HOLNE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Wednesday 5th December 2007 in Holne Village Hall.

Present : Cllrs Paul Arrowsmith (Chairman), Cynthia Irish, Belinda Owen, Ru Roberts, Liz Ross, Gill Simpson

Clerk : Yvonne Fairman Members of the Public : Messrs M French, K Evans, R Gray, Mrs G Gray, Councillor Colin Jones.

Public Forum : The Chairman welcomed the new Parish Clerk. Mrs Gray raised the matter of misrepresentations made by the Western Morning News in their article published on the 30th November. A press released had been agreed by the Affordable Housing Working Group and this is not what was published. Concern was expressed and whether it was possible to make the paper retract the article and put in the accurate press release. Mr K Evans also queried the article in the Western Morning News. He was disappointed with the lack of communication from the Working Group and mentioned having an open meeting in March in order that people could raise issues in the open. Mr R Gray commented that the Parish Lengthsman had been in the Village but had gone no further than the cattle grid. He also commented that there was Japanese knotweed in the leat which was causing a problem. Mr M French also commented on the article in the Western Morning News.

07.12.01 Apologies for absence : Richard Copus

07.12.02 Minutes of the meeting of the 7th November 2007 : Councillor Roberts requested amendment of 7.11.12. Her recollection was that ?vehicle use? should be inserted after ?local agricultural?. The amendment was approved and agreed. Minutes of the meeting of 26th November 2007 : amendment was made as Councillor Owen was mentioned as both being absent and in attendance. Deletion of showing her as absent was agreed.

07.12.03 Declaration of Interest : None

07.12.04 Planning matters : A special Meeting was proposed for the recent planning application received from the Dartmoor National Park in relation to the proposed dwelling at Hazelwood. This was agreed for Tuesday 11th December 2007 at 6.30pm.

07.12.05 Clerk?s financial report : All payments as shown were agreed. It was agreed that enquiries should be made as to the amount Scoriton Hall would charge for rent in place of the Holne Village Tea Room.

07.12.08 Affordable Housing Working Group : It was agreed that a letter should be sent to the Holne Trustees Church Council (?) inviting them to a meeting with the Working Group. It was also agreed that an item be put on the Agenda for the January Parish Council Meeting to discuss a proposed meeting in February with the Trustees and involvement of land at PlayPark for affordable housing. The Working Group wished a letter of thanks to be sent to Sue Hitchcock and this should also be put onto the Parish Council Agenda for January. It was discussed that an open meeting should be held in March following on from the results of the recent survey. The Minutes of the Affordable Housing Working Group were now being published and put onto the noticeboard. It was felt beneficial that a willing body from Buckfastleigh West should also be invited to join the Working Group. The Chairman was disturbed at the recent item in the Western Morning News in that it was highly inaccurate and needs to be addressed. Councillor Roberts had spoken to the press and said that local people cannot afford to buy houses in Holne and there was a need for houses to be put up for rent only. There were a lot of people living in holiday lets. Discussions ensued as to how the Council were going to treat the Press. This was to be put onto the Agenda for January in order that discussions could take place at length and properly minuted.

07.12.09 Finance Committee Report : the precept as drawn was proposed and accepted .

07.12.10 Conservation Plan for Holne : Agreed that a working group should be set up. This is an important document and needs to be right. It was proposed that Councillor Roberts would chair the working group. Documents needed to be submitted before April and the Clerk would send a letter to McKay in response to his letter. This item was to be put on the Parish Agenda for January, February and March.

07.12.11 SW Water document on ?pure water? : Comments were made that wasted money had been made on the presentation of the document and the Clerk would send a letter to SW Water. It was felt that SW Water had achieved their objectives and that we did have cleaner water.

07.12.12 Village Green : Councillor Roberts showed the Councillors a plan showing the extent of the ?village green? and referred to Section 16 from the Commons and Open Spaces. As it was a permissive right of way no vehicle access should be allowed but there is a by-law which stated that parking could be made within 15m. There is a no parking sign on the public footpath going to the Church. Agreement was made that they wanted people to know that it is a village green. Clerk to write to the DNP re villagers wanting access to the track.

07.12.13 Weed clearing in the leat in Church Park Field : The Clerk to write to the DNP and Environment Agency that the leat was being clogged up with Japanese kknotweed.

07.12.14 Parish lengthsman : It was agreed that the lengthsman had been in the village but had been no higher than the cattle grid. Clerk to write to the Highway thanking them for the work that had been done but commenting that further work was needed west of the cattle grid.

07.12.15 Council?s Standing Order for Chairman?s expenses : It was proposed and agreed that a Standing Order for provision for the Chairman?s occasional expenses be made.

07.12.16 Clerk?s or Councillors? reports : Discussion following attendance at the DNPA Forum. It was suggested that by allowing military training on Dartmoor this would not fulfill peoples enjoyment of the Park? Further discussions would take place at a future date. The Christmas Tree would be put up on Saturday 15th December. The cost of the tree was £145.

07.12.17 Date of January meeting : It was agreed that the next Parish Council Meeting would take place on Wednesday 2nd January 2008.

07.12.18 Other Correspondence : Councillor Ross would attend the DNP Launch Event. No attendance at the Parish Cluster Meetings. The Chairman read a letter received from DNP in connection with planning matters in Holne.

07.12.19 Chairman?s Urgent Business : Community Council for Devon brochure. Trusham development to be put onto next Agenda.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 10.05pm. A Special Meeting of the Parish Council will be on Tuesday 11th December 2007 in the Village Hall.