Meeting of Winkleigh Parish Council to be held

WEDNESDAY24th February 2016

7.30pm Winkleigh Community Centre

AGENDA

  1. PRESENT
  1. APOLOGIES
  1. MINUTES - The signing of the minutes of the PCM held on 4th February 2016
  1. DECLARATION OF INTEREST IN MATTERS TO FOLLOW
  1. PUBLIC PERIOD I

Any Member of the public may address, the Council once only, for a maximum of 3 minutes on any issue. The Council are not permitted to enter into discussion or explanation, however, any item requiring a response or investigation may be included on the agenda for the next pcm.

  1. COUNCIL VACANCIES - Clerk

There are currently 5 casual vacancies on the Winkleigh Parish Council which are eligible for co-option. They are advertised on Parish Notice boards, website and within the current edition of Distinctly Winkleigh.

  1. PLANNING - Chair

a)Returned from TDC

  1. 1/1297/2015/FUL – Unit 3 Beechlea Farm, Winkleigh, change of use from B2 to B2 and B8, GRANTED.
  2. 1/1311/2015/AGM – Barn at Park Farm, Winkleigh, Change of use of agricultural building to no 1 dwelling under Class Q(a), GRANTED,

b)New Applications

1/0090/2016/FUL – Tallat, Taw Mill, Taw Mill Lane, Wembworthy, Chulmleigh, Rear Single Storey extension to provide additional bedroom,bathroom & living space

  1. FINANCE

a)Precept – Clerk

WPC have submitted the precept for 2016-17 of £16975.00equating to an increase of £4.96 per household per year.

An annual increase of £3072.00, which is a 22% rise on 2015-16. The Precept request approved by WPC does not include the awarding of ANY grants for 2016-17 and the increase is due toreduced income and the rise in administration and running costs of the Parish Council. The reduction in income arises from the reduction in the amount of government LCT grant, lower predicted income from the cemetery bungalow rent and cemetery fees, for the financial year. The increased costs includes general annual cost increases and a rise in of the number of hours the Clerk is contracted to work from April 2015, in order that we legally comply with the freedom of information act, and transparency code, increased responsibility for budget control, the cemetery and the cemetery bungalow administration.

b)Receipts & Payments – Clerk

Schedule of all receipts and payments since 4th February 2016.Agenda document 02/16/001/8b

c)Bank Reconciliation & Budget to date report – Clerk

Current bank reconciliation Agenda document 02/16/002/8cand year to date budgetAgenda document 02/16/003/8c.

  1. CURRENT BUSINESS MATTERS

a)Internal Auditor appointment–Clerk

Internal Auditor Accounts and Audit Regulations reportAgenda document 02/16/004/9afor WPC to resolve to:-

  1. WPC to establish an Internal Audit Plan
  2. WPC to establish an internal Audit working party
  3. WPC to agree terms and conditions for Internal Auditor
  4. WPC to appoint an Internal Auditor and agree engagement letter and fee.

b)Winkleigh Parish Council Standing Orders WPCA014/15– Clerk

Current Standing Orders as amended 22nd April 2015 to be ratified and adopted by Full Council Agenda document 02/16/005/9band review of model standing orders set for 29th February 2016

c)Village Design Statement – Chair (Penny Griffiths and/or Pauline Warner)

Update on VDS and village illustration

d)Traffic Issues WPCA001/15 – Cllr Pearce

Update on signage progress

e)Winkleigh Cemetery Terms & Conditions 2016 – Clerk

28/10/2015 Minutes 1.10.15a Resolution made to fully accept revised Cemetery Terms & Conditions for April 2016 to be ratified by full Council as current Cemetery Terms & Conditions before publication.Agenda document 02/16/006/9e

f)The Queens 90th Birthday Beacons– Cllr Hodgson & Cllr Turner

WPC to consider participation in The Queens 90th Birthday Beacons – 21st April 2016 Agenda document 02/16/007/9f

  1. NEW BUSINESS

a)Clerks Annual Appraisal – Chair

Clerk’s annual pay increment due 1st April 2016 and annual appraisal due by 20th April 2016, Cllrs to appoint Clerk appraisal group to make recommendations at next pcm 23rd March 2016

Clerks pay scale point is determined by National Joint Council (NJC) for Local Government Services ‘green book’ adopted by SLCC and NALC, which factors in the size of the Parish, Management and financial responsibilities, additional responsibilities over other Parishes, such as Cemetery Management and administration and Property Management regarding the Cemetery bungalow.

b)North Devon Records Office– Clerk

Report on the future of the North Devon Records Office and Formal Request to Town and Parish Councils to respond formally to the following questions. Agenda document 02/16/008/10b.

