MN_2022 January DPC Approved Minutes
APPROVED Minutes of a Public Virtual Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held on
Wednesday 5 January 2022 at 7:00p.m via Zoom conferencing
Present: Councillors Anderson (Vice-Chair, meeting Chair), Bond, Lloyd, Neale, Nightingale, Quinn, and Unitt were present, as were Devon County Councillor Hawkins and South Hams District Councillor McKay, and A. Thom (Clerk).
- COVID-19
Taking into account the COVID risks, councillors’ views, and the need to hold a face to face meeting a decision was made for the Parish Council to only meet via Zoom. This is therefore not a formal Parish Council meeting. It instructed the Clerk on operational and business continuity decisions as permitted by delegated authority. Decisions of principle or policy have been deferred.
- Apologies
Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Tucker and Cllr Green.
- Declaration of Interests
Cllr Quinn declared an interest in the Dartside planning applications.
- Approval of the minutes of the meetings held on 3 November and 1 December 2021.
This item was deferred.
Councillors discussed the difficulty of not being able to make all decisions in a virtual meeting – as was possible when government legislation permitting virtual Parish Council meetings was in force. The Clerk will write to government to describe the problem.
- Public Issues
- Meeting with a resident to discuss their correspondence about the amount of Building Work in the Village. To agree DPC’s response.
This item was deferred.
- Community Reports
- South Hams District Council Councillor
SHDC Cllr McKay said that there is there is a senior SHDC working group considering the delivery of Waste and Recycling service.
The Affordable Housing Task and Finish Group is looking at best practice, for example what other local authorities nationally are doing. It welcomes any input.
Cllr McKay has been to six parish councils about the procedure for installing speed indicator devices and found that there is confusion about the process. Devon County Council procedures relaxed in July 2020 and this can now be done via the DCC Neighbourhood Officer.
SHDC is about to set its budget.
The Local Government Association is lobbying for permission to hold virtual meetings and agrees it should be standard and an available option.
Harris and Sons hardware store in Totnes is closing down, which Cllr McKay commented is very sad.
Cllr Nightingale said that regarding business rates, councils can charge based on the rateable value or a percentage of the profit. He will pass information on to Cllr McKay.
Cllr Anderson commented that Dittisham has issues with speed in the summer.
- Devon County Council Councillor
DCC Cllr Hawkins agreed that interactive speed signs are now easy to install and said that this hasn’t been raised by DPC in the past. The community decides the location. They cost £1,500-£2,500. Signs with speed limit are not advised by DCC because drivers might drive faster to clock their speed. Installation could be achieved in six months.
The Health and Wellbeing Centre is progressing. Cllr Hawkins visited Bakers Estate on Tuesday. The first 12 residences have been moved into. There will be about 115 ‘affordable’ properties.
The first Youth Leisure night at the Dartmouth Leisure Centre is next Friday. It is required to sign up in advance and have permission.
Work is going to take place on Bow Hill in Ashprington.
- SHDC Planning Decisions
The following decisions were noted:
- 3363/21/HHO 2 Watermans Cottage Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Householder application for 15 solar panels on two frames in garden. Conditional Approval.
- 3322/21/HHO Mason Park Capton TQ6 0JE. Householder application for new sun room to replace porch. Conditional Approval.
- New Planning Applications
- 4472/21/ARC Spindlewood Higher Street Dittisham Devon TQ6 0HT. Application for approval of details reserved by condition 4 of Planning Permission 2455/21/FUL.
No comment.
- 4423/21/CLB Dunedin Cottage The Quay Dittisham Devon TQ6 0EZ. Certificate of Lawfulness of Proposed Works to a Listed Building following leakage of kerosene from domestic boiler to the rear of the property.
SHDC Officers will make a decision based on evidence provided to SHDC.
- 1778/21/HHO & 1779/21/LBC Dartside Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Householder application & Listed Building consent for installation of air heat source pump.
It was resolved to request a noise impact assessment and to note an anomaly in the application regarding the proposed position of the pump (resolution proposed Cllr Anderson, seconded Cllr Nightingale, Cllr Quin abstained, the vote was unanimous). DPC deferred taking a view until further information is provided.
- Correspondence, 3/12/21 Resident, Construction of a balcony instead of a Juliette balcony Sherwood Cottage 3024/21/HHO
This item was deferred.
