Whitestone Road sign

Whitestone Parish Council

Minutes of Whitestone Parish Council held at Whitestone Parish Hall at 7.30pm on

Thursday 9th January 2020.

Attendance: Chairman – Councillor N Thom
Councillors M Belt, R Bramhall, V Bryant, L Fairley, R Hunt, D Jones, P Lee, T Miles
County Councillor A Connett, District Councillor A Swain (both left at 8.30pm)
Mrs P Vaughan, Clerk to the Council
Mr M Fairley, Mrs T Taylor, Mrs S Greenfield, Mrs B Netherway, Mrs T Baird,
Mrs M Neirop, Mrs L Hickman (both left at 7.55pm)
Mr F Hawkins, Mr T Oliver, Mr J Bryant, Mr P Neirop, Mr A Rose (all left at 8pm)
Mrs B Bramhall joined the meeting at 9.30pm.

Apologies: Councillor S Llewelyn, District Councillor C Nuttall, District Councillor A Foden

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Mrs Taylor raised concerns regarding the increasing traffic using Heath Lane as a route to Crediton and said that it was unsuitable for the amount of traffic which was now using the road and there had been ensuing accidents. County Councillor Connett explained that he was having a meeting with officials from the Parish Council on Monday next and this was one of the issues which could be added to the agenda for discussion.

Mr Oliver supported the sum of money which was being allocated for independent professional advice regarding planning issues and some discussion took place from the floor and it was agreed that these monies could include advice for other issues which arose throughout the Parish.

Mrs Hickman said that she had a letter for Cllr Thom itemising some points on the agenda for this evening’s meeting which she hoped would be considered. She welcomed the setting up of an office at the Parish Hall which would be open once a month for parishioners to attend with suggestions for the Parish but queried the need for the Parish Council to fund a sum of money for professional advice regarding planning issues. The letter was then passed to the Chairman.

Mr Neirop queried the need for more noticeboards within the Parish and Cllr Thom indicated that this issue was now on hold.

Cllr Thom thanked members of the public for their comments and then opened the Parish Council meeting.

1. Minutes of the Council Meeting held on Tuesday 10th December 2019 having been circulated were taken as read and signed by the Chairman.

  1. REPORTS FROM COUNTY COUNCILLOR / DISTRICT COUNCILLORS

2.1. County Councillor Connett reported that he would be meeting with Whitestone Councillors on Monday next to discuss speeding and transport issues throughout the Parish.

2.2 District Councillor Swain gave a full report on the proposed budget for Teignbridge District Council which will see a Council Tax increase of £5 a year for the average Band D household about 3% or 10p a week. Staffing restructures and a recent senior management restructure will create budget savings in future years. There will be a more commercial approach to the services that TDC provide aimed at generating more income; removal of the Rural Aid Grant; a reduction in the councillors locality grant. The new budget will fulfil the manifesto pledge to find a Climate Change Officer and will be adopted in February.. Full details are on the Teignbridge website.

  1. PLANNING

Grant of Conditional Planning Permission

3.1 19/01473/MAJ Improvement of the existing golf facilities and remodelling of the golf course along with change of use of the existing golf course land for the siting of 25 self contained units of holiday accommodation at Fingle Glen Golf Club.

3.2 19/02063/FUL Agricultural building and associated works at Rebecca Springs, Nadderwater.

Grant of Request for Prior Approval

3.3 19/02213/NPA Application for Prior Approval under Part 3 Class Q (a) and (b) and paragraph W of the GPDO change of use of agricultural building to a dwelling at Ham Farm, Tedburn Road.

Refusal of Planning Permission

3.4 19/00877/OUT Outline to erect one holiday lodge (all matters reserved for future consideration) at Glebe Farm.

3.5 19/02121/FUL Change of use of part of paddock to domestic curtilage at 2 Barton Cottages

  1. MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION

Speeding through Whitestone

4.1 A meeting with County Councillor Connett has been arranged for Monday next to discuss this issue. Councillors also asked if weight restrictions on lorries coming from Tedburn to Whitestone could be enforced and it was agreed that this was another matter which could be discussed during the meeting.

