APPROVED Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held using public videoconferencing on Wednesday 1 July 2020 at 7:00p.m.
Present: Cllrs Tucker (Chair), Anderson (Vice-Chair), Bond, Faulkner, Green, Lloyd, Nightingale, and Quinn were present, as were South Hams District Councillor McKay, Devon County Cllr Hawkins, and A Thom (Clerk). There were three members of the public.
145/20 Apologies
All councillors present.
146/20 Declaration of Interests
Cllr Tucker declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Item 12.4, OSS Event Booking Request.
Cllr Quinn declared a personal interest in Item 8.5, Dartside planning application
147/20 Approval of Minutes
It was resolved to approve the minutes of the meeting held on 3 June 2020.
148/20 COVID-19 Response
The project to ensure that residents and visitors have access to support and information was reviewed.
It was commented that DPC needs to be ready with a plan in the event of a local lockdown.
149/20 Public Issues.
149/20.1 Dartside Planning Application
A member of the public commented on errors in the plans, and raised concerns: no measurements of new building are provided to inform a decision, the application doesn’t show that the proposed building overlooks Bay Cottage’s garden, and that it can be seen from river.
The Agent for the applicant said that they have provided additional information which gives area for current and proposed buildings – the proposed is about double the surface area of the current.
150/20 Community Reports
150/20.1 South Hams District Council Councillor
The West Dart ward has been responding to COVID-19 as a cluster with Totnes. This has been very useful. It is being reviewed and South Hams District Cllr McKay hopes it will continue and be developed. Business support via the discretionary grant is ongoing. Another tranche is coming up. There will be three. If any businesses haven’t applied, please encourage them to apply.
SHDC is not in a good place financially. There will be an emergency budget in September. Building Back Better workshops will be held over the next few months. Cllr McKay said that there is a lot of local concern as lockdown is being eased, and he will keep a watching brief.
150/20.2 Devon County Councillor
There have been no COVID-19 deaths in the Dartmouth area to date. There was a meeting with the NHS Trust this afternoon – it is monitoring the situation closely. Dartmouth has a recovery plan with Dartmouth Town Council and SHDC. It has a reopening plan with street cafes on the embankment. The Park and Ride will be open for the school holidays. The Seymour Drive planning application has been withdrawn.
151/20 Communications in relation to planning applications.
151/20.1 1025/20/FUL & 1026/20/LBC Downton Farm Dittisham TQ6 0JD. Householder and Listed building consent for construction of new garden store building and associated external works. Conditional Approval.
152/20 New planning/tree applications.
152/20.1 1105/20/HHO & 1106/20/LBC Dartside Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Householder application and Listed Building Consent for construction of ancillary garden building (summerhouse) within rear curtilage.
Object (Resolution proposed Cllr Anderson, seconded Cllr Faulkner, Cllr Quinn abstained)
Size and Shape of the Building
The building is dominant and inappropriate for its location in a Conservation Area and in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The floor area is over twice that of the existing summer house. Because the proposed building would rise up on stilts at the front end to well over 4 metres at the eaves, the floor area alone greatly understates the physical impact of the proposed building.
The current garden house is a small garden building. The proposed building is a quite different separate unit of accommodation in the garden.
Impact on the AONB
The proposed building would be widely visible – including from the River Dart. It is DPC’s view that it has a negative impact on the character of the landscape, and that it fails the National Planning Policy Framework’s requirement to conserve and enhancing landscape of the AONB.
Overlooking and Loss of Privacy
The current Summerhouse is about 4.5 metres from the downhill (eastern) boundary. The proposed building would be located just over 1 metre from that boundary. It has a glazed opening and would look into the existing properties downhill.
Construction Method Statement
Given the proposal’s location on Manor Street, the Construction Method Statement needs to address important points such as timing of deliveries.
The meeting also commented that no effort has been made to reduce the negative impact of the building on its environment. It has been placed in the narrowest part of the garden. It could be built into the hillside. Relocation would remove the need to remove a tree.
152/20.2 1585/20/FUL Land Adjacent To Dartmouth Park And Ride Site Wessex Way Dartmouth TQ6 0JL. Construction of new two storey Health and Well-being Centre and associated external works.
Support (resolution proposed Cllr Anderson, seconded Cllr Quinn, unanimous)
152/20.3 1650/20/LBC Chipton Barton Dittisham TQ6 0HW. Retrospective listed building consent for conversion of swimming pool barn and proposed refurbishment works.
1649/20/HHO Chipton Barton Dittisham TQ6 0HW. Retrospective householder application for conversion of swimming pool barn and proposed refurbishment works.
Support both of the above Chipton Barton applications (resolution proposed Cllr Anderson, seconded Cllr Faulkner, unanimous)
152/20.4 1476/20/ARC Greenbank Riverside Road Dittisham TQ6 0HS. Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 4 and 5 of planning consent 3578/19/FUL.
Support (resolution proposed Cllr Anderson, seconded Cllr Faulkner, unanimous)
153/20 Enforcement Cases
DPC considered giving requested feedback to SHDC on current cases.
