Whitestone Parish Council
PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES May 2011
Minutes of Whitestone Parish Council held at Whitestone Parish Hall on Thursday
12th May 2011
Minutes of Whitestone Parish Council meeting held at Whitestone Parish Hall on Thursday 12th May 2011 to be ratified at the Council meeting on Thursday 9th June 2011
Attendance: Councillors Mrs M Belt, Mrs P Fisher, S Heathcote, D Munro, Mrs B Netherway, P Nierop,
R Phillips, M Quinn, A Reed, A Skeet
District Councillor P Bromell
Mrs P Vaughan, Clerk to the Council
Mr and Mrs Cox, Mr P Hanson, Mr and Mrs Greenfield.
The meeting was preceded by the May Draw for the 100 Club in support of the Parish Hall Development Fund and the winning number was 83 and belongs to Pam Oliver.
There was no Public Participation
The Chairman declared the Annual General Meeting open and welcomed five new members to the Council following their election on 5th May 2011. Councillors then signed their Declaration of Acceptance of Office Forms.
Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council
The Retiring Chairman then sought nominations for the post of Chairman:-
Election of Chairman
Councillor P Nierop was proposed by Councillor Heathcote and seconded by Councillor Skeet
Councillor M Belt was proposed by Councillor Reed and seconded by Councillor Netherway
As there were two candidates a ballot was held resulting in Councillor Nierop being successful and thereby elected and later signed acceptance of the role of Chairman.
Councillor Belt then retired from the Chair and handed over the Chairman’s Badge of Office. Councillor Nierop proceeded to the following nominations:-
Election of Vice Chairman
Councillor Phillips was proposed by Councillor Belt and seconded by Councillor Munro
Councillor Fisher was proposed by Councillor Quinn and seconded by Councillor Heathcote
As there were two candidates a ballot was held resulting in five votes for each candidate. The Chairman thereby exercised his casting vote and Councillor Fisher was thereby elected and later signed acceptance of the role of Vice Chairman.
As there were new Councillors the Clerk explained the roles for each of the following offices as nominations were called for:-
Footpath Warden
Councillor Munro was proposed by Councillor Quinn and seconded by Councillor Fisher. All in favour.
Church House Foundation Member
Councillor Netherway was proposed by Councillor Belt and seconded by Councillor Fisher. All in favour
Crossway Park Officer
Councillor Netherway was proposed by Councillor Quinn and seconded by Councillor Munro. All in favour.
Parish Hall Committee
Proposed and seconded that Councillor Belt, Nierop, Heathcote and Quinn be elected. All in favour.
Parish Hall Liaison Member
Councillor Quinn was proposed by Councillor Heathcote and seconded by Councillor Munro. All in favour.
Responsible Financial Officer
Mrs P Vaughan proposed by Councillor Belt and seconded by Councillor Phillips. All in favour.
Internal Independent Auditor
Mr K Abraham proposed by Councillor Reed and seconded by Councillor Munro. All in favour.
The Chairman then gave a vote of thanks to the retiring Chairman, Councillor Mrs Belt, and also to the outgoing Councillors, Mr Peter Hanson and Mrs Tina Taylor, for their service on the Council over the past years and to Mrs Taylor for her fund raising efforts for new equipment for the Crossway Park. He also congratulated District Councillor Peter Bromell on his re-election.
The Council then proceeded to the business of the Parish Council Meeting
Minutes of the Council Meeting held on 14th April 2011 and the Annual Parish Meeting held on 28th April 2011 having been circulated were taken as read and signed as a true copy by the Chairman with the addition to the Annual Parish Meeting Minutes of a late report from Mrs Judith Read on the Whitestone Players.
Planning
Planning Applications
• 11/01089/FUL Erection of agricultural livestock/feed/machinery store with new access track and vehicular access at Hill Farm, Hill Lane. Councillors discussed the application and plans and objected to the proposal. It has been noted that this application is partly retrospective as work has already been carried out and also it is felt that Pound Lane is unsuitable for heavy machinery that would appear to be indicated as for use of the store on the application. There was a query raised as to the need for disabled access to the building which would seem to specify some compliance with domestic regulations.
• 11/00957/FUL Garage at Heath House. Councillors discussed the application and plans and there were no objections.
