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Whitestone Parish Council

PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES November 2011

Minutes of Whitestone Parish Council held at Whitestone Parish Hall on Thursday 10th November 2011 to be ratified at the Council meeting on Thursday 8th December 2011

Attendance: Chairman – Councillor P Nierop
Councillors Mrs M Belt, Mrs P Fisher, S Heathcote, D Munro, Mrs B Netherway, 
R Phillips (left early), M Quinn. A Reed, A Skeet, 
County Councillor J Brook (for part of the meeting) 
District Councillor P Bromell
Mrs P Vaughan, Clerk to the Council
Mr C Hodge, Mr and Mrs Greenfield, 

The meeting was preceded by the November Draw for the 100 Club in support of the Parish Hall Development Fund. The number drawn was 59 and belong to Jerry Priest.

The Chairman then asked County Councillor Brook if he had a report and he reported briefly on the Devon County Strategy document, the forthcoming Localism Bill and the reorganisation of the Devon County Highways. Also discussed was the recent request for a grit bin at Eastern Plateau which has been investigated by the Clerk and Councillor Brook confirmed that he would be willing to fund a bin and would send the necessary forms for completion to the Clerk.

Minutes of the Council Meetings held on 13th October 2011 having been circulated were taken as read and signed as a true copy by the Chairman.

PLANNING
Planning Applications 
Details of six planning applications from Teignbridge District Council were examined by Councillors and fully discussed. The outcomes are as follows:-
11/03196/FUL Provision of hardstanding on land known as Williams Fields, Whitestone. No objections.
11/03174/COU Retention of change of use for siting of two mobile homes, one utility block and two touring caravans for use by gypsies and or travellers, hardstanding and sealed septic tank. Request that no floodlights should be installed at the site and that it should be monitored to prevent additional occupancy.
11/03489/AGR New barn at Hurston Farm. No objections in principle but queries over the need for extra buildings at this Farm. 
11/03205/FUL Filling of 100 metres x 50 metres with subsoil at Way Farm, Whitestone. No objections but request that roads in the area should be monitored for soil deposits and cleaned as necessary.
11/03567/FUL Use of ancillary outbuilding for holiday purposes or for purposes ancillary to the residential use of the existing dwelling at Woodside, Five Mile Hill. No objections but request that the condition imposed for property at Hillside in Longdown be applied to this application as suggested in the proposal. 
Councillor Nierop declared an interest in the following as this is a neighbouring property to his home.
11/03240/FUL Installation of sewage treatment plant and soakaway/top soil irrigation at Cameroon. No objections.

Grant of Conditional Planning Permission
11/03050/FUL Side, rear and first floor extensions with rear terrace at 25 Merrymeet
11/02824/VAR Variation of condition 2 on planning permission relating to relocation of chimney and enlargement of external piers and building footprint at The Old Forge
11/02781/FUL Installation of roof mounted photovoltaic panels at Spring Gardens, Pound Lane
11/02974/FUL Sixteen solar panels on existing barn roof at Gratton House
11/01089/FUL Erection of agricultural livestock/feed/machinery store with new access track and vehicular access at Hill Farm, Hill Lane.

MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION
Councillor Fisher declared an interest in the following items regarding the Parish Hall as her husband is Secretary for the Hall Committee of Management .
A letter has been received from Mr Fisher, Secretary for the Hall Committee of Management reporting that Councillor Quinn has resigned as the Parish Hall Liaison Officer and following discussion it was resolved that Councillor Reed would fill this role. A request that the Parish Council consider that the four Councillors appointed at the Council Annual Meeting should meet with members of the Committee of Management was not deemed necessary as it was felt that the present arrangement as set out between the Council and Committee of Management was satisfactory. 

Asset Group recommendations
A full report on the Asset Group will be brought to the December meeting but the following items were found to be necessary as a matter of urgency:-
Brambles overhanging the P3 Footpath and a broken football net in Crossway Park. Councillor Munro volunteered to deal with these items and a vote of thanks was expressed.
There is a need for a step and grab rail to the outside toilet to the rear of the Hall . Councillor Phillips will prepare a specification for this work.
Seats in the Community Garden are in need of wood staining.
There is an overhanging branch on the ash tree by the bus stop which is in need of cutting down. The Clerk was instructed to contact Mr Surridge who has done previous work for the Council to ask him to do this before the bad weather.

Parish Hall budget submission
Whitestone Parish Hall Committee of Management submitted requests for three grants to be considered when the Parish Council set their budget for the 2012/13 financial year, i.e. contribution towards the caretaker’s wage, replacement of flat roof above the Hall extension and the cost of providing insurance cover for the Hall. These items will be taken into consideration when the budget/Precept is discussed at the December meeting.

Mrs Greenfield asked if she could speak on this subject and the Chairman opened the meeting to allow her to say that she considered that the insurance should be paid by the Hall Committee. It was explained that this had, since 1972, been paid by the Parish Council but this year it had been transferred into the name of the Hall Management as a legal necessity. 

MATTERS RAISED BY THE CHAIRMAN
The Chairman thanked Councillors for distributing reminders for the Public Meeting organised to investigate developing a Parish Plan for Whitestone. This is being held at 2.30pm on Saturday 12th November and the Community Council of Devon will give a presentation.

It was noted that planning information is now on the Whitestone website for all to access.

FINANCE 
Expenditure The following accounts were proposed and seconded for payment. All in favour.
Whitestone Parish Hall Management Committee (Nov donation) £125
Clerk’s expenses £51.66
Devon Association of Local Councils (Budgets and Precept Training Event) £30
Lawsons Electrical (repair to stat for hot water tank at No 2) £53.40. This was organised through the Letting Agents.
Pre-Budget Submissions 
Whitestone Gardening Club have submitted a request for continued financial support in return for the Club maintaining the Community Garden.

Councillor Quinn presented a prepared statement which will form the basis for the Budget/Precept for 2012/13 to be determined at the December meeting. This was examined by the Councillors with explanations from Councillor Quinn. A vote of thanks was given to Councillor Quinn.

CORRESPONDENCE
Reports on the condition of School Houses were received from Cooksleys and will be passed to members of the Asset Group. Cooksleys noted that when the repair was done to the water tank at No 2 it was reported by the electrician that this needs replacing sooner rather than later.

Following the October meeting the Clerk obtained a quotation to service and repair the ride on mower amounting to £330.16. Discussion took place regarding the viability of this action and following a vote (6 to 3) it was resolved that this should not be repaired at the present time and further investigation should take place.

Whitestone Sports & Social Club – letter of thanks for the cheque for £250 towards a commemorative gift for Whitestone children to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012.

Devon County Highways responded regarding potholes and subsidence which they are dealing with and noted that basic defects such as potholes can easily be reported by any individuals via their website or call centre (0845 155 1004) both of which will get them onto the system and issued to their contractor much more quickly as they bypass the postal service and internal delays.

REPORTS
Potholes were reported by Topsteps and by the entrance to the Parish Hall.
A parishioner had reported the attempted removal of grit bags placed by Devon County Highways at Nadderbottom and the meeting was advised that any person found doing this could be prosecuted for theft.
Councillor Netherway reported attending the Church House Educational Trust when there were seven successful applications for grants,
Councillor Quinn reported on attending the Budget and Precept meeting organised by the Devon Association of Local Councils which he had found to be excellent and very relevant.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION 
It was suggested by Mr Greenfield that perhaps a one off grant should be considered for the Parish Hall Management Committee to obviate the need for several applications to be made for different purposes

The meeting closed at 10.15pm.