Whitestone Parish Council
DRAFT Minutes of Parish Council Meeting held at Whitestone Parish Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday, 10th February 2022 to be ratified on 10th March 2022
Attendance:- Chair – Councillor T Miles.
Councillors Cllrs T Baird, M Belt, V Bryant, A Evans, L Fairley, C Galton, P Lee, S Llewelyn.
District Councillor A Swain
Mrs P Vaughan – Clerk to the Council
Mr B Moody, Mr P Mingo
Apologies: Cllr L Fairly
- Cllr Miles opened the meeting and the minutes of the Council meeting held on Thursday 13th January 2022 having been circulated were taken as read and signed as a true copy by the Chair.
- PLANNING - These applications can be viewed on line by going into the public access system at Teignbridge Planning following the directions giving the application reference. The following applications having been received from Teignbridge District Council with a request for comments were examined and responses were sent which can be viewed on Teignbridge District Council Planning site:-
9.1 21/02886/VAR Removal of condition (f) on planning permission: 5/5/2655/47/1 relating to agricultural occupancy at Furze Park, Tedburn St Mary.
Whitestone Parish Council have discussed this application to permanently remove the agricultural tie requirement from a property following TDC granting a certificate of lawfulness. We have reviewed our previous comments on application 21/007289/VAR and 21/01964/CLDE and would like to repeat our comments, namely that we agree that the conditions of the agricultural tie have been breached in excess of the required period.
9.2 22/0039/AGR Agricultural building at Pound Farm.
Response:- Whitestone Parish Council have discussed this application which is designed to provide more information to Teignbridge District Council regarding a previous application (21/02248/AGR) for a new barn at Pound Farm. The Parish Council supported the previous application in November2021 (with a recommended condition that the building should remain in agricultural use), and were surprised to hear that it had been refused in December 2021. We would like to support the statements by the applicants that they have lived and used this property for agricultural purpose in this area for decades, and would also like to report that we see no reason to doubts about the integrity of the application for a new agricultural construction. We would like to repeat our support for this application.
REFUSAL OF REQUESTS FOR PRIOR APPROVAL
9.3 21/02758/NPA Application for Prior Approval under Part 3 Class Q (a) and (b) and paragraph W of the GDPO for change of use of agricultural building to a dwelling at Devon View Whitestone
9.4 21/01759/NPA Application for Prior Approval under Part 3 Class Q (a) and (b) and paragraph W of the GDPO for change of use of agricultural building to a dwelling at Devon View Whitestone
- REPORT FROM DISTRICT COUNCILLOR
Cllr Swain gave a brief report and said that the Teignbridge budget will be voted on next week.
- MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION
11.1 Co-option of Councillor to fill current vacancy
An application had been received from Mr Bruce Moody who was in attendance and it was resolved by the meeting that he should be elected and he duly signed his declaration of acceptance of office and joined the meeting in a non-voting capacity.
11.2 Climate Action Group
It was resolved that as the Parish Council had declared a climate emergency the hire of a room for the meetings for this group, although it is not part of the Parish Council, would be funded by the Parish Council. It was confirmed that there will be a meeting held at 7.30pm on 23rd March when a representative from Teignbridge District Council will attend. Further details to follow.
11.3 Grass cutting at Crossway Park and bus stop area
It was reported that the grass cutting contract had now come to an end and Mr Blades has indicated that he is willing to take this on board and would require a different charging rate at £20 per hour for this particular task and it was resolved that this is accepted.
11.4 Lower Hare Farm Landfill or Lower Brenton Farm Landfill
Cllr Miles gave an update regarding these sites and said it was proposed that the waste soil generated from greenfield development should be re-used on site as per Devon Waste Plan and this should be included in all planning applications going forward where this would apply.
11.5 Cross Park Farm Planning Appeal and Enforcement
Cllr Miles reported that Teignbridge District Council confirmed that this Appeal had been dismissed with no information on further enforcement which would need to be clarified,
11.6 Parking at Crossway
It was reported thatit appeared no action has been taken with regard to a further parking area being developed and the residents need to establish dialogue with Teign Housing to take this further.
11.7 Toilet facilities for Crossway Park
The Council were advised that the Parish Hall Committee wanted a new electrical circuit installed back to the consumer unit with a secondary meter for the proposed electricity to the outside toilet and Cllr Baird indicated that she was still obtaining quotes for this to be done. Discussion then took place regarding the supply of a new sensor tap to save water and it was resolved that the quotation of £152.58 was accepted in order that this plumbing work for the supply and fit could be completed and Cllr Baird will action this decision.
