Approved Minutes 2025 January 15

Feb 26, 2025 | Minutes

APPROVED Minutes of the Monthly Meeting of Dittisham Parish Council held in Dittisham Village Hall
on Wednesday 15 January 2025 at 7:00p.m.

  1. a. Public Forum

  2. No issues raised by members of the public.

  3. Present: Parish Cllrs Nightingale (Chair), Bond (Vice-Chair), Golding, Hawkes, Neale, Pope, and Unitt were present, as were Devon County Cllr Hawkins, South Hams District Cllr McKay, and A Thom, Clerk. There were no members of the public present.

  4. Absent: Cllrs Green and Lloyd.

  1. Apologies:

Apologies for absence were received from Cllr Green.

  1. Declaration of Interests

None declared.

  1. Approval of Minutes

It was resolved to approve the Minutes of the meeting held on 4 December 2025 with a description of the car park tarrif resolutions agreed at the November meeting of DPC removed.

  1. Community Reports

    1. South Hams District Council Councillor

SHDC Cllr McKay discussed the Government’s devolution project. Cllr McKay said that devolution is almost a certainty and that the District Council’s days are numbered. The timescale for the change is uncertain. The most likely timescale is that the May elections in 2027 would be threshold unitary authority elections.

SHDC’s settlement from Government has been reduced. There is a budget gap this year of about £1 million therefore a big need to increase income as SHDC wants to deliver on its manifesto and it must balance the budget. The increase car parking fees is important to achieving a balanced budget.

Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework have been announced with immediate effect, therefore all current planning applications have had to be reviewed: generating a huge workload, cost, and delay.

On a positive note, the South Brent woodland has been established, with two thousand trees planted. It is named Hope Forest.

Cllr McKay said he is working to hold South West Water to account and has submitted five environment information requests. He went to a summit and met counterparts at other local authorities.

There was a discussion about a possible new car park and new housing on the edge of the village. Cllr Bond said that SHDC has indicated that it is willing to take on the construction of the car park.

    1. Devon County Council Councillor

DCC Cllr Hawkins said that the Government has decided that devolution will happen and that we need to protect residents interests. 900,000 people is the preferred size for a unitary authority and the minimum size 500,000 people. The request to delay DCC elections was made because the timescale to respond on devolution is short. Councils will bid for what they want. The Government will make a decision regarding devolution by the end of the year. Cllr Hawkins has emailed the Neighbourhood Officer about the Jubilee Steps handrail. The Dartmouth Foodbank has had its busiest ever Christmas and it’s tenth anniversary. Dartmouth Youth Club would like to take on the old RNLI hut and an architect has done a plan. DCC has received £83 million from Government to spend on Highways.

  1. Financial Matters

    1. Financial Reports

The Financial Reports were noted. The total funds were £90,010.00 and unearmarked general fund £34,507.07.

    1. Payments

It was resolved to authorise the following payments:

  • South West Water, Quay tap 17 September to 12 December 2024, £35.57

  • SHDC extra emptying of bins on The Ham The Ham, £151.20+VAT

  • Car Park Attendant October to December 2024, £500

  • Clerk December expenses reimbursement, £31.24

The following payments authorised and made since the last monthly meeting were noted:

  • Tindle News, Car Park machine attendant advert, £168

  • Kingsbridge Websites, Website accessibility check, £80

  • Sportsmans Arms, Strategy day refreshments, £99.50

It was noted that the contractor who removed the bench from near toilet block in 2024 has chosen not to invoice DPC. The meeting discussed this and all Cllrs agreed that DPC will write to the contractor to thank them for their support.

  1. SHDC Planning Decisions

The following decisions were noted:

    1. 3645/24/ARC Pump Cottage The Level Dittisham TQ6 0ES. Application for approval of details reserved by condition 4 (ASHP) to planning consent 2406/24/HHO. Discharge of Condition Approved.

    2. 3187/24/HHO Shimmerings, Riverside Road, Dittisham, TQ6 0HS. Householder application for erection of new outbuilding & retaining wall in rear garden. Conditional Approval.

    3. 1884/24/LBC Myrtle Cottage Manor Street Dittisham TQ6 0EX. Listed Building Consent for replacement windows, cement render removed & replaced with lime render, soil pipe reinstated, facia board & gutter/downpipe replaced & general repairs. Conditional Approval.

