APPROVED Minutes of the Extraordinary Meeting of Blackawton Parish Council held on
Monday 20 October 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in Blackawton Village Hall
Present: Parish & South Hams District Council Cllr Rake (Chair), and Parish Cllrs Oughton (Vice-Chair, and Chair of the start of the meeting), Coe, Hadow, Luckens, Mardon, and Thomas were present, as were Clerk A Thom, and three members of the public. Cllr Rake arrived a few minutes late having represented SHDC at another Parish Council’s meeting (arriving a few minutes after the meeting starting, when Cllr Coe had started her summary of the current context and responses to Cllrs advance questions).
Absent: No Cllrs absent.
-
Apologies
All Cllrs present.
-
Declarations of Interest
None declared.
-
Application for a Wind Turbine Feasibility Study Grant
Cllr Coe’s proposed application for BPC to apply for a Government Great British Community Energy Fund grant to pay for a Community Owned Wind Turbine feasibility study was discussed. Cllr Coe said that the proposal has the support of Sustainable Blackawton and that a community owned turbine, if feasible and installed, would provide community and environmental benefits. Sustainable Blackawton does not have an organisation type which qualifies it to make a submission in its own right. Community consultation and engagement are a part of a feasibility study’s contracted work. Cllr Coe explained that four quotes were requested by her from suppliers on the Community Energy England list, provided by South West Net Zero Hub. Cllrs ensured in discussion that that there will not be a financial risk to BPC in obtaining the grant and contracting a feasibility study. The closing date for the current round of applications is 3 November 2025. If the grant is not successful the Fund provides formal feedback to help with the preparation of any future application.
It was resolved unanimously to support in principle the submission of the application for grant funds for a community owned wind turbine feasibility study.
It was resolved to delegate the Clerk authority in consultation with the Chair Cllr Rake, to approve the final application. It will also be circulated to all BPC Cllrs. Cllr Coe will provide the final application and supporting documents to the Clerk by Thursday 23 October 2025.
-
Blackawton Community Emergency Plan
The working draft was discussed. BPC decided not to identify a Co-ordinator or members of a Community Response Team, as described in the Devon Communities Together Draft Emergency Plan. BPC will produce a leaflet to help households prepare in advance so that they are able to be more resilient during an emergency, Cllr Rake offered to do this. The Community Shop will be the centre of communications in an emergency. There might be a voluntary register of people who know they could be vulnerable in an emergency. The Clerk will modify the draft Emergency Plan to reflect this approach.
The meeting closed at 21:01