School Houses

4.2 It was reported that electrical repair work at both 1 and 2 School Houses had been organised through Carter & Geering and the accounts paid through them and debited from the rents.

Crossway Park

4.3 Cllr Thom reported that he had now installed the “Frog Bin” in the Park and it was suggested by Cllr Belt that a “Teddy Bear” bin should also be purchased and installed which would give children the initiative to tidy up the Park. It was resolved that this should be purchased and as Cllr Belt was approaching the firm to purchase something for the Parish Hall she would obtain a price for the extra bin and place an order. It was agreed that some signs should be obtained to encourage the children to use the bins for recycling.

Proposed Parish Council Surgery

4.4 It was agreed that this should take place on a monthly basis commencing on a Saturday morning in April from 10am to 12noon. The first session would be undertaken by Cllrs Bramhall and Bryant. It was suggested that the May session should take place on a Thursday from 6pm to 8pm and volunteers will be sought by Cllr Bramhall.

Parish Warden update

4.5 Cllr Thom was compiling a job specification and details would be placed in the Parish magazine. The role was looking to be in place to coincide with the start of the next financial year in April.

Parish Action Plan

4.6 Discussion took place regarding the Whitestone Action Plan which was completed in 2017 and which was based on responses from 70% of all households in the parish, which is an exceptionally high return. Cllr Bryant said that this was now in need of support as the original organisers have stood down. It was proposed that at the February meeting the Parish Council should take forward the suggestions which had been made and take responsibility for the Parish Plan in order to raise the profile of the Plan.

  1. MATTERS RAISED BY THE CHAIRMAN

5.1 Cllr Thom reported that he proposed completing some pothole filling on the 27th January from 10am to 1pm and would be meeting at the Royal Oak carpark and would appreciate any help.

5.2 Cllr Thom had been approached from several quarters about noticeboards. It was now being suggested that only two be produced, one for outside the Church and one possibly at Heath Cross.


  1. FINANCE

6.1 Bank Balance at Nat West at 30th December 2019

Current A/c

£200.00

Business Reserve A/c 1

£35,611.44

Business Reserve A/c 2

£3,413.30

£39,224.74

6.2 Draft budget for 2020/21

Documentation regarding the finances of the Parish Council having been distributed it was resolved after discussion and amendment that the budget of £23,819.00 for 2020/21 be adopted and it was proposed by Cllr Bramhall and seconded by Cllr Thom that the Precept should be reduced from £6,100 by £1,000 and the Precept should therefore be £5,100. A vote was taken and the proposal was adopted.

Cllr Thom thanked the Clerk and Cllr Bramhall for all their efforts.

Income

6.3 1 School Houses rent to 30th January £725.00 - £69,60 (includes £11.60 VAT) = £655.40

6.4 2 School Houses rent to 1st February £800.00 - £76.80 (includes £12.80 VAT) = £723.20

Expenditure

The following expenditure was proposed and seconded for payment. All in favour and the cheques were signed by Councillors Thom and Belt.

6.5 Mr G Mitchell £190.00 (Tree felling at Crossway)

The following work was organised and paid for through Carter Geering:-

6.9 A H Gilbert & Son Ltd £297.84 (includes £49.64 VAT) – 2 School House.

  1. REPORTS

7.1 Cllr Fairley reported two accidents on the C50 road, one of which had caused a road closure. 

7.2 Cllr Thom reported that there had been several instances of vandalism over the Christmas period and the Police had been called. He advised of the importance of reporting problems to the Police.

7.3 Cllr Belt reported that the branches from the tree which had been cut down at the bus stop area were still in situ and Cllr Thom indicated that they had been left in order that any persons wishing to avail themselves of firewood could take them but he would be clearing the remaining branches after two weeks.

7.4 Cllr Miles reported accessing the Parish-on-Line mapping system and would be trialling the information received and reporting. The cost to join would be £75 + VAT.

The meeting closed at 9.50pm

The next meeting will take place on Thursday, 13th February 2020.