Parish Council meeting: Tuesday, 1 September 2026

Draft Minutes for the Parish Council meeting on Tuesday, 1 September 2026

1) Open Forum

1. Letter from member of the public regards Emergency Plans for Wildfires in the Parish.
   The Parish Council do not have any Powers to put Fire Wardens in place, this would be down to the Emergency Services who should be called in any emergency.   Next months Agenda will include the discussion of putting together an Emergency Plan to help guide Parishioners towards the correct emergency services.
2. Parking at the Avon Inn has been raised, they had a line dancing event yesterday and the parking was terrible with people parking irresponsibly. The Pub acknowledged the fact that they did not expect so many people to attend this event.

2) Present

Cllr Hunt (Chairman), Cllr Grevatt (Vice-Chair), Cllr Gabriel, Cllr Bell, Cllr Steer, Cllr Ring, C Cllr D Thomas (from Item 7c).

Attended by –1 member of the Public

3) Apologies

Cllr J Snoxall, D Cllr D Hancock.

4) Declarations of Interest

5) Previous Minutes

Minutes of the meeting held Tuesday 7th July 2026.

The above minutes have been circulated and read - Proposed by Cllr Gabriel and seconded by Cllr Bell with all in agreement. Duly signed by the Chairman – Cllr Hunt.

6) Matters Arising

1. Post Box at North Huish – Cllr Ring reported that C Cllr Dan Thomas has taken up this matter. It seems that the box was not broken but has just been taken away because the Royal Mail has decided that it should not be there. Cllr Ring will write a piece for the Clerk to send to DALC asking other Clerks in the area if they have lost boxes in their Parishes in this way, the results of this could then be sent to Ofcom.
2. Village Hall Land – Cllr Bell will look into this at Land Registry to check that the Land has been transferred to the Parish Council, this to be confirmed at the next meeting.
3. LGR Decision – noted by the Parish Council.

7) Reports.

1. County Councillor D Thomas – LGR - DCC continues to prepare its judicial review,  its worth noting that the plan which government has decided on for the county only 19% of the statutory consultees supported & 60% did not support it. Preparations continue for the new Unitary with Steering Committees being set up.  In May 2027 there will be elections for the shadow authority, these May elections will also be for Parish Councils and will be for a 5 year term and not the usually 4 years.
   We are still fighting action for the reinstatement of the North Huish post box, land charges at DCC are looking into the piece of land by the Lamp Post.
2. District Councillor G Pannell & D Hancock – no report given.
3. Play Park
   1. Timber replacement around the edge of the fence.
   2. Play Equipment and ROSPA report – the items which have been identified has being beyond repair in the report need to be made secure so they cannot be used. Sutcliffe Play have been contacted and asked for a quotation to replace all the rotten timbers that have been identified in the report. There are several options to stop use of the climbing frame
      1. Harris fencing.
      2. Stock Fencing with warning signs.
      3. Hazard Tape.
      4. Close the whole Play Area.
      Cllr D Thomas joined the meeting and suggested that Hazard Tape right around the whole piece of equipment should be done as soon as possible.
      SHDC are currently looking into some Legacy Projects for the South Hams and its possible that North Huish could be provided with some new equipment in this.  Cllr Bell confirmed that a quote for new equipment to replace the old was around £11,000 and Parishioners had also asked for other things such as Goal Posts.
      Cllr Thomas will provide more information at the next meeting.
4. Tree Warden – Cllr Bell reported that trees seem to have been resilient in the drought, now that its rained the soil they sit in may have been weakened, still on the look out for Ash Dieback.
5. P3 Co-Ordinator.
   1. Gate on Path Lupridge to Coarsewell – carried forward to the next meeting.
6. Defibrillator – Cllr Grevatt confirmed they are in working order.  Spoken to the Avon Garage and they confirmed that the defib can be sited by the inpost lockers, they are currently looking into the electric supply.

8) Planning Applications / Matters.

Applications received from South Hams District Council

1. Application no 2295/26/ARC – Bickham Farm, Diptford TQ9 7NJ – Application for approval of details reserved by condition 5 (stone wall) of planning consent 1022/25/LBC. Support – proposed by Cllr Bell seconded by Cllr Steer with all in agreement.
2. Application no 1851/26/HHO – Camelot, Avonwick TQ10 9LX – Extension and alterations to dwelling. Comments from the Parish Council sent to SHDC - The height of the proposed extension means that it impacts on the surrounding properties making it overbearing and overlooking causing loss of amenity for residents.
3. Application no 1282/26/HHO – 2 Horsebrook Barn, Avonwick TQ10 9EU – Householder application for proposed single-storey extension, roof replacement with green roof and associated landscaping works. No objections from the Parish Council.
4. Application no 1858/26/LBC – Hollymount Cottage, Avonwick TQ10 9NA – Amendments to application 0857/26/LBC to allow for a new SVP position, new door configuration and differing internal wall finish. No comment from the Parish Council.
5. Application no 2126/26/PAA (Prior Approval Application) – Land at SX 710 567, North Huish – Agricultural storage building. The Parish Council object to this application, we do not feel that there is a need for an agricultural building on this site.  There is a visual impact on the valley which is within the protected area of the National Landscape.
6. Application no 2354/26/LBC & 2353/26/HHO – Southern House TQ10 9NL – Proposed replacement porch and alterations to existing veranda as well as alterations to existing landscaping/swimming pool terrace. Application to be deferred until the next meeting.

Decisions received from South Hams District Council

1. Prior Approval not required – Application no 1975/26/AGR – Ley Farm, Diptford TQ9 7NN – Proposed agricultural building.
2. Certificate of Lawfulness Certified – Application no 1468/26/CLE – Land at SX 705 570 (Newbrook), Ugborough – Certificate of Lawfulness for existing use of building as C3 dwelling.
3. Conditional Approval – Application no 0305/26/FUL – North Beneknowle, Diptford TQ9 7LU – Construction of a swimming pool and change of use of land from agricultural/woodland to garden use to accommodate a new detached garage.
4. Conditional Approval – Application no 1471/26/FUL – Manor Farm TQ10 9NN – Erection of agricultural manure store.

9) Correspondence

1. Scoping consultation – South Hams & West Devon Joint Local Plan – noted by the Parish Council.

10) Highways

1. Church Cross – Signs for the Junction – carried forward to the next meeting.
2. Junction by the Sign of the Owl has been damaged by a Combine Harvester. DCC confirmed that is this is a vehicle which has legal use of the Highway.
3. Several items have been done within the Parish including potholes and works to the Bridge.

11) Finances

Payments

16.7.26 – BACS - £22.75 – Avon Vale Tennis (Room Hire).
27.7.26 – BACS - £27.82 (vat £4.64) – Jolt (Domain Renewal).
3.8.26 – BACS - £144.00 (vat £24.00) – J Widdicombe (Lengthsman July).
14.8.26 – BACS - £328.80 (vat £54.80) – ROSPA Playsafety (Inspection).
14.8.26 – BACS - £40.00 – Sharon Raggett (Clerks Computer repair).
1.9.26 – BACS - £423.90 – Sharon Raggett (Clerks Salary July, Aug, Sep).

Bank Balances September 2026

Treasurers Account	3,575.24
Business Account	6,090.78
	9,666.02

Monies held within PC Balance

P3 = £220.00
DCC = £400 – Grant for Playpark Timber.

12) Next Meeting Date & Any Items for Next Meeting.

1. Next Meeting Date – 6th October 2026.

There be no further business the meeting closed 8.45pm