The Minutes can be read below or downloaded here: MN_2023 December DPC Approved Minutes
APPROVED Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held in
Dittisham Village Hall on Wednesday 6 December 2023 at 7:00p.m.
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Public Forum
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a. South Devon Rural Housing Association
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The Chief Executive of SDRHA spoke to the meeting and answered questions. SDRHA needs to decide whether to spend approximately £50,000 on works required to a property in the village or alternatively to sell that property and use the funds elsewhere. A similar property was advertised recently. There were no applicants from the Parish.
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Present: Cllrs Nightingale (Chair), Bond (Vice-Chair), Golding, Green, Hodge, Lloyd, Neale, and Unitt, SHDC Cllr McKay, and were present, as were A Thom (Clerk). One members of the public was present in the room during the open forum and one over Zoom.
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Apologies
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Apologies for absence were received from Parish Cllr Tucker and DCC Cllr Hawkins.
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Declaration of Interests
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Cllr Golding declared an Other Registerable Interest in the Yew Tree Cottage planning application, Cllr Hodge declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in works to The Ham retaining wall, and Cllr Nightingale declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in the proposal to register The Red Lion Inn as an asset of community value.
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Approval of Minutes
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It was resolved to approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 1 November 2023.
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Community Reports
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South Hams District Council Councillor
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SHDC Cllr McKay reported that SHDC is working on its Council Plan. Housing is a priority. There is a South Hams Housing Officer. They plan to assist CLTs: including provision of a template of support and help to broker with housing associations when delivering housing.
SHDC is has acquired land at South Brent for a community forest. It will generate income. SHDC will be able to sell carbon offsets. Investment in Elm Community Energy is under consideration.
The University of Western England has produced a report on the impact of climate change on the South Hams. Part one has been provided and part two, regarding sea level and flooding, will follow. South Hams will have milder winters with more rainfall and hot dry summers – with an effect on farming and river flows and requiring water conservation and rainwater harvesting. SHDC needs an agriculture/food Officer in Cllr McKay’s view. It has a Marine Officer.
The waste system seems to be working well.
The provision of a limited and cheap private dentistry offer in Dartmouth is being discussed.
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Devon County Council Councillor
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Deferred in the absence of DCC Cllr Hawkins.
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Financial Matters
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Financial Reports
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The Financial Reports were noted. They showed an unearmarked general fund of £34,351.24 and a total balance of £90,984.88 on 1 December. The creation of a summary Risk Register and a summary notification of significant variances of the budget were proposed by Cllrs.
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Payments
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It was unanimously resolved to approve the following payments:
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Scribe, Accounting Software Annual, £328.32
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Tindle Newspapers, Contract Advert, £95.04
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Sportsman’s Arms, DPC Planning Day refreshments, £116.50
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Dittisham Village Hall, Hire September to November, £111.00
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Clerk, November expenses reimbursement, £29.76
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23/24 Salary Award
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The Award was noted and it will now be implemented in accordance with the contract.
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Draft Budget 2024/25
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The draft budget was discussed. The Clerk said that there are insufficient funds available in the draft budget for planned standard replacement reserve allocations. The draft budget will next be examined in more detail by the Finance Working Group, for discussion by the 3 January meeting of DPC, and if necessary an extraordinary meeting can be held later in January to finalise.
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SHDC Planning Decisions
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The following decisions were noted.
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2638/23/FUL Dittisham Hideaway Treehouses Shepherds Lodges & Airstream Dittisham TQ6 0JB. Renovation & extension of existing gravel forest track (retrospective). Conditional Approval.
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2786/23/CLB Mill Creek Cottage Lower Street Dittisham TQ6 0HY. Certificate of lawfulness for proposed works to a Listed Building comprising installation of chimney pot(s). Cert of Lawfulness (Proposed) Certified.
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2921/23/VAR Laburnum Cottage Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Application for variation of condition 1 (approved drawing) of planning consent 0479/19/VAR. Conditional Approval.
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New planning applications
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3557/23/VAR Yew Tree Cottage Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Application for variation of conditions 2 (approved drawings) & 5 (privacy screen) of planning consent 3296/22/HHO.