- Consultations
To consider submitting a response from DPC.
- Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, Draft Community Risk Management Plan, 14/1/22
The local the Operational Readiness Manager has responded to DPC’s correspondence. They have offered to discuss the areas of concern to evidence how the Service would respond to an incident. It was agreed that Cllr Unitt would meet with them and report back to DPC.
The Operational Readiness Manager also offered to talk about the importance of home safety visits, smoke detectors and other prevention work / advice that the Service provides to support our communities to try and prevent incidents from occurring. Councillors suggested that this would be a good subject to address in the Annual Parish Meeting.
- Technical Consultation on the Local Government Finance Settlement for 2022/23, 13/1/22
No comment made.
- One-off emptying of Brown Bins
No objections were raised to advertising the offer from an Ashprington Parish Councillor for he and some other ex-servicemen to do a one-off emptying of brown bins left sitting full in Dittisham to the Ashprington Community Composting site.
- Reports from Councillors’ Working Groups & External Forums
- Playground Task and Finish Group
The approval of the Playground TAFG’s unanimous suggestion that it be disbanded was deferred.
- Maintenance Working Group
The Group has circulated a Report. The meeting resolved to go ahead and do two maintenance items – to replace the sleepers across the stream next to The Ham car park and in the bus shelter to replace a damaged slat and install a larger noticeboard. A risk assessment will be carried out for the installation of the sleepers. The MWG will do the bus shelter work.
- Dog Fouling Task & Finish Group
It was confirmed that DPC will ask SHDC to place a dog waste bin near Rectory Lane, at the end of the track towards Bozomzeal. This was agreed by the November meeting subject to the Notice of Intent, trying to contact the owner of the land, and consulting nearby neighbours, which have been done.
- Village Hall Management Committee – To respond to the letter to DPC dated 2/11/21
This item was deferred.
- Village Hall Management Committee
The consideration of the proposal that DPC contributes Items 7, £252 Annual cost of WiFi Internet Connection, and Item 8, £1850 Carpentry Repairs to outside Stores – including new fascia board, doors, gutters etc. was deferred.
To make the grant the Council should be confident that value for money has been obtained, so it would be very useful to have an application from the VHMC which provides that information. Cllr Neale will follow this up.
- Financial Matters
- Payments Due
It was resolved to authorise the following payments:
- SHDC, Final 2021 Maintenance Contract, £2,357.86
- Devon Association of Local Councils, Being a Good Councillor Short Course, £48.00
- Clerk, Expenses reimbursement CE45, £57.77
- Payments Made
Payments since the 1 December meeting were noted:
- ARCCAS, Ham Maintenance Jobs, £472.80
- Scribe, Accounting Software, Annual & set up fees, £450.00
- Contract Signs, Playground, turning bay, & slippery signs, £126.00
- Information Commissioner’s Office, Direct Debit Annual Fee, £35.00
- Risk Assessment Review
Approval of the 2021 Review as circulated was deferred.
- Overtime Claim
It was resolved to approve the Clerk’s claim for five hours overtime in December.
- Making Tax Digital VAT Return Digital Requirement
Approval of the use of Scribe to submit the required returns was deferred.
- Jubilee Steps – Consideration of the recommendations in the Report was deferred.
- Correspondence
The following correspondence has been addressed, for information only.
- Received
- 2/12/21, Dittisham Utd, Has withdrawn from the South Devon Football League
- Sent
- 2/12/21 Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service Request for confirmation of current assessment of how it will access residences in Dittisham
- Next meeting
It was confirmed that the next ordinary meeting of Dittisham Parish Council will be held 2 February 2022 at 7:00 pm.
- Extraordinary Meeting to set the 2021/22 Budget and Precept.
A meeting was scheduled for Wednesday 26 January.
- Closure of the Meeting
It was resolved to close the meeting because of the commercial-in-confidence nature of the remaining business.
- Consideration of Quotes for work agreed by the meeting
It was resolved to purchase two reclaimed sleepers from Bradfords: £41.39 each plus £12.50 delivery
It was resolved to purchase two timber slats to fix the seat in the bus shelter, £20, and cork board for the noticeboard £19.99.
The meeting closed at 20:36.