JANUARY
STOKENHAM PARISH
COUNCIL
MINUTES OF THE MEETING
HELD ON
STOKENHAM PARISH HALL
PRESENT:
COUNCILLORS:
P.
GREENING
J. ANSELL
N. TOLCHARD
P. ARUNDELL
A. VALE
R. FOSS
W. HARWOOD
B.
J.
Also in attendance: Clerk – Mrs G.
Claydon
APOLOGIES:
COUNCILLORS
R. WARDEN – Requested by this council
to attend SHDC Budget Meeting
J. BAVERSTOCK (also District
Councillor) - Ditto
MRS C. NUTTALL-SMITH - Personal
D. WOOD - Illness
R. BATES
1.
OPEN FORUM
Eric Heavisides noted the recent lack of National Health Dentistry in that the Kingsbridge surgery had been down to one dentist covering 7000 patients for the last few months. However on a positive note he was pleased to report that he had heard today that two dentists are starting on Monday one Portuguese and one Polish so now the surgery was back up to three.
2.
DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Councillors were reminded of their
responsibility to continually update their Notice of Registerable Interests and
invited to state whether they had a personal or prejudicial interest in any
matter to be discussed during this meeting.
None received.
3.
MINUTES
Having noted that Cllr. Vale was actually not in attendance and amended this fact the Minutes of the meeting dated 13th December 2007 were approved by all present and duly signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record.
4.
COMMITTEES
The following Minutes and recommendations were received from the Committees
(a) PLANNING COMMITTEE –
The Minutes
of Committee dated 7th January 2008
were PROPOSED by Cllr.
Greening as a true and correct record and
SECONDED by Cllr. Foss before being signed by the Chair.
(b) COMMUNITY & ENVIRONMENT
– The Minutes of the committee held on
(c) FINANCE STAFFING & GENERAL
PURPOSES – The bi-monthly committee is due to be
held on
5.
REPORTS
Matters around the parish requiring notification or action by the Clerk:
CLERK’S REPORT
Highways had advised that as the A379
works had been completed 3 years previously there was no come back on the
contractor for any faults in the surface.
It was further advised that it is normal for cracking around drain covers
but the reason for the unusual breaking up and hole by
It was noted that the Beeson Pool buddle hole was not blocked but the area was hampered by the historic route of the drains leading to drainage that cause banking up due to the amount of water fall we get in short periods nowadays. Cllr Foss advised that he would stop at this junction when driving past and give consideration to this matter.
LOCAL WORKS
Councillors noted a newsletter advising that the Sustainable Communities Bill is now an Act of Parliament. By October 2008 Local Authorities must ask for opinions on what people think will make their community more sustainable. Local Works therefore asserts that this is a reversal in power and the new bottom-up process that they fought so hard for and encourages all councils to use this new power.
They are currently producing a detailed guide as to how the Act will work but in the meantime more information is available at www.unlocklocaldemocracy.co.uk.
PLANNING & COMPULSORY PURCHASE ACT 2004
Article 5 Town & Country (General Development Procedure) Order 1995
A letter from Devon County Council dated
The purpose of this letter is to invite parish councils to comment on the Devon County Council list of information to be provided by applicants. To access the list the URL is: www.devon.gov.uk/planning-system/validation_consultation
COLERIDGE ASSOCIATION OF PARISH COUNCILS
Cllr Foss advised he was heartened by this meeting as much was discussed. Paula Brookes (SHDC) stood in for David Incoll, Chief Executive and advised of her job and responsibilities which is wide ranging and includes the Harbour Authority.
