Approved Minutes 2023 July 05

Jul 10, 2023 | Minutes

The Approved Minutes can be read below or downloaded here: MN_2023 July 05 DPC Approved Minutes

APPROVED Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held in

Dittisham Village Hall on Wednesday 5 July 2023 at 7:00p.m.

Present: Cllrs Nightingale (Chair), Bond (Vice-Chair), Golding, Lloyd, Neale, Tucker, and Unitt were present, as were SHDC Cllr McKay and DCC Cllr Hawkins, A Thom (Clerk), and eight members of the public.

  1. Apologies:

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Green and Hodge.

  1. Declaration of Interests

Cllr Unitt declared an interest in Item 7: Dittisham Mill Creek Jetty.

  1. Approval of Minutes

It was resolved to approve the minutes of the meetings held on 7 June and 19 June 2023 with one change: to add Cllr Neale as present on 19 June.

  1. Public Issues

    1. Dittisham Mill Creek Jetty

Cllr Golding described the matter and the questions being asked of DPC by Dart Harbour Navigation Authority. Seven members of the general public and a representative of DHNA were present to discuss this item. The meeting was informed that in addition to the response already received from the AONB Estuaries Officer, DHNA has asked the Environment Agency and Natural England for their views.

  1. Community Reports

    1. South Hams District Council Councillor

SHDC Cllr McKay reported that SHDC has been very busy including: a climate change advisory panel has been set up and hopes to meet in July, work on housing, preparing for an assembly information event, and building a corporate strategy.

The Waste team’s current focus is to complete the rollout of the new system, which is planned to finish by October 2023.

Cllr Hawkins commented that the return of one small mechanical sweeper to be based in Dartmouth has been requested, which would improve its access to the parishes.

    1. Devon County Council Councillor

DCC Cllr Hawkins reported that he has been busy with enquiries about highways issues. The Health and Wellbeing Centre is now running and appears a good facility to serve Dartmouth and surrounds. Parking charges are a concern and discussion is ongoing. SHDC has agreed that the Park and Ride parking will be charged for in winter. Funding is reserved for a residents parking project for Seymour Drive if required. The Youth Club is active on Tuesday nights in Coronation Park and in the Leisure Centre three nights per month. The Foodbank is busy and the generous support from Dittisham is appreciated. Cllr Hawkins has attended a Teams meeting with South Devon and Torbay NHS. Cancer services in Torbay have very good referral times. There will be a new contract for management of the Torbay Hospital car parks.

Cllr Hawkins was asked to investigate repair of potholes between Dittisham and Totnes. Cllr Hawkins will pick up the proposal for a new non-NHS basic dental service in his role as Chair of the SHDC Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It was suggested that DCC and SHDC Cllrs ask other parishes to also write to their MPs regarding lack of access to local NHS Dentists.

  1. Fire on Manor Street

A Task and Finish Group was created, composed of Cllrs Bond, Lloyd, and Tucker, to consider actions which can be taken using learning from the recent occurrence of a vehicle catching fire after reversing up Manor Street from below the turning bay. The TAFG will report back to DPC in October 2023 or later.

DCC Cllr Hawkins said that the next HATOC meeting to consider a bulk Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) is in November 2023 and to submit any application as soon as possible. Cllr Nightingale hopes to look at The Level with the DCC Neighbourhood Officer on 6 July to consider the possibility of new double yellow lines. The Fire Service will be asked its view of access through The Level.

DCC Cllr Hawkins reported that he has met with the Fire Service and a narrow vehicle is now based in Dartmouth again but more trained firemen are needed (four per engine).

  1. Dittisham Mill Creek Jetty

Cllr Unitt left the meeting during this item.

Dart Harbour Navigation Authority has asked for DPC’s feedback regarding the public utility and impact of the jetty.

It was unanimously resolved to Support the jetty with the proviso that the measures already discussed and outlined by Dart Harbour are put in place. These measures include appropriate signage, a suitable contract, to manage public liability and insurance, to ensure an acceptable standard of construction and maintenance, to install safety measures that DHNA decides are appropriate, such a life buoy, and to ensure that this jetty does not create a precedent.

Cllr Unitt returned to the meeting.

  1. Financial Matters

    1. Financial Reports

It was unanimously resolved to approve the Reports which showed a total balance of £85,286.85 and an unearmarked general reserve of £28,345.21 on 30 June 2023.