11.8 Vehicle Activated Speed Signs
There was nothing to report on this matter although Cllr Belt said that the sign at Nadderwater was not working and the matter of the battery which is installed on this device was discussed and would be replaced on a more regular routine.
11.9 Teignbridge Local Plan Phase 3
Cllr Miles reported that consultation was now closed for evaluation and the Parish Council has responded regarding the renewable energy sites proposed.
11.10 Teignbridge Citizens Advice
Latest quarterly figures, the citizens advice requested that the published figures were notified to the Parish and encouraged anyone needing advice to contact them directly and they could provide guidance and in many cases help with income and other issues.
11.11 HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
Discussion took place regarding celebrations for this event including gifts for children in the Parish, a lunch or tea party, and the planting of a tree to mark the occasion. Cllr Miles will contact Devon County to ascertain what arrangements are in place and an article will be placed in the April magazine to gain support for any events.
- MATTERS RAISED BY THE CHAIRMAN
12.1 Cllr Miles reported that there seemed to be some development at the Hen House where it appeared that it could be outside the planning permission, further clarification will be sought regarding this development. Due to damage to the culvert, development has been stalled and a blue static mobile home has been installed with residents living on site. This information will be passed to Teignbridge Enforcement to advise further.
12.2 Information had been received from a parishioner regarding the Springdale Farm Landfill site as the writer believed that recent work had been carried out and it had been suggested that there was possibly an extension to the travellers site. Cllr Miles had replied acknowledging receipt of the complaint but as it was understood that the writer had already alerted Teignbridge Enforcement and the environment agency separately regarding this matter and as such it was felt that no further action needed to be taken by the Parish Council at this time.
- FINANCE
Budget for 2022-2023
13.1 The proposed budget of £55,445.00 was again discussed with Cllr Evans having made the necessary amendments. It was however noted that the Parish Lengthsperson had only been increased by £1,250.00 and in view of the extra work which has now been indicated and agreed this should be raised to £6,500.00 to adequately provide for the additional charges and this was adopted making the budget figure £56,195.00.
Income
13.2 1 School Houses rental to 14th February £775.00 - £93.00 (includes £15.50 VAT) = £682.00
13.3 2 School Houses rental to 1st March £825.00 to - £109.20 (includes £18.20 VAT) = £715.80
Expenditure
The following expenditure was proposed and seconded for payment. All in favour and the cheques were signed by Councillors Miles and Belt.
13.4 Mr L Blades £313.72
13.5 Fry and Son £3.58 (includes 60p VAT)
13.6 Dave Totterdell £73.68 (includes 12.28 VAT) – work at 2 School Houses paid through Carter Geering
- REPORTS
14.1 Cllr Bryant gave a very full report on investigations of the footpaths and bridleways throughout the parish which had been passed to Devon County Council and thanks were given for such thorough work.
14.2 Cllr Bryant reported that the grit bin at Heath Cross had been damaged and this will be reported for replacement.
14,3 Cllr Baird had been asked by a parishioner if the surgeries which had been proposed to be held at the Hall on a monthly basis were going ahead but was informed that in view of the current situation this has been placed on hold. However if any parishioner had a matter they wished to raise they could attend one of the monthly Council meetings to have the matter discussed.
14.4 Cllr Fairley had sent apologies for non attendance at the meeting but reported that the free trees we received from the Woodland Trust have all now been distributed to their new homes, i.e. 120 broad leafed trees saplings and 33 hedge saplings. Also reported was a road accident which had occurred on the C50 just west of the Traveller’s Rest pub closing the road for some time on the 4th February. This needs to be noted by Highways as a serious incident as all emergency services were in attendance.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr Mingo raised the question of other speeding deterrent initiatives through the village and said that the speed activated signs which are in place do work but he felt that if a community speed watch scheme could be resurrected on vehicles this would prove to be an added advantage and would liaise with Cllr Baird.
Cllr Swain also mentioned that there was money left in the Teignbridge Community Fund and any suitable applications for up to £100 could be made.
The meeting closed at 10.00pm.
The next Parish Council meeting will take place in the Parish Hall at 7.30pm on Thursday 10th March 2022.