Parish Council meeting: Tuesday, 2 February 2021
Key information
Meeting location: On-line
Meeting time: 7.30 pm
Sound Recording
You can download the audio recording for this meeting or use the player embedded in this page after the download link. Download the audio file here.Agenda
Agenda for the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday, 2 February 2021
1: Open Forum
For parishioners to raise matters of concern relevant to the work of the Parish Council
(NB matters concerning other bodies e.g. SWW, SHDC and DCC should normally be referred directly to such bodies. The Parish Council would try assist where difficulties arise after such a referral has taken place.)
2: Present
3: Apologies for absence
To receive apologies for absence (if any)
4: Declarations of Interest
To receive declarations of interest (if any)
5: Previous Minutes
To agree the Minutes of the meeting held on 5th January 2021
6: Matters Arising
To discuss items arising from those Minutes
7: Reports
To receive Reports from
- County Councillor Hosking
- District Councillor Pannell or Smerdon
- Play park inspection
- Others (if any)
8: Planning
To consider Planning Applications and to note decisions:
9: Correspondence
To consider correspondence received.
10: Finance
To note recent and future income and expenditure.
11: Highways
To consider Highway matters.
- Black Hall Hill.
- Kitterford Cross – California Cross
- Cobbly Walk
12: ‘Phone box in North Huish
13: Next meeting
To consider items for future meetings
To agree upon a date for the next Meeting. (2nd March 2021?)
Approved Minutes
Approved Minutes for the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday, 2 February 2021
These minutes were approved on 2 March 2021
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.
Minutes of the Virtual NHPC meeting held on 2nd February 2021.
Open Forum
There were no members of the public present.
The Chairman informed the Council of the recent deaths of two Parishioners, Mr Alan Hart and Mr Paul Tyler. Councillors were saddened by these two deaths and wished to send their condolences to their families
1: Present
Councillors Gabriel, Bell, Grevatt, Hunt, Luscombe, Seager-Berry, Steer, County Councillor Hosking and District Councillor Pannell.
2: Declarations of Interest
Cllr Seager-Berry declared an interest in matters concerning the damaged bridge on Black Hall Hill.
Cllr Bell declared an interest in matters concerning the ‘phone box in North Huish.
3: Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 5th January
2021 were confirmed and signed. Proposed Cllr Hunt seconded Cllr Bell
4: Matters Arising
To be dealt with as agenda items
5: Reports
County and District Councillors reports.
These are available on the Parish Council website below.
County Councillor Hosking confirmed that the junction at Kitterford Cross is to be made into a roundabout. He also confirmed that Devon Highways is to conduct a study looking at the feasibility of improving the B 3196. He suggested that the Council should continue to liaise with Ugborough Parish Council concerning this. Cllr Hosking agreed to look into the situation regarding the flashing £30mph sign in Avonwick. Cllr. Hosking suggested that the Council should seek funding from his Locality Fund towards the cost of the new defibrillator for North Huish
District Councillor Pannell asked that parishioners should be made aware of help available in cases of hardship due to the Corona Virus via the Citizens Advice Bureau.
Playpark
Cllr Gabriel reported that all was OK on his recent inspection. Cllr Bell asked that attention should be given to the condition of the rubber rings on the swings.
6: Planning
It was reported that the request for the installation of a caravan on land at Horsebrook had been refused. The Council thanked our District Councillors for their valued input into this decision making.
7: Finance
Balance c/f 8,404.33 Inc (int) 0.08 Exp (Buddle holes) 432.00 Balance 7,972.41
8: Highways
Black Hall Hill.
The Council was informed that the damaged bridge had now been removed and that the pillars were to be repaired and a new bridge installed. The road is now open but will need to be closed when rebuilding work is carried out. Cllr Bell asked that the new bridge should display the correct up to date signage.
Kitterford Cross – California Cross
see County councillor report below.
Cobbly Walk.
Plans for the repairs to the river bank have been prepared. The work will be carried out after the spawning season ends.
