Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 4 May 2005 in Holne Village Hall
Present: Cllrs Richard Copus (Chairman), John Iles, Cynthia Irish, Michael Maddicks, Belinda Owen, Gill Simpson
Clerk: Joanna Radford
Members of the Public: District Cllr Ramsay, Mr M French, Mr M Bonney, Mr K Evans, Mr R Gray
Public Forum : Mr Evans made the following points to the Council: he asked permission for the Fete Committee to use Play Park for the Fete on 13 August. Although this request has to go on the next Agenda for a formal decision, the Council supported his request. He reminded the council if it wished to ban dogs from Play Park the dog show at the Fete needed to be considered. He asked what progress there had been in finding out from SWWater what plans it had for renewing the pipelines in the Parish. He asked the Council to make copies of the Housing Survey available to the public and to inform the public how this would be done.
Mr Bonney reported the state of Church Path at the Play Park end. The Clerk reported that she had been in contact with the Ranger who had requested that the Council give permission for a second gate to be installed when the extra wire fence was replaced (having been removed in a dilapidated state). A second gate had never been formally agreed, and needed this to comply with public rights of way legislation. His request had been too late for this Agenda and would be included on the Agenda next month.
Mr Fursdon told the meeting of his proposals for New Bridge, hoping that a slight straightening of the parapet on the up-stream side of the central arch would allow the width restriction to be lifted allowing local people easier access and preventing the damage to the bridge which last year had cost £19,000. Widecombe Parish Council supported his project, but English Heritage refused to consider it. The Dartmoor Society was now involved and proposed calling a meeting of all interested parties to look at the facts involved.
Mr Gray spoke about his planning application which was the result of a suggestion by the DNPA Planning Officer Graham Wall saying that "a second dwelling at Priddons may still be the best option". He was supported by Mr Bonney.
District Cllr Ramsay made a report, reminding the Council again that a fund was available to private landlords for the renovation of properties that might be let at affordable rents, and emphasised that the rents for such properties had to be similar to that for social housing. She also spoke about the funds from 2 nd home Council tax which would be used by S Hams for housing, on the new waste collection system, on licencing which was now a responsibility of District Council but largely being done by officers and on changes in district leisure centres. She had consulted Andrew Fisk about the vacant house at Bakers Park, and had asked Geoff Date to pass on iformation (received by the Clerk) on Broadband4Devon which could help local businesses with funding to acquire Broadband.
Mr French reported that roads in the Parish needed attention and made a report on DNPA activities including the retirement of the Chairman Mr Cann.
Cllr Ramsay then left the meeting.
0505.01 Apologies for Absence None
0505.02 Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman Cllr Irish proposed Cllr Copus, but he refused and proposed Cllr Iles, seconded by Cllr Simpson and approved unanimously. Cllr Iles then took the Chair, signed a declaration of acceptance of office and thanked Cllr Copus for all his work in the chair over the past few years. Election of vice-chairman: although Cllr Irish proposed Cllr Owen, she was happy to surrender her nomination to Cllr Maddicks, seconding his nomination proposed by Cllr Iles. A vote followed, with each candidate receiving three votes. The Chairman used his casting vote and Cllr Maddicks was elected.
0505.03 Possible Widening of New Bridge Cllr Iles proposed bringing this item (Item 10 on the Agenda) forward. Agreed. Cllr Owen proposed supporting Mr Fursdon's project and that Holne Parish Council should send a representative to a meeting called by the Dartmoor Society. Agreed.
0505.04 Minutes of the Meetings of 2 March & 6 April 2005 Those present at each of these meetings now constituted a quorum and both sets of minutes were approved and signed.
0505.05 Committees and Representation of the Council The proposal that Standing Orders should be altered to allow the Chairman to be an automatic member of Council committees, so that there was a quorum and decisions could be made, was approved with the proviso that this should only be used when a meeting of the full Council would not be called in time to make such decisions. Councillors agreed the following:
Finance committee Cllr Iles and Owen
Planning Cllrs Owen, Simpson and Iles
VHMC Representatives Cllrs Owen and Simpson
DNPA Communities Forum to be decided for each meeting of this.
0505.06 Proper Officer and Responsible Financial Officer of the Council The Clerk was approved for these roles.
0505.07 Planning Matters
0246/05 Outline Planning Permission for Erection of attached dwelling relating to rural business to replace ancillary unit at Priddons, Holne for Mr R Gray: Agreed that the new application represented a sensible compromise, no longer using a green field site, with access along an existing track. Agreed also that the Council should write to DNPA to give its support to the application.
0231/05 Full Planning Application for new dwelling on plot adjacent to Leat Cottage for Mr & Mrs N Eales : application withdrawn.
Cllr Irish left the meeting after this item.
0505.08 Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2005 The accounts were formally approved, with the relevant papers signed by Chairman and Clerk. Agreed that the seats at Green Down and Bear Wood should be added to the Register of Assets. The form for Audit was completed and signed also. Papers were handed to Mr K Evans for the internal audit to be undertaken.
0505.09 Payments for the month as follows were approved:
a) St Mary the Virgin Holne Parochial Church Council for maintenance of Churchyard £100.00
(half annual grant)
b) Mr F Niering for repair of Michelcombe Notice Board £63.91
• Allianz Cornhill for Insurance £300.67
• Mr R Gray for work to hedge in Play Park £88.00
0505.10 Affordable Housing Committee Agreed to form an advisory committee reporting to the Parish Council for decisions on matters raised. Members would be co-opted from outside the Council and the following Councillors volunteered to serve: Cllrs Copus, Simpson and Owen. (NB: After meeting note by Clerk: Co-opted members of an advisory committee may vote on it, whereas they cannot, except in certain circumstances, on a full committee. Meetings can be called at less than three days notice, but should be held in public. Formal minutes do not need to be kept as the Committee will report to the full council).
0505.11 Proposal to ban dogs from Play Park After discussion it was agreed not to seek bylaws to ban dogs, but, after a vote of 3 against 2, to put up a sign forbidding dogs from the main field as well as the play area, except on the day of the Fete and except for support dogs at all times.
0505.12 Leat by Village Green The meeting closed for Mr Gray to report his meeting with Tony Halse of DNPA who has offered to research the possibility of using cobbles left over from work at Uppacott (rejected from the courtyard resurfacing here) aswell as trying to put granite sets to define the line of the highway and encourage responsible parking without damaging the bank of the leat. The Clerk reported that she would inform the landlord of the Inn, whose lease includes the leat at this point, of these negotiations with DNPA.
Cllr Copus then left the meeting.
0505.13 Broadband Access Cllr Maddicks warned the meeting that a solution to the problem of access suggested on the Holybrook exchange, that of installing an ISDN line, was not an answer to the DACS problem. The Clerk reported that she had had a response from BT to her first letter, and had been told that there was a requirement, should any subscriber request Broadband connection, for that line to be upgraded from DACS. This appears to solve the problem for the time being.
0505.14 DAPC Planning Course Cllr Owen reported on her attendance on this and suggested that Holne might like to consider a "Village Design Statement". Agreed to place this on the next Agenda.
0505.15 Standards Board of England Consultation website address was given to Councillors, with the consultation document placed in the Circulation file, for comment at the next meeting.
0505.16 Highway Repairs Agreed to write to Highways requesting that work be done to the highways as requested by Mr French, and also to complain that the road between Peartree Cross and the Country Park was seriously degraded.
0505.17 Length of Meetings Agreed to place on the next Agenda an item proposing that the start time of meetings be brought forward so they do not end so late.
There being no further business the meeting closed at 10.25 pm. The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on Wednesday 1 June.
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