COMBE MARTIN PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of a meeting of Combe Martin Parish Council held at the Community Centre on Monday, 9 January, 2017, at 7pm.
Present: Cllrs Peter James (Chairman) Julia Clark, Wendy Druce, Yvette Gubb,
Ian Lawton, Helen Mallinder, Celia Withers.
In Attendance: County Cllr Andrea Davis, District Cllr John Lovering, 3 parishioners, Parish Clerk.
The meeting was opened with prayers.
237/16 Parishioners Open Session
a Nicky Tossell - objected strongly to the very poor condition of the C460 road surface. There are numerous potholes in the road, and the road surface has deteriorated badly. In addition there is a spring running across the road near the old Rectory (Jevington). Mrs Tossell had already written to DCC about the road condition and she was concerned that there had already been a death on this road.
County Cllr Andrea Davis said that works to improve the C460 had been agreed and is in DCC's works' schedule to be done by the end of March, although she could not guarantee this timescale.
b Borough Road
Cllr Davis was also asked about the outstanding works for the road surface at Borough Road, which had been in DCC's schedule but had been deferred due to delays to the South West Water attenuation tanks project.
Cllr Andrea Davis reminded the meeting of the importance of recording safety defects on the DCC website. She also highlighted the new County grant scheme to which parishes could apply for small sums to help in carrying out voluntary work on the highway. This can be used in conjunction with the TAP fund.
238/16 County and District Councillors Reports
a Devon County Council
New roundabout by North Devon District Hospital
Works will commence in February, 2017, on the new roundabout near North Devon District Hospital. This £1.1m scheme should be finished by May, 2017. It will include pedestrian and cycle facilities and there will be filter lanes on the outside of the roundabout to accommodate any traffic making a left turn.
National Police Award
Wildlife Crime Officer, Martin Beck (a former Combe Martin Neighbourhood Beat Manager) has won a national wildlife award for his work in preventing poaching on Exmoor. Poaching has become a very serious and major crime within the National Park.
RESOLVED to write to Martin Beck to congratulate him on this prestigious award.
Planning training for councillors is being provided at Kentisbury by Exmoor National Park's Planning Manager, David Wyborn. Members were invited to attend this and details will be provided once they are known.
Cllr Celia Withers joined the meeting at this point.
b North Devon Council
District Cllr John Lovering reported that NDC had received an email from South
West Water regarding the quality of the bathing water, in which Combe Martin was mentioned. The email referred to the £2million scheme SWW had carried out in Combe Martin and the result of 'Sufficient' for 2016.
North Devon Council currently provides 117 CCTV cameras in north Devon, which are monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cost of this service is very high, so NDC is looking at options to reduce costs.
The agreement that North Devon Theatres Trust would buy the lease for the Queen's Theatre and the Landmark Theatre has fallen through as the Trust is no longer in a position to go ahead with the transaction. NDC is considering other options.
District Cllr Yvette Gubb reported that new Councillor Training is being offered in Barnstaple on Monday, 16 January 2017 in the Castle Centre, Castle Street, at 7pm.
North Devon and Torridge District Councils are putting together a list of possible sites which could accommodate the future needs of gypsies and travellers who are in the area, and are inviting members of the public to suggest suitable locations. Sites of any shape, size and location can be put forward for consideration.
If a site is identified it doesn’t automatically mean that it will be granted planning permission or that it will be allocated for gypsy and traveller use. All sites submitted will be assessed first to make sure they are suitable for the use and that they can be available before 2031 – this is the lifetime of the Development Plan Document (DPD) which they will be added. Once this plan has been adopted it will sit alongside the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan .
More information can be found on thecouncil websiteas well as details about how to a register potential site. Registrations need to be made by 24 February, 2017.
239/16 Police and Vandalism Reports
a Police Report
PCSO Ade Drury apologised for not being at this meeting, as she was on a rest day.
The crime figures since the last meeting were 7 reported crimes compared with 6 for the previous year. The crimes were:
1 Threats to kill
1 Common Assault
1 Send letter/communication/article conveying a threatening message
1 Vehicle interference
1 Use of threatening/abusive/insulting words/behaviour to cause
harassment/alarm/distress
1 Criminal Damage to property
1 Send letter/communication/article conveying indecent/offensive message
This compares with 6 crimes recorded for the same period last year
240/16 Minutes of the last meeting
RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meetings held on 12 December, 2017, be confirmed and signed as a true record.
