Approved Minutes 2025 May

May 23, 2025 | Minutes

APPROVED Minutes of the Meetings of Blackawton Parish Council held on
Tuesday 13 May 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in Blackawton Village Hall

Present: Parish & South Hams District Council Cllr Rake (Chair), Parish Cllrs Oughton (Vice-Chair and Chair of the first part of the Annual meeting), Hadow, Luckens, Mardon, and Thomas were present, as were two members of the public for the Open Forum, Clerk A Thom, and DCC Cllr Brazil for his report.
Absent: All Cllrs present.

a. Open Forum

Interment Request

Members of the family who have requested permission for the interment of two of their family members, who had never been resident in Blackawton, to be granted permission to apply on the basis that they had a strong family connection to Blackawton spoke to the meeting and shared historical photos and documents.

b. Councillors Forum

Management of the Churchyard Wall

The Clerk noted that the Churchyard wall vegetation is becoming overgrown and that the Maintenance contract remains vacant. The discussion supported re-advertising the vacant contract and seeking a resident to help to monitor and manage the wall.

Annual Meeting of the Parish Council

  1. Election of Chair

It was unanimously resolved to re-elect Cllr Rake.

Cllr Rake entered the meeting.

  1. Election of Vice-Chair

It was unanimously resolved to re-elect Cllr Oughton.

  1. Chair and Vice-Chair’s Signature of Declaration of Acceptance of Office

Agenda items 2 and 4 were combined. Both Declarations were signed and witnessed.

  1. Apologies for absence

All Cllrs present.

  1. Ordinary Meetings of the Parish Council

The timing of ordinary meetings of the Council was changed: to the second Monday of each month excluding August. The meetings will continue to be in the Village Hall starting at 7:30 p.m.

  1. Appointments to special areas of responsibility

It was decided to seek a member of the public who walks the footpaths to be a Footpath Warden. This position is currently Vacant.

The resident who is the Tree Warden has confirmed that they are willing to continue, which was agreed with thanks.

The Parish Council is seeking a member of the public to be the Blackawton Snow Warden. BPC’s grit spreader requires repair. It was agreed that Cllr Coe will follow these items up.

  1. To confirm BPC’s Delegations of Authority to the Clerk

The Delegations were confirmed unchanged.

  1. To consider approval of revised Standing Orders .

It was resolved to approve the revised version as circulated. It has been updated to the latest version of the Model Standing Orders.

  1. To consider approval of revised Financial Regulations

It was resolved to approve the revised version as circulated. It has been updated to the latest version of the Model Regulations. The Clerk noted that they have added to BPC’s version (section 6.8) that the Clerk/RFO can authorise payment of invoices of up to £1,000 for purchases that have already been authorised by the Council, in order to help prompt payment of contractors and suppliers.

  1. Asset Register

The Asset Register as at 31/03/25 was confirmed.

  1. Confirmation of arrangements for insurance cover in respect of all insurable risks

The three year agreement which ends 3/5/26 was noted.

  1. Review of the Council’s Subscriptions to other bodies, Contracts, & Direct Debit mandates.

The list was noted. Cllr Coe and the Clerk will follow up payment of the inflation component of the grant made in 2023 to pay for the 24 month contract for broadband in the Village Hall, which is nearing the end of the contract.

  1. Review of the Council’s Bank signatory mandate.

Cllr Coe is to be removed from the mandate as previously decided by BPC.

  1. Approval of the list of due payments which arise on a regular basis as the result of a continuing contract , statutory duty, or obligation, and which will be authorised by the Council and paid in response to correct invoices.

It was resolved to approve the proposed list of due payments.

  1. Review of the list of the Council’s policies and procedures, and to agree any action required.

It was agreed that outstanding reviews will be carried out progressively over the coming months.

  1. To consider and approve the 2025 Statement of Internal Controls.

It was resolved to approve the Statement.

  1. To consider and approve the 2025 Risk Register Review.

It was resolved to approve the Register after the correction of a typographical error (which shows a risk calculation of 47 instead of 4).

May Meeting of the Parish Council

  1. Apologies

All Cllrs present.

  1. Declarations of Interest

None declared.

  1. Minutes of Previous Meetings

It was resolved to approve Minutes of the Meeting held 1 April 2025.

  1. Report from Devon County Council Councillor

DCC Cllr Brazil reported that the new administration will be decided on 27 May, in the DCC Annual Meeting. Liberal Democrats will set the tone of the administration. Their priorities will be: 1. To change the culture at Devon County Council. 2. To address the delivery of Children’s Services. The Ofsted report today rated CS as inadequate, which has been the case for over 10 years now. Cllr Brazil will take the lead with at least two other cabinet members. There are some signs of improvement which need to continue and to speed up. 3. Potholes. It costs £180 to repair a pothole in Devon and £60 in Somerset. Cllr Brazil would prefer to bring the service in-house, to provide control if things goes wrong, and if that’s not possible for there to be an airtight contract.

