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 C Curtis
Councillor C Coombs
Councillor B Woolland
Dr P Brotherton (Clerk)

Declaration of Interest (for Items on the Agenda)

07/181 There were no declarations of interest.

Minutes of the last meeting

07/182 Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 21st May 2007 were circulated, read, confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.

Clerk’s Report

07/183 Report on fixed penalty fine and siting of notices stating that the area is patrolled by the Dog Warden. The Clerk reported that he had received notice from the Dog Warden that a fixed penalty notice for £50 had been issued for a dog fouling offence and paid by a parishioner recently. He added that Mr D Arscott, West Devon Borough Council Environmental Health Technical Officer, had advised against the display of more dog warden notices, stating that “we are cautious in our use of signs as they can in themselves cause problems”.

07/184 Results of elections to Dartmoor National Park Committee, Devon Association of Parish Council Committee and the Standards Committee. The results of the recent elections were listed by the Clerk and will be displayed on the notice board.

07/185 Alternative venue for the collection of Garden Waste on August 11th, 2007. With the kind permission of Mr R Taylor, the Managing Director of Wainhomes, this collection, for this day only, had been relocated from the Recreation Ground car park to the forecourt of Wainhomes on the old A30 to the South of the village. This “one-off” change had been extensively advertised.

Questions from parishioners

07/186 There were no questions or comments from parishioners

07/187 Councillor J White raised two issues:
a) A parishioner had asked for advice about a horse that was allegedly being kept in a shed in a housing estate. Councillor J White was asked to advise the parishioner to contact the RSPCA.
b) It had been drawn to Councillor J White’s notice that grass cuttings around the base of a shrub on Greenbank might be killing the shrub. Councillor Cann said that he would keep an eye on this.

Correspondence

07/188 Making improvements happen. DNPA ‘Planning in your Parish’ follow-up. July 10th. 2007. A final workshop is to be held on July 10th. Parishes were invited to nominate up to four Councillors and the clerk to attend to revisit the ideas already raised and to agree the improvements in procedure to adopt. Councillors Cann and Darch and the clerk expressed interest in attending this event.

07/189 Basic Health and Safety certificated course by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. The Clerk advertised this one-day course on many aspects of health and safety on June 28th. at Sourton Parish Hall.

07/190 Consultation paper on support for community land trusts in Devon. Councillors were invited to comment on this consultation paper on community land trusts in Devon.

07/191 Notice concerning Dartmoor Folk Festival Premises Licence. Council noted the receipt of this information.

07/192 Devon Playing Fields AGM and elections. The papers advertising the AGM of this organisation and the vacancy on the executive committee were passed to Councillor Souness (Vice Chairman) as Chair of the Recreation Ground Association.

07/193 Dartmoor National Park Authority Forum meeting June 22nd. 2007. Passed to Councillor C White. Councillor C White had given his apologies for this meeting.

07/194 Eastern Parishes Link Committee on June 7th. 2007. The Clerk reported that he had contacted the County Community Strategy Officer, Mr R Grainger, to bring their representatives data up to date

07/195 Housing Newsletter from West Devon Borough Council. This document was brought to Council’s attention.

07/196 Dartmoor National Park Local Development Framework: Core Strategy Development Plan Document –Submission Version and the Dartmoor National Park Management Plan. Invitation to comment. These two substantial documents were presented to Council and Councillor agreed to examine them. Observations from the Council were needed by Friday 27th July 2007. Councillor Darch kindly agreed to examine these documents and report back to Council at the next meeting.

Agenda items for discussion and resolution

07/197 Speed limits in South Zeal. After discussion, it was agreed to wait for the advice from PC Hartnell, road safety casualty reduction officer, Ashburton.

07/198 Siting of a litter bin near the shop. The Clerk reported that West Devon Borough Council had agreed to supply a new litter bin outside the shop and will arrange for it to be emptied once a week. There will be no cost to the parish.

07/199 Post of Cleaner/Manager for the Recreation Ground Toilet block. Discussion of the documents sent to the Clerk by Concept Staffing, Okehampton and passed to Councillor A White (Chairman), lead to the decision, agreed by all, that the documents should be examined by a competent person and a report on their recommendations presented to Council.

07/200 Councillors walking the Parish Footpaths and Bridleways. The Clerk presented the documentation on Parish Footpaths and Bridleways. It was agreed that all such paths and bridleways, within and without Dartmoor National Park, would be walked by councillors once every two years and that a report of the state of each would be provided to the Clerk. The document allotting councillors to paths and bridleways was updated.