241/16 Planning
a Applications
District Councillor Yvette Gubb drew the meeting’s attention to the fact that any observations or decisions which she made regarding planning applications at this meeting were based upon the information available at the time. Such observations and decisions might well change in the light of any information which might come before district councillors when sitting upon North Devon District Council’s planning committee.
62061 – EXTENSION AND ALTERATIONS TO DWELLING (AMENDED PLAN AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION) AT THE QUARTERDECK, SEASIDE
Applicant – Mr S and Mrs N Pullen
This Council is responding as a neighbouring property owner and not as a statutory consultee.
RESOLVED:
i to check the deeds for Combe Martin Beach to establish what rights of access, if any, apply to the Quarterdeck.
ii that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman should look at the proposals on site (ie from Combe Martin Beach) before replying to the consultation, paying particular attention to the proposed canopy, which appears to overhang the Beach, the proposed boathouse and drainage. This Council's concerns that the boathouse is vulnerable to damage by storms should be re-iterated to the planning authority, especially as the site is within a Flood Zone 2/3.
62283 - CREATION OF NEW VEHICLE ACCESS/PARKING AT COLUMBINES,
WEST CHALLACOMBE LANE
Applicant - Mr Steve Russell
RESOLVED to advise the planning authority that this Council welcomes the additional parking facility at West Challacombe Lane. It is noted that the lowest section of tarmac is specified as permeable, but that the remainder of the drive is not. This Council asks that all the tarmac be permeable, to reduce the cumulative impact of flooding in the valley.
b North Devon Council's planning approvals
61993 - Demolition of stone wall and replacement with railings and safety barrier at Parade Car Park, Seaside Hill
62041 - Change of use of mobile home to holiday let at Strawberry Fields, Shute Lane
62171 - Erection of garage at Amberley, Hangman Path
c Planning Correspondence
i Mrs Burge - objection to Council's response to application number 62275
RESOLVED to reply to Mrs Burge's objections to this Council's response to the second planning application for a dwelling at Rodwell House, Spurway Gardens, as follows:
When this Council was consulted on the Combe Martin section of the emerging
North Devon and Torridge Local Plan, it carried out a consultation on how
villagers wanted the village to develop in planning terms, as each parish must provide a minimum amount of housing development. This showed that the
majority preference was for small infill development rather than bigger developments. This planning application meets that criteria, so the Parish Council respected the wishes of villagers in making its response. In addition, the proposed dwelling is unobtrusive and parking is provided within the proposed development.
ii The following were NOTED:
· Certificate of Lawful Use from commercial/business to one residential dwelling at Tevyes Fiddle, Castle Street
· Building Control Approval – Proposed Conversion of Flat into 2 flats, Ebberleigh House, Cross Street
242/16 Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting
a Min 222/16b - Request to sell food in Council car parks
It was confirmed that the North Devon Off Street Parking Places Order 2017 does not permit trading in Council car parks without a license. A letter of objection had been received about the proposed use.
RESOLVED to write to the enquirer, thanking him for his interest but advising him that, due to the legislation relevant to the car park, this Council will not be granting him permission to trade in its car parks.
b Min 223/16 - Eberleigh House flat
The Chairman and Clerk had met one of the tenderer's for the works to Eberleigh House and had looked at ways to reduce the costs. It was agreed that a revised quotation will be provided, based on the removal of some items from the works and less expensive sanitary and kitchen fittings. The initial estimate of reductions was considered against the cost of the increased borrowing requirement. It was also agreed that members would consider painting the flat themselves or with volunteers, which would reduce costs further.
Members considered the impact that the increased cost would have on the budgets, and the reduction in the income from the flats net of the repayment costs of the proposed loan.
RESOLVED:
a that the wiser decision both in the short and long term was to go ahead with the project, subject to the revised quotation being within the anticipated cost range.
b to make an application to the Public Works Loan Board for the amount of the revised quotation.
c Min 224/16 - Parade Wall
Chairman reported that North Devon Council's engineer had visited the site and was satisfied with the proposals on how to deal with the repair and installation of the railings. Building regulations were not needed and now that planning permission had been granted, it was RESOLVED to go ahead and have the works carried out by the suppliers and volunteers who have already been involved in the project.