A 3% cut in budget is needed again and by keeping cutting across the board 3% this produces more watered down services. Cllr. Foss indicated that it would be better if District cut certain services altogether and kept some of the more important ones up to a good standard. Changes however are due as the collection of recycling bags are not working in the rural areas. This will also include some change of management in areas. Rubbish collection days will change again and the method of collecting will change. He went on to advise that the blue and clear bags are mixed up when they get back to the quarry thus negating all the separating. District are now going to go back to the ‘big lorries’ and putting both bags in together to go Torr Quarry. It was also noted that the recycling bags are designed that they will not take over a certain weight and therefore give way if they have too much inside and this is to protect collectors backs. Cllr. Foss felt is was wrong that District were going ahead with the new scheme without consulting parishioners but other councillors acknowledged that the system is working in urban areas if not the rural ones. It was felt that the new system sounded an improvement.
District currently have no control over the contractors as this service is outsourced and they are therefore bringing such back in-house. The disillusionment amongst the workforce was noted and is being addressed.
Cllr.
Cllr. Greening noted that his proposal,
backed up by the letters from surrounding parishes, for Coleridge Association to
write to SHDC with regard to the Tourism Budget was squashed by representation
by
Further quarterly reports were made by
the other parishes. It was noted for
interest that
Strete approaching street lighting from
another angle and are turning some lights off at
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOCUS MEETING
Cllr. Arundell advised that he had
attended along with other representatives from a cross section of
6. DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
No
report as attending Budget meeting at SHDC for this parish council.
7.
Cllr.
One
budget cut to be phased in will be the saving of £10,000 on District no longer
maintaining land that does not directly belong to SHDC.
Cllr.
With
regard to County he went on to note that they are currently in the middle of
their budget process but were in a more comfortable position due to their 7.5%
settlement from Government so less pressure than District for cuts.
The pressure on the County ‘Adult’ budget is growing due to the age of
the population and retirements to this area.
Care Homes are to be privatized and a company called Sure will be taking
them over.
Noting
the money generated from the sale of Exeter Airport Cllr.
Cllr.
He
went on to note the Tourism Budget proposal comments and explained why he was
not a great supporter of such due to public money being tight and asserting that
it was more favourable to keep public conveniences open than supporting private
tourism businesses. His preference
would be to support high value skilled jobs rather than seasonal jobs.
He also felt that the District tourism department had never had a good
track record.
Cllr.
Foss questioned the need for advertisement to ‘Come to the South Hams’ and
selling the South Hams side of Tourism in support of local economy.
Cllr.
In
conclusion he noted that the budget for regional tourism is £190,000.
Cllr.
Tolchard noted an article in the newspaper with regard to extra houses for
Discussion then took place on the affect of free bus passes on the budget.
District had received an extra £400,000 to cover an increase in
applications and use but a councilor drew to the attention of Cllr. Brazil that
pensioners had noted that on traveling just a few stops the bus driver charged
the ticket for more and bus companies could be claiming more than is necessary.
Noted.
8.
FINANCE
Current Account £ 2729.59
Instant Savers (1) £24,134.17
Instant Savers (2) £ 3198.33
Lloyds (Sam) Transferred : £Nil
Cheques:
001444 Nicholas Rowel Haulage – Stone for footpath: £65.83
001445 British Telecom – Council & Hall IT/telephone: £161.96
001446 Concorde Copiers – Maintenance: £0.78
001447 Mrs G. Claydon – Clerks Wages: £to be advised
001448 In. Rev. – Tax & Nat. Ins: £to be advised
001449 Nick Walker Printing – Newsletters: £176.00
001450 DAPC – Project Management training: £10.00
001451 Audit Commission – Annual External Audit: £334.88
Received: HM Revenue & Customs – VAT Reimbursement
06/07: £601.05
10.
POINTS OF INFORMATION
South Devon Carers
Consortium meeting
SHDC Christmas & New
Year Waste Collection Days Apology.
CCD/NCVO Introduction
to Sustainable Funding Workshop
DAPC Newsletter
January/February 2008 x 2.
CCD Survey of Rural
Retailers 2008 form.
Shams
Junk Mail Newsletter.
SHDC Executive
Forward Plan
CVS Voluntary Vine
Jan/Feb. 2008.
11.
The next full parish council meeting
will be held on
Meeting finished: 9.30 p.m.
Signed ……………………… Dated: February 2008.