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

APPROVED Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held in
Dittisham Village Hall on Wednesday 1 November 2023 at 7:00 p.m.

Public Forum

a. 2536/23/FUL Fairholme Riverside Road Dittisham TQ6 0HS.

The applicant described the application and advised that the application has neighbours’ support.

Present: Cllrs Nightingale (Chair), Bond (Vice-Chair), Hodge, and Tucker and were present, as were A Thom (Clerk), three members of the public in the room and four over Zoom (including Cllr Neale).

  1. Apologies

Apologies for absence were received from Parish Cllrs Golding, Green, Lloyd, Neale, and Unitt, SHDC Cllr McKay, and DCC Cllr Hawkins.

  1. Declaration of Interests

Cllr Nightingale declared a disclosable pecuniary interest in the Red Lion Inn Asset of Community Value item on the Agenda.

  1. Approval of Minutes

It was resolved to approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 October 2023.

  1. Community Reports

    1. South Hams District Council Councillor

Deferred in the absence of SHDC Cllr McKay.

    1. Devon County Council Councillor

Deferred in the absence of DCC Cllr Hawkins.

  1. Financial Matters

    1. Financial Reports

It was resolved to approve the financial reports.

    1. Payments

It was resolved to approve the following payments:

  • Metric, Ticket rolls (2), £118.49

  • DALC, Conference, two attendees, £108.00

  • Clerk, Expenses Reimbursement October, £146.79

The payment made since the last monthly meeting was noted:

  • External auditor, 22/23 Audit, £378.00

  1. Registration of The Red Lion Inn with SHDC as an Asset of Community Value

Cllr Nightingale left the meeting.

Cllrs noted survey responses received. Further information was requested about existing assets of community value and the process, for consideration by the December meeting. The holding of a public meeting was discussed, in December or January as appropriate for maximum attendance, and for the relevant SHDC Officer to be invited.

Cllr Nightingale returned to the meeting.

  1. SHDC Planning Decisions

The following decisions were noted:

    1. 2965/23/PDM Barn At Sx 840 529 CaptonApplication to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed change of use of agricultural buildings/barns to 4No dwellinghouses (class C3) & for associated development (Class Q (a+b)). Prior Approval Given.

    2. 2637/23/VAR Dittisham Hideaway Dittisham TQ6 0JB. Variation of conditions 1 (Approved Drawings) 2 (Landscaping Scheme), 3 (Finishes/Treatment to huts), 4 (Surface WaterManagement Scheme), 7 (Lighting), 9 (Ecological report & LEMP), 10 (Sewage Disposal) and 11 (DEV32) of planning consent 0546/21/FUL. Conditional Approval.

    3. 2812/23/TCA Langscott Lower Street Dittisham TQ6 0HY. T1 Judas tree – fell and replace – tree splits off into multi-stems from just above ground level & decay is present within this union. No Objection Raised.

  1. New planning applications
    1. 2536/23/FUL Fairholme Riverside Road Dittisham TQ6 0HS. New 3 bed dwelling & detached garden store with associated car parking & landscaping.

Support (by unanimous resolution) with the following provisions: DPC’s comment about the reduction of light pollution will be made, request and amendment to the Construction Management Plan such that deliveries are not made during the School buses’ arrival and departure times, and to request clarity regarding whether the development is located in the countryside – if this is the case SHDC previously applied a ‘Devon clause’.

    1. 3554/23/ARC Yew Tree Cottage Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 4 (Facing Materials for Retaining Wall) of planning consent 3296/22/HHO.

Support (by unanimous resolution).

  1. Consultations

The following consultations were noted:

  • SHDC Public Space Protection Orders for dog control in the District. Closes 14/11/23 

Feedback was noted that would be really helpful if SHDC received feedback from residents about dogs on leads; dog fouling and any issues that you may have.

  • SHDC Council Tax Reduction Scheme Review. Closes 28/11/23 

  • Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service, Level of Council Tax contribution. Closes 30/11/23.

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

The Clerk will note major or minor on the draft Agenda and also watermark the draft accordingly.

  1. Reports from Councillors’ Working Groups & External Forums

    1. Maintenance

  • Grounds Maintenance Contract: The proposed specifications have been circulated. It was agreed that the Clerk will finalise final edits in consultation with the MWG Councillors, the contract will be advertised, including in the Dartmouth Chronicle, with quotes to be provided to the December meeting of the Parish Council. The term will be an initial one year and an optional extension of three years.

