1 Minutes for meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council 20/8/08
ROCKBEARE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes for a meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 17th September 2008 at Rockbeare School.
Present: Cllrs Colin Please (Chairman), Cllrs Colin Ivison, John Trigger, and Shaun Forsyth Cllr Derek Button (County and District Councillor), and four members of the public.
Apologies: Cllrs David Dart, Ian Please, Moira Trigger (Vice Chairman), Peter Bowden (District Councillor), PC Dave Smith
1APOLOGIES: To receive apologies for absence - AS ABOVE
2MINUTES: Minutes of the last meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council held on Wednesday 23rd July 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 - NONE
MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED TO RECEIVE COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
4PLANNING for details
4.1Decisions (for information)
08/1663/FUL 2 Southbrook Court – permission granted single storey rear extension
4.2Applications (for recommendation)
4.2.108/1961/FUL Rockbeare Motors – redevelopment of garage to include new workshop, petrol filling station and shop with associated works. Recommendation: APPROVAL
4.2.208/2318/FUL 15 Rookswood – first floor extension over garage. Recommendation: APPROVAL
4.3Appeals
4.3.1APP/U1105/A/08/2080195/NWF Change of use of land from agricultural to domestic garden at Holly Brook, Marsh Green. Written representations by 21st August 2008 to the Planning Inspectorate, Bristol.
4.4Parish Plan – meeting have been taking place and a further questionnaire is to be circulated in January, to be completed by February.
4.5Housing Needs Survey - this has been requested through CCD and will begin in October 2008.
5HIGHWAYS
6Gapping hole has been reported outside Cranbrook veterinary practice, Highways are investigating the cause.
Hedge by the bridge – clerk to chase Highways order
Pavement by Jack in the Green (from Cranbrook veterinary centre to Clay Hill) is over grown with grass believed to be Highways responsibility.
Yellow lines around school need redrawing as they are broken.
Stones have come out of a wall by number 3 Delia gardens (EDDC property).
New Road - there is a branch sticking out which is a traffic hazard (National Trust Ground).
7ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY FACILITIES
7.1Draft 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. For discussion and final comment at the September meeting. This was discussed at length and it was decided to draft a response requring the empowerment of local commuinity and accountability whichever option is taken by the government. It was agreed that this could be achieved in either a two or three tier system, but Rockbeare in either event would prefer not to be brought within the Exeter boundary for fear of losing local identity.
7.2Sewage – there are concerns that the there is a risk of surcharging if allowance isn’t made for the additional load caused by Skypark. Although there is provision within the new Cranbrook development this will not be for some years yet. Mr Trigger is to compose a letter from the parish council to ask SWW to ensure there is no contamination of local water courses in the interim.
7.3Red Phone Boxes – does Rockbeare have any and would you like to adopt them (even phonelessly) agreed clerk to investigate full implications but in principal agreed to retain the box outside the post office.
7REPORTS
7.1Community Policing – 23/7/8-16/9/8 there have been seven crimes reported: a trailer stolen from a field at Allercombe, racially aggravated neighbour problems at Marsh Green, criminal damage to Rockbeare village hall, damage to a vehicle at Marsh Green, stolen vehicle Marsh Green, burglary to Rockbeare village hall (some drinks stolen, nothing else), roadside assault (not village related)
7.2Health and Safety – Nothing to report.
7.3Parish Field – needs some attention as soon as it is dry enough.
7.4Playing field – this is currently being offered to the parish under a separate lease to the hall which may be revoked if planning is granted.
7.4County and District Cllr Derek Button – (report from Cllr Bowden on Boundaries response also received and circulated prior to meeting)
County report:
As usual, August was a relatively quiet month in terms of County Council meetings although we have been involved in discussions of serious concern for the future of local government in Devon. These have been centred upon the Boundary Committee’s draft recommendations for Unitary Government in Devon and upon the Secretary of States proposed alterations to the Draft Regional Spatial Strategy.
In the first instance, debate continues to rage about whether Devon should have Unitary Status or two Unitary Authorities apart from Plymouth and Torbay. This issue will be tested through a Parish Poll in Broadclyst on 25th September, one day before representations on the proposals are due to be received by the Committee. For info., I have attached a copy of a letter that I have sent to a concerned elector who wrote to me expressing his disquiet about the proposals. This letter (altered to protect identity) sets out my own position on this issue. There was a useful and informative meeting on the issue at the Catholic Church in Ottery St Mary on Tuesday 9th September at 7pm and there is to be another on Wednesday 17th September at 7pm in the Victory Hall, Broadclyst. Please accept my apologies for Parish Meetings on the 17th.
