Present:
Councillor A White (Chairman)
Councillor R Souness (Vice Chairman)
Councillor J Pillar
Councillor W Cann
Councillor R Darch
Councillor J Darch
Councillor J White
Councillor C White
Councillor Curtis
Dr P Brotherton (Clerk)

Apologies received from Councillor Tilley

In attendance. Mr N Butlin

Declaration of Interest (for Items on the Agenda)

07/105 Councillor Pillar stated an interest in Planning Application DNPA 0257/07.

07/106 Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 26th March were circulated, read, confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Clerk’s Report

07/107 07/078 The provision of ‘dog bins’ No progress had been made to date on this topic.

07/108 07/079 The Review concerning signage on the A30 at Whiddon Down junction. The Clerk drew Council’s attention to a letter from the Highways Agenda confirming that signage as requested for local villages would be erected at Whiddon Down Junction in the week commencing 14 May 2007.

Questions

07/109 Councillor Souness pointed out that there was a clash between the August date for Garden Waste recycling collection and the Dartmoor Folk Festival. It was agreed to consult with Mr Andrew Barron (Waste Education Officer, West Devon Borough Council) at the first collection on April 28th. He also mentioned that the Recreation Ground car park needed attention and it was agreed that an estimate be obtained from Devon County Council Highways to clean, tar and chip the car park.

07/110 Councillor J White reported that she had contact with organisations willing to clean the Recreation Ground toilets. It was agreed that this matter would be put on the agenda for the council meeting in May.

Correspondence

07/111 Land Management Information Service. Parish mapping on CD ROM. It was agreed that this offer would not be pursued.

07/112 West Devon Local Development Framework. The Clerk reported that these documents were available on the West Devon Borough Council website.

07/113 DNPA Corporate Plan for 2006 – 2009. The Clerk presented this document to the council.

07/114 South Devon Women’s Aid. Letter raising awareness about domestic violence. The Council noted this information and asked that elements of it be displayed on the council notice board.

07/115 Council invited to voice opinion on the proposed Unitary status bid by Exeter City Council. The council agreed to debate this matter, which was additional to the agenda. In response to the Lord Mayor of Exeter’s letter in which he sought to allay alleged concerns about financial matters and to refute the view stated by many people that this process would “tear the heart out of Devon”, the council asked the Clerk to reply. The council felt that there were good reasons to be concerned about the financial implications of the proposal and were apprehensive about a range of matters that it was felt would have a deleterious effect on the rest of rural Devon.

Agenda items for discussion and resolution

07/116 Tasks for the Parish Lengthsman for 16th May. Various matters were mentioned and councillors were asked to inform the Clerk of any others that came to their attention in time.

07/117 Report from Mr. N. Butlin on the Parish Path Partnership Scheme. Mr Butlin was welcomed to the meeting by the Chairman (Councillor A White). He said that the P3 Group had now surveyed all the relevant paths and compiled a report which had been discussed with Mr Tim Freeman, Rights of Way Warden, Devon County Council Local Service Group and with Ms Ros Davies, P3 Liaison Officer, Devon County Council. He went on to list the observations and decision taken about each path in turn. On one of these, Path 53, it was the recommendation of the P3 Group that this path be ‘extinguished’. However, the council had concerns about this and decided to consider the matter further.

07/118 Nomination of Parish Members to Dartmoor National Park Authority. The Clerk outlined the tight timetable for nominations to be received by the Devon Association of Parish Council. It was agreed that this should be put on the May agenda.

07/119 Site meeting with Ms J Marchand to discuss the possible restoration of Moons Cross. The Clerk reported his meeting with Ms Jane Marchand (Dartmoor National Park Authority Archaeologist) about Moon’s Cross. It was Ms Marchand’s view that as this cross had been damaged such a long time ago, it could not now be sensibly restored. Council agreed that improvement of the site could be the subject of a Parish Day and Ms Marchand offered to consider helping in other ways once needs became apparent.

07/120 Damage to tree plinth in South Tawton Square. The crack in the masonry surrounding the tree in South Tawton Square was discussed. Councillor Pillar kindly agreed to examine the damage and report back to the council.

07/121 07/081 Quote from A&S Security and the repair of damage to the Pavilion and Toilets. After discussing the quotation from A & S Security for an alarm and CCTV system in the Recreation Ground toilets and pavilion, council decided that they would seek further quotations.

07/122 Devon Association of Parish Councils. Election of the County Committee. It was agreed that this would be placed on the May agenda. Councillor Curtis left the meeting.

Planning

07/123 WDBC 10134/2007/OKE (Adrian Noon, 13th April 2007) Mr R Mawle, Wood Home Farm, South Tawton. Change of use of redundant agricultural barn to form residential dwelling. (1)
The Council agreed to support this application

07/124 WDBC 10135/2007/OKE (Adrian Noon, 13th April 2007) Mr R Mawle, Wood Home Farm, South Tawton. Change of use of redundant agricultural barn to form residential dwelling. (2)
The Council agreed to support this application

07/125 WDBC 10136/2007/0KE (Adrian Noon, 13th April 2007) Mr R Mawle, Wood Home Farm, South Tawton. Change of use of redundant agricultural barn to form residential dwelling. (3)
The Council agreed to support this application

07/126 DNPA 0897/06 (Jo Burgess, 13th April 2007) Mr. and Mrs. C. Law, The Store, South Zeal. Barn conversion to studio. Amended plans. Listed Building Consent and Full Planning Permission.
The Council agreed to support this application, but wished to draw attention to the proviso made in December 2006 on a similar planning application, the Minute for which read; “The Council agreed to support this application with the stipulation that the conversion should be considered ancillary to the main dwelling, that is, tied to the owners’ personal use, never let, sub-let nor separately sold”

Further, after the closing date for reply, it was brought to the Council's notice that a parishioner had asked to see the plans for this development and had commented on them. The Council wished that these observations be forwarded to the Authority. It was asked if the door to the lane was to be converted to a fixed panel. Council stated that this was what the plans described. There was also a concern that the intended roof lights would over-look rooms in the parishioner’s house. Council felt that this was probably the case and asked that consideration be given to the use of translucent rather than transparent glass in these roof lights.

07/127 WDBC 10182/2007/OKE (Jonathan Dymond,16th May 2007) Orange Personal Communication Services, Tara Farm, South Tawton. Prior Approval notification for installation of equipment for telecom apparatus
The Council agreed to support this application.

07/128 DNPA 0257/07 (Darren Summerfield, 30th April 2007) Mr and Mrs PJ Watson, Okehayes Nursery, Prospect, Sticklepath. Replacement of roof with slate. Full Planning Permission.
The Council agreed to support this application. The Council would prefer that natural slate be used.

Determination

07/129 DNPA 0050/07 (Christopher Hart, 19th February) Mrs. J Hillyer, Watershead House, Shelly, South Zeal. Full Planning permission.
Granted. Conditions: To be ancillary to existing dwelling, external timber stained dark brown, natural slate, gutters black half-round or round

07/130 Councillor Pillar stated that he would seek help with Planning Applications from other councillors for the next month if needed.

Accounts

07/131 Presentation of Accounts for the year ended March 31st 2007. The Clerk presented the internally audited accounts for the year ending March 30th. 2007.

07/132 Proposed by Councillor J White and seconded by Councillor Cann and agreed by all, the accounts were adopted.

07/133 Review of working budget for 2007/2008. Council examined the working budget for the next financial year.

The meeting ended at 9.10 pm.