The approved minutes can be ddwnloaded here MN_2022_January BPC Approved Minutes
or read below.
APPROVED Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Blackawton Parish Council held on Tuesday 11 January 2022 at 7:30 p.m. in Blackawton Village Hall
Present
Cllrs Mewes (Meeting Chair), Curry, Thomas, and Mallyon were present, as were A Thom (Clerk) and South Hams District Councillor Reeve.
Open Forum
No matters raised.
01/21 Apologies
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Rake and Coe, and Devon County Councillor Brazil.
02/21 Declarations of Interest
Cllr Thomas declared a Personal Interest in the Blackawton Business Units CIC if relevant.
03/21 Minutes of Previous Meetings
The Minutes of the Meeting held on 14 December 2021 were approved.
04/21 Report from South Hams District Council Councillor
South Hams District Councillor Reeve reported that there is now an Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant. SHDC has directly contacted businesses based on previous applications. If you have not contacted check your junk mail and get in touch with SHDC.
SHDC is not able to provide a Christmas tree collection this year. Trees can be taken to Torr Quarry Recycling Centre, Kingsbridge.
SHDC has its first ‘task & finish’ group housing meeting this coming week. Any suggestions with regard to tackling the housing crisis in the South Hams would be gratefully received.
It has not been possible to arrange volunteers with the skills and experience to do a one-off free emptying of the brown bins. Cllr Reeve will update the Parish Council on the Waste and Recycling service whenever she can.
There is grant fund money available for new projects.
Cllr Mallyon reported that the planting by the developer at the back of his property, for privacy and light screening, hasn’t happened. He also reported that the trees planted as part of the landscape planting don’t have protectors and some trees now have strimmed bark. It appears Vistry is responsible for landscape maintenance. The Clerk will review the S.106 regarding the formation of the Management Body.
05/21 Open Forum – Village Speed Limit and Speed Survey
A member of the public now present at the meeting asked about the location for the speed survey and the reason behind the choice of location. BPC has requested it be located on the road between Trench Furze corner and Normandy Cross, just below where the footpath from French Furze enters Main Street and just below parked cars. The location was chosen because this is where the traffic is the fastest.
The member of the public also asked about moving the village speed limit to beyond French Furze because vehicles accelerate once they are beyond Trench Furze corner. The Clerk will investigate this. The Clerk was also asked to contact DCC about removal of road signs left behind after recent roadworks.
06/21 Report from Devon County Council Councillor
Deferred in the absence of Devon County Councillor Brazil.
07/21 Planning Issues
07/21.1 SHDC Planning Approvals/Refusals
The following decisions were noted:
- 0862/21/ARC Dartmouth Golf and Country Club Road To Dartmouth Golf And Country Club Blackawton Devon TQ9 7DE. Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 3 and 4 of Planning Permission 0700/20/FUL. Discharge of condition Approved.
- 4700/21/TEX Wadstray House Blackawton TQ9 7DE. T5: Beech – Fell due to excessive decay at middle section of trunk, gradual decline to crown and in close proximity to main road and house; T1: Sweet Chestnut – Fell due to increase in decay at base, decline to crown and potential danger to adjacent property; T2: Oak – Fell due to death of tree and danger to adjacent property. No objections raised.
- 4516/21/NMM Annexe 3, Coach House Shepleigh Cottage Blackawton TQ9 7AH. Application for non-material minor amendment to planning consent 2506/19/HHO for alterations to doors and windows on North East and South East elevations. Refusal.
07/21.2 Review of New Applications
- 4625/21/NMM Proposed Development At Sx 8074 5071 Blackawton. Non Material Minor amendment to planning consent 1972/17/FUL for reduction to front wall, minor window position amendments and new internal layout.
No comment by BPC.
- 4678/21/CLE Land Adjacent 25 French Furze Road Blackawton. Certificate of lawfulness for existing use of land for B8 purposes (storage of builder’s equipment and materials) and associated building and container.
For information. The decision on this application will be based on evidence provided to SHDC’s Officers.
08/21 Consultations
- Technical Consultation on the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2022/23, 13/1/22 The proposal includes ‘setting no council tax referendum principles for town and parish councils’ in expectation that parish and town councils continue to show restraint when raising precepts.
09/21 Vacancy for a Parish Councillor
The vacancy will be advertised, including in the February Beacon. If there is more than one applicant, an extraordinary meeting will be held on Tuesday 22 February at 7 30p.m., a week before the March meeting of the Parish Council on 1 March.
10/21 French Furze Project
SHDC Cllr Reeve has passed on information from Vistry regarding work being done towards completion of the development. Once the play area fencing is done and the area is ready for use, it will have an inspection to get its ROSPA approval and then be allowed to be opened. The area has been reduced compared with the size in the original proposal, by the central steps. Vistry is looking into extending the path and opening up the gate into School Lane. Planning approval is needed so this would take time. Cllr Reeve is arranging a visit for SHDC to inspect the business units with the Parish Council. The meeting agreed BPC councillors will visit the site Monday 31/1/22 at 2 pm. Cllr Reeve will respond to Vistry. The Clerk will contact the Education South West to establish if it is possible that the School will in the future want to use the steps for direct access into the School’s land.
11/21 Slapton Line Monument Maintenance Draft Maintenance Agreement
It was resolved to in principle support a proposal to agree to contribute to the maintenance cost associated with the relocated Slapton Line Monument for ten years, pro-rata based on the population of the Parishes named on the Monument. It is expected that Cllrs Rake and Thomas will attend the next joint parish meeting about the Monument, on Thursday 3 February. Cllr Mewes reported that the annual cost to BPC will vary depending on work required. It will be in the region of £120. The Clerk said the calculation appears to be based on the census population of the parishes.
12/21 Graffiti in the Village
Correspondence received about incidents of graffiti in the village in December and actions taken was noted.
The Parish Council is saddened by the incidents. They have been reported to SHDC. If it gets worse it becomes a police matter.
13/21 Brown Bins
The update that a one-off emptying of brown bins by volunteers in February is not happening because it has not been possible to arrange volunteers with the necessary skills and experience was noted.
14/21 Finance
14/21.1 Update on Current Financial Position
The Report showed a total balance of £56,417.01 and unearmarked reserves of £14,084.27.
14/21.2 Payments Made, Due and Received
It was resolved to approve the following payments due:
- DALC, Being a Good Councillor Short Course, £48.00
- Clerk, Expenses reimbursement CE28, £20.26
14/21.3 2022/23 Budget
It was resolved to approve a 2022/23 precept demand of £17,500. It has been increased in line with four new residences being built and inflation.
It was resolved to approve the budget as circulated, with the above change in the precept demand.
15/21 Correspondence
The following correspondence has been addressed, for information only.
- Resident, 9/11/21, BPC providing a bank account service for bellringers, BPC is not able to do this
- 30/11/21 Slapton CSG, Enquiry about Jubilee events, bonfire, bellringing
16/21 Next Meeting
It was confirmed that the next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Tuesday 1 February 2022 at 7:30 p.m.
The meeting closed at 21:06.