Bridestowe Parish Council
Mr P.J. Daniels. Clerk to the Council
4 Trescote Way Bridestowe Okehampton Devon EX20 4QB
Tel: 01837 861244
Email:
Parishioners comments/questions:
(a) Request for beech hedge in cemetery to be cut prior to Remembrance service. Clerk to ask Martin Ashley if he could possibly do this at short notice.
(b) Request that PC keep an open mind on possible old A30 speed limit.
MINUTES OF PARISH COUNCIL MEETING:
METHODIST HALL: Wednesday 9th November 2016 at 7.30 pm
PRESENT: (Councillors): C. Mott (Chair); A. Young (Vice-chair); K. Atherley-Hewings; B. Coward; J. Leonard; B. Thirtle; 5 parishioners; P. J. Daniels (Clerk).
1. APOLOGIES AND DECLARATION OF INTERESTS:
Apologies: R.Rattenbury.
Declaration of Interests: KA declared interest for discussion on possible old A30 speed limit.
2. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING:
The minutes of the last PC meeting (14/09/16) were agreed as a true record. Proposed BT. Seconded KA. Unanimous.
3. MATTERS ARISING:
(a) Waste bin: Awaiting WDBC to agree arrangements for the emptying of the bin. Contact South Hams Street Scene. (Action: CM and Clerk)
(b) Devon West Country Management: The PC has confirmed their decision not to pay £100 for the previous 2016 additional verge cutting on the old A30. Similarly the PC rejected DWCM’s quotation of £100 for 2017.
(c) Broken sapling in Sporting Green: To be replaced at the appropriate time of year.
(d) Town Farm Estate: The issue over the debris on one of the driveways has been resolved.
(e) Grass cutting: M. Ashley has very kindly carried out an extra (11th) cut of the Sporting Green/churchyard/cemetery at no charge. This was agreed as part of the negotiations for the other ground/hedge/tree maintenance etc. work being carried out in the village. (See September minutes - part 7).
4. ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT:
(805) Grant Thorton (Ext. audit 2015/16) £120.00
(807) M. Ashley (Grass cut: No.10) £249.16
(808) Royal British Legion (Poppy wreath) £25.00
(809) K. Atherley-Hewings (Defib. Sundries) £67.14
(810) Bridestowe Village Hall (Grant for seat) £200.00
It was proposed these accounts be paid. Proposed BT. Seconded AY. Unanimous.
5. PRECEPT: The precept for 2017/18 was set as £6777.00, a 10% (£105) increase. Proposed CM. Seconded JL. Unanimous. WDBC has notified the PC of the Council Tax Support Grant for the next three years. In each of these years there will be an 8.8% reduction. For Bridestowe this grant will be £356 in 2017/18, £325 in 2018/19 and £297 in 2019/20. Included in the precept was an additional allocation of £200 (making a total of £500) to enable small organisations in Bridestowe to apply for small grants. The clerk is to purchase a lap top using government grant funding allocated to the PC to meet the requirements of the transparency code. (Action: Clerk)
6. CORRESPONDENCE:
(a) NEW Devon CCG (NHS): Acknowledgment of the PC’s letter objecting to the proposed bed closures in Okehampton Hospital.
7. PLANNING:
(a) Ref. No. 3072/16/FUL: Application for agricultural barn at Milaton Farm Bungalow. Supported by PC.
(b) Ref. No. 2708/16/OPA: Outline application for cottage at 3 South Ball Cottage. Supported by PC in principle. Will comment further when a full application is submitted.
(c) Ref. No. 3549/16/TPO: Application for work to tree preservation order trees, at 7 Crandford Close. Supported by PC.
(d) Ref. No. 2177/16/HRN: Hedgerow removal. Decision by WDPC: Tree works allowed.
(e) Ref. No. 2124/16/HHO: Application at Phares Cottage withdrawn.
A copy of a letter sent to WDBC planning was received from a resident objecting to the change of land for equestrian purposes at Millaton. (Ref. No. 2001/16/FUL).
