Council Meeting – 11th October 2021

• Present  

Mr M Bendle (Chair), Mr J Blackmore, Mr R Brown, Mr J Kidner, District Councillor S Clist, Mrs D Evans (Parish Clerk).

Apologies Mrs A Weekes (received and accepted) and County Councillor R Radford

Absent  Mr R Drew (Vice Chair) and Mr N King

• Declarations of Interest

None declared.

• Minutes from previous meetings

PROPOSAL:  The council minutes of the meeting of 9th August are approved.

PROPOSED:  Mr Kidner

SECONDED:  Mr Blackmore

DECISION: passed (all in favour)

1. Public Participation

Nothing to report.

• Matters Arising

Nothing to report.

•     Planning

Planning application considered

6.1 21/01265/HOUSE.  Erection of a garage/workshop following demolition of existing garage.  Lavender House, Clayhidon.

PROPOSAL:  The council is content with the application.

PROPOSED:  Mr Brown

SECONDED:  Mr Kidner

DECISION: passed (all in favour)

Approval noted for :-

6.2 21/01511/NMA.  Non-Material Amendment for 18/02002/FULL to allow reconfiguration of

windows and doors due to internal layout change; change of roof glazing to rooflights over the extension; additional rooflight to corridor and confirmation of external materials.  Workshop Searles, Clayhidon.

6.3 21/01558/NMA.  Non-Material Amendment for 16/00587/HOUSE to allow reconfiguration of the window and door to the South elevation.  Lower Garlandhayes, Clayhidon.

6.4 21/01117/FULL.  Construction of a new access track.  Gollick Park, Battle Street, Clayhidon.

• Finance

7.1  Income, expenditure & bank reconciliation

FINANCE

INCOME

EXPENDITURE

BANK RECONCILIATION 

PROPOSAL:  The income is agreed and the above cheques/payments are paid/agreed.

PROPOSED:   Mr Blackmore

SECONDED:   Mr Kidner

DECISION: passed (all in favour)

•     Clerk Update

8.1      The clerk awaits confirmation from MDDC with regard to the request for a dog bin.

8.2      The clerk awaits to hear if she has been successful with several grant applications from DCC Highways.

8.3      The clerk had received an email from Savills requesting the pc’s permission for a parishioner to metal detect on the Garlands Bower field.  The diocese confirmed it did not have any objection.  It was agreed that the pc does not have any objection as long as the parishioner does not damage the field, the pc does not incur any expenses with regard to any agreement drawn up by the diocese, and the parishioner shares any finds 50/50 with the pc.

Post meeting it was confirmed that as part of the agreement any treasure found will belong to the diocese as owner of the land and not the pc as tenant.  

•   County Council Report

Councillor Radford circulated the following report before the meeting:-

Waste

The 2020/21 performance statistics have just been published and Devon’s recycling rate reduced to 55.3% from the previous year’s 56.6%.  The reduction can be linked to the provision of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) which closed for seven weeks during the first lockdown commencing end March 2020.  Subsequent social distancing measures reduced site capacities, closure of resale shops and the introduction of booking systems also impacted on the amount of waste processed leading to a reduction in recycling performance.

Key Public health messages:

People should continue to be cautious and follow basic public health advice on regular testing, self-isolation if symptomatic, and hands, face, space, etc. and avoid close contact indoors where possible.

The whole of the Highways and Traffic Management Service is experiencing real difficulties in recruiting staff.  The team is currently operating with 33 vacancies from a total workforce of approximately 240.  This reduction in staffing numbers is putting added pressure on the remaining workforce at a time when the team have been dealing with the added challenges of the different ways of working and reduced tolerance in our communities brought about by the pandemic.  They continue to work with colleagues in HR and look for different ways to promote the opportunities that are available.

This year’s arboricultural surveys have seen a reduction in the number of actionable Ash Dieback reports and general tree defects across the county.  The team are working with their legal colleagues around areas of landowner responsibility and promoting the need for land owners to do their bit in relation to trees, vegetation and drainage.

Planning is underway for a virtual Parish and Town Council conference, held via Teams, before the end of the year.  Parishes were asked for feedback on what topics they would be interested in understanding more about.  The aim is to create an interactive event for parish and town councillors as well as our own members.  Attendees will be able to participate in the sessions that interest them.

With the recent change in weather, I’m pleased to tell you that the Winter Service operations are well prepared for what this season has to offer.  Over the summer all the equipment has been serviced with the gritters recalibrated to ensure the correct amount of salt is spread onto the network.  Despite the HGV driver issues the salt barns are well stocked.

Again, with a change in weather comes another set of challenges.  The team have been looking at how they can manage the drainage cleaning budget in a different way.  The challenge is ensuring all gullies, grips, easements and buddle holes are cleaned in line with our policy while maintaining the ability to deliver a reactive service as and when the need occurs. This challenge is even greater in the south west with a limited supply chain to cope with sudden increases in demand.