  1. Report from South Hams District Council Councillor

Cllr Rake reported that one of the knock-on effects of Cllr Brazil standing as Leader of DCC is that he has resigned as Leader of SHDC. There will be elections on Thursday for a new Leader, and for a Deputy Leader (for which Cllr Rake is standing). Cllr Rake will chase the outstanding request for grant funding from SHDC for the Blackawton Community Composting site. There was a discussion about problems with the PayByPhone parking tariff payment app timing out and not processing payments, which Cllr Rake will pass on to Officers. Regarding negative feedback about the increase in parking tariffs, it was noted that SHDC had the choice of cutting services or increasing revenue. The tariffs are now mid-range in the South West. In the future SHDC will increase tariffs gradually.

The recent accident at Forces Cross, where the road from the village intersects with the A3122, was raised by a Parish Cllr. DCC Cllr Brazil will raise this matter with DCC officers with a view to works to improve visibility.

  1. Planning Applications

    1. SHDC Planning Decisions

The following decision was noted:

  • 1272/25/ARC Shearstone Farm, TQ9 7DG. Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 8 (Tinted Windows) and 9 (Facing/ Roofing Materials) of planning consent 1387/20/FUL. Discharge of Condition Approved.

    1. Review of New Applications

  • 0906/25/HHO Myrtle Cottage Eastdown Blackawton TQ9 7AP. Householder application for single storey extension to side & rear.

Support (by resolution, Cllr Rake abstained).

No comment will be made by BPC on the applications below.

  • New premises licence application from Coastal Trail Café at Riverside Court, South Embankment, Dartmouth, TQ6 9BH. noted

  • Application to Set up 5 tables and 20 chairs outside the front entrance under The Butterwalk, on the pavement from Monday to Sunday during the hours of 07:00-18:00. noted

  • 0971/25/ARC Woodford Farm, The Linney Blackawton TQ9 7AA. Application for approval of details reserved by condition 6 (Drainage) to planning consent 3967/23/FUL.

  1. Consultations

  • South Devon National Landscape Management Plan Review – Public Survey

The survey was noted. It is available from the Blackawton community website.

  1. French Furze Development in Blackawton

Cllr Rake reported that the developer does not appear to currently be taking action. He is meeting with SHDC on 29 May about the development. The Business Units CIC has keys to the units. Cllrs Rake and Thomas will meet with SHDC to do a site completion assessment after SHDC receives site documentation from the developer.

  1. Emergency Plan & Climate Emergency Plan

It was agreed to invite Devon Communities Together (DCT) to talk to a public meeting about how to create an Emergency Plan and why Emergency Plans are important to residents. The Plan will be most useful if there is wide community involvement in its creation.
DCT can help to make an Emergency Plan and to provide access to grant funding, for example up to £1,500 to buy equipment identified eg two way radios to use if there is an ongoing power outage.

It was agreed to propose to DCT holding the public meeting on Monday 16 or 23 June at 7:30 p.m.

  1. Neighbourhood Plan

Cllr Oughton left the meeting.

The meeting discussed the value of Neighbourhood Plans to create community led local planning policy. Cllrs considered whether to invite a speaker for a public meeting about Neighbourhood Plans. It was decided to work on an Emergency Plan first, and to revisit this with an agenda item in the autumn.

  1. Review of Meeting Action Items List

The List was briefly reviewed. The Asset Register for bins and grit bins will remain as it is. Cllr Rake reported that the matter about ensuring the safe closure of the road while cattle are crossing, where BPC was assisting with local communication while noting that it was a DCC matter, has been successfully completed and can be closed.

  1. Finance

    1. Update on Current Financial Position

The Reports were received and the Bank Reconciliation at 31 March 2025 signed.

    1. Payments & Receipts

Cllr Coe declared an interest.

It was resolved to authorise the following payments:

  • Clerk April Expenses Reimbursement £31.15

  • Cllr Coe Reimbursement Parish Meeting Refreshments from Community Shop £17.57

  • Parish meeting speaker Mileage £6.45

  • Grounds Maintenance Churchyard Frequent 01, 15, & 29 April £306.00

  • Grounds Maintenance Cemetery Biodiversity 15 April £42.00

  • Grounds Maintenance Cemetery Frequent 01, 15, & 29 April £324.00

  1. Applications to BPC for Grant Funds

    1. West Dart Bus

The application from Ivybridge & District Community Transport Association for £250.00 for the West Dart Bus was considered and it was resolved to approved a grant of the £300.00 allocated in the 25/26 BPC Budget for this purpose.

    1. Bulb Grant

It was resolved to approve use of some the remaining £156 grant funds awarded to replant hanging baskets in the village: £53.97 incl. VAT.

    1. Sustainable South Hams

It was resolved to make a donation of £75 with thanks. BPC valued the speaker from SSH who attended the Annual Meeting and values SSH’ ongoing help to establish a community composting site.

  1. Blackawton Cemetery

It was resolved to grant the requested permission to apply for interment in the Blackawton Cemetery on the basis that of a strong family connection to Blackawton.

  1. Grit Spreader

The inspection and assessment of repair of the grit spreader was addressed in Annual Meeting of the Parish Council Item 6 above.

  1. Correspondence

The following invitation was noted:

  • Invitation to BPC, South Devon National Landscape Management Plan Review. Start to Stoke Fleming including the Slapton Line, 11th August at 6:00p.m. Online.

  1. Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Monday 9 June at 7:30p.m.

The meeting closed at 21:48.