8. DELEGATE REPORTS:
(a) Northern links: See AY’s report in attached appendix 1.
(b) Village Hall Management Committee: Report available in BaSE
(c) Neighbourhood Plan: (Report from AY): The draft NP is being meticulously checked. Consultants are being used and it is hoped the final plan will come together in April 2017.
9. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
(a) Speed limit on old A30: A petition has been organised in the village in an attempt to introduce a lower speed limit on the old A30 between perhaps, the Bridestowe/Sourton boundary (or probably Trescote Way) and Balmaine, close to Linden Glade. The PC is of the opinion that it should take a lead in this as there is considerable support from parishioners. The PC therefore supports the ongoing petition, will await the outcome and consider any further evidence, before proceeding further. Clerk will request any available evidence from parisishioners using BaSE newsletter. Prop: CM. Seconded AY. Carried. (Action: Clerk)
(b) Watergate Hill badger fence: This is broken. Inform DCC highways. (Action: Clerk)
(c) Potholes: There are potholes near Bearslake on A386 and outside Royal Oak cottages. Inform DCC Highways. (Action: Clerk) The public are able to report pot holes on line. Clerk to inform public in BaSE contribution. (Action: Clerk)
(d) Footpath sign post on old A30: Needs reaffixing. Inform FP Inspector, John Baker. (Action: Clerk)
(e) Various matters from chair: ipad course being held in village hall. Churchyard clean-up could coincide with Great British Clean-up on 3rd - 5th March. Free parking in Okehampton on 25th November and 1st December. Hospital meeting in Okehampton on 16th December for which tickets are required. There is a consultation on the DNP Neighbourhood Plan. There is also a consultation on the Joint Plan.
(f) Parish Meeting: (March 2017) CM to invite Victor Gough from DCC to give a talk on the Road Warden Scheme. (Action: CM) Invitations to be extended to Sourton & Lewdown Parish Councils.
(g) Public comment: It was suggested that rumble strips could be more appropriate for the old A30 speed restriction proposal. This could possibly be more effective than a lower speed restriction. Also a request to cut beech hedge in churchyard prior to the Remembrance Sunday. Request M. Ashley if this is possible given the short notice.
(h) Next meeting: Wednesday January 11th 2017 at 7.30 pm in the Methodist Church.
(i) Meeting closed: 10.00 pm.
Appendix 1
Feedback from Northern Links meeting held on Thursday 15th September 2016 at Meldon
Village Hall at 7.30 pm
4. Policing issues - Inspector Mark Sloman (mark.sloman@)
Overall a 12.8% increase in crime over the 12 month period but have to bear in mind that the previous year had seen a huge reduction which is obviously not sustainable in a low crime area. The increase in the shoplifting figure is mainly down to 2 or 3 individuals in Okehampton who were targeting the Co-op; the
Police are working nationally with the Co-op to reduce shoplifting in their stores because there are steps they can take to reduce it. Two individuals appeared in Court charged with shoplifting offences.
A number of ‘non- dwelling’ burglaries – down to a group who have now been charged and are awaiting trial.
Only 2 ‘dwelling’ burglaries since June in the whole of West Devon.
The new Police and Crime Commissioner appears to be passionate about rural policing and wants to improve the police numbers in rural areas!
Resources in West Devon stretched due to several causes: seasonal population increase due to summer visitors, having to help police the badger cull in North Devon, helping other under-resourced areas.
PCSO helping to man the Fire Service. Only 1 PCSO in the area due to sickness and there is no recruitment at present nor has there been for last 18 months.
101 telephone service is improving although one councillor complained of a 35 minute delay when reporting an incident.
One Councillor who had been the victim of a bank fraud asked at what stage were the Police involved. Victims are signposted to ‘Action Fraud’ who investigate the case and then it is passed to local police to progress if appropriate. Okehampton will see the introduction of ‘Street Pastors’ in the early summer. These are volunteers from Church groups who will work with the Police on Friday and Saturday evenings. Their aim is to calm situations down and assist young people to get home safely. The scheme is working well in Tavistock.