    1. Payments

It was unanimously resolved to approve the following payments:

  • DALC Chair Training Course £36.00

  • DALC Being a Good Councillor full £90.00

  • Clearance of Gulleys on The Ham, £360.00

  • Play Inspection Company, Annual Inspection, £174.00

  • Clerk, Expenses reimbursement, £29.63

The following payments made since the June meeting were noted:

  • Clerk, June Salary £1,248.15

  • HMRC, June, £212.46

  • NEST Pensions, June, £98.56

  1. New planning applications

    1. 1883/23/FUL Newstone Blackawton TQ9 7DR. Erection of agricultural building.

It was unanimously resolved to Support.

    1. 2034/23/COM Land at SX 857 053 Lapthorne Farm Dittisham Dartmouth TQ6 0JF. Notice of intention to install a telegraph pole at 10.5m high (9m above ground) for the provision of FTTP.

No comment made be DPC.

  1. Monitoring DPC’s Process to Comment on Planning Applications

The above Newstone agricultural building application would be rated as low impact/Minor.

  1. Operation of the Car Park on The Ham

The National Association of Local Council’s legal advice that DPC is entitled to charge for parking was noted.

  1. Invoice for Installation of a Temporary Site Compound in The Ham Car Park

It was unanimously resolved to invoice based on the number of parking spaces used for the temporary site compound, not the higher charge of of £1,000 per week or a pro-rata daily charge as agreed by the 1 March Meeting. The contractor reduced the space used as much as possible as requested by DPC, including over holiday weekends.

  1. Installation of a Defibrillator on The Ham

It was unanimously resolved to approve the payment of invoices, Defibrillator & Cabinet £2,795.00 and The Ham Defibrillator Annual Support £198.00, for the installation of a defibrillator on the toilet block on The Ham subject to increased detail being provided in the defibrillator and cabinet invoice and the hosting agreement to access the electricity supply being in place.

  1. DPC’s permission to access property via The Ham

A Task and Finish Group composed of Cllrs Bond, Golding, and Hodge was created to carry out the review of the Policy and to report to DPC in October 2023.

  1. Reports from Councillors’ Working Groups & External Forums

    1. Maintenance Working Group

The annual Playground Inspection Report has been received. The matters raised are categorised as ‘Low Risk’ or ‘Very Low Risk’. The site has been reviewed with the Report, an action list is being created, and some matters have already been addressed.

It was resolved to approve the purchase of an access required sign for the gate to The Ham and a replacement sign for the Manor Street turning bay as quoted (£10.00 and £16.81 respectively plus delivery).

    1. Events Working Group

It was unanimously resolved to approve of the recommended refund of the damage deposit.

    1. Village Hall Management Committee Representative

The report from DPC’s representative on the VHMC was noted and the Clerk was asked to feedback the comment that future stonework should be comparable with that in the rest of the village.

    1. Communications Working Group

It was resolved to approve expenditure of £50 for purchase of an A5 advertisement in the Regatta program with the finalisation of the text delegated Clerk in consultation with Communications Working Group councillors.

    1. Health Services Representative

Cllr Unitt said he would email a report on the Dart Medical Practice Patients Participation Group meeting 4/7/23.

  1. Request for a memorial bench on The Ham

It was resolved to approve the proposal and the process to install the bench and that the finish will be coloured black.

  1. Correspondence

The following correspondence was noted:

  • Sent 12/6/23 to A. Mangnall MP, Improving Local Availability of NHS Dentists for Children and Adults. Reply received 12/6/23.

  • Invitation, Town and Parish Forum with South Hams District Council, 26 July 2023 18:00 – 19:00

Cllr Nightingale hopes to attend and Cllr Bond will attend if that is not possible.

  1. Next meeting

It was confirmed that the next meeting of Dittisham Parish Council will be held 6 September 2023 at 7:00 pm.

  1. Closure of the Meeting

It was unanimously resolved to close the meeting, in accordance with the 1960 Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act, to exclude the public and press during consideration of the following item because of the confidential employment nature of the business.

  1. Personnel Committee Report

The Council voted unanimously to support the recommendations of the Personnel Committee, agreeing to the Clerk’s holiday requests, further CPD training, a small change to the clerk’s core hours, resolving to do a more detailed salary review in September and to report back to the October meeting with the results of that, and resolving that if any salary point changes were suggested and agreed on that they should be backdated to April 2023.