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    <strong>HOLNE PARISH COUNCIL</strong>
    <br />
    <strong>Minutes of the Meeting of Holne Parish Council held on Wednesday 7 February 2006 in Holne Village Hall</strong>
    <br />
    <strong>Present:</strong> Cllrs Paul Arrowsmith, Cynthia Irish, Michael Maddicks
        (Chairman), Belinda Owen, Ru Roberts, Gill Simpson
    Clerk: Joanna Radford
    <br />
    <strong>Members of the Public</strong>: Mr M French, Mr K Evans, Mr G Fergusson
    <br />
    <strong>Public Forum: Mr Fergusson</strong>, National Trust Warden for its Dartmoor
    properties, introduced himself and gave an account of what the Trust is doing to
    woods in this and the neighbouring parish. Woods entered in Woodland Grant Scheme:
    Forestry Commission dictate conditions, including preserving hardwoods at expense
    of laurel/pontacum/softwoods. Apologies for involuntary felling of pines at New
    Bridge. Dormouse population in Hembury Woods. Large blue re-introduction scheme.
    G Simpson asked a question about management in view of unmanaged woods doing better
    in “great storm”. Answer: dead wood is a good thing now and would have been described
    as "unmanaged" at that date. Cllr Arrowsmith asked: does all timber go to dead wood
    habitat, or is there scope for firewood for people who might need it? Answer: not
    here, but Plymbridge and Parke are possibilities. Experience is that people are
    helping themselves to live trees, so discouraged. Cllr Arrowsmith also asked about
    dormice and fact that hedges taken down at Hembury not allowing “aerial passageways”
    but Mr Fergusson responded that hedging had not taken place in the dormouse habitat
    area.
    <br />
    <strong>Mr Evans</strong> spoke about his concerns related to the Minutes of the
    last meeting– item 6 flailing not swaling. Item 9: Question re heating resolved.
    Item 12: he asked that his main point be minuted: that it was very important that
    the Affordable Housing Working Group continue to be as transparent as possible,
    this was not apparent in the Minutes. Agreed that although the Minutes normally
    should only record Council decisions, his statement could be recorded in the Public
    Forum comments.
    <br />
    <strong>Cllr Ramsay</strong> reported on South Hams work – budget and Sherford New
    Town. White Paper on Local Government – does not appear to involve parish councils
    enough. She also reported that she will be retiring from the District Council. Cllr
    Roberts thanked her for all her work for the parish.
    <br />
    <strong>Mr French</strong> reported on DNPA unsustainable policy re solar panel
    applications on listed buildings – a recent application went to a vote but unfortunately
    was thrown out. He also reported on recent Parish Council planning workshops – very
    valuable but very small attendance. Affordable housing: "designated housing need
    settlement" policy may be abolished. Third tier to be looked at again as the regional
    assembly Government t South West want small settlements to be looked at in conjunction
    with “selected rural settlements”, and may not make any difference between the two.
    He drew the attention of the Council to the death of Clive Richardson who had done
    so much excellent building in the area. Cllr Roberts spoke about Statement of Community
    Involvement which now says matters to be delegated to officers “where decisions
    are in line with adopted policies” and also that DNPA now gives reasons for all
    planning decisions: both these very important for parish councils. Also noted that
    if Parish Council sends a strong view to DNPA, planning applications will go to
    Committee.
    <br />
    <strong>0702.01 Apologies for absence</strong> were accepted from Cllr T Pennington
    whose written report was circulated; Cllr Copus’s absence noted.
    <br />
    <strong>0702.02 Minutes of the meetings of 3 and 16 January 2007</strong>: Item
    0701.06 alteration "swaling" to "flailing", and the sentence "He said it was very
    important that the Affordable Housing Working Group should be transparent and communicative."
    to be added to the notes on the Public Forum. The Minutes of both meetings were
    then approved by those eligible to do so and signed by the Chairman.
    <br />
    <strong>0702.03 Declarations of Interest</strong>: Cllr Simpson Item 4 of the Agenda
    (application 0066/07)personal and prejudicial , Cllr Owen personal on hedge flailing
    in Play Park. Both signed the register and Cllr Simpson left the meeting for the
    relevant part of the following item.
    <br />
    <strong>0702.4 Planning matters</strong> 0932/06 Amended plans for proposed extension
    of existing leat for
    the installation of new hydro-electric plant at Holne Park, Ashburton (relating to inclusion of new timber clad power house over generator plant):
    no objections
    <br />
    0065/07 Certificate of lawfulness in respect of The Annexe used as a separate dwelling
    from main house at Holne Court Farm, Holne: Cllr Roberts mentioned that she feels
    that such premises should not be sold away from the main house so that yards and
    access should not be physically divided with fencing etc. Cllr Owen informed the
    meeting that the covering letter with the application actually states that the certificate is being applied for in order to be able to sell as separate dwelling. Cllr Arrowsmith
    asked the meeting to go n camera for this item. Agreed and members of the public
    left until recalled. Cllr Arrowsmith gave the Council information on the detail
    of the list of those requiring affordable housing. Cllr Roberts suggested that the
    Council should discuss the principle of a general view of division of properties
    and dividing sales: agreed, and the point was made that these units, let, are very
    useful to the village. Agreed that the Council should comment that it regrets the
    possibility of yet another lettable dwelling being lost to the village.