• 11/01254/LBC Removal of brick chimney, replacing two steel windows with timber windows and alterations to ground floor at Deerslake, Halsfordwood Lane. Councillors discussed the application and plans and there were no objections.
• 11/00819/VAR Removal of condition on planning application 12631 to permit increased burial area at Church of St Catherine of Alexandria. Councillors discussed the application and plans and there were no objections.
Granting of Conditional Planning Permission
11/00268/FUL Widening of existing field access at Barton Vale Farm, Barton Head Hill.
Letter of Notification fron Teignbridge District Council
10/03575/COU Springdale Farm, Bondhouse Lane – this application will be discussed at the Development Control Committee meeting on Monday 16th May at Forde House at 2.15pm.
The Chairman requested that the arrangements for discussion on planning matters be placed on a future Council agenda.
Matters for Discussion
New Councillors’ Training
The Clerk drew attention to Training Days that were being organised by the Devon Association of Local Councils but no Councillors were available to attend.
Report on leaking roof in garages
Councillor Belt reported that Mr Jordan had inspected the roofs as requested at the April meeting and gave an opinion that the repairs could cost £1,000. This amount of expenditure means that quotations will have to be obtained for the work and Councillor Belt proposed and Councillor Munro seconded that the work be carried out as soon as possible. The Clerk was instructed to contact firms to provide itemised quotations for the work.
Bus Shelter at Heath Cross
The Clerk read a negative letter from Devon County Council Highways indicating that they do not in principle agree to the proposal to erect a bus shelter at this location. The objections raised were discussed at length and alternative suggestions were put forward which the Clerk was instructed to relay back to Highways and ask for a site visit. It was suggested that a copy of this letter be sent to County Councillor Brook. It was noted that no pricing for this proposal had been instigated as the Council first had to get authorization to site the shelter on the Devon County land and then obtain planning permission.
Matters raised by the Chairman
Councillor Nierop hoped that the Whitestone website would now be updated with all new Councillors on it and suggested that perhaps they would be willing to have photographs of themselves as was on the Tedburn St Mary website.
Finance
Income
Precept Payment (Half year) - £3,5000
Expenditure The following accounts were proposed and seconded for payment. All in favour.
Clerk’s expenses £83.18
Cornhill Insurance £1,316.10
Annual Grants to
• Parochial Church Council (for the Church Magazine for the inclusion of the monthly Council Minutes and increased from £125.00 to £165.00 in order for the inclusion of the minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting which took place in April)
• Whitestone Gardening Club for tending the Community Garden adjoining Crossway Park £125.00.
Councillor Nierop declared an interest in the last two payments as he is a member of both organisations and took no part in the vote.
Councillor Nierop indicated that he did not wish to avail himself of the usual Chairman’s Allowance of £100 which had been paid to previous Chairmen.
Correspondence
• Teignbridge Association of Local Councils – notification of meeting to be held on 26th May. Councillor Belt has always attended these meetings in the past and would like to continue but would like to claim for petrol. Councillor Nierop indicated that he would also like to attend and copies of the agenda and the March minutes were passed to them.
• Devon Association of Local Councils - invitation to nominate a person to serve on the DALC County Committee for 2011-2015. Councillor Heathcote said that he might be willing to serve and took the information away in order to study before making a decision with the Council indicating that they would support him if he wished to put his name forward.
• Cooksleys Letting – Reports on School Houses were good with no problems. Councillor Belt reported that the work on the damp would begin on Monday next, 16th May, and she would pass the keys to Councillor Nierop in order that he could be at the houses to let in the workmen from Overmass and Chapple.
• Teignbridge District Council – Request for response regarding planning for community infrastructure and facilities. The information was passed to Councillor Nierop who will liaise with Councillor Quinn and prepare a response for consideration by the Council at the June meeting.
Reports
• It was reported that whilst Mr Joll was cutting the grass at Crossway Park he had been hit with a football and although not hurt it raised the question of whether he was covered by accident insurance. The meeting was informed that the Council was covered with Public Liability insurance.
• Concrete has set on the road in two places at Twiscombe Corner and the Clerk was instructed to report this to Highways together with potholes on the road at The Shippens, Nadderbottom and at Southlands.
The meeting closed at 9.58pm