Minutes – October 11th 2016 – The Village of Lydford, Dartmoor, Devon

LYDFORD PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Meeting

held on Tuesday 11^th October 2016 at 7pm

Public Time

Five members of the public attended the meeting. There was a request for a new flag for the flagpole outside the village hall. The PC agreed to this and the Clerk was asked to purchase one (A1)

Present

Cllrs Fowler, Cook, Moriarty, MacIntyre, Mills, Skeaping and Tainsh. Also present Mrs T Redding (Clerk)

Apologies

None

Declarations of Interest

None

To approve the Minutes of the Meeting held on 13^th September 2016

The PC agreed that the minutes were accurate and they were signed by the Chair, Cllr Fowler.

Matters arising from the Minutes dated 13^th September 2016

The Clerk provided an update on the actions from the previous meeting.

Japanese knotweed, The Clerk contacted DNPA, Natural England and Defra to find out who would be responsible for the removal outside the Siddleys and the weed on the highway. DNPA noted that although they had a duty to keep bridleways open they did not have a duty to remove notifiable weeds unless on land owned by the Authority. The bridleway outside Siddleys was not on land owned by the DNPA. Natural England informed the Clek that landowners were required to prevent a notifiable weed spreading to other properties but because this weed does not fall under the Weeds Act there was little legislation in place to force landowners to remove it from their land. The Clerk was asked to try and find out who is the land owner for the knotweed on the highway near the Lydford Forest entrance (A2).
Lengthsmen: The Clerk has informed Mr Taylor about the courses available and he will be attending one in the future.
VAS signs –The Clerk has ordered the signage for the southbound location and will continue to look for possible northbound sites. Highways have been given the go ahead to erect a post for the sign and Highways are liaising with the supplier to complete the construction (A3).
The defibrillator cabinet is now fully operational and on the outside front wall of Nicholls Hall. Training will take place on the 20^st October.
Open Air Theatre – Cllr Tainsh has been in touch with the operator of this enterprise and will check out possible sites for the proposed tour at the end of October (A4).

Reports from Outside Bodies

Cllr Cook provided a report on the last Southern Link meeting held in September 2016. Main notes on TAP funding were:

TAP applications will be considered in September and December.
Funding for 2017 is unsure at present
The element of cooperation between parishes is not required formally
A pole and light for an air ambulance can be applied for
All TAP applications must be on paper and signed by the Clerk

Other notes from the meeting included a report from Steven Belli – (Planning) which included:

The consultation on the Dartmoor National Park Authority Plan was a large exercise and DNPA wanted to hear the views of the Parishes. The PC noted there was a need to gather information from Lydford
DNPA will now be asked to express views on development on the border of the National Park
Parishes will receive more training on planning as requested

Borough Council Reports.

None

Finances

The Clerk provided an update on finances, including the status of the reserves. The Clerk also presented the draft budget for 2017 for the PC to consider and approve at the November meeting.

Bills for Payment

£100 D Jackson electrician defibrillator (1239)

£333.90 Salary Clerk (1240)

£79 HMRC (1241)

£50 J Rice CPR training (1242)

Grant Applications
The football club which has now been running for 5 months has around 15 members and is run solely by parents. To get official recognition there needs to be adults with coaching qualification and DBS checks. The club requested funding for DBS checks and coaching course for 2 adults. The PC agreed to grant £500 to the club to cover these expenses.
The skateboard area in the Sports Field was discussed. The quotes received suggest that £3500 would be needed to construct the park. Fundraising was underway and the PC suggested that raising awareness regarding the park would be beneficial. It was also suggested that the money raised could be banked with the Sports Field since this was a registered charity.

Planning Applications

1.DNPA Planning 0510/16 – Bickleigh House extension – supported after clarifications regarding the wall removal. The gate in the wall would be relocated and the wall would not be totally removed

2. DPNA Planning (Trees) 16/0043 – Beech Trees at Clearview – removal application. The PC discussed the application and outcome with the owners of Clearview who were aware of the sensitivity of the application. The PC was in favour of removing the tree nearest to the road. The PC will write to Mr Beasley (DNPA) regarding this discussion (A5).

3. DPNA Planning 0486/16 – Henscott Farm – erection of a large shed – not opposed.

Correspondence
- Mr Geering – a letter was sent regarding concerns about Japanese Knotweed on the highway close to his property. The PC discussed the issue and agreed that paying for removal of a clump of knotweed which was not on council owned land would set a precedent that the PC were unwilling to set due to the potential expansion of the weed to other places.
- Clerk and Councils Direct magazine – noted
- Magazines SLCC – noted
- Smokefree Alliance Devon information – noted
- DNPA Local Plan consultation – this was discussed at length by the PC. This plan replaces the 3 previous plans and the consultation is now open. It is an online document and requests responses from parishes. The Clerk was asked to find out if there were any roadshows planned and decided to print off some copies of the plan to place around the village (pub, village shop, school, village hall) (A6).
- NHS beds – noted and the PC will await further information before responding
- Devon United – to forward the link to Cllr Tainsh
- Holsworthy Poster – agreed to display
- Oke links magazine – the Clerk to provide some contact information for the Parish magazine and Villages in Action (A7)

Agenda Items and Date of next Parish Council Meeting
2017 Budget to approve

The date of the next meeting will be Tuesday 8th November 2016

Urgent additional business by leave of the Chair

Meeting closed at 21.00

.Signed ___________________ Chairperson Dated 2016

Action List October 2016

Action	Detail	Notes
1	Flag purchase	done
2	Landowner for Knotweed areas	Tbc
3	VAS signage	Highways contacted – tentative date for construction – end of November
4	Open Air theatre – possible sites	Cllr Tainsh sent email
5	Contact Mr Beasley – Beech Trees	Done email sent – approval withdrawn (see letter in correspondence for November 2016 meeting)
6	DNPA Plan distributed round village	Done – Copies now in the pub, village shop, school, village hall
7	Oke Links magazine provide contacts	Done

	Finance to 1st Nov 2016
		Cheque no.	Amount
Balance 1 Nov 2016	12150.25

Expenditure to 8.11.16	Chq pd			Income to 31.10.16
J Rice defib	20.10.16	1242	£50.00	Precept	£3,048.00
Nicholls Hall defib	8.11.16	1243	£14.00
SLCC memb	8.11.16	1244	£88.00
Grant thornton	8.11.16	1245	£300.00
T Redding pay	8.11.16	1246	£251.44
HMRC	8.11.16	1247	£58.40
Total			£761.84	Total	£3,048.00


New balance	14436.41


OF THIS
2016-2017
RESERVES		4648.75
Ancient spring	163
Election reserve	800
Parish Reserve	3318.75
General reserves	367

PLAYGROUND balance		6599.87

PC Balance		3187.79

total		14436.41

Budget 2016-17

Draft Budget 2014-2017


	2016-		2017
	budget	Actual to end of yr	budget
INCOME
VAT recovered	100	0	150
Precept	6277	6277	6277
Total	6377	6277	6427

PAYMENTS
Room Hire	60	66	66
Grass Cutting	100	0	115
Clerk (salary)	3310	3330	3502
Clerk fixed exps	100	100	100
Stationery & admin	100	100	50
Postage	35	35	35
Audit fee External	125	300	0
Audit fee Internal	95	100	100
Insurance	450	460	460
Playground Inspection	150		150
S137	40	0	0
Training	50	50	50
DALC/SLCC memb	165	163	200
Mileage	75	100	60
Web Site	125	334	200
Contingency
Grants	1000	2092	1000
Burial Grant	300	0	300

Total	6280	7230	6388