9: North Huish Phone Box
Cllr Bell presented the Council with possibilities for its future use of the land on which the box is situated. He was asked to prepare the necessary paper work for this to take place. The Council had received a quotation for necessary repairs to be carried out on the box. Accepted. Cllr Grevatt to write to BT re ownership of the box. He is also to investigate costs of purchase of a new defibrillator
10: Item for next meeting
Tree warden’s report
11: Next Meeting
Tuesday 2nd March 2021 at 7.30pm. This will be a virtual meeting.
PARISH COUNCILS UPDATE – EARLY FEBRUARY
District Cllrs. Pannell and Smerdon
COVID
January saw a significant increase in the number of cases locally – up by 800% in some areas. The rate has now begun falling and South Hams remains well below the national average for the number of cases. Please follow the guidance re masks and distancing and stay at home if at all possible. SHDC has switched back from Recovery to Response mode, with staff continuing to work from home wherever possible. Some services may see a reduction in response times as staff are switched to more pressing work.
SHDC continues to work with the Local Resilience Forum and the Health Protection Board to support the response to the pandemic. The vaccination roll-out seems to be going well with the centre at St. Boniface House, Ashburton, in full operation, and new mass vaccination centres being set up in Exeter and Plymouth, together with injections also being offered at some GP surgeries. SHDC has have offered support for the vaccination roll-out if needed.
BUSINESS GRANTS
The Government has announced a further round of grant support for the hospitality and leisure sector, as well as a top-up to the ARG grant fund.
A quick reminder on what grants apply now we are in lockdown three:
- The national lockdown grant is called: LRSG Closed (Addendum).
- The discretionary grant for businesses that aren’t mandated to close but are impacted is called: Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG).
- Hospitality grants on top of the LRSG Closed (Addendum) grant, which is good news for those businesses.
- The amount that businesses get paid is linked to their RV rating.
- £4,000 for businesses with a rateable value of £15,000 or under
- £6,000 for businesses with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
- £9,000 for businesses with a rateable value of over £51,000
Inquiries to the SHDC website Coronavirus: Information for Businesses - South Hams District Council
SHDC can’t issue the money until we have a) been told the rules, and b) actually have the money to give, but thereafter we will do so swiftly.
For the LRSG in South Hams, we’ve paid out £1.995million from an allocation of £3.967 million – roughly 50%. For the ARG in South Hams, we’ve paid out about £68,644 out of £1.74million – so 4%
COVID COMPLIANCE OFFICERS
Our Covid Compliance Officers and Environmental Health Specialists were busy over the Christmas and New Year period ensuring that hospitality premises and shops had Covid-secure measures in place. Council Officers carried out 133 visits across South Hams and West Devon between 24 December 2020 and 3 January 2021 and dealt with 10 complaints regarding non–compliance. As we have now in a period of national lockdown, the officers are busy continuing to provide advice and support to those premises allowed to stay open and responding to complaints where premises are open in contravention of the new regulations. They are continuing to liaise closely with Police colleagues by sharing intelligence and enforcement approaches.
CLINICALLY EXTREMELY VULNERABLE PERSONS
People who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) are receiving correspondence from central Government advising them to shield until at least 21 February 2021.
In November, South Hams District Council sent a letter advising people of the local hotlines and how we may help support them.
Anyone who joined the CEV list after 11 November 2020 should now have received a copy of that letter, with the local details. The Government has requested SHDC contacts people who received support from us in November, and staff have made these calls. We will receive any requests for support made by the CEV group daily via the Government database and make contact within seven days unless indicated it is more urgent. Community Pharmacies continue to help with medication. If you have anyone who you have concerns about, whether they are CEV or vulnerable for another reason, such as age or frailty, please contact community@swdevon.gov.uk and we will make contact.
HARDSHIP HELP
In the third lockdown, South Hams Council are very mindful of people in our communities who are struggling to make ends meet. The Council has funding available to assist with rent, council tax and homeless prevention. There is specific help for parents who cannot afford the additional costs associated with their children accessing the internet for online lessons. Anyone struggling with the cost of the extra data needed for remote learning can apply for support. This help is accessed via the schools, not the council. People just need to approach their school(s) who can assist them. Citizens Advice has also been awarded funding to make one-off payments to people struggling with their energy costs.