The approved minutes can be read below or downloaded here: MN_2022 September DPC Approved Minutes

APPROVED Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held

in Dittisham Village Hall on Wednesday 7 September 2022 at 7:00p.m

Present: Cllrs Anderson (Chair). Nightingale (Vice-Chair), Bond, Green, Neale, and Unitt were present, as were A Thom (Clerk), and South Hams District Councillor McKay. There were no members of the public.

  1. Absent

Apologies were received from Councillor Tucker and Devon County Councillor Hawkins. Councillor Lloyd was absent.

  1. Declaration of Councillor’s Interests

Councillor Unitt told the meeting that he would not participate in the item to comment on planning application 2554/22/FUL for Water Edge because his view was predetermined.

  1. Approval of the minutes of the meeting held on 6 July 2022.

It was resolved to approve the minutes.

  1. Public Issues

    1. Energy Efficiency Grants

The form to access ECO Local Flexibility Grant Funding for households with less than £30k annual income via SHDC will be available to installers next week. SHDC has also responded that it is updating its webpage to make it clearer for residents.

  1. Community Reports

    1. South Hams District Council Councillor

Councillor McKay reported that Members will receive a briefing next week about the waste collection service. At present brown bin collections seem to to be the main issue for residents.

Councillor McKay described his efforts to have Baltic Wharf become centre of marine excellence, which might benefit the local economy, in preference to a housing development. He gave his apologies for the October meeting.

    1. Devon County Council Councillor

Deferred in the absence of DCC Councillor Hawkins.

  1. SHDC Planning Decisions

The following decisions were noted:

    1. 1355/22/LBC Dunedin Cottage The Quay Dittisham TQ6 0EZ. Listed building consent for new lean to shed to contain replacement electric boiler. Conditional Approval.

    2. 1806/22/PDM Barn at Barberry Farm Dittisham TQ6 0JA. Application to determine if prior approval is required for proposed change of use of agricultural buildings to 1No. dwellinghouse (Class C3) and for associated operational development (Class Q (a+b)). Withdrawn.

    3. 4130/21/FUL Yew Tree Cottage Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Removal of existing single storey rear extension & new 2 storey extension replacement, new veranda, modifications to parking, internal modifications, replacement garage & timber clad outbuilding within rear garden. Withdrawn.

    4. 1767/22/FUL Land at Barberry Farm Dittisham TQ6 0JA . Erection of general purpose agricultural building. Conditional Approval.

    5. 1732/22/LBC St Annes Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Listed building consent for replacement of external stores door. Conditional Approval.

    6. 2181/22/HHO Woodwater Riverside Road Dittisham TQ6 0HS. Householder application for new outbuilding in grounds of existing domestic dwelling. Conditional Approval.

  1. New planning applications
    1. 2406/22/LBC Mill Creek Cottage Lower Street Dittisham TQ6 0HY. Listed Building consent for repair works to timber roof structure

No comment has been made by DPC.

    1. 2707/22/HHO & 2708/22/LBC Mill Creek Cottage Lower Street Dittisham TQ6 0HY. Householder application & Listed Building consent for new glazed link extension with internal alterations to form ground floor WC.

It was unanimously resolved to Support.

    1. 2554/22/FUL Water Edge Lower Street Dittisham TQ6 0HY Change of use of Boathouse to short term holiday let (retrospective).

Cllr Unitt left the meeting.

It was unanimously resolved to Object because it is DPCs view that the use is unacceptable in the location. The reasons remain as in previous comments on related planning applications, including residential amenity and a negative effect on the character of the protected location.

Cllr Unitt returned to the meeting.

    1. Premises licence application for The Spinning Wheel, Hauley Road, Dartmouth, TQ69AA. No comment made. Received during Clerk’s leave.

    2. For information: 2517/22/CLP Kebechan House Capton TQ6 0JE. Certificate of lawfulness for proposed single dormer with Juliette balcony & amendments to fenestration (resubmission of 1104/22/CLP).

    3. For information: 2448/22/CLE Dittisham Landfill Dittisham TQ6 0HP. Certificate of Lawfulness for Existing use of barn for agricultural purposes, storage of agricultural products, machinery, feed and animals for general shelter and TB testing.

  1. New tree applications
    1. 2734/22/TCA St Annes Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. T0073: Magnolia tree – Crown reduction from existing height to 4.5 metres & Crown lift to 2 metres above ground to reduce spread to keep tree in proportion and to manage the size of tree in small garden
    2. 2773/22/TCA Mulberry House DittishamTQ6 0ER. T2: Sycamore – Pollard tree leaving stem 4m from ground level, to maintain as a smaller canopy and less of a presence on the house below; T3: Mulberry – Crown lift to approx 2m from ground level, sympathetic crown reduction by up to 1m on patio/house side to shape and improve form; T4: Oak – Crown reduction on all sides by up to 1-2mto manage re-growth and improve form; T5 Cherry – Crown reduction by up to 2m to improve canopy form; T:10 Leyland Cypress – to be felled to ground, completely overpowering area, more suitable specimen to be re-planted.