With regard to the Secretary of State’s proposed alterations to the draft RSS, I have real concerns. She has proposed that numbers of dwellings at Cranbrook be increased to 7,500, and that a further 2,000 dwellings be provided East of Exeter together with a new community (not Cranbrook) of 4,000 within the East Devon area. This has very serious implications indeed for our area and I have expressed the view that her proposals should be strongly resisted as unsubstantiated by fact and unacceptable in terms of their potential impact upon the local environment and infrastructure.
The working party looking into School Exclusions is currently considering the draft report and recommendations arising out of its lengthy consultation process and the hope is that the draft will be considered by the Children’s and Young People’s Overview/ Scrutiny Committee by the end of October.
District report:
During August, there has been further work on the Local Development Framework Issues and Options document but this has had to be reviewed again at a meeting today. Given the Secretary of States draft Alterations to the EiP Panel’s draft RSS, East Devon’s officers have drafted the Issues and Options document on the basis the her proposed alterations will be accepted. At today’s (16th Sept.) meeting of EDDC’s Development Control Committee it was fairly clear that EDDC members were in no mood to accept the Secretary of State’s figures either for the expansion at Cranbrook or for the 2nd new community. I personally feel that Parishes should try to get access to the Secretary of State’s proposed alterations and comment upon them direct to her. What EDDC members are suggesting is that the expansion of Cranbrook should go to 6,500 (SoS figure 7,500) and that the new community proposal for 4,000 dwellings be dropped and the housing numbers allocated to Towns and Parishes that see the need for expansion to maintain and improve local infrastructure such as Post Offices, Pubs, Primary Schools, Village shops and public transport links etc..
I have been trying to deal with a number of issues including travellers taking up residence in the District area and concerns about housing maintenance programmes. In addition, I’ve investigated a concern about the future of a local bus route affecting Marsh Green and Rockbeare and am pleased to report that concerns about the future of the route are unfounded.
7.7Rockbeare School Governor – Cllr Mrs M Trigger – no report this time
7.8Exeter International Airport Consultative Group– Cllr Mrs M Trigger report; (letter received regarding the new ground running area attached below), summary of the Masterplan has been drawn up for consideration by Mr Miller and circulated by email to councillors. There are grave concerns on many aspects of the expansion of the airport.
7.9Clyst Vale Group of Parish Councils* – nothing to report
7.10Rockbeare Village Hall – survey completed, lease under negotiation and further funding is being sought.
7.11Joint Parishes Meeting* – nothing to report
8FINANCE
8.1Funding
8.1.1It was 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. Report from the plan committee received, outline proposal awaited from Church. For discussion at next meeting
8.1.2Rockbeare Playing Fields – The committee have gained three quotes for two cradle and two flat swings these range from £3613 to £6565.
8.1.3Congratlations to The Village hall committee, who have been granted £20,000 funding for repairs from the RockETS scheme.
8.2Receipts ; EDDC Precept September – March £3750.00
Cheques for approval: Clerk remuneration June – August 2008 £720.88
Clerk expenses June – August 2008 £186.70
8.3Quote received for renovation of bench at Delia Gardens, £76.00 work completed?
Balance of account at 1/9/08 Natwest £5863.04Current Account
£12,491.46 Reserve account (of which £1185.37 is Prowtings fund)
8.4EDDC Annual Parish Councils Meeting – Wednesday 27th August 2008 6pm at the Knowle. There will also be Blackdown Hills producers offering food samples and sales during the break! Who will be attending? (two representatives please).
8.5SW Life Long Learning Network/ DAPC Questionnaire for completion (sent out with agenda – please complete and pass to clerk at the meeting).
8.6Dates for next years meetings – what night of the week is generally most suitable for everyone and would you like the meetings to return to three venues again? For discussion at next meeting
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 8th October 2008Marsh Green Village Hall
7.30pm Wednesday 19th November 2008Rockbeare School
7.30pm Wednesday 12th December 2008Marsh Green Village Hall