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Minutes of the Chivelstone Annual Parish meeting held in the Chivelstone Parish Community Hall on Thursday 15th April, 2004 at 8.13p.m.

Present: Mrs Marilyn Tucker (Clerk). Cllr. R. Tucker (Chairman), Cllrs. Mrs. J. Trinick, Mr W Harwood, Mr A. House, Mr Stephen Tucker, Mr D Hampden-Smith, and Mr J. Brazil. There were 11 members of the Public present.

1.Apologies: Mrs N Kingston, Sarah Trinick, Mr & Mrs N Higgins, Mrs Harwood

2.Presentation by Mr Steve Mammett from Action West business Systems Ltd. on the possibilities of obtaining wireless Broadband in Chivelstone Parish: The Chairman explained that Mr Mammett was unable to get to the meeting and introduced Gillian Woodland from Broadband4Devon who gave a very informative presentation on broadband. She explained the purpose of the Broadband4Devon project, which is to give grants to Objective 2 areas for broadband. The project is managed by DCC and is trying to get businesses connected and then maintain contact. She explained that there are 318 residential users of the Chivelstone exchange and for BT to upgrade the exchange for broadband use, 100 need to register their interest. Telephone is normally the best way to received broadband unless you are more than 6km from the exchange (as the wire lies) when signal is not so good. It is also possible to receive broadband via a wireless connection. A company call ehotspots is working in Stoke Fleming, which has a similar geography as Chivelstone, to set up wireless broadband. It is costing £150 to install plus £30 per month rental. Grants are available towards these costs. Forms have already been circulated to register for broadband but the clerk asked if those present could spread the word that more forms were available from her. Gillian went on to explain that the project runs until 2006 and up to 40% subsidies are available on IT related services e.g. updating websites for businesses. The average length of time it takes for the exchange to be upgraded is 2 – 3 months from when the trigger levels have been achieved. For wireless installation only 10 businesses are required as a ‘trigger’ and installation is between 1 month and 6 weeks after this has been reached. Gillian suggested that a ‘committee’ be formed to find out the specific requirements for the Parish and perhaps invite a company to the area to establish the costs involved to introduce wireless broadband. As there were no further questions the Chairman thanked Gillian for coming all the way from Plymouth to talk to the meeting and giving such an interesting presentation.

3.Minutes of the last Annual Parish Meeting: it was proposed by Cllr Harwood and seconded by Cllr Mrs Trinick that these were a true record. All were in favour. The Chairman and Clerk duly signed the minutes.

4.Matters Arising:

a)Neighbourhood Watch signs – small window stickers distributed. The Chairman explained that small window stickers had been distributed with the last Parish Council Newsletter as some people felt that large street signs would be detrimental to the area.

b)Village Green – success in registering the area as an ‘open space’. The Chairman reported that the village green had become an official ‘open space’ in October 2003 thanks to the hard work and determination of Mr Dan Bailey who lives at Ford.

c)Speed Limit in East Prawle – the Chairman pointed out that no further progress had been made to introducing a speed limit in the village which would then enable the District Council to enforce the Dog Bylaws.

The question was asked as to what it meant for the Village Green to be an ‘Open Space’. It was explained that the Parish Council had tried to get title of the Green but had failed because the area is not fenced off or easily defined. It is now registered as an ‘Open Space’ and is therefore protected from development and anyone else trying to ‘claim’ parts of the land.

The query was raised that perhaps if a speed limit is being introduced then it should be just 5mph around the Green area. Concern was express about the number of signs that would be involved and could the problem be solved at a local level. The Clerk pointed out that there were questions in the Parish Plan Questionnaire, which is to be circulated shortly, covering the topic of the speed limit, dog fowling and the village green. The Chairman encouraged everyone to put their views on the form and the Parish Council will then know the feelings of the majority of the parishioners.

5.Chairman’s Report:

‘Since the last Annual Parish Meeting the Parish has had elections and we now have a new District Councillor Mr Julian Brazil. Also new members on the Parish Council in Julian Brazil, David Hampden-Smith and Warwick Harwood. All members have to declare any interest in items on Parish agendas and also observe the authorities Code of Conduct. Mr Joe Stephens has worked throughout the year on Parish Village Green maintenance “thank you Joe”. David Hampden-Smith has done a lot of work trying to get a local fire engine for Prawle but due to cut backs in the fire service this does not seem possible. The Fire Officer suggests we have a Parish Public awareness meeting. The Parish Council has been dealing with the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. After formation of a Parish Plan Cluster Group, Chivelstone, South Pool, East Portlemouth and Slapton Parishes were successful in getting funding from the Countryside Agency to produce a Parish Plan. Most of the organisation has been done by Cllr Warwick Harwood – “Thank You”. The questionnaire is now ready to go to parishioners. In September 2003 the Parish Council received a letter from Devon County Council’s Solicitor telling the Parish Council that the Village Green has now been registered. Mr Dan Bailey from ford did a great deal of work when he was a Parish Councillor to achieve this registration – “Thank You Dan”. WPC Olivia Jackson has been attending some of out Parish Council meetings and has been most helpful. Mr & Mrs Richard Partridge have been attending neighbourhood watch meetings – “Thank You Jane and Richard”. Camping has been a contentious issue over the last 12 months so much so that a public meeting was held in October 2003 and now the South Hams District Council are prepared to look at Chivelstone Parish with a view to ‘departures’ from the existing camping policies in the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Clerk has worked tirelessly to make BT reverse their decision to remove the payphone at Higher Park, she has battled with BT for 12 months but now BT have had to submit and the phone box is to stay – “Thank you Marilyn”. The Parish Council has agreed to sign up to a Parish Paths Partnership agreement with Devon county Council. This means that the Parish Council will be responsible for:

  • condition surveys and inspections
  • the up keep and improvement of the path network
  • publicity and information
  • events and activities to encourage the use of the path network.

A meeting is soon to be arranged to invite volunteers to join with parish councillors to do this work. Through the year the Parish Council has dealt with 29 Planning application. The clerk has typed 59 pages of minutes and has spent many more hours than she is paid for doing Council work. “Thank you Marilyn”. I would like to thank my vice-Chairman Josephine for her help and support, also all Councillors for their enthusiasm and support, especially Warwick.

6.Coleridge Bus Report: Cllr Hampden-Smith reported that he had not attended any meetings, as he was never invited by the committee. However, he had established that they were short of drivers for the bus. Once trained drivers are asked to drive a minimum of twice a month. The clerk said that she would write to the Coleridge Bus Committee informing them that Cllr Hampden-Smith was the Parish Council representative and would like to be notified of the meetings.

  1. Coleridge Association of Parish Councils: Cllr Mrs Trinick gave the following report:

‘The association continues to flourish and meetings held in halls close to the A379 are usually well supported. The AGM is held in June, in 2003 at West Charleton, who took over the Chairmanship. In October at Stoke Fleming Mr Simon Clancy from Devon County solicitors Office spoke on ‘The Countryside and Right of Way Act 2000, Right to Roam’. In January 2004 at Stokenham Ms Verity Palk, Waste Management Officer from SHDC came and explained about the proposed discontinued garden waste collection and what South Hams proposals were. (EEC has stopped organic waste going into landfill sites so separate collections, organic waste - garden – food – household – paper: farmer’s concern over food waste, therefore not regulation of meat import). At Strete in March the speaker was from the West Country Ambulance Service great concern as this particular area – ‘South Hams’ is a low risk area and not well covered by the ambulance service.

  1. Community Hall Committee report:Mr Chris Wotton, as Chairman of the Hall committee, gave the following report: The Hall has been busy again this year with the Art Club (Mon.), Mother’s Union (Tues.), Home Work Club (Weds. & Thurs.), Toy Library (Thurs.), Youth Club (Friday) and Parish Council, Prawle Fair Committee, Higher Park Residents Association, Coffee Mornings, Elders Lunch, Valentine supper, Cymbl UK Meetings, Christmas, birthday and anniversary parties and sadly Funerals and many other uses. The hall committee also organised an Open Air Theatre on the village green in August. This was well attended and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. Proceeds from this will help to redecorate the exterior of the hall possibly this summer. Many thanks to all whom helped to make this a success. The hall lottery is ongoing and funds are very useful from this. Thanks to Dawn Kelland, Mr & Mrs K Shadbolt and Sarah Tucker for their help with the lottery (there are two numbers available). The committee would like to thank Karen Arundell and Jane Bickle for cleaning the hall also Mr & Mrs Shadbolt for taking bookings and payment etc. We would also like to thank Prawle Fair Committee and all helpers, as again this year profits were donated to the running costs of the CPCH. Many thanks for this. I would personally like to thank Joe Stephens (Secretary) and Katie Hampden-Smith for their efficient Secretary and finance work for the hall, and indeed all the committee members and all supporters of CPCH. It is very sad for us all to have lost over the past twelve months or so, Mr Steve Mitchelmore, Mrs Phyllis Putt, Mrs Phyllis Wotton and Miss Jocelyn Benson who were strong supporters of CPCH our best wishes go out to their families. With the help from these and all other supporters of CPCH we are all very grateful as committee members. I have been proud to be chairman of the CPCH and hope the hall can continue to be used and well supported in future years. Thank you for all your support.

