Draft Minutes 2025 February 04

Feb 12, 2025 | Minutes

DRAFT Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Blackawton Parish Council held on
Tuesday 4 February 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in Blackawton Village Hall

Present: Parish & South Hams District Council Cllr Rake (Chair), Parish Cllrs Coe, Hadow, Oughton (Vice-Chair), and Thomas, were present, as was Clerk A Thom.
There were four members of the public present during the Forum discussion.
Absent: Parish Cllrs Luckens and Mardon.

a. Open Forum

i) Unfinished French Furze Development

Three members of the public restated the concerns raised in correspondence regarding the unfinished state of the French Furze development in Blackawton, that the business units have not been handed over, and the developer’s lack of response to communication.

Cllr Rake responded in his role as a SHDC Cllr. He explained that the triggers in the s.106 agreement were not actioned by SHDC when they could have been. To complete the development the developer needs to submit and have approved by SHDC a drainage scheme (this is made more difficult because the original designer has ceased trading) and a section 73 planning application to obtain approval where the build is not in accordance with the approved plans (although retrospective it will be considered as if a new application). The developer also needs to transfer the completed playground, car park, and games area to the Parish Council, and transfer the completed Business Units to the Blackawton Business Units CIC. SHDC has given the developer a fixed date by which to submit the s.73 planning application. Enforcement is not a statutory duty for SHDC. Enforcement is a very expensive use of tax payer’s money so SHDC starts formal enforcement reluctantly. The next step would be for SHDC to issue a Planning Enforcement Notice, which has financial and legal implications. S.106 agreements can’t have penalty clauses and SHDC can’t take a developer’s previous behaviour into account when considering new planning applications.

ii) Mud on the Road near Woodford Bridge

A member of the public asked what action is possible to get the mud cleared from the road and works carried out uphill on the footpath to prevent mud being washed down.

It was confirmed that there is a current ‘Debris or obstruction’ report with Devon County Council, which is the Authority responsible. Cllr Rake noted that he suggested to preventive works to the uphill footpath to DCC some time ago.

Members of the public are encouraged to report problems with roads as quickly as possible to Devon County Council. There are links from the Blackawton community website to access the DCC website’s reporting page.

iii) Restoration of Phone Box on Main Street

A member of the public noted that although they are supportive of the having the phone box in principle it is an ‘eyesore’ and if it can’t be restored it should go. They asked for the Parish Council’s thoughts. It is hoped that the restoration work will be done in the spring. The Clerk will check what conditions, associated with accepting the phone box, need to be met for it be sold.

b. Councillors Forum

i) Avon River Voices Clean-Up

A project which includes the river Gara is proceeding with preparations. It will be seeking financial support from parish councils. They will be invited to submit a grant application form for BPC to consider.

ii) Blackawton Air Ambulance Night Landing Site

Cllr Thomas reported that the responsibility for the site has been taken over by the Blackawton Playing Fields Committee.

iii) Patient Participation Groups (PPGs)

The Clerk said that there is now a space in the Community Groups section of the Community Website for newsletters and information from local PPGs. Chillington PPG has provided information and the Clerk will seek information from Dartmouth and Totnes PPGs.

  1. Apologies

Apologies for absence were received from Parish Cllrs Luckens and Mardon, and from DCC Cllr Brazil.

  1. Declarations of Interest

Cllrs Coe and Oughton declared Other Registerable Interests in the Blackawton Village Hall grant application and it was resolved to grant them dispensations to speak and vote.

  1. Minutes of Previous Meetings

It was resolved to approve the Minutes of the Meetings held on 3 December 2024 and 27 January 2025, and the Notes of the meeting on 7 January 2025.

  1. Report from South Hams District Council Councillor

Cllr Rake reported that SHDC has approved a 25/26 budget. SHDC’s element of Council Tax will be increased by the maximum permitted, 2.99%. SHDC has received an ‘abysmal financial settlement’ from central Government. The rural services delivery grant has gone, and government compensation for higher national insurance payments cover less than half of the additional cost. The resulting shortfall will be met from internal savings, non-replacement of a senior post, and from the increase in car park charges. Cllr Rake reported that he argued again for a larger discount to parking charges for residents. There is a residents concession permit which is valid from after 3:00pm until 10:00am in all SHDC operated car parks except the Dartmouth Park and Ride.

  1. Report from Devon County Council Councillor

Cllr Rake reported on behalf of DCC Cllr Brazil and on issues that effect both SHDC and DCC.