  • DCC has advised that based on existing evidence it is not able to agree to install or maintain a railing on the Jubilee Steps. A community project to collect further information was suggested. A meeting with DCC Cllr Hawkins and the DCC Neighbourhood Officer to view and walk down the Steps will be requested.

  • It was resolved to authorise for the DCC recommended contractor to clean the slippery path paying their hourly rate provided and the cost to hire equipment up to the £500 grant from DCC Cllr Hawkins. Co-ordination with the possible application of tape will be necessary.

    1. Health

It was resolved to to seek collaboration with other organisations regarding querying the national dentistry policy and to then write again to MP Anthony Mangnall.

    1. Car Parks

DPC will carry out a review of DPC Car Park Charges for discussion by the December meeting.

    1. DPC Planning Day

It was resolved to authorise a budget of up to £180 for the 2023 DPC Cllrs Planning Day.

    1. Finance

It was resolved to open interest bearing accounts with NatWest (35 day and 95 day notice accounts) and Lloyds (instant access account), and to transfer £5,000 from NatWest to Lloyds accounts.

  1. Management of Private Accesses to the Ham and Hedge on Ham Lane

It was unanimously resolved to write to all affected residences about DPC’s risk management of the accesses from private residences to The Ham and that quotes will be obtained for DPC to carry out maintenance of the hedge next to Riverside House.

  1. Dittisham Sailing Club Permits for The Ham Car Park

It was unanimously resolved that the Ham Car Park Permits arrangement with the Dittisham Sailing Club will continue for the 24/25 permits.

  1. DPC Subscription Emails

It was unanimously resolved that that Councillors will subscribe individually to subscriptions of interest to them, in place of the existing system of the emails being forwarded.

  1. DPC Laptop Update and Back up

The Report was noted. In response to an intermittent problem with the laptop failing to boot up its software and BIOS have been updated and an external hard drive purchased to provide a second backup. It was unanimously resolved to support.

  1. Dementia Friendly Parish

Brixton Parish Council will be invited to speak to the next Annual Parish Meeting on Wednesday 17 April 2024 starting at 7:00 pm.

  1. Remembrance Service on Sunday 12 November

The arrangement for Parish Council’s representative at the Service were confirmed and it was resolved to approve a donation of £50 to the Royal British Legion. 

  1. Correspondence

The following correspondence was noted:

  • Sent to SWW, 9/10/23, Request to maintain & monitor sewage outfall infrastructure on the beach

  • Sent to Friends of the Dart, 20/10/23, Description of the ownership and operation of The Ham

  • 11/10/23 to Builders, Discussion about minimising the impact of the project’s builders’ vans

  • 12/10/23, To DPC Chair, Questionnaire regarding proposal register The Red Lion Inn as an ACV

  • SHDC, Residents Permits Reminder Emails system is operating correctly. Check spam folder.

  • SHDC, Invitation to advertise Christmas events in its website, social media and print campaigns 

  • West Dart Bus, Grant application form received. DPC will consider in its budgeting process. 

  • SHDC, 26/10/23, Elections notice of canvassing to confirm missing Electoral Registration details

  • DALC, ‘Connect’ event 25/10/23 10:00, Devon Housing Commission and its work on Devon housing crisis

  1. Next Meeting

The next meeting of DPC will be on 6 December 2023 at 7:00 pm.

  1. 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 or employment nature of the business.

  1. Repainting Road Marking on Ham Lane and in The Level Car Park

It was resolved to accept the quote from JHB UK Ltd.

  1. Repair of The Ham Retaining Wall

Cllr Hodge declared a disclosable pecuniary interest and left the meeting.

No quotes have been received for the full work described in the brief document. There is one area of work which is more structural and of concern at the southern end of the wall. A revised brief will be used to request quotes for this work to be done as soon as possible. The Clerk and Chair are minded to approve for this work to be done prior to the December meeting. A revised brief can then be send for quotes for the remainder of the work to be done in the spring. This approach was supported in principle by those present.

Cllr Hodge returned to the meeting.

  1. Annual Leave Application

The Clerk’s annual leave request was approved.

The meeting closed at 21:36.