 17th July for your information is attached to the minutes). The main recommendation is for a single unitary Devon alongside the existing Plymouth and Torbay unitaries. There is a second suggestion of a two unitary authority pattern involving an expanded Exeter including Exmouth as one authority and the remainder of Devon as another. Most of my County patch would be in the expanded Exeter area were this option to proceed. Representations on these draft proposals should be sent to the Review Manager by 26th September 2008.
I am pleased to report progress with highways maintenance projects with improvements to footways and safety improvements due to commence in Rewe, resurfacing in Brampford Speke and acknowledgement of the need for drainage works at Cowley.
I am also pleased to report grants through my locality budget to assist with the costs of improved access to the Broadclyst Pre-School Playgroup building and with the Lady Seawards School Garden project in Clyst St George.
Many of you are aware that there are other funds available following the sale of the airport. These are for capital projects only and more detail on them can be found on the County’s web-site.
Exeter International Airport has published its draft master plan for the development of the airport to 2030. The closing date for consultation on the Plan is 30th September.
7.5District Councillor Peter Bowden– reported that after much thought and separating political motives his concern would be that 28 market/coastal town boards may not best serve all rural parishes, whereas retaining similar boundaries to the existing 9 districts for the new structure may be a better option in order to retain local identity. Much discussion followed.
7.7Rockbeare School Governor – Nothing to report
7.8Exeter International Airport Consultative Group– (Draft Masterplan and minutes of consultative group received)
7.9Clyst Vale Group of Parish Councils* – Nothing to report
7.10Rockbeare Village Hall – The fun day raised over £3400 and the rangers have been busy with renovating the cricket pavilion as a changing room. The 30 year lease is still being negotiated.
7.11Joint Parishes Meeting* – Nothing to report
8FINANCE
8.1Funding
8.1.1It was previously proposed an amount could be donated towards the church roof (total £6000) or new burial ground (£10,000). Clerk has checked whether it is allowable for the parish council to donate towards the extension to the burial ground and it is possible under s214(6) of the Local Government Act 1974, funds could be donated with strict provision that the ground is never sold or built on or the grant would need to be repaid. Further information has been requested before a decision can be made.
8.1.2Rockbeare Playing Fields – The committee have gained three quotes for two cradle and two flat swings these range from £3613 to £6565, it was not known if an application been made to the RockETS scheme (closing date was 4th July 2008).
8.2Receipts ; HMCE VAT refund 2007-8 £70.90
Cheques for approval: Rockbeare Youth Club Hall rental (three months @£5 per week) £125.00
Vision ITC (website 29/9/08-29/9/09£115.15
8.3Quote received for renovation of bench at Delia Gardens, £76.00 work not completed as yet, Mr Randall to remind.
Balance of account at 1/7/08 Natwest £7084.29Current Account
£12,491.46 Reserve account (of which £1185.37 is Prowtings fund)
8.4Internal Audit has been completed with one comment and a resign of accounts is required. Clerk
missed a payment of interest in the sum of £84.20 which was received before year end, but only appeared on following statement (received in May) this has now been added to the accounts.
MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC
Members Remember! You must declare any personal or prejudicial interests at the start of the meeting (item number 3). Make sure you say the reason for your interest as this has to be included in the minutes. If your interest is prejudicial you must leave the room.
Dates of forthcoming meetings:
7.30pm Wednesday 20th August 2008Marsh Green Village Hall
7.30pm Wednesday 17th September 2008Rockbeare School
7.30pm Wednesday 8th October 2008Marsh Green Village Hall
7.30pm Wednesday 19th November 2008Rockbeare School
7.30pm Wednesday 12th December 2008Marsh Green Village Hall
*Parish Councillors only – these are information evenings and not public meetings
Report on Meeting held at the Telfer Centre, Gypsy Lane e, Exmouth 17/7/2008
These notes are the personal observations of Cllr Derek Button of a meeting called by the Exmouth Community Association and the Exmouth Residents Association to consider proposals (a) for the future development of Exmouth and (b) for unitary government in Devon as proposed by the Boundaries Committee.
