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DRAFT MINUTES

A meeting of Stoke Gabriel Parish Council was held on

Monday 27^th November 2006 at 7.00 pm in the Village Hall 

Ten minutes were allowed at the beginning of the meeting for members of the public to put matters to the Council 

Members of the Yalberton Action Group gave a report about their campaign to prevent a 800-home new town being built in Yalberton Valley, and to keep the scheme off the Strategic Plan for 2013. They thanked councillors for their support in delivering leaflets and allowing signs to be placed in the parish drawing attention to a public meeting at Paignton Community College at 7pm on 28^th November to oppose all seven prospective sites. 

9 members of the public were present

Present:            Mr R Tully (Chairman), Mrs C Hunt, Miss P Ellis, Mr N Hill,

Mr I Jones, Mrs R Rowe, Mr B Tarr, Mr C Wigfall 

1          Apologies:        Mr W Deval, Cllr T Pennington

2          Urgent Business brought forward by the Chairman

Mr N Hill’s resignation – the Chairman read a letter from Mr Hill withdrawing his resignation from the Parish Council

Update on proposed Yalberton Valley development – Mrs Rowe declared an interest in her role as District Councillor.  Two copies of the relevant documents have now been received and are being circulated amongst the councillors. The Chairman, on behalf of the council, pledged his full support to the Action Group.

Complaints – the Chairman stated that some councillors have received letters of complaint about them from the Standards Board for England and are under investigation.

3          Reports from County and District Councillors

Cllr Pennington had nothing to report.

Mrs Rowe reported the following:

Parish Cluster Groups – these have been poorly attended, with usually no more than 12 attendees. Some members of Stoke Gabriel Parish Council attended the last meeting.

Policing – there will be changes in the new year, possibly with community police holding a surgery where councillors will come to them, rather than police attending council meetings.

Housing – the Housing Needs Survey has been published showing Totnes in need of housing.

Leisure Centres – the transfer to Tone Leisure is taking place on 1^st December.

Local Development Framework – this has been approved by the Government.

Refuse collection – parishioners who are sick or disabled may apply to South Hams Council for a doorstep collection if they are unable to manage the wheeled bins.

4          Planning

Mrs Rowe declared an interest and took no part in the discussions on planning.

Applications

1)  Field at SX85225758 Broad Path – erection of polytunnel. Mrs Rowe declared a personal interest. No objection

2)  Oakridge, Stoke Hill – alterations and extension to existing dwelling to include works to retaining walls.  No objection

3)  Stonecroft, Hillfield – amendments to approved appln 52/1250/05/F for the demolition and rebuilding of existing dwelling.  Miss Ellis declared a personal interest. No objection

4)  Greenacres, Sandridge – bedroom extension to north side and glazed bay and balcony to south side of dwelling.  Mr Tully declared a personal interest. No objection

5)  24 Kings Rydon Close – pitched roof to existing flat roof dormer.  No objection

Applications Granted by SHDC

1)  Ramslade, Paignton Road – increase pitch Nos from 147 to 153

2)  Silver Springs, Paignton Road – amendments to approved appln 52/03337/06/F (alteration and extension to dwelling) to replace render finish with weatherboard

3)  2 School Hill Cottages, School Hill – retrospective application for construction of garden steps

Appeal to Secretary of State

1)  5 Darton Grove – re-submission of application for dormer extension

Other Planning Issues

1)  Hollyridge, Lower Broadpath – letter received from owner wishing to replace car port; owner to be asked to refer to Planning Officer.

2)  Mrs G’s Teashop – letter received from owner asking opinion about proposed plans; the council was unable to comment until actual plans have been presented.

5          Accounts

Payment of Accounts

Payment of the following were proposed by Mrs Hunt and seconded by Mrs Rowe:

J Hamilton – clerk’s salary & expenses Nov 06                                     £283.34

Village Hall – hire charge July-Sept 06                                                  £  22.00

Audit Commission – audit fee 2005/06                                                  £141.00

Tony Pook – work in orchard                                                                           £  30.00

Stoke Gabriel M8s – instalment to cover rent                                        £120.00

Stoke Gabriel in Bloom – Knapsack sprayer                                                     £  50.00

Bank Balances

            National Savings           £4826.03

            Current A/c                  £2606.81

            Deposit A/c                  £      7.76

            Website                        £5350.00         Total   £12790.60

The clerk expressed concern that a councillor had moved money from one account to another without authority.  £5000 had been taken from the current account and erroneously placed into the Website account.  It was agreed unanimously that the clerk would remove £5000 from the Website account, placing £1000 back into the current account to cover expenditure till March, and £4000 back into the deposit account. 

She also expressed concern about two invoices for the Website which had been paid from a councillor’s business.  The clerk will look into alternative ways of paying these accounts.