07/201 Beating the Bounds. The Chairman, Councillor A White, stated that Beating the Bounds would next occur in 2008. The small group formed to organise this event, consisting of Councillors Cann, Woolland and Coombs, agreed to report back towards the end of this year.

07/202 Parish Appraisal. Report from Working Group and discussion of the next steps. Councillors Pillar, J White and A White (Chairman) reported on an initial meeting which had been held to discuss the proposed Parish Appraisal. Discussion lead to the decision that the Appraisal needed to have a list of conclusions that would form the basis of an action plan. The Working Group was scheduled to meet again on Monday 16th July. A motion that the Council undertake a Village Appraisal was proposed by Councillor Cann and seconded by Councillor Woolland. All agreed. The funding position would be investigated.

07/203 Damage to tree plinth in South Tawton Square. Report from Councillor Pillar. Councillor Pillar reported that he had pointed in the crack in the plinth. This would need to be monitored over time.

07/204 Council nomination to serve on the Church House Management Committee. It was proposed by Councillors Coombs and J White that they share this position between them on an alternating basis if the Management Committee are in agreement.

07/205 Report from Councillor Souness (Vice Chairman) re. discussions held by Recreation Ground Association Committee concerning siting dog bins. Councillor Souness (Vice Chairman) reported that his committee had not met to discuss this matter but that it would be put on the agenda for the next meeting. Further discussion on such matters lead to the conclusion that at the moment it would not be recommended that dog bins be sited in the body of the village.

Planning

07/206 DNPA 0438/07 Mr and Mrs Hignett, Crow’s Nest, Sticklepath. (Jo Burgess, 2nd July 2007). Demolition of existing house and construction of replacement dwelling at Crow’s Nest. Outline Planning Permission

Council agreed unanimously to support this application in principle and wait for further details.

07/207 DNPA 0421/07 Mr and Mrs M Bryant, Senlac, Ford Cross, South Zeal. (Darren Summerfield, 2nd July, 2007) Two-storey extension to southern gable wall providing family room, dining room and first floor ensuite bedroom. Full Planning Permission.

Council agreed unanimously to support this application.

07/208 DNPA 0471/07 Mr D Harcombe, Little Owls Foot, Sticklepath. (Helen Shobbrook, 16th July2007). New first floor and amendments to ground floor elevations. Full Planning Permission

After holding a site meeting, the Council agreed to recommend refusal of this application on the grounds of over development of the site and domination of the views from the village and Ramsley and the Croft of the views to the moor. It is felt that the existing trees would not attract any preservation protection due to the type and size which might shelter the building from the village views. Majority decision.

Appeal

07/209 DNPA ENF/0354/05 The Clerk reported that he had received notification that Mr GF Gore, Gralerie Woods, South Tawton, had appealed against an Enforcement Notice issued by Dartmoor National Park Authority on April 2nd 2007.

Determination

07/210 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.

Granted. Conditions: natural nailed slate, roof lights top hung

Councillor to volunteer to help Councillor Pillar with Planning Applications for the next month

07/211 Councillors Cann and Curtis volunteered to help Councillor Pillar with Planning Applications for the next month if needed.

Accounts

07/212 Proposed by Councillor Cann and seconded by Councillor Darch and agreed by all, the accounts were adopted.

Request for financial support from The Common Players

07/213 The Clerk reported that Mr A Clements had asked that the Council support a community event presented by The Common Players on Sunday 30th September 2007. This would involve live performance, education about apples, creative activities and an apple press which would be used to press apples brought by parishioners into apple juice. The event would culminate in the performance of a play in the evening. Proposed by Councillor C White and seconded by Councillor Pillar,
a grant towards the proposed costs of £300 of £150 was agreed by all.

Report from Internal Financial Control Group on 1st quarter overview

07/214 Councillors Pillar and Curtis reported that they had examined the financial documentation presented by the Clerk for the period from April 1st 2007 to June 8th. 2007 and had found all matters satisfactory.

Examination of current budget situation

07/215 Councillors examined the budget.

Presentation and signing of Audit Commission annual financial return

07/216 The Clerk presented the annual Audit Commission Annual Return. Proposed by Councillor and seconded by Councillor A White (Chairman) the accounts were approved by all and signed by the Chairman (Councillor A White).

07/217 Proposed by Councillor A White and agreed by all, the Statement of Assurance contained within the Audit Commission was approved and signed by the Chairman (Councillor A White).

The meeting ended at 9.15 pm.