    <br />
    0066/07 Installation of new gate access at (wood)land adjacent to Langaford Cottage,
    Buckfastleigh: Cllr Owen reported and recommended that the Council support the application.
    Cllr Arrowsmith stated that he wondered about danger of access along a busy road
    on a corner. After discussion it was agreed to recommend approval, a vote being
    taken, 3 to 1 in favour <strong>0702.05 Planning Reports</strong>: Amended decision
    notice for Michelcombe Farm Holne – barn and sand school: was placed in the Circulation
    File. Acceptance Minor amendments to structure at Venford Reservoir 
    <br />
    Joining Instructions for 22 March Planning were given to Cllrs Irish and Owen. Cllr
    Roberts would
    like to go and the Clerk would check if there were a place. Planning
    in your Parish further meetings: Cllr Irish took details as she had been unwell
    for the previous meeting.<br />
    <strong>0702.06 Accounts for the Month</strong>: The following payment was approved
    <br />
    Mr P Owen for flailing hedge in Play Park £20.56
    <br />
    Balances at the bank on 24 January were:
    <br />
    Savings Account £1365.58
    <br />
    Current Account £116.30
    <br />
    <strong>0702.07 Community Emergency Planning </strong>(in circulation file).Cllr
    Owen had studied the letter and felt that the project would need a lot of work,
    need to identify danger spots, need to set up a working party. Agreed to do nothing
    for the present.
    <br />
    <strong>0702.08 Play Park Hedge:</strong> Cllr Maddicks reported on the working party to look at hedge, the laying of which would be an expensive job. Cllr Arrowsmith
    said that in his opinion the hedge will need work being laid from next autumn. Cost
    would be £2500 approximately, he suggested that the Council should create a programme
    to get them laid over the next couple of years. Agree to explore possibilities:
    seek funding, talk to Mr Fergusson re his experience. Cllr Roberts has discovered
    that she could apply for conservation grant to do the hedge that borders her field,
    and will research this possibility too.<br />
    <strong>0702.09 Affordable Housing Working Group:</strong> Cllr Simpson made her
    report on the activities of the Group: She reported on the meeting with Liam Reading of S Hams who was supportive personally but it was not know whether this is enough
    for South Hams DC generally. Sue Hitchcock had phoned her re the updating survey
    as drop-in sessions in other parishes had proved not worth doing as no one had come forward. Sue Hitchcock will contact Chris France, Liam Reading, Rachel Bland and
    other members of the Working Group to set up a joint meeting. The invoice for use
    of Scoriton
    Village Hall not yet available. Next meeting of Affordable Housing Working
    Group would be on 14 February. She reported that Andrew Dinning has resigned from
    the Working Group (as well as from Buckfastleigh West Parish Council. Cllr Owen
    reported on B West meeting: motion to carry out their survey has been carried, and
    should work with Holne. No B West councillors would volunteer, but hoped that Sue
    Colwill would join. Agreed that Holne would agenda at its next meeting a resolution
    to carry out a full survey.
    <br />
    <strong>0702.10 Tarmacking of road at Greendown</strong>: Clerk reported that the
    Highways Department had said that the tarmacking had been done as the surface was
    too damaged for other repair. Cllr Roberts reminded the Council that the track had
    the same status same as Greendown lane, (a byway or "road used as public path" and
    is not on definitive map). Agreed that the subject of the status of both tracks
    should be agenda-ed for formal discussion. Cllr Arrowsmith proposed that Council
    might want to complain about this unnecessary resurfacing to Chairman of County Council, Cllr Roberts proposed an amendment as it has been tarmacked, the letter
    should also request white lines at both ends for the access to major roads. All
    agreed
    <br />
    <strong>0702.11 Correspondence</strong> as follows was
    placed in the Circulation File: 
    <br />
    Consultation on Revised model code of conduct from the Department of Communities
    and Local Government (response required by 9 March):
    <br />
    Hams LDF Core Strategy.
    <br />
    S Hams Community Partnership Forum Monday 5 March (on notice board)
    <br />
    S Hams on election 2007 timetable;
    <br />
    CcofD on Village of Year competition - for next Agenda;
    <br />
    DNPA LDF Adoption of Community Involvement Document: Cllr Roberts pointed out that
    pages 24-26 important for Parish Council and should be noted. Cllr Roberts was thanked
    for her work in pointing out such matters to the Council.
    <br />
    DNPA Forum change of date to 22 June 2007.
    <br />
    <strong>702.12 Items for the Next Agenda </strong>(or decision taken where this
    is not necessary) Wooden posts at Tithe Barn loose, leat still breached. Cllr Owen
    suggested that Clerk send an Agenda to applicants of planning applications. Agreed
    <br />
    Cllr Maddicks asked about timing of Clerk’s retirement in view of new Council elections.
    Clerk relported that she would be retiring on 30 November 2007, allowing her to
    "see in" a new council.
    <br />
    <strong>There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.50 pm. The next regular
        meeting of the Parish Council will be on Wednesday 7 March 2007. </strong>

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