  • Does your council agree to enter into a partnership agreement reflecting the proposals in this report?
  • If so: How much will your council contribute towards the funding requirement?
  • Will this be an annual amount, or a single payment at the outset of the agreement, to be spread across the three years?

c)Soakaway and Road surface issues outside the Church– Clerk

The concerns raised by Parishioner’s at the last PCM regarding issues outside the West and North Gates of the Church have been reported to DCC Highways and we await their response, DCC references W16876611, W16876619, W16876599

d)Training Courses – Clerk

Due to resignation of Cllrs and no internal auditor, we currently have 2 reserved places at a cost of £30 each on the DALC external audit preparation course to be held in Exeter on 22nd March 2016. Clerk already booked onto the Course. Volunteer(s) to go on the course before placement is cancelled.

  1. REPORTS

a)Members to volunteer to join/Reshuffle Internal and External Groups - Chair

  1. FINANCE group – RFO Melanie Borrett, Cllr Jacobs
  2. VILLAGE HALL Committee – VACANT
  3. CEMETERY GROUNDS Group – Cllr Pearce, Cllr Hodgson
  4. BUNGALOW Group – Cllr Pearce, Cllr Turner
  5. ASSET MAINTENACE Group – Cllr Pearce, VACANT
  6. PLAYING FIELDS Committee – Cllr Jacobs
  7. EMERGENCY PLAN – Cllr Kane, VACANT
  8. CHULMLEIGH PPG – Anne Balcombe
  9. TAAG – Cllr Flockhart
  10. TIDY Group – Cllr Jacobs, Cllr Kane
  11. PLAN REVIEW Group – Cllr Flockhart, Cllr Kane

b)Bungalow Group – Clerk

  1. Bungalow Survey has not been received.
  2. Security light approved to be fitted to the rear porch of the bungalow by WPC at a cost of £100, early 2015 has still not been carried out, therefore, WPC to consider alternative electrical contractors under tender process or accepting a quote under £500 in accordance with current standing orders.

c)Emergency Plan Group – Cllr Kane

Emergency Plan Review update

d)Asset Group – Cllr Pearce

WPCA010/15 Council to reconsider if the requirement to purchase a larger litter bin outside Folly Cottage is still justified.

e)Tidy Group – Cllr Jacobs

  1. Shute Lane useable access update
  2. P3 Partnership Scheme for Winkleigh

P3 scheme is an initiative that encourages Parish and Town Councils to look after theirrights of way. P3 parishes use local volunteers to maintain and improve their paths. Email version ofP3 Partnership leaflet available from Clerk on request or available online at .

  1. Urban grass cutting schemeupdate

f)District Councillor Report

Reports from TDC

h)Councillors Legal Responsibilities - Clerk

Reminder to Cllrs that the Clerk is their adviser only, on all matters, whether on policy, finance, procedure etc and it remains the legal responsibility of the Council to approve them after consideration of all of the facts, and that they are held accountable not the Clerk.

  1. CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARISHONERS

Ice on Hatherleigh Road – Cllr Turner/Clerk

Request received for WPC to arrange gritting of road in vicinity of Roames Bungalow due to run off and standing water turning to ice and causing road traffic collisions. Consideration of requesting permanent signage warning of icy road surface.

  1. PUBLIC PERIOD II

Only for matters arising from this parish council meeting

  1. REMINDERS & LATE ITEMS AT THE CHAIRMAN’S DISCRETION
  1. LETTERS AND CORRESPONDENCE

a)Support for Rural Funding letter to Geoffrey Cox MP Agenda document 02/16/009/15a - Clerk

b)Riverfly Project –Agenda document 02/16/010/15b - Clerk

Monitoring of the health of rivers and streams in the Torridge catchment area, request for community volunteers and offer of free training course Saturday 14th March 2016, Hatherleigh Community Centre

c)Local Plan briefing note – Agenda document 02/16/011/15c - Clerk

Extract from Full Council 8th February 2016 Cllr Watson: Lead Member Planning and Development

Briefing Note: Progress Report on the North Devon and Torridge Local Plan

A project plan has been prepared to manage the progression of the Local Plan to the point at which it will be submitted to the Secretary of State for Examination. The project plan provides for submission at the end of May 2016 following the conclusion of a series of consultations, the final outcomes of which will be reported to this Council on 9th May 2016.

d)Crime Report - – Clerk

  1. CONSULTATIONS – Clerk

North Devon and Torridge Local Plan 2011-2031 - Representations should be made during the period 11th February to 24th March 2016- Agenda document 02/16/012/16

To make representations on a series of targeted consultations relating to:

  • a proposed policy relating to wind energy development (non-statutory consultation in accordance with the Councils’ Statements of Community Involvement); and
  • a series of Additional Proposed Main Changes related to the insertion of Policy ST19A: Starter Homes Exception Sites and associated supporting text into the Submission Draft of the Local Plan (Regulations 19 and 20).

Representation is further invited on the associated Sustainability Appraisal material in accordance with the Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004.

  1. DATE OF NEXT MEETINGS

23rd March 2016, 7.30pm Winkleigh Community Centre

27th April 2016, 7.30pm Annual Meeting of the Parish

25th May 2016, 7.30pm Annual Parish Council Meeting

Melanie Borrett:

Clerk (Proper Officer)/RFO

Winkleigh Parish Council