The meeting commenced with an explanation of the latest position in relation to proposed developments in Exmouth including supermarket proposals, transport infrastructure etc..
The chairman then introduced Cllr Greenslade (leader Devon County Council), Cllr Miss Randall-Johnson (leader East Devon District Council), Cllr Edwards (Exeter City Council) and Mr John Wokersein (Clerk, Exmouth Town Council) as speakers on the issue of the Boundaries Committee’s report on the future of Local Government in Devon.
The history of the proposal for unitary local government in Devon was outlined. It was explained that local authorities had been invited by central government to submit applications for unitary status in 2006. Whilst no other authorities in Devon submitted applications at this stage, Exeter City Council had. Their bid had been unsuccessful since the Secretary of State felt that the financial case put forward had not been made. Subsequent to this, the Secretary of State had invited the Boundary Committee to consider alternative proposals for Unitary Councils in Devon. This prompted proposals from Exeter City Council, various District Councils and from the County Council as well as proposals for extending the boundaries of Plymouth & Torbay.
The Boundary Committee, having considered all the evidence provided, had published its draft recommendation on 7th July 2008. This was for a single Unitary Devon. A second possible option of two Unitary Authorities outside of Torbay and Plymouth comprising (a) a Unitary Authority based upon a corridor including Exeter, Exmouth and numerous Parishes on the periphery of Exeter and between it and Exmouth and (b) another Unitary Authority comprising the rest of Devon outside the Exeter – Exmouth axis Authority.
Cllr Greenslade spoke first, outlining his and the County Council’s preference for the boundary Committee’s primary recommendation of a single Unitary Devon. He explained that there was much work to be done in defining the role of Community Boards and the Town and Parish Councils but that he felt that with goodwill on all sides it might be possible to arrive at a solution that effectively ensured more local empowerment. This could involve significant devolution of powers to the Community Boards and, where Parishes wish it, to the Parishes.
Cllr Greenslade emphasised that a single Unitary, with its enormous purchasing power, could secure significant cost saving in procurement and, in partnership with Community Boards and Town and Parish Councils, ensure effective delivery of service throughout Devon. He added that he knew there was some feeling that the existing two tier system was begin to effectively deliver results and that, with improved partnership working, it could continue so to do. He urged the people of Devon to give the matter serious thought, to respond to the Boundary Committee report and to be prepared to work together to ensure effective local government whatever the outcome of the Secretary of State’s final decision.
Cllr Edwards spoke next, explaining his Council’s wish to see the preservation of local determination in Exeter. He explained that prior to 1974, Exeter City had “ruled its own affairs” and that their proposals for Unitary status would only mean a return to pre 1974 status and that Exeter’s 800 years of self determination should be restored. He spoke in favour of the Boundary Committee’s second option for the Exeter- Exmouth corridor proposal although he recognised that this proposal had come as a shock to him and other City councillors as well as to other Council leaders outside of Exeter. He felt that the economically vibrant Exeter could serve to invigorate the area outside the City boundary but within the Exeter-Exmouth corridor.
In her opening remarks, Cllr Randall-Johnson said “if it ain’t broke, why fix it?”
She then stated that when first approached about possible unitary bids in Devon, she had approached Exeter City Council about a possible unitary bid involving Exeter and the East Devon District Council area but that Exeter had responded that they “would rather go it alone”. This seemed to me a little contradictory and, had I been able to stay for question time, I would have wanted to explore this apparent dichotomy.
Cllr Randall-Johnson went on to speak in favour of retaining the status quo in the sense of keeping District, City and County Councils as they are now with improved partnership working. On Wednesday evening, at East Devon District Council’s meeting, she acknowledged that the Boundary Committee have asserted that, for them, the status quo is not an option but she felt that, if this is what the people wanted, then they should say so in their response to the Boundary Committee’s proposals.
Finally, John Wokersein spoke as Clerk to Exmouth Town Council and asserted that they wanted to hear the responses of local residents before finalising their response in September.
Unfortunately, I could not stay for question time.
Derek Button
18/7/2008
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