It was resolved to make no comment on either of the above applications.

  1. Consultations

  • SHDC survey of residents’ views ‘My place, My Views. Closes 17/10/22, 5 p.m.

The Clerk will resend the survey.

  1. Personnel Committee

It was resolved to agree the proposed special resolution to change the decision of the May meeting to create a combined HR and Finance Committee, and to create a Personnel Committee and Subcommittee with the Terms of Reference agreed by the 6 July meeting of DPC. It was resolved that the members of the Personnel Committee will be Cllrs Nightingale, Bond, and Neale.

  1. Reports from Councillor Working Groups & External Forums

    1. Maintenance Working Group

It was resolved to alter the maintenance contract to be able to instruct contractors to adjust the areas of Ham Triangle to be left as uncut habitat areas.

The Manor Street turning bay project has been commenced by the Maintenance Working Group councillors.

It was suggested to add flexibility and related reporting back to DPC into the next maintenance contract.

It was suggested to measure the recovery of species, perhaps linked to a topographical survey, inviting involvement of the Parish, and possibly creating a method which could be made available to other PCs.

  1. Cancelled Dart 10K 2022 Event

It was resolved to refund the £1,500 damage deposit payment for the September 2022 Hire of The Ham.

  1. Risk Assessment Report of DPC’s Trees

The Clerk asked the surveyor to rerun risk assessments with different pedestrian and damage costs values. One was retained and it was advised that one was not appropriate. These changes do not change the categories of assessed risk. The Clerk was asked to obtain quotes for recommended works to the large Rauli in the Level Car Park (crown raise and reduce crown) and to fell dead elms on The Ham. Options to retain standing deadwood and to retain felled trees etc. to be discussed.

  1. Defibrillators

It was confirmed that defibrillator and CPR training will take place on Wednesday 19 October at 7:00 pm in the Village Hall. DPC agreed a project for the next two defibrillators to be installed in Capton and on The Ham.

  1. Parish Lengthsman .

It was resolved to appoint a contractor to take on the remainder of the 22/23 contract with an hourly rate of £22.

  1. Request for a Memorial Bench.

Representative of DPC will meet with the requestor of a memorial bench on The Ham or on the foreshore where previous bench was located to discuss options and report back to DPC.

  1. Financial Matters

    1. Financial Report

The Report was approved by resolution. DPC’s total funds were £84,864.47, reserves £46,329.77, and general funds £38,534.7. The car parks’ RingGo and machine receipts are approximately as budgeted. The budget was 90% of 21/22 income. This is an increase on 19/20 and 20/21 receipts.

    1. Payments

It was resolved to approve making the following payments:

  • Tree Risk Assessment Survey £540

  • Clerk Expenses Reimbursement £25.94

  • Cllr Bond reimbursement for replacement Padlock £18.76

  • Parish Lengthsman August 2022 £70

  • Village Hall Hire May to June 2022 £132

The following payments made since the July meeting were noted:

  • South West Water, Quay Tap, £3.27

  • Clerk Reimbursed for rapid COVID tests, £55.99

  • Cllr Bond Reimbursed Bus Shelter Wood filler, £10.45

  • Pension, June, £120.94. July £82.75

  • Clerk Salary July £1,101.62, August £1,101.82

  • HMRC PAYE/NI/ENI July £116.61, August £116.41

  • HMRC VAT £3,413.92

    1. Option to opt out of the SAAA central external auditor appointment arrangements

It was confirmed that DPC will remain in the central scheme.

    1. HMRC VAT Payment Update

HMRC has provided the new form required to update the ‘payments from’ account.

  1. To note or consider correspondence

The following correspondence was noted:

  • June 2022 Lloyds Bank Paper free statements: Responded to retain paper for now

  • 11/7/22, Resident, Removal of Liwentaal model plane from the Village Hall: Referred to VHMC

  • 8/8/22 Resident regarding Dittisham Regatta road race: Referred to organiser. The meeting agreed that DPC will follow this up with DCC.

  • 23/8/22 DCC contacted about repainting 20mph road markings: Reply – not a safety defect, no action.

  • Invitation: Scribefest 2022 @ Fri Sep 9, 9:45am – 3pm

  • Invitation – Sustainable South Hams Assembly – Sat 8th Oct (10.00 am to 2.00 pm)

  1. Next meeting

It was confirmed that the next meeting of Dittisham Parish Council will take place on 5 October 2022 at 7:00 pm.

The meeting closed at 9:02 pm.