Regarding devolution, the Government said it would decide by the end of January if there were going to be DCC elections in May 2025, however it hasn’t advised yet. Cllr Brazil attended a meeting of District and County Council representatives at which it was said that the bill expected for the creation of a Devon unitary will be from £20 million to £100 million. The purpose of creating unitaries is to reduce costs. It is expected that the local government reform will happen and that unitary authorities of some sort will replace all current two-tier (District and County) arrangements. There will be approximately half a million people per unitary. There are complicated considerations to decide what communities will be combined into one unitary which have not yet been addressed.

DCC has also had a bad financial settlement, and so has the NHS.

  1. Planning Applications

    1. SHDC Planning Decisions

The following decision was noted:

  • Approved application to Name or Number a New Street [[RP/526439]]1 – 11 (consecutive) Dartmouth Grove, Blackawton, Totnes, TQ9 7FX.

    1. Review of New Applications

  • 0095/25/ARC Penlows Park Lane Blackawton TQ9 7BD. Application for approval of details reserved by condition 3 (Structural Drawings) to planning consent 2798/24/HHO.

No comment will be submitted by BPC.

  1. Planning Appeal Notification

The following appeal was noted:

  • 222/24/HHO Washwalk Mill Blackawton TQ9 7AE. Householder application for conversion & extension. to the Secretary of State in respect of the above site. The appeal follows the Refusal of Planning Permission of existing outbuildings as ancillary use only & additional parking.
  1. Consultations

  • Government Consultation: ‘Strengthening the Standards and Conduct Framework for Local Authorities in England’. Closes 12 February 2025.

Cllr Rake noted that code of conduct enforcement is important because greater responsibilities may be devolved. Cllrs may choose to comment as individuals.

  • Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service: Process to respond to automatic fire alarms.

Cllrs may choose to comment as individuals.

  1. Devolution

At a recent Devon Association of Local Councils’ information and discussion meeting a short statement from Parish Councils was asked for by mid-February, to support DALC’s advocacy on behalf of Parish Councils. It was agreed that Cllr Rake will write this statement, in consultation with the Clerk. The DALC meeting also suggested mapping whether there are areas of land in Blackawton which are currently owned by SHDC or DCC which Parish Councils might want to have transferred into their ownership.

  1. Finance

    1. Payments & Receipts

It was resolved to authorise the following payments:

  • Clerk Expenses Reimbursement November £34.96, December £28.23, and January £29.58

The following payments authorised since the last monthly meeting were noted:

  • Cleaning of Blackawton PC’s bus shelters £222.00

  • WCAG 2.2 standard website accessibility assessment £80.00

  • Tindle Newspapers, Advert for grounds maintenance contract £168.00
  • Cllr Haddow, Reimbursement for yellow rattle seed for Cemetery £50.00

    1. Giving Full Access Users the ability to share data from accountancy software providers with Lloyds Bank

It was resolved to respond to Lloyds that BPC will opt out.

  1. Grant Requests to made to the Parish Council

  • Sustainable Blackawton, Riverfly kick test kit

The application was considered. It was resolved to authorise the requested grant of £109.00.

  • Blackawton Village Hall, Funds to support the Village Hall’s Renovation

It was agreed that further information is needed. Cllr Coe will action this.

  1. Correspondence

The following correspondence was noted or discussed:

  • 7/1/25 South Hams District Council states its position on local government reform. It does not support the creation of one unitary council for Devon and wants time to consult the community.

  • 17/1/25 SHDC, Removal of most South Hams bottle banks by March 2025.

  • 22/1/25, From a member of the public, ‘Terrible Road’. They were supported to report to their own parish council, DCC Cllr, and to DCC

  • SHDC, Invitation to nominate for Community Awards. Closes 10/2/25.

  • Opergy Net Zero, Net Zero Pathways for Parish and Town Councils, online session 4/2/25

  • New in Neighbourhood Planning, online session 6/2/25

  1. Next Meeting

It was confirmed that the next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Tuesday 4 March 2025 at 7:30 p.m.

  1. Closure of the Meeting

It was resolved, in accordance with the 1960 Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act, to exclude the public and press during consideration of the following item(s) because of the commercial-in-confidence nature of the business.

  1. Internal Audit

It was resolved to confirm that the 24/25 internal audit will be done by the same auditor as in 23/24 at a cost of £165.