5. Planning
a)Stephen Belli from Dartmoor National Park Authority(DNPA)
The Authority has just launched an update of their website. DNPA has a full compliment of Planning staff.
About to start a new Local Plan - a lot has changed since the Core Strategy was approved in 2008. It is important that Parishes take the opportunity to comment on it during consultation period. There will also be an ‘issues paper’ sent out – includes fundamental questions that need addressing.
The Government has removed the option to ask for affordable housing units on small developments.
There are no planning controls on second homes. - 2 contentious issues.
90% of applications submitted are approved.
Planning notices – they now have a new system whereby immediate neighbours will be consulted but the consultation will not be as widespread as it has been in the past. There will be a facility on the website where anyone can log their details and be advised of any applications submitted within a specific radius of their
property – to be launched in the autumn. Enforcements – 300 cases per year, formal action taken on 10%.
Councillor Ivor Kaczanow made a veiled inquiry about Sourton’s old Post Office. Steve Belli stated that if the property is listed, it must be kept in a reasonable state of repair.
b)Pat Whymer from West Devon Borough Council (WDBC)
He is the Lead Officer in Development Management covering both West Devon and South Hams.
Westb Devon’s key issue has been their website, however now improved with an enhanced search facility.
They have seen a large turnover in staff during the ‘Transformation Programme’; there are now 4 permanent staff covering WD with their own allocated geographic areas.
A Peer review has recently been completed,- nothing unexpected came from it. One action is to set up meetings with Town and Parish Council Clerks and perhaps Chairs too, to discuss communication.
Affordable housing a huge issue. The ‘Starter Home ‘project still doesn’t provide affordable housing in a low wage area. ‘Local occupancy’ could be a future strategy and ‘principal occupancy’
The biggest change in policy has been the Government’s introduction of ‘Permitted Development’ rules, conversion of agricultural buildings to dwellings, etc. Applications are 10% up on last year.
Enforcement – earlier in the year a team came in to deal with the backlog and the number of open cases is now down from 246 to 115.
One councillor reported that in his parish some long-standing enforcement cases had just been wiped off the list.
6. TAP Fund Clare Butcher – WDBC
Clare is responsible for the administration of the scheme, Rob Sekula is the technical officer. Some ‘stand alone’ and repeat applications are now eligible. Payment cannot be made until evidence of the expenditure is provided. There have been delays in making payments.
Previously an offer letter was only sent to the lead parish but this has changed so that each parish receives one. Interim payments can be made on occasions, this can be discussed with Clare if required. Parishes have12 months from the formal offer of the funds in which to submit their claim.
Single applications for defibrillators can be made providing there is a letter of support from a second town or parish.
It was agreed by all present at the meeting to consider applications at every meeting. £12,000 in the pot
7. Parish Feedback and issues
Cllr Ireland gave an update on the Okehampton/Exeter railway. There are 3 groups working on this –
OkeRail Forum (overarching group), OkeRail CIC (subsidiary group to raise funds for the infrastructure) and
Destination Okehampton (a Town Council Working Group with links to the wider community).
The Sunday Rover service has now finished: a thorough survey of passengers using the service was undertaken which showed a real demand for the service. There are plans for a potential new Parkway Station to the east of Okehampton.
There was a single trial of a bus service to ferry passengers from Hatherleigh to link up with the train service and this proved very popular. Hope to run this bus link next year for the whole of August.
Date for your diary 18 March 2017 - a special train from Okehampton to London Paddington.
2017 Sunday Rover will restart in May and they are also hoping for a Saturday service.
9. DCC Update - Angela Welch
The existing Highways contract expires in March 2017 and from that date the new contractor will be Skansa
Construction UK Ltd. SW Highways will continue to work for Plymouth City Council; Somerset County Council have yet to make a decision for their area (existing contracts also expire next year).
Devon Youth Service – allocated to Devon Youth Service Limited.
Community Survey – undertaken earlier in the year, results now available.
Date & venue for future meeting
24th November 2016 – Monkokehampton Village Hall.
Alison Young