Parish Council meeting: Tuesday, 5 November 2019

PDF of the Agenda for the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday, 5 November 2019

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Approved Minutes for the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday, 5 November 2019

These minutes were approved on 3 December 2019

Please noteEvery care has been taken to present this accessible copy of the minutes with accuracy, but the formal record of the meeting remains the signed paper copy of the minutes.

OPEN FORUM:

The Council was informed that the Church vestry would be used for the upcoming general election. The Council was also informed of a recent occurrence of tyre slashing that had taken place in Avonwick. The overgrown hedge on the South Brent road from Avonwick (near the Mill at Avonwick) was causing concern. This is outside the parish area but will be brought to the attention of Ugborough Parish Council. Thanks were made to Mr Widdicombe for his excellent recent work clearing buddle holes within the parish.

PRESENT:

Councillors Bell, Gabriel, Grevatt, Hunt, Luscombe, Seager-Berry, Steer, District Councillor Smerdon and County Councillor Hosking.

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:

District Councillor Pannell.

MINUTES

The MINUTES of the meeting held the on 1st October 2019 were confirmed and signed. Proposed Cllr. Bell, seconded Cllr. Seager-Berry.

MATTERS ARISING:

Poor mobile ‘phone signal report put forward to next meeting. Repairs to the permissive path fencing had still not taken place. Chairman to write again to Pentland First Port. Cllr. Grevatt reported that the website does not have any major accessibility problems, He will give a more complete report at the next meeting. It was reported that the sand box and shovel were still located in the Avon Inn car park. Cllr. Smerdon to check availability of sand bags from SHDC. Further information is being sought regarding the land on which the ‘phone box at North Huish is located.

REPORTS:

District Councillor Smerdon submitted the following report:

LANGAGE ENERGY PARK

An agreement has been reached between SHDC and the owners of Langage Energy Park, close to the A38 near Plympton, to develop 30,000 sq.ft of business starter units on a block of land next to the power station. There will be 30 in all, with a start being made on the first 10 within a year.

Plymouth City Council already apply a similar policy to the part of the Langage site within their Council boundary. Both Authorities wish to see the Langage Energy Park become a thriving, modern commercial centre.

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING POINTS

A two year project to install at least 25 electric vehicle charge points for public use in car parks across Devon begins this month. The project is being led by Devon County Council, in partnership with 5 District councils, including South Hams. The charge points will be installed in key car parks in Devons largest communities including Totnes, Ivybridge, Kingsbridge, Dartmouth and Newton Abbot.
Cllr Judy Pearce, Leader of SHDC said “we see the use of electric vehicles as a key low carbon transport solution, and we want to encourage their uptake.”

A379 SLAPTON LINE

The Slapton Line Partnership, of which South Hams is a member, has secured funding for an Adaptation Manager to work closely with local village communities to ease traffic issues and to create positive changes to prepare for the possible future loss of the A3 79 Slapton Line. A study has shown there is now no room left to move the road should it be washed away again, and improvements to alternative routes need to be investigated and actioned.

DEVON CLIMATE EMERGENCY RESPONSE

A top team of environmental experts, charged with ensuring that Devon reduces carbon emissions as quickly as possible, is now calling on residents to submit their ideas on how to do it.
The Call for Evidence is open to everybody, and every submission will be reviewed by the Devon Climate Emergency Response Group Net-Zero Task Force.
They will present a series of options to a Citizens Assembly, which will be convened by January

Have your say www.devonclimateemergency.org.uk

County Councillor Hosking

• Wished to raise awareness of the Devon/Somerset consultation re broadband speeds
• He told the Council of a shortfall in the Care Funding within the County.
• He asked that Highways should be made aware of the need to top up grit bins where necessary.
• He provided a Crimestoppers notice to be placed in the Parish noticeboard.

PLANNING:

The Council was informed that the planning for a Garden Room at Huish Barn had been approved. The Council wished to express its concern over the apparent disregard paid by the planning authority to both The Parish Council’s recommendations and to the many objections made by villagers concerning this development. The Council felt that the actions of the planning authorities were disrespectful of both the Parish Council and the villagers.

CORRESPONDENCE

Specific items of CORRESPONDENCE were noted as follows:

Emails from

• Power for people re the National Community Energy Campaign
• Devon County Council re Devon Climate Emergency
• Four Rivers Dementia Alliance

were noted.

The Council was informed of work already being undertaken within the area concerning Dementia awareness.

The Council agreed to endorse the Devon Climate Declaration and to declare a climate emergency.

FINANCE:

 

Balance c/f	8,991.34
Income (interest)	0.34
Exp. (play park)	16.50
Balance	8,975.18

 

The Council agreed to pay an invoice for the hosting of the website.

The Council agreed to increase the precept requirement for 2020 by £707 to cover the election expenses from May 2019 which arose from the need to conduct an election due to there being more candidates than positions available on the Parish Council.

HIGHWAYS:

While welcoming the planned firework display at the Avon Inn, concern was raised over the possible problems that this might bring so far as the parking of cars was concerned. It was decided that advice should be sought from Devon Highways over how best to deal with this.

ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING:

North Huish ‘phone box. Mobile ‘phone signal in Avonwick.

NEXT MEETING:

Tuesday 3rd.December 2019 at 7.30pm at St James’s Church, Avonwick.