The Chairman thanked Mr Wotton for his report and took the opportunity to remind those present that a Prawle Fair Meeting was being held on 19th April, 2004 at 8.00pm in the Community Hall.

  1. Neighbourhood Watch Report: The Clerk read the following report on behalf of Mr & Mrs Partridge: ‘It has been a fairly quiet year. We attended some of the meetings, but most of the incidents reported, were in the towns and not the villages. Messages coming through via telephone calls did not contain anything of interest to us. Anything affecting our area we will, as usual, put details in the Parish Notice Boards.

10.Millennium Projects Report: The clerk had received a report from Mr Dan Bailey of Ford regarding the Photographic record book along with the folder of photographs which have already been taken. The clerk read the following: ‘I apologise for not attending the Parish Council meeting this evening. Please find enclosed by files with all the information regarding money received and spent, the award received and the progress I have made with taking photographs. The old photographs collected are with Neville Higgins who also has some pictures taken by Brian Wigley. The black folder has the new photographs and the list of pictures to be taken. Those tacked are in the folder. To progress the project I suggest:

  1. We need two more people who would join me to take pictures using our digital camera and printer. I keep the equipment in my home but it may be better to transfer it to another member of the team in East Prawle? Most of the information we need is in the Chivelstone Millennium Book. Working in pairs would be more enjoyable than going around alone and I believe that this would help to get the job done this summer.
  2. We need someone who will continue to collect the old pictures and I understand that Richard partridge is willing to do this.
  3. We need to add another authorised signatory for the bank account, which we set up to require two signatures for drawing cheques. I suggest that we add the Clerk.

Best wishes Dan Bailey’

The Chairman explained that Mr Higgins could no longer work on the book as he was still working on the information point. Mr Richard Partridge is willing to help and thought that it would be a good idea to have an open weekend in the hall to collate old photos etc. The photos could be copied and returned to the owners immediately. The Chairman said that he would arrange for a letter to be circulated with the information and the second weekend in June will be use for the event. Mrs Bickle also suggested that interviews could be taped during the weekend. The Chairman went on to explain that the Millennium Book had sold 160 copies and the profit could now be handed to the Community Hall.

  1. Finance Report: The clerk explained the provisional receipts and payments account that had been circulated. She pointed out the following:

a)Interest was higher in 2003/04 compared to 2002/03 due to the Parish Council being ‘bankers’ for the Parish Plan Grant.

b)Car Parking donations were up on the previous year by £245 (41%)

c)The grant for the P3 scheme of £855 had been received but would be carried over into the new financial year.

d)Administration had increased significantly due to new Councillors attending training courses and the production of a quarterly newsletter.

e)Insurance premium had increased by 28%

f)Savings had been made on the audit fee due to the new system introduced in April 2003.

The clerk had been unable to prepare the balances, as she had not yet received the bank statements for the end of the financial year.

  1. National Coastwatch Institution Report: The clerk read the following report from Mr Yeoman who was unable to attend the meeting:

‘Thank you for inviting me to give a summary of our work at Prawle Point. I am please with the interest you have shown in our activities at the Look-Out.

We have, at present, 53 watchkeepers coming from as far as Dartmouth in the East to Kingston in the West which is quite a long way to come for a 4 hour watch as a volunteer. We keep watch 365 days a year including Christmas Day. The main object is to spot and plot and report to Brixham coastguard.

We have 3 watchkeepers from Prawle but would like more. If anyone who has a partner who is getting under your feet, send them along, male or female, we can soon train them up!!

Last autumn we has 13 recruits, of which, after 4 classroom lessons and 10 training watches, 10 are now qualified watchkeepers.

In 2003 we were involved in 9 incidents ranging from boats’ loss of power, rope around props to engine fire. Distance and bearings are passed to Brixham Coastguard which is where the radar becomes useful in fog (not that we get fog at Prawle!!!).

Last year we recorded in the log 6834 pleasure craft which could be identified by name or number, 1282 commercial craft, which are fishing boats or larger offshore vessels. Missing persons and sheep over the cliff are also logged.

We at Prawle Point have D.F.S. which is an agreement with the coastguard that we keep watch from 9am – 9pm in the summer and 9 to 5 in winter, and we will monitor all traffic passing the lookout. We also do a listening watch on the radio and have recently been given permission to use channel 0 which is a search and rescue channel in an emergency.

The standards at Prawle Point are high, with such a highly qualified team that we are recognised by the national Coastwatch Institution, in that I have been appointed to assess other NCI Stations – an honour indeed!

Friends of Prawle Point, of which Jennie Bond is their patron, raise money for the lookout and we are very grateful for this help.