154/20 Licencing Application
Variation to a premises licence application from Anchorstone Cafe, Manor Street, Dittisham, Dartmouth, TQ6 0EX. The variation application is to: Include the supply of alcohol for consumption off the premises during the current times authorised for on sales – Monday to Saturday 10:00am – midnight, Sunday 10:00am – 11:30pm.
Support on the conditions that the change is for the period of COVID-19 restrictions and any related problems with litter/rubbish are the Anchorstone Cafe’s responsibility (resolution proposed Cllr Lloyd and seconded Cllr Nightingale).
155/20 Consultations
- Local Government Association, Model Code of Conduct, Closes 17/8/20.
Comment deferred to the Agenda of a July Extraordinary meeting.
- England Tree Strategy. Closes 11 September 2020.
Comment deferred to the September Agenda. Tree Wardens Cllrs Faulkner and Green, and Cllr Nightingale will meet virtually to discuss and make recommendations.
156/20 Reports from Councillors with Specific Responsibilities / External Forums
156/20.1 Reports from Working Groups
The circulated Reports were noted, the revised description of working groups discussed, and the membership of groups reviewed. Cllr Tucker said that working groups are normally about three people and should take a majority view on way forward and on working group reports – not that of any one councillor. The Clerk is responsible for instructing contractors, or there will be confusion. It was agreed that the Communication WG would be activated as and when it was required. It can review whether the parish website is up to date. The Clerk will update the description of working groups.
156/20.2 Old Chapel Burial Ground
It was resolved that DPC will not take any action in response to the unauthorised realignment of a low retaining wall of the Old Chapel Burial Ground. Cllr Quinn abstained.
156/20.3 Ham Maintenance
It was unanimously resolved to take the same approach as South Hams District Council to re-open the playground. SHDC is not sanitising play equipment before reopening or during use. SHDC is not proposing to install hand sanitisers because in the Council’s experience to date, any provision of such a sanitiser is quickly stolen or vandalised.
156/20.4 Ham Events – Outdoor Swimming Society Dart 10K Event Booking Request
Cllr Tucker was removed from the meeting.
It was resolved to approve the request for events in 2021 and 2022, for 800 swimmers, with the qualifications/conditions that the disabled parking in the Football Field is essential for the event to take place, and that the risk assessment, site plan, and insurance will be required by 1 July in the relevant year.
157/20 Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner Councillor Advocate Scheme
It was resolved that Cllr Lloyd would be Dittisham’s Advocate on the scheme, and to share an advocate with Blackawton if they wish to do so.
158/20 Car Parks
It was resolved to instruct the Clerk to arrange formal documentation of the existing arrangements for DPC to use SHDC’s RingGo and Permit systems.
159/20 Maintenance Contract
It was resolved to implement the contract’s requirement for relevant certificates of competency.
160/20 Capton Bus Shelter
It was resolved to accept the submission to purchase the shelter for £350, and the risk assessment provided by the purchaser.
161/20 Financial Matters
161/20.1 Consider approval of Financial Report
The report, which showed a total balance pf £60,116.87 and unearmarked reserves of £0.91, and the bank reconciliation were approved.
161/20.2 Insurance
It was resolved to accept the responses to business interruption and replacement value enquiries. The insurance broker confirmed that the policy only offers cover on a reinstatement as new basis, and the Business Interruption section is included as standard. The policy will cover loss of revenue due to damage, but due to theft only up to £500. Equipment breakdown cover would not apply to the car park machines.
161/20.3 Payments
It was resolved to approve the following payments. Cllr Faulkner declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in the final payment and abstained
- Ham Maintenance Contractor 2019/20 contract £4,700.00
- Car Park Supervisor Supervision March to July 2020 £400.00
- Came & Company Insurance £541.62
- Lengthsman Dec 2019 to May 2020 £100.00
- Cllr Faulkner Padlock and noticeboard materials £39.39
161/20.4 Clerk’s Expenses Reimbursement
It was resolved to approve expenses reimbursement claim CE35 £124.84.
161/20.5 2019/20 Internal Audit
The Auditor’s report was noted.
161/20.6 Review of the effectiveness of the system of internal control
It was noted that the review was approved by the June meeting.
161/20.7 2019/20 Audit Annual Governance Statement
It was resolved to approve the statement.
161/20.8 2019/20 Audit Accounting Statements.
The Statement was considered.
161/20.9 2019/20 Audit Accounting Statements
It was resolved to approve the Statements
161/20.10 2019/20 Audit Accounting Statements
Signature of the Accounting Statement by Cllr Tucker.
162/20 Clerk’s request for annual leave
The request for leave 7/7/20-21/8/20, 21/12-31/12/20, and to carry forward five days leave were approved
163/20 Correspondence
- DCC, Double yellow lines opposite level car park, Lines will be repainted as soon as possible.
164/20 Next Meeting
The next ordinary meeting of Dittisham Parish Council will be held on 2 September 2020 at 7:00 pm.
An extraordinary meeting will take place on 22 July 2020 at 7:00 pm
The meeting closed at 21:37