Cllr Peter James will write a separate 'thank you' to the volunteers, for inclusion in
the Shammickite.
d Min 230/16 and 232/16 - Parade Toilets
RESOLVED that the Clerk should instruct the relevant suppliers to provide quotations and then carry out the works to move the water and electric supplies for the Parade toilets.
243/16 Correspondence
a The following items were NOTED:
Kier (for South West Water) Notice of Road Closure - Coil Cross, Kentisbury -
28-31 March, 2017
North Devon Council - report from Parish Forum 15 November
Devon County Council – Highway Community Enhancement Fund
b Mrs Ellis – objection to new location of replaced light in Kiln Lane
A site inspection had been made. Southern Electric Contracting had advised that it had not been able to replace the light in it's previous location because the wall was in a poor condition and would not support the fitting. RESOLVED to write to Mrs Ellis explaining that the current location was the only possible option to site the light.
c Devon County Council – Community Composting Changes from April 2017
RESOLVED to write to DCC to complain at its proposed changes due to the
anomalies and the negative effect on something that should be supported to
reduce waste.
244/16 Footpaths
The bridge at the bottom of the unmade lane between Five Turnings and the higher section of Rosea Bridge Lane is in a very poor condition and needs the two planks replaced. It is not possible for Devon County Council to repair it as it is currently not a registered footpath. The bridge is not the Parish Council's responsibility but it was RESOLVED to replace the two planks as this will benefit parishioners. Costings for recycled wood are to be obtained before going to a sawmills.
245/16 Dates of meetings
Audit Committee - left on the table
Interim meeting - Monday, 23 January, 2017 at 6.30pm at the Community Centre
Personnel Committee - Tuesday, 17 January, 2017 at 12 noon in the Clerk's Office
Hollands Park new building Working Party - left on the table
Strategy working party - Wednesday, 15 February, 2017 at 6.30pm in the Clerk's Office.
246/16 Finance
a Balances
Balance b/fwdat 1 December 2016 / 151166.29
less outstanding chqs / 11806.14
139360.15
Income
Rents / 1293.75
Car parks / 3460.00
Com Centre / 222.35
ND Liberal democrats / 3000.00
Total income / 7976.10
Expenses / 12740.05
Balance carried forward / 134596.20
plus outstanding chqs / 9414.89
Balance in bank
as at 31 December 2016 / 144011.09
b Car Park takings - gross of VAT
2013 / 2013 / 2014 / 2014 / 2015 / 2015 / 2016 / 2016Gross Takings / Meters Only / Meters and Season Tickets / Meters Only / Meters and Season Tickets / Meters Only / Meters and Season Tickets / Meters Only / Meters and Season Tickets
April / 4,649 / 6,094 / 6,948 / 8,253 / 8,713 / 10,643 / 5,259 / 7,129
May / 8,117 / 9,937 / 8,053 / 11,238 / 9,085 / 10,676 / 8,963 / 11,878
June / 9,175 / 11,085 / 10,050 / 12,305 / 10,343 / 15,443 / 12,418 / 15,853
July / 15,497 / 17,177 / 16,380 / 18,266 / 14,660 / 16,630 / 14,829 / 17,054
August / 26,407 / 27,467 / 23,512 / 24,796 / 22,436 / 23,127 / 26,088 / 27,778
September / 9,286 / 11,016 / 10,285 / 11,325 / 10,810 / 12,160 / 10,369 / 11,109
October / 4,366 / 5,151 / 5,111 / 5,251 / 7,071 / 7,466 / 7,080 / 8,062
November / 1,497 / 2,657 / 2,747 / 3,572 / 0 / 580 / 1,053 / 1,693
December / 1,724 / 1,944 / 1,900 / 2,260 / 2,253 / 3,373 / 2,801 / 3,661
January / 853 / 1,513 / 1,423 / 1,923 / 1,545 / 3,260
February / 1,004 / 1,144 / 1,460 / 1,715 / 1,554 / 2,114
March / 2,840 / 4,215 / 3,785 / 5,915 / 5,466 / 8,431
Total Year to Date / 80,718 / 92,528 / 84,986 / 97,266 / 85,371 / 100,098 / 88,860 / 104,217
Annual Total / 85,415 / 99,400 / 91,654 / 106,819 / 93,936 / 113,903 / 88,860 / 104,217
c Payments