DECEMBER
STOKENHAM PARISH COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING
HELD ON 8TH DECEMBER 2011 IN THE
STOKENHAM PARISH HALL
PRESENT:
COUNCILLORS:
C. ROGERS (in the Chair) MRS. C. NUTTALL-SMITH
A. GOODMAN R. FOSS
MRS L. WINROW A. VALE
MS. S. OAKMAN B. IRELAND
D. HILLIER
J. BRAZIL (County Councillor)
J. BAVERSTOCK (District Councillor)
Also in attendance:
Clerk Mrs G. Claydon
Pc Mutton - Apologies
APOLOGIES:
COUNCILLORS
MRS A. LOCKWOOD Personal
MRS D. STEER Personal
1. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillors were invited to declare any personal or prejudicial interest, including the nature and extent of such interests they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting. They were also reminded to consider whether in the light of recent activities any items within their Register of Interests should be updated.
2. OPEN FORUM
Sue Hitchcock from the Community Council of Devon attended to explain a Housing Needs Survey which could be carried out for the whole parish. She is part of the Housing Partnership in Devon Rural Housing comprising of a team of 3 people and covering a considerable amount of parishes hers being the whole of Teignbridge, South Hams, West Devon and Dartmoor National Park. Such survey would evidence the need for affordable housing and they carry out this work with parish councils and the Local Authority. They are funded through Local Authorities, registered social landlords and social housing organisations through CCD and are currently working towards becoming a social enterprise in their own right.
The first area they will work on is housing need and the funding gives them freedom to work independently so they will be talking about fact received from people who respond within the community. The parish council will need to promote the survey and explain to people why it is being done. Thereafter a report will give evidence of what is actually needed in the community and not just anything that is anticipated in future.
The survey goes to every household to be inclusive. Part 1 seeks general based information and finds out about needs of people including those of 55yrs as Devon is an ageing population and that obviously is going to be of concern 20 years hence as this impacts on services. A crucial question is about that household being supportive of further affordable housing and this is a guide to local thinking. Part 2 is the area that has to ask specific pertinent financial questions and CCD run an affordability report to try and find out what people can actually afford in the community i.e. social housing, new affordable housing with rent up to 80% affordable rent and rent in parish. They start by looking at the comparison with the Devon Homes list and can get an idea of whether people can access housing through Devon Home Choice list. The questionnaire provides a self addressed envelope to return the form directly so it is confidential information. Parish Council receive a report explaining all outcomes in draft form and this is also sent to South Hams District and both check details and facts but numbers stay the same. The shelf life of a Housing Needs report is about 5 years. Only people who think they have a housing need or who will need to move in the next five years will need to complete the form and others do not have to fill part 2 in. When assessing need they talk about affordability and whether they have a local connection to the parish.
It was noted that the second half of the questionnaire appears self explanatory but parish council had a problem with the general terms in the first part i.e. would you be in favour of a small development? The response was that the amount of development was envisaged within the Village Housing Initiative which generally talks about 10 to 15 houses maximum affordable and within the Village Housing Initiative there are a maximum of 2 open market houses included. The government housing grant has been cut quite substantially. Therefore if the housing need does not sustain that sort of number and less are required they would look at what else could be managed and could be half a VHI if anything goes forward it must be financially viable. It was asked if that could be incorporated into the questionnaire as the question is a little open ended but a small development of no more than 15 houses would clarify such. Sue Hitchcock felt this was a fair comment so could probably be incorporated. Could parish work requirements be included in the survey? People responding will generally already be in the community so will have jobs and thus this was not felt to be needed. It was noted that some families have had to leave the area and how did these ones who left come back in. CCD will not refuse anyone responding and will ascertain if there is any established connection to the parish. At present they are only looking at need within the community but others who respond will be noted.
The question that states 'Can you think of a suitable site [for building]? Leaves the door open for one village to name another village area. This again was acknowledged but Sue Hitchcock warned that she did not want to move too far away from the standard questions as they sit within a suite of reports within District remit, however fine tweaking is acceptable. This set is a new form due to affordability reports. What was the cost implication? In terms of the project CCD prepare the paperwork and pack it but ask for a £250 contribution to keep the ongoing project running. The paperwork is delivered for the parish council to distribute around the parish. CCD will do publicity. An overall cost for CCD to complete a Housing Needs survey is £4000 - £4500 and she could probably get the questionnaire out at the end of January 2012. This form of housing would look for a local connection whereas the Chillington properties came under a different remit through the Section 106. The Village Housing Association build for local connection need is very different to Chillington and allocation is tied much tigher.
Sue Hitchcock left the meeting.
Messrs Darke attended the meeting with regard to their planning application to be considered and advised they had teamed up with a company called Green Thinking who are organizing the scheme for them. They are planning for two turbines with 18m masts with overall total height of 24m including the blade height. They are intended to be positioned in a field just to the east of Port Lane nearby to farm buildings. Other than the farm dwellings there are no other dwellings within about 0.5 mile. They were asked if this proposal was to reduce electricity cost for the farm business. They advised that currently with the farm equipment they pay well in excess of £20,000 p.a. electricity cost for such items as the milking parlour and dryer in summer for corn harvest and all other related electric costs. Any surplus electricity will go into the grid and an income be gained from that and they will also reduce their carbon footprint. It was also asked what is the height of the tallest barn on the farm and this is about 24 foot maximum (8 metres). What height would a tower silage silo be, easily 18 metres. What proportion of electricity requirement would the turbines achieve and this was about a third to half hopefully depending on the wind and weather during summer for corn harvest and power requirement for drying corn. Cllr Foss noted he had a personal interest in this application being also a farmer. He noted he preferred photo voltaics but observed that when Messrs Darke were just about to submit their application the Government changed its criteria so a wind application was put forward. He asked with regard to the tubular effect of stands why they were open ended rather than enclosed and was advised there is an option for either. Peter Sandell was in attendance and his advice was requested as he belongs to many bird societies and advised there was no evidence of any great kill of birds from turbines. Peter Sandell also felt that the solar panels would come back in favour even without any tariff and probably were a more efficient power generator than turbines.
