Lifton Parish Council
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting at The Primary School, North Road, Lifton
Thursday 15th January 2015
15/156 PresentCllr C Edmonds (Chairman), Cllr M Hall, Cllr B Moore,
Cllr S Parsons,Cllr R Willing,Cllr T Sutton-Woodhouse, Cllr L Showell,
Cllr D Measey, Cllr G Elias, Cllr M Sparrow.
Members of Public 4 members of the public were present
15/157Apologies Cllr D Horn (WardCouncillor)
15/158 Declarations of Interest:
Items of Interest on the Agenda: (Chairman)CllrEdmonds, declared a non- pecuniary interest in item 15 of the agenda, Planning 01399/2014 Nethercott, Welltown. The applicant had contacted the Chairman to inform him of the details of the amended application. The Chairman has looked at the building in question to get a better understanding of the proposed change.Following his discussion with WDBC, it was confirmed by the Monitoring Officer and case planning officer that he could discuss and vote on the application.
Cllr T Sutton-Woodhouse declared a pecuniary interest in item 14, Finance, payment to M Woodhouse Machinery, as this is a payment to his brother’s business for works by the Council.
Cllr Edmonds – informed of a non-pecuniary interest for mobile phone signal item on the Business Plan.Cllr Edmonds has an invite from Vodafone to the House of Commons.
Gifts of over £25: None
15/159 Dispensations: None
15/160Minutes The minutes of the meeting held on 11th December 2014 were read out.
Cllr Moore pointed out that number 14/152, S Todd, needed amending
to read £3000/£600 VAT. This was proposed by Cllr Moore, seconded by
Cllr Elias and the Council all agreed to amend, so that the Minutes were a
true and accurate record and to then duly adopt the Minutes.
15/161Public Participation:
The applicant for 01399/2014Nethercott, Welltown gave details of the application. The Porch extension would give some shelter from the weather direction as the door would face South East. The application has been turned down once on Policy but the applicant showed the Council other applications approved by West Devon Borough Council planning under the same Policy. This time visual designs and detailed information were shown to the Council, which helped to show what it would look like and the materials that would be used.
A member of the public thanked the Chairman for informing him of the reason for the disruption in phone service at Tinhay.
No other member of the public wished to speak.
It was decided to move Item 15 Planning on the agenda to be the next item.
15/162 Planning:
(i)Applications for consideration received to date:
01399/2014Welltown Farm, Lifton, Porch Extension with door SE facing.
The details were discussed and the decision was 9 votes to support and 1 vote of abstention.
01418/2014 Ashleigh Farm, Lifton, MB Class to dwelling.
The Council unaminously agree to support the application, on condition that the curtilage does not exceed the building footprint as per MB Class.
(ii)Notice of WDBC decisions: Langham House – Prior Approval REFUSED
(III) General matters relating to Planning: None
15/163General Items:
Liftondown Bus Shelter- A letter has been sent to thank MrBariball for the Bus Stop.
Devon County Council have been asked to move the sign for the Bus Shelter closer to the Bus Stop. We are awaiting their response.
Speed Signs update - The signs have been ordered and the posts are waiting to be put up.
Defibrillator Project –The Chairman informed the Council he has three quotes from various Companies, as agreed. The Chairman asked the Clerk to update the Council with her visit to Callington Town Council and the meeting with the Fire Community Officer. The Clerk showed photos of the Defibrillator Project and also the costs.
Cllr Sparrow asked who would be trained to use the equipment, where it would be kept and how would people know how to use it?
The Clerk informed Cllr Sparrow, that the Community Project would train volunteers in the use of the defibrillator which could be accessed by members of public dialing 999, who would then be given the code. The Clerk had been shown how to use the defibrillator; it was easy to use with aspeaking system that tells you how to use it.
Cllr Sparrow said that in his opinion, it was not worth the money; it would not be well used, people would not know how to use it and it was only useful within seven minutes of a heart attack.
The Clerk informed Cllr Sparrow that the Council had agreed and minuted to pursue the idea at previous meetings and that the funding was not coming from public money of the precept but from groups and parishioners wishing to fund raise, including a donation from Team Lifton, who had also offered to hold a breakfast morning to raise funds for the project.
The Chairman asked the Council to decide on the project again and by 10 votes rejected the Project.
Rural Open Sure Signal Programme – It was notedthat the application for Vodafone mast was agreed.
Village Sign update –Cllr T Sutton-Woodhouse reported that Ambrosia had agreed to sponsor the village sign and a separate small sign advertising the sponsor’s name.
The Chairman asked the Clerk to check this would be acceptable with Highways.
Yew tree in Cemetery, growth problem –
A photo was shown of the Yew tree and how it is affecting some headstones. It was agreed by all Councillors to get a quote to cut the tree, but discussion would be needed with the Clerk and Chairman before any work takes place due to the location of the tree roots.
15/164 Precept and Council Tax Grant form - The form was shown, noted and adopted and was sent to West Devon Borough Council.
15/165 Cemetery Maintenance Contract –
The Chairman suggested getting at least 3 quotes to prepare for the Cemetery Maintenance contract. The Council agreed to ask for quotes from Martin Ashley, Peter Badge and any others with the correct certificates.
15/165 Newsletter/ Press coverage -
Cllr Edmonds suggested that CllrMeasey could reinstate the press coverage for The Tavistock Times, Cornish and Devon Post and the Messenger.
