The draft minutes of Dittisham Parish Council’s meeting on 4 November 2020 can be read below or downloaded as a pdf here MN_2020 November 04 DPC Draft Minutes
DRAFT Minutes of the monthly meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held on Wednesday 4 November 2020 at 7:00p.m using public videoconferencing
Present: Cllrs Tucker (Chair), Anderson (Vice-Chair), Bond, Faulkner, Green, Lloyd, Neale, Nightingale, and Quinn were present, as were South Hams District Councillor McKay, Devon County Councillor Hawkins, and A Thom (Clerk). There was one member of the public.
204/20 Apologies
All councillors present.
205/20 Declaration of Interests
Councillor Anderson declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Item 9, Dittisham Court tree application, and Councillor Nightingale declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in Item 7.1 Barn at Capton planning application.
206/20 Approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 7 October 2020
It was resolved to approve the minutes.
207/20 Public Issues
207/20.1 Hedges overgrowing roads and footpaths
The meeting was advised that this problem is getting worse. Residents are reminded they are responsible for cutting back vegetation which grows from private property over a public road or footpath. It was agreed that the Clerk would write to some residents, in consultation with Cllr Faulkner who will provide the locations.
208/20 Community Reports
208/20.1 South Hams District Council Councillor
Cllr McKay raised the decision making process for the current Dartside garden building planning application. Cllr Anderson explained the reason for DPC’s view on the application.
208/20.2 Devon County Council Councillor
Cllr Hawkins said that SHDC and DCC are there to support residents during the second lockdown. They have grant schemes to help the most vulnerable, which can be accessed via the internet. Recycling centres will stay open. Public bus services are not affected. The planning decision for the proposed Health and Wellbeing Centre in Dartmouth will go to the Development Management Committee in December 2020. The plan is for the Centre to open in spring 2022. Cllr Hawkins has provided the Clerk with contact details for DCC staff which help with grants and funding for EV charging points. Lower Street will hopefully be resurfaced in the not too distant future and residents’ concerns about potential for damage to properties and drainage have been addressed. Officers will be on duty and will do their best to ensure that residents’ concerns are looked after. Dartmouth Caring is providing free meals to families that need them and will deliver prescriptions to Dittisham and Cornworthy. Food parcels from the Dartmouth Food Bank will be provided for distribution and replaced as necessary. Cllr Hawkins thanked Gail Mosley and residents of Dittisham for the amazing support of the Dartmouth Food Bank. Dartmouth Community Chest is providing food from Townstal Community Hall during half-term and Christmas meals for children. The Foodbank provides store cupboard staples, and can make food parcels family sized and more child friendly if required.
Cllr Hawkins met with the South Devon and Torbay NHS Trust this afternoon. They discussed the COVID 19 response. The Nightingale Ward in Exeter has been used over the summer; for seeing patients and scans etc. It is ready to be used now, and has 116 beds and 5 wards. Two of the wards could be ICUs staffed from all local NHS trusts in Devon.
Cllr Faulkner obtained confirmation that Shute Hill will be included in the resurfacing of Lower Street.
209/20 Communications in relation to planning/tree applications.
- 1476/20/ARC Greenbank Riverside Road Dittisham TQ6 0HS Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 4, 5 and 8 of planning consent 3578/19/FUL Discharge of condition Approved.
- 1669/20/HHO Capton Mill Cottage Capton Dittisham TQ6 0JE. Householder application for the erection of timber framed studio/workshop with washroom and replacement septic tank. Conditional Approval
- 2515/20/HHO & 2516/20/LBC 1 Glendale Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EY Householder Listed Building applications for internal alterations, general refurbishment and installation of 2no. rooflights. Conditional Approval
- 1126/20/ARC Bruckton Shippon Bruckton Cross To Ashplat Copse Dittisham Devon TQ6 0HW. Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 5, 7 & 8 ofplanning consent 4071/19/FUL. Discharge of condition Approved.
- 2626/20/ARC Bruckton Shippon Dittisham TQ6 0HW. Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 4 & 5 of listed building consent 0204/20/LBC. Discharge of condition Approved.
210/20 New planning applications.
- 3213/20/PDM Barn at SX 838 532 Capton Dittisham TQ6 0JE Application to determine if prior approval is required for proposed change of use of agricultural building to 1no. dwellinghouse (Class C3) and for associated operational development (Class Q(a+b)).
No discussion. For information.
- 3079/20/FUL River Farm Cottage Rectory Lane Dittisham TQ6 0HE. Extension to boathouse.
The meeting discussed what impact the proposal would have on the AONB, whether further development should be encouraged in this location, why this extension is needed, and development that has already taken place.
Support with DPC’s comment on reducing light pollution (proposed Cllr Anderson, seconded Cllr Faulkner, carried six votes to three).
- 2916/20/HHO & 2917/20/LBC Chipton Barton Dittisham TQ6 0HW. Retrospective householder application for landscaping works.