Pc Mutton advised there has been 11 crimes in 60 days. Two burglaries since 28th November but neither one had involved Neighbourhood Watch. One had been caught and the other was theft of power tools from a garage that could have happened any time in the last year before being reported. There was also some incidents of criminal damage but apart from that nothing else. The burglaries were noted to have been in Chillington. Cllor Foss enquired if any fuel had been stolen in the last 12 months (mainly heating enquiry) and Pc Mutton advised he vaguely remembered in the last month there had been something but not on this patch.
3. MINUTES
The Minutes of the:
(a) full council meeting dated 17th November 2011 were approved by all present and duly signed as a true and correct record.
(b)
4
. PLANNING & PLANNING MATTERSThe applications below were considered at this meeting and the following observations submitted to District:
Messrs Darke left the meeting.
HEDGE REMOVAL NOTICE
5. WIND TURBINES AND OTHER SUSTAINBLE ENERGY STRUCTURES
This matter was bought forward to be dealt with before planning applications were considered at item 4 and it was AGREED following discussion within the planning training that parish council did not wish to formulate a policy in relation to such.
6. HOUSING NEEDS SURVEY
Parish Council understood the need for the second part of the questionnaire. However there was a problem with the first part being vague. Such items as a definition of a small development in this Parish and this considered along with any new open market houses built alongside so that those responding needed to know the total. Also the request within the questionnaire for suitable sites for development should only allow the respondent to suggest a site in their own village. It was suggest that a few houses in each village would be better. As of April the provision of housing is under a completely new regime. That is why Dist. Cllr. Foss felt the new Sherford development proposals went through District Planning on Wednesday as members believed if they did not put it through then the need for South Hams would not be addressed and every developer would be state as Sherford was not happening they could put applications in wherever.
Standing Orders were stood down to allow Peter Sandell to comment and he noted that every village in South Hams should have sheltered accommodation due to the age of the population.
It was AGREED to;
7. PRECEPT 2012 2013
It was AGREED to accept the proposals for the precept for 2012 2013 as attached.
8. OLYMPIC TORCH RELAY
Parish council NOTED the limited information provided for the route the torch is being carried along through Chillington and Torcross and will consider such arrangements and celebrations in January 2012.
9. NEWSLETTER
It was AGREED to approve the newsletter for printing and delivery and that future newsletters will be circulated by email for consideration by parish council and agreement reached thereon and not thus need to be approved at full council. Should any unforeseen disagreement arise in the future any parish councillor can call for the publication to be halted and approved via full council.
10.
REPORTSPLANNING TRAINING
The Clerk was thanked for the superb training which is was felt all had benefited from.
Matters arising around the parish:
CLERKS REPORT
11. DISTRICT COUNCILLORS REPORT
Dist. Cllr. Baverstock noted that District has met for their first budget meeting and the actual decision making/recommendations for the budget will go to three scrutiny groups rather than Executive. He noted that matters were still ongoing with Helmers Field planning and such material matters still not resolved.
12. COUNTY COUNCILLORS REPORT
Cty Cllr. Brazil noted that at the HATOC meeting the permits for Torcross did go through and he hoped that the Parking Order was as close as possible to pleasing everyone. People can park but must have a permit and this relates just to residents as disabled drivers are not permitted to drive on and use as there is plenty disabled parking in the car park. County would have preferred not to have got involved as this is a parish matter but due to the matter being raised by a past resident they had to. With regard to the County budget they must cut another £30million and must find another £10 million each year for next two years. He stated that inevitably District will say front line services have not changed at all but truth is that the roads are going to be swept less, highway verges cut less and maintenance of buddle holes etc less. At some point the parish might think they need to have a financial contingency to carry out future maintenance. He suggested that parish council could ask parishioners if they are prepared to pay a couple of pounds extra each year to clean buddle holes in an emergency and maintain other public services. Dist Cllr. Baverstock noetd that the fact is that District have not reduced the number of front line staff employed.
13. FINANCE AND CHEQUES
Balances were provided and the below cheques were noted and agreed for signature:
Current Account: £3483.77
Savings Account (1) : £34208.55
Savings Account (2) : £4916.04
001858 Claydon Sundries and travel £333.31
001859 Eclipse Internet £37.76
001860 HMRC Tax & NI £280.23
001861 Claydon Wages £1025.40
001862 Sylvester Playingfield Rent £18.75
001863 Chamberlain Playingfield Rent £18.75
001864 A. Ball Bus Shelter Cleaning £75.00
001865 P. Ball Bus Shelter Cleaning £75.00
001866 E. Luscombe Bus Shelter Cleaning £75.00
001867 L. Rogers Catering for Planning Training £260.00
001868 Claydon Cash for electricity meter in hall £30.00
14. POINTS OF INFORMATION
Points of information on the table.
Cllr. Foss asked in his capacity as a District Councillor for another ward whether Stokenham Parish Council would you consider holding their parish council meeting on the second Thursday instead of third Thursday in future as he is supposed to attend other parishes on the same night. No response was given at this point.
15. NEXT MEETING
The next full parish council meeting will be held on Thursday 19th January 2012 at 7.30p.m. in Stokenham Parish Hall. No planning committee meeting will be held on the first Monday in January due to Bank Holidays.
Meeting finished: 9.15p.m.
Signed Dated: 19th January 2012.
Chairman.