As we look forward to next year there remains significant uncertainty with regard to future budgets in both capital and revenue.  You can imagine this makes it very hard to manage forward programmes and provide commitments to communities about what work will be delivered when.

Wellbeing

DCC has been shortlisted for a ‘Personal Today’ award for our health and wellbeing provision to our workforce over the course of the Pandemic. The award ceremony will be in November.

•     District Council Report

Councillor Clist reported that:-

There has been a positive response to the Z pod show homes at Culm Valley car park.  As part of MDDC’s ongoing consultation on the modular homes and proposed sites in Cullompton and Tiverton, visitors have been able to leave comments and feedback expressing their thoughts.

A shortfall in budget continues month to month with MDDC looking at ways to save money by cutting back on some services.  Councillor Clist is progressing several enforcement matters in the parish. Devon Climate Assessment Report is due out tomorrow.

Councillor Clist has called the planning application at Poacher’s Rest for a temporary agricultural worker’s dwelling to be decided by planning committee on 3rd November.

Mr Bendle will seek some advice from a local agricultural agent to assist him in preparing his statement for the planning meeting.

•     Highways

11.1    Clerk was asked to chase response from Highways with regard to road collapse adjacent to Hartsmoor Fishery.  Highways has been out and put some cones around the collapse.  What is the long term plan for this road?

11.2     Mr Blackmore will take down the existing damaged ‘Clayhidon’ sign south of the pub and arrange for it to be repainted.

11.3     The clerk confirmed that a new sign to replace the missing sign to the north of the pub will cost £350, including post and fitting.

PROPOSAL:  The pc orders a new sign to be erected to the north of the pub.

PROPOSED:   Mr Blackmore

SECONDED:   Mr Kidner

DECISION: passed (all in favour)

11.4     Pot holes to be reported near Palmer’s Farm

Clerk

Clerk

•     Footpaths 

Nothing to report.

•     Connecting the Culm

Mrs Weekes has had her river field scraped in several places, a pond made, and the bank pulled back to allow flood water into the field. Tree planting will follow.

•     Blackdown Hills Parish Network

Broadband is still the hot topic and particularly Connecting Devon and Somerset’s failure to take Government cash for the county.

•     Clayhidon Charity, Mary Parsons Gift Trust and The John Griss Charity

15.1    Clayhidon Charity – The clerk has arranged a handover meeting between the old and new trustees.

15.2    Mary Parsons Gift Trust – the trustees are waiting to hear from the Land Registry if they have been successful is registering the freehold of the field.

15.3   The John Griss Charity sent the following report:-

Rose Cottage

The charity is working with local developer Andy Lehner to submit a planning application to Mid Devon District Council.  The plan is to demolish Rose Cottage and build a row of 3 terraced houses.  It is hoped that a planning application will be submitted to Mid Devon District Council in the next month.  The scheme also includes the redevelopment of the developer’s Baptist Chapel, next door to Rose Cottage.  The charity hopes to own 2 of the houses which might be rented at affordable rents to local people.

If planning permission is granted, the charity will need to seek legal advice on how to structure any such arrangement with the developer.

Hartsmoor Lakes

Mike Leigh-Mallory is continuing to manage the lakes on behalf of the charity until December 2022.

The charity has arranged for an engineer to inspect the site and give advice on how best to repair the temporary fix to the outlet pipe on Greensands Lake.

The charity has also met with representatives from the Institute of Fisheries Management (IFM) and the Environment Agency (EA) and looks forward to receiving their recommendations.  Later this month the EA will conduct a bathymetric survey of Greensands Lake which will provide vital information regarding depth and confirmation as to whether the lake falls under the Reservoir Act.

The charity has received a small grant from the Angling Trust towards installing an otter fence around the syndicate lake.

The land

The charity is leasing the land to local young farmer Rob Burridge until December 2022.

The charity has applied to the Rural Payments Agency for the land to be included in a Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier Scheme and hopes to receive a grant towards tree maintenance, hedge laying and some fencing.  A decision on the grant won’t be made until later in the year.

No decisions have been made on the long-term future of the land and lakes.  The work to continue to manage and comply with any regulations continues.

•     Correspondence

16.1     Wellington 1st Scouts – the scouts group has asked for a new 5-year lease of Gray’s Wood.

PROPOSAL:  The pc agrees to a new 5-year lease.

PROPOSED:   Mr Blackmore

SECONDED:   Mr Kidner

DECISION: passed (all in favour)

•     Items raised by Chairman

Nothing to report.

•     Items raised by councillors.

18.1    Fly-tipping reported in several places in the parish.  Clerk to report.

18.2    Mr Blackmore will coordinate with Mr King and erect a ‘no HGV’ sign at the top of Black Lane.

•     Date of next meeting

Planning meeting on Monday 8th November at 7.30pm. Parish Hall