DRAFT MINUTES SUBJECT TO AMMENDMENT
LYDFORD PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING
Held in The Nicholls Hall
Tuesday 20th June
2006
71-2006 Present:
Mr S Powne Mr P Fletcher: Mrs L Cole:
Mrs P Martyn: Mrs K Boyd (Chairman): Mrs S Holland:
Mrs L Ellicott (Vice-Chairman): Mr DG Evans (Clerk)
Parishioners and others in attendance:
Five members of the public were present, Cllr J Soul WDBC (Standing in for Cllr Williamson) and Cllr A Hosking DCC.
72-2006 Apologies
for absence:
PC Reed and Mr C France (Director DNPA)
73-2006 Parishioners
and Visitors time:
73.1 Cllr Soul detailed the progress he has made regarding the Camping & Caravan site and the concerns raised regarding lighting recently installed. He confirmed that DNPA have now requested a retrospective planning application to cover the work carried out.
He has written to the Chief Executive of Derriford Hospital seeking reassurances regarding the rumours that are circulating about the closure of the Primrose Unit. He also detailed a recent meeting of the Police Authority regarding Liaison Officers. He stated that we will be loosing Community Constables and that they will be replaced by Liaison Officers and that the current number of twenty in Devon will be increased to seventy with the number in West Devon rising from one to seven. These will be primarily based in major towns.
Cllr Hoskings detailed the Locality Fund which will have £50k available for community use and will allocate £1k to each area. He requested that any bids for funding should be addressed to him prior to the next meeting in July. Priority areas, Princetown etc, will be given preference for funding.
Mr Powne expressed concern to Cllr Soul regarding the sewage smells emanating from the Camping & Caravan Club. Mr Fletcher stated that WDBC keep saying ‘leave it with us’ which, as this has now been going on for some nine years is simply not good enough. He also questioned that this problem should be being solved by SWW as they allow the discharge of sewage into their system. Cllr Soul agreed to continue in his attempts to solve this ongoing problem.
Mrs Clements asked what progress was being made regarding the recently installed lights at the Caravan site. Mr Powne stated that DNPA had done a complete ‘U’ turn on this and were now requesting a retrospective planning application for them and the fitting of timing devices to ensure that light pollution was kept to a minimum. (It was noted that Mr France, the newly appointed Director of Planning at DNPA, was due to attend tonight’s meeting to answer queries regarding the policy of the National Parks Planning Authority. Unfortunately, Mr France has had to cancel through family commitments although it is hoped that he will be able to attend a future meeting).
No further questions were raised and the Chair duly called the meeting to order at 7.20pm.
74-2006To approve the
minutes of the previous meeting:
74.1 The minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 16th May 2006 were signed, by the Chairman, as a true and accurate record.
75-2006 Matters arising:
75.1 Stuggy Lane – Mr Powne reported on the meeting he attended with English Heritage who have agreed to remove debris and tidy up the area. They have stated that the hedge could not be laid as it had grown too high but that this will be carried out in the future.
75.2 Post Office – The Postmistress from Mary Tavy PO, Mrs Sally Edwards, who will be running a service in Lydford explained that she is now just awaiting BT to install a dedicated phone line who have still not given a date for this. She confirmed that the days of service will be Tuesday and Friday with the actual times of opening to be confirmed. Mr Powne stated that he had received a complaint from the landlord of the Castle Inn who was unhappy that no one from Post Office Counters has told them directly that it will be placed inside the Nicholls Hall and not the Castle Inn. Mrs Edwards stated that she would pass this comment on to the relevant person. Mrs Ellicott stated that on behalf of the villagers she wished Mrs Edwards all success with the venture and hoped that it would soon be in operation.
75.3 Bridge House Lodge – Letters from DNPA Enforcement Officer were read out in which DNPA state that they are considering a legal enforcement order to remove the unauthorised building work carried out. It was unanimously agreed to send a letter of support to DNPA on this issue.