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Cllr Golding described the application and relevant planning policy before leaving the room.
DPC resolved to comment as follows:
a. Support – Privacy screen wall. Councillors noted that the proposed privacy screen wall appears to meet the 1.7 metre requirement set by SHDC and therefore support this approach.
b. Object – Proposed glazed gable windows and Juliette balcony. Councillors consider that these create increased light pollution, are associated with the possibility of overlooking, and do not meet the requirement to conserve or enhance the character of the Conservation Area.
c. Object – Proposed solar PV panels on the roof. Councillors object to the visual impact on the AONB and the Conservation Area. It is requested that tiles or integrated panels are used.
DPC’s standard light pollution comment will be made.
DPC will also reply to SHDC noting that in examining this application an application for a Certificate of Lawfulness for the use of a garden shed on the rear of the property as a dwelling was noted. DPC noted that there appears to be no supporting evidence for this assertion and that the planning impact, if it was to be approved, would be to allow the construction of an ancillary dwelling within Permitted Development parameters, with associated potential impact on the character of the Conservation Area and the AONB.
Cllr Golding returned to the room.
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Reports from Councillors’ Working Groups & External Forums
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Maintenance
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It was resolved to approve the proposal to exchange a cradle swing for a flat seat & swing purchase new chains as quoted.
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It was resolved to approve the proposal to plant the garden area on Ham Lane.
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Consultations
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DCC, Parking Metres Proposed by DCC for Dartmouth.
No DPC comment made. Cllrs and members of the public may comment individually.
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Monitoring DPC’s Process to Comment on Planning Applications
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Cllr Neale suggested making arrangements for a site meeting or pre-meeting discussion of applications which meet DPC’s ‘major’ application criteria.
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Reports from Councillors’ Working Groups & External Forums
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Health
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The Dartmouth PPG meeting report was noted. Cllrs Nightingale and Hodge are pursuing collaboration with other organisations regarding the current Government policy to fund the provision of NHS dentistry to only half of the population and with no system to target those most in need. Information about the new NHS app will be shared on Facebook.
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Parish Emergency Plan
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The project to create a new Plan was deferred.
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Maintenance of The Ham Retaining Wall
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The Clerk reported that the repair of one area of the wall on the southern end of the wall is complete, there has been further deterioration of the undermining of the longest section of the wall without a concrete ledge which is vulnerable to winter easterly weather, and a project about repairing this latter section will be progressed as soon as possible.
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Reinstatement of the surface The Ham Car Park
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Liaison is ongoing to agree action to reinstate the surface.
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Memorial Bench Installed
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The bench installed in November near the River Dart was noted. The installer has agreed to modify the installation and the work remains pending.
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Registration of The Red Lion Inn with SHDC as an Asset of Community Value
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It was resolved to address this matter in the 3 January meeting of DPC: to decide if a public meeting is required and who to invite or to make an application to SHDC for registration.
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Parish Lengthsman Report
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The item to note the report and advise of DCC ‘infrastructure’ grant work required was deferred.
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Correspondence:
The following correspondence was noted:
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1/11/23 Resident, Complaint – That vegetation cut back at southern end of Ham is dangerous.
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7/11/23 Resident, Request for clearing of weeds next to the Church wall
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16/11/23 SHDC, Planning training town and parish councils Wednesday, 24 January (4.00pm-7.00pm), On-line
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24/11/23, Resident, Dittisham Plum Project, Request for records about location of Dittisham Plum trees in the Parish
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Next Meeting
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The next meeting of Dittisham Parish Council will take place on 3 January 2024 at 7:00p.m.
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Closure of the Meeting
It was resolved, in accordance with the 1960 Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act, to exclude the public and press during consideration of the following items because of the commercial-in-confidence nature of the business.
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2023/27 Grounds Maintenance Contract
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It was unanimously resolved to accept the least costly quote of £3,511.31 for the next grounds maintenance contract.
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Maintenance of hedge on Ham Lane next to Riverside House
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It was unanimously resolved to accept the least costly quote of £590.
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2023/24 Internal Auditor
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It was unanimously resolved to accept the least costly quote of £150.
The meeting closed at 10:29.