To discuss/set the precept for 2007/08

Mr Jones has prepared a report on the maintenance works required around the village: the war memorial needs urgent remedial work; stone and bark chippings to be lain in village orchard; bridges on the footpaths near the millpond need attention and some handrails; village sign needs restoring; Parish Council notice board to be moved; replace sign on slipway; carry out work to benches and place/replace with new ones.

The council agreed to put out tenders for these works, to be returned by 1^st January 2007.  It was agreed to ring-fence an amount in the precept for this work.

The council also agreed to ring-fence the rural payment for Hoyle Copse, and to donate £1000 to Stoke Gabriel Cricket Club for the Martin Baker changing rooms.

The council resolved to raise the clerk’s salary, as previously agreed, in accordance with NALC rates to £4361.24 per annum from April 2007, to be reviewed annually.

In particular it was felt that the building works were urgent priority, and that the council would use its reserve funds at present held in a savings account to partially fund this work over a period of two years, thereby reducing the need to raise the precept more than necessary. It was unanimously agreed to apply for a precept of £13000 for the year 2007/08.

6          Matters raised by the Clerk

Save Your Post Office – a leaflet has been received form the Countryside Alliance on saving rural post offices. This will be published in the parish magazine.

Orchard Play Area – SHDC have sent a report of the insurance inspection and notified that the required works to the play equipment are being undertaken.

Allotment – a prospective new resident has asked whether any allotments are available, but as the council does not own any he will be advised to advertise locally.

Totnes Rail Transport Group – newsletter received from the group who are campaigning to improve South Devon’s rail services.

Stoke Gabriel in Bloom – newsletter received – Mrs Rosemary Rowe has been elected Meeting Chairman

Society of Local Council Clerks – it was agreed to renew the subscription to this organisation for 2007 at a cost of £65.

Parochial Church Council – a request has been made for a contribution of £515 towards the annual maintenance of the churchyard, to which the parish council agreed

Devon Wheels to Work CIC – the council felt they were not able to meet their request for donations.

Dart Harbour & Navigation Authority – Annual Public Meeting to be held in the Flavel Centre at Dartmouth on 7^th December at 7pm.

White Paper – information received from the NALC on the key points.

Road Closure – 18^th December for 2 days outside Lower Well Farm

Citizens Advice Bureau – the council agreed to a contribution to their funds of £100.

7          Minutes of last meeting 30^th October 2006

It was agreed that the minutes be accepted as a true record and they were duly signed by the chairman.

8          Matters arising from the minutes

War memorial – it was suggested that a stone planter be placed there to replace the wooden ones which have rotted.

9          Highway & Hedgerow matters

Annual Footpath Inspection – some councillors agreed to inspect some of the footpaths and report back to the next meeting.

Trees at The Yeolands – a resident has enquired as to the ownership and maintenance of these trees.  It was suggested they write to Tor Homes.

Trees at Barn Park – the clerk will contact SHDC with regard to the lopping of some trees.

Port Bridge – Mr Tully will adjust the sign which at present is pointing lorries the wrong way.

Hand Rails – following a complaint about the state of the handrails from Paignton Road into the Barnhay, Mrs Rowe offered to clean them.

Drain outside School – this has still not been cleared

Coombe House Lane – a pothole has appeared; the clerk will report this.

Roads needing attention – Mr Jones has written to the Highways Officer regarding various matters in Vicarage Road, Barn Park, Fleet Mill Lane and Aish.

Barn Park – it was reported that the grass verges are highway land and the Highways Dept has no resources to design parking spaces and no funds to build them. DCC suggested that the residents could fund it themselves but this did not seem a practical option.

10        Parish matters raised by Councillors

Yalberton Valley – two of the councillors have written letters to Torbay Council protesting about the proposed development.

Website – 19485 visitors

Parish Plan – a meeting will be held in the Village Hall at 7.30pm on Wednesday 13^th December to discuss the way forward.  Every parishioner is invited.

Mr Jones wished to have the following statement minuted:

“Regarding the allegations made against myself and some of my fellow councillors, I welcome the enquiry, as the present conditions under which the council has to operate are not in the best interest of the parish.  I shall be denying all of the allegations and will be writing to the Standards Board asking that they try and complete their investigations before the elections for a new council in May next year.  Should the investigator find that I have not followed correct procedures then I can apologise, learn from my mistakes, and move on.

However, if the other allegations made against me, namely that I have been a bully, offensive, insulting, shouting, intimidating, humiliated people, been disorderly at meetings etc. are proven by the enquiry, then I shall consider that I am not a suitable person to sit on the council and will immediately resign.  Conversely, should it be found that the allegations are false, then I would expect the person making the allegations and persons supporting them to resign.”

 The meeting closed at 9.30pm