Support (resolution proposed Cllr Anderson, seconded Cllr Nightingale, unanimous).
211/20 New tree application
- 3188/20/TCA Dittisham Court Dittisham TQ6 0HS. T10: Cedar – Fell due to honey fungus. T15: Eucalyptus – Crown reduction by 3-4m due to signs of decay at base. T19: Weeping Willow -Repollard to original cuts due to decay within tree. T28: Maple – Fell to improve airflow and light to waste treatment plant.
Cllr Anderson was moved to the waiting area for the duration of this item.
The applicant should try to replant 2-3 trees for each tree removed.
Support (Resolution proposed Cllr Faulkner, seconded Cllr Green).
212/20 Other tree application
No objection was raised to the following application on which comments have closed:
- 3190/20/TCA Application Details – South West Devon Planning Search. T1: Pittosporum – Fell. Tree is dying.
213/20 Consultations
- Department for Transport, Pavement parking: options for change, Closes 22 November 2020.
Cllr Nightingale has read the proposals, and explained they include streamlining the process for the Council to designate no parking on pavements, to fine people blocking the pavement unnecessarily, TROs and fines. Cllr Anderson asked how to police in less populated areas. It was unanimously resolved to respond as discussed.
214/20 Reports from Councillors with Specific Responsibilities / External Forums
214/20.1 Working Groups
Cllr Neale will become a member of the Communications, Maintenance and Footpaths Working Groups.
214/20.2 Finance Working Group
The Group’s report was discussed by Cllr Tucker and its recommendations were unanimously approved. The 2020 car park income is now reduced by about £7,000 compared with the same stage of 2019. The recommendations were that DPC needs to be prudent in its spending decisions, making necessary payments, and deferring discretionary spending, to make the annual loan repayment as scheduled, and the charging of VAT on the OSS Ham Hire invoice.
215/20 EV Charging Points
It was agreed that The Level and The Ham car parks are suitable sites for inclusion by DCC in a funding bid.
Cllr McKay commented that street lighting posts can be converted to EV charging points at a cost of £200-£300 each.
The Clerk is asked to include Cllr Hawkins and Cllr Nightingale in discussions and meetings.
216/20 Dog Fouling
The consultation responses received to date were discussed. This is an issue that affects the whole Parish. A task and finish group was created to consider the issue and responses, and to prepare an action plan. Its members are Cllrs Neale, Nightingale, and Quinn. They will aim to report back to the 2 December meeting of DPC. Residents are all thanked very much for your comments to the consultation.
217/20 Willow Dome Project
The meeting considered the approval of the proposal to install a 3m diameter willow dome on the former log walk site on The Ham (£406). The meeting agreed to the proposal to defer a decision to the January 2021 meeting, consistent with the Finance resolution on spending. The project’s proposer will be invited to talk to that meeting. The Playground Working Group will talk to the proposer to find out more about the proposal.
218/20 Grant Policy
It was resolved to update the Policy by including the proposed clause to permit making a grant commitment over multiple years.
219/20 Financial Matters
219/20.1 Financial Report
It was resolved to support the report which showed a balance of £68,991.08 ad unearmarked reserves of £14,435.26.
219/20.2 Payments for approval–
It was resolved to approve the following payments
- Being a Good Councillor 2, £18.00
- Tindle Newspapers, Maintenance Contract Advert, £133.92
- Level Car Park Lender, LCP annual repayment, £5,000.00
- Brixham Town Council, Chapter 8 Training, £90.00
The invoice from DCC, One HGV sign, £501.20 was issued in error and a credit note is being issued by DCC.
It was resolved that the Clerk could make the second quarter VAT payment in consultation with the Finance Working Group, and that a Capton Bus Shelter Base Removal Invoice for £120 could be paid. Cllr Green confirmed the work was satisfactory.
220/20 Agreement to receive Agenda and Summons by email
It was confirmed that the Clerk will obtain signed agreement from Cllrs Lloyd and Neale.
221/20 Correspondence
- 20/10/20 AONB 60th Anniversary Young Carers fund raising for respite days out on the coast next summer. Sponsored walk of the 60 miles of the South West Coast Path in the AONB before April 2021.
- 17/10/20 Local electricity bill, Suggestion for councillors to organise an online visit to MP’s constituency surgery. Cllrs Anderson and Lloyd will attend for DPC. There will be two Blackawton Councillors present.
- 26/10/20 DCC, Safety tested reused TVs, vacuum cleaners and lamps available from some recycling centre resale shops. The Clerk will include in the Parish Magazine
- 26/10/20 Libraries Unlimited, Request funds to refurbish the mobile library van
- 28/10/20, Notice of a homeless person – referred/supported as relevant.
- Lower Street resurfacing, further correspondence between residents and DCC.
- Dog Fouling – responses to public consultation.
222/20 Next Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council
The next meeting of Dittisham Parish Council, which is scheduled for 2 December 2020 at 7:00 pm, was confirmed.
The meeting closed at 20:34.