75.4 Parish plan – The Chair asked members if they had all read the enclosure on this in the envelope to which all stated they had. She further sought names from those who wished to attend the information event on July 27th. It was agreed that Mrs Ellicott, Mrs Boyd and Mr Fletcher would attend. The Chair further proposed that discussion on this should be deferred until after this information event. Mr Fletcher considered that by so doing the whole thing will just drag on and that DNPA wish to be involved, which was welcomed by all. The Chair stated that as a decision has yet to be reached whether to go ahead with a Parish plan or not, it would be preferable to visit the information evening to enable everyone to be fully conversant with the requirements before this decision is finally taken. (A discussion then followed in which some members felt that this decision had already been taken. The Clerk read out the minute reference from April which clarified that the decision has not yet been taken.) Mr Powne felt that whilst this would give future members direction he was concerned as to who would come forward to take an active part in the compilation of the plan. Mrs Ellicott considered that the members are not currently equipped to deal with potential major issues, which a Parish plan would enable them to be. The Chair stated that she had tried to avoid the discussion of this matter in a confrontational manner, however, this clearly was now happening. Consequently, the Chair proposed a separate meeting to discuss this single issue. It was agreed that the members would meet on Monday 26th June at 7.00pm to discuss and resolve the proposal; ‘This Parish Council should implement a Parish Plan, subject to attaining the necessary funding.’
76-2006:
Receive report from Councillors on respective outside bodies:
76.1 DNPA – Next meeting November
76.2 Police Authority – Nothing to report
76.3 Southern Link – Mrs Cole and Mrs Martyn attended. A talk on re-cycling was received with news that very shortly all plastic bottles will be able to be re-cycled. They also reported on the Garden Waste scheme which apparently will only be collected, in Lydford, from the centre of the village. The Local Development Framework made a presentation in which they detailed that 3,800 new houses are planned for West Devon within the next few years, of this figure between fifty to eighty percent will be classified as affordable. A final talk, by Dan Bates, on Access Strategy and the new ‘One Stop Shop’ for information in Okehampton was given. Mr Bates stated that he wished to attend local events. The clerk was requested to invite them to have a table at the forthcoming Summer Fayre.
76.4 Nicholls Hall – Mrs Boyd reported that the highly successful Bistro nights continue and that several new and additional tables have been purchased.
77.2006 - Receive financial report:
77.1 The clerk circulated balances as follows;
Current - £244.72
Flexi - £4,368.95
77.2 The following payments were authorised:
Clerk – £231.84 – Fixed expenses £15 – Grass cutting £30 – Grant towards cost of toilets for ‘Run a local mile’ of £100 - Transfer from Deposit to current £500. The following receipts were detailed as: precept £3,159.00 – VAT refund £735.59
77.3 The accounts for 2005/06 were signed off and will now be presented to the Internal Auditor before submission to The Audit Commission. The Statement of Assurance was read out and agreed by those present.
78.2006 - Correspondence:
78.1 Various items were discussed, all of which had been previously circulated to members for reading and subsequent consideration. These were as follows;
RCS News – WDBC proposal for members allowances – DNPA Statement of Community Involvement – WDBC Constitution 2006 – Rights of Way on Fernworthy Common – The clerk was requested to write to these organisations accordingly with the members comments.
79.2006 - Planning applications:
79.1 None to hand.
79.2 Planning applications previously presented – Lower Watervale Farm – The members expressed disbelief and concern as too the decision to refuse planning permission for applications 0249/50/06. (As did a person in the public gallery!) Consequently, the clerk was requested to advise DNPA of the members’ views.
80.2006 - Items raised at the last
meeting for inclusion on the June agenda:
80.1 Parish Plan (Previously discussed under 75.4)
80.2 Lydford Field Days – Mr Powne requested that this item be withdrawn.
81.2006 – Items raised for inclusion on the
July Agenda:
81.1 Members allowances – Mr Powne
81.2 Notice Boards – Mr Powne
82.2006
- To agree the date of the next meeting:
82.1 The date of Tuesday 18th July 2006 was agreed commencing at 7.00pm
There being no further business the meeting was formally closed by the
Chairman at 9.00 pm.
DG Evans
Clerk to the Parish Council 21st May 2006
Signed as a true and accurate record……………………Date………………….
(Mrs K Boyd - Chairman)