  2. New Planning Applications

    1. 4093/24/ARC Land Adjacent Fairholme Riverside Road Dittisham. Application for approval of details reserved by conditions 6 (Arboricultural Method Statement & Tree Protection Plan) & 9 (CEMP) to planning consent 1476/24/FUL.

No comment will be made by DPC. It was noted that this application has an excellent Construction Management Plan. DPC will talk to applicant about making arrangement to publicise it as an example of good practice. It was also noted that the decision notice is also very good and could be placed in the Councillors cloud folder as a resource for Cllrs. Cllr Golding will email it to the Clerk.

  1. New Tree Applications

    1. 4084/24/TCA The Ham Ham Lane Dittisham Dartmouth TQ6 0HS. T1: Willow (Salix Alba) – re-pollard, cutting back to previous growth points. T2: Ash (Fraxinus Excelsior) – use the willow wood chippings to spread around base of this ash tree.
      The meeting noted DPC’s application.

  2. Planning Applications received between meetings

    1. 4015/24/TCA Dittisham Court Dittisham TQ6 0HS. T3210: Copper Beech – Crown raise to give clearance of 4m to protect tree from passing traffic. T3212 : 2 x Tulip trees – Crown raise to 1.75m to improve access for mowing. G2 – Beech hedge – remove approximately 7 stems protruding into orchard to improve usability of space. T1 – Magnolia – Reduce crown by approximately 1-1.5 metres & to suitable pruning points to improve crown symmetry & reduce risk of failure.
      It was noted that this application was reviewed by Clerk and Tree Warden and the decision made not to submit a comment.

  3. Consultations

    1. ‘Strengthening the Standards and Conduct Framework for Local Authorities in England’ Government Consultation. Closes 12 February 2025.

    2. ‘Local Audit Reform: A Strategy For Overhauling The Local Audit System in England’. Closes 29 January 2025.

DPC is not submitting a response to the above consultations. Cllrs may choose to respond individually.

  1. Capton Triangle Trees

The Report from Cllr Neale about an assessment carried out by DPC’s tree safety inspector was noted. It was resolved to progress as per the report. Quotes will be obtained for consideration by the next meeting.

  1. Management of Air Ambulance Light on The Ham

The Report explaining that the light is not working was noted and discussed. Possible options discussed for future consideration were to decommission, use as a flag pole, remove, use to provide a power supply. It was asked if the supply can be metered.

  1. Government (.gov.uk) Domains

It was resolved to agree with the Report’s proposal to defer and review in Autumn 2024 the possible migration of www.dittishamparish.co.uk to a .gov.uk domain.

  1. 2025/26 Budget and Precept

An extraordinary meeting to decide the 2025/26 Budget and Precept demand was scheduled for 29 January 2025 at 7:15 pm.

  1. Review of DPC Working Groups, Committee, and nominated Positions of Responsibility

The review the roles and Cllrs nominations to them will be an item on the next Agenda.

  1. Memorial Benches on The Ham

An update was received about the existing memorial plaque on the bench proposed for restoration and rededication with a new memorial plaque. It was resolved that after six weeks of advertising DPC will progress with restoration and rededication of the bench.

It was resolved that the Maintenance Working Group will progress the development of a policy and procedures regarding how long a memorial bench will remain committed, creation of a register, and annual review of contact details. Parishioner’s feedback is welcome.

  1. Correspondence and Contacts:

The following correspondence was noted or considered:

  • 9/12/24, Sent to C Voaden MP & to Airband – Upgrading internet connectivity. Response received about actions being taken & emailed to DPC Cllrs on 14 and 16 December respectively.

  • 17/12/24, Request to remove overhanging vegetation affecting Jubilee Steps. Response received and actioned with tree works pending.

  1. Next Meeting

It was confirmed that the next monthly meeting of the Parish Council will be held on 5 February 2025 at 7:00 pm.

As already agreed by the meeting, an extraordinary meeting will take place on 29 January to decide the 2025/26 budget and precept demand.

  1. Closure of the Meeting

It was resolved to pass a resolution in accordance with the 1960 Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act to exclude the public and press during consideration of the following item(s) because of the commercial-in-confidence nature of the business.

  1. Contracts Updates

    1. The advertised new Car Park Attendant Contract

The closing date has been extended to increase the number of applications received. The meeting confirmed the practical extension of the previous contract as requested in the Report.

    1. The extension of the Grounds Maintenance Contract

Further information is needed before a decision can be made about how to proceed.

The meeting closed at 20:46.