CllrMeasey said that he is looking to ask Ambrosia to sponsor the 1st Edition of the newsletter and to consider further sponsorship to carry the newsletter forward.
15/166Decision for a Parish Council Laptop-
The Clerk explained that she had sought advice and asked the Council to look at the NALC information online. The Clerk pointed out that in the employment reference adopted and general good practice – the Parish Council should own their pc, as under the Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection anyone may wish to see information, so the Clerk should not be expected to use her personal computer for the job.The purchase of a laptop would mean efficiency of work from the Clerk and would make the job easier, as the flash drive does not work and the Clerk should not be expected to upload to a live web page from a personal pc. The purchase of a laptop would also benefit the Council in its role. As employer the Council should look to buy equipment to help support the running of Council business. The Council said they will look into the matter and make a decision at the next meeting.
15/167Quote for overgrown area above wall in Fore St –
The Council decided to ask Martin Ashley for a quote to tidy the overhanging of trees.
15/168 Business Plan Review - The items on the Plan were read out;
Neighbourhood Plan referendum of Sept 2015 and to address identified issues; energy saving project with SW Devon Community Energy Partnership to be looked at; to make Lifton a disabled-friendly Parish;provision of speed sign for Lifton, Liftondown and Tinhay; weed clearance and upkeep of plot;Awareness of Northern Route Rail Plan; mobile phone signal- Vodafone; Faster broadband project,Consider Community energy scheme; Community Centre – to support construction of;Cemetery upkeep;Consider Eastbound bus shelter.
15/169 Parish Council Communications Policy –
The Chairman handed out to the Council a Governors toolkit guide Policy on Communications and asked Councillors to read through it, agree it, ready to adopt at February’s meeting.
15/170 Finance
For payment:Clerk’s salary-Jan £343.19p no VAT LGA 1972 s112
Clerk’s Expenses-Jan £36.60p no VAT LGA 1972
Clerk Dec expenses £23.00p no VAT LGA 1972
Clerk NALC pay £21.62p LGA 1972
Methodist Chapel room hire £15.00p no VAT LGA 1972
Tinhay Building supplies Ltd £2.49p /.41p VAT Public Health Act 1936 s87
Vision ICT web – monthly £61.20p/£10.20p VAT LGA1972 s143
T Sutton WHouse – repairs £9.12p/£1.52p VAT Public Health Act 1936 s87
QE11 recreation room hire £75.00p/no VAT LGA 1972
M Woodhouse – service & rprs £376.82p/362.81p VAT public health 1936 s87
Perfect Pastures – Aug, Nov, Dec, grass cuts £900/ £300 VAT LGA 1971 Highways 1980 s43/50
It was proposed, seconded and agreed that the above payments be made.
Receipts: Interest received as per bank statement
Bequest of £1000 to Lifton PC from the late Mr Walter Luxton – to be used for upkeep of Cemetery.
Cemetery receipts; £300.00p
For Tavistock transport £20, Poppy Appeal £50, NHPlan £417.28p , WDBC £1540.
General matters relating to finance:
The TAP fundapplication for tree work in Fore Street update and closing date for TAP funds is 25thof March.
The Chairman had been given a list of five Cllrs on a bank Mandate.
The Council noted and agreed the above bank mandate.
It was noted that Councillors should read the Good Councillor Guide and Standing Orders to understand the Authorisation of expenditure items.
The NALC Pay scale up date was read and noted.
15/171 Reports-
Neighbourhood Plan Report :
WDBC’s draft of the new local plan will be placed before the Council Members on the 20th January for approval.
The Strategic Planning Team wish to hold an event in late February/early March for people to be able to view the key messages of the plan, and to ask any questions. Copies of the plan will also be available.
The Strategic Planning Team are really keen to share this event with any Neighbourhood Planning Consultation.
This will be discussed at the next meeting of the Neighbourhood Planning Team on 22nd January 2015. Other matters for discussion will be the Team’s aims and objectives and how they can be taken forward and encapsulated in the Neighbourhood Plan.
The Community questionnaire had been printed and is now being distributed.
It is also available for completion online at
Lifton Community Centre update:
On January 15th 2015 the third and final stage of the Big Lottery application was completed and posted back. This was a culmination of a lot of hard work, with special mention to Mandy Kenyon.We expect to receive feedback from The Big Lottery within the next six weeks. A digger was driven onto the Community Centre site, to test the soil and for soak away tests. The embankment at Fore Street was cleared by some Community Centre trustees, ready for the building of the Community Centre. A second application for the Community Centre was submitted as requested and we will await the result.
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15/172 Correspondence:
Email from Transport to say trees near Ridgecombe have been cut back and to inform that DC may not be able to repair the wall byArundell Gardens.
The Chairman has an invitation from Vodafone to attend the House of Commons.
Health watch newsletter, West Devon Mayoral Awards invitation for the Chairman and for anyone to nominate someone for the awards.
15/173 Questions and statements from Councillors, notice of Parish events, items for inclusion on future agenda and exchange of information relevant to the Parish:
The Council decided not to continue with the Defibrillator Project. Team Lifton will be informed.
15/174 Part 2 Confidential LGA 1960 Public Bodies Act – closed to Public and Press-
The press, public and Clerk were asked to leave while the rest of the Council discussed the Clerk’s Performance review.
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There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9.20 p.m.
Signed ...... date ......
Next meetingThursday 26th February 2015 at the Primary School, North Road, Lifton 7.00 p.m.
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