The approved minutes can be downloaded here or read below MN_2022 May 11 APM Approved Minutes
To contact our guest speakers:
Register for a Home Safety Visit from the Fire & Rescue Service
Use the online form here: https://www.dsfire.gov.uk/safety/home/book-home-safety-visit
or phone: 0800 05 02 999.
TQ6 Partnership
Phone: 07823322083
Email:
APPROVED Minutes of the Dittisham Parish Meeting held in Dittisham Village Hall on
Wednesday 11 May 2022 at 7:00p.m.
Present: Councillors Anderson (DPC Chair), Nightingale (DPC Vice-Chair), Bond, Lloyd, and Unitt were present, and A Thom (Clerk), and 25 members of the public.
Absent: Cllrs Green, Neale, Quinn, and Tucker sent apologies.
- Report on DPC’s Activities
Councillor Sune Nightingale reported on DPC’s activities over the past year.
He said that John has stepped down as Chair and been replaced by Graham. Mike Faulkner also stepped down. Sune thanked him for his help and input. And thanked Phil Unitt who has returned to the Council.
Sune thanked the Clerk, a vital hub for the Council, and the Councillors who volunteer their time and try to do as well as they can.
In addition to the main Council meetings there are lots of smaller meetings throughout the year, and some councillors sit on other bodies to represent and report back to the Council: the Village Hall Committee, Dart Estuary Forum, The Parish of Dittisham Charity, the SHDC Climate Forum, and the Sustainable South Hams groups for example.
DPC has carried out improvements, standardisation, training, and worked on archiving, cleaning, and disposal of records: all these things help to make a process which run smoothly in the background, so we can get on with the important tasks in hand.
Collaboration between the Parish Council and Sustainable Dittisham group continued. The Sustainable Dittisham Habitat Group helped by planting hedging whips (kindly donated by Nik Green). It will be a few years before we see the beauty of the flowers and fruits of the hazel, hawthorn, wild rose and cherry; something for us, and the wildlife, to look forward to. Many thanks to Members of the Habitat Group, plus a helpful resident and their dog.
Sune said it was an honour for Ros and him to present to the Devon Association of Local Councils Conference about DPC’s Habitat Plan, and he knows we all enjoyed the whole event.
DPC formed a climate & environment working group which has the initial tasks of adapting Devon County Council and South Hams District Council’s climate plans to make our own.
DPC looked at least 41 planning applications; credit to Graham’s eagle eye for those.
DPC took part in 5 consultations and reported back on a couple more. DPC lobbied government to allow Councils to have remote meetings if they so wish.
The Ditsum Players now have their own section on the parish website, which is great. It was always the plan that the website would be a community resource and it seems to be developing that way.
DPC worked on trying to address dog fouling: with new posters, and fixing and relocating bins.
DPC shared several costs by collaborating with Blackawton Parish Council, including for treeworks.
DPC has moved to a new accounting system to streamline the process and make it far more understandable and clear.
Ros and Lara, among others, strengthened ties with the Village Hall Committee, and DPC is giving it more ongoing financial support than previously.
DPC has financially supported a Jubilee event on the Ham, made a grant to the Church for burial ground maintenance, renewed parking arrangements with the Sailing Club, and liaised with the Gaffers, and of course the Dart 10K.
Phil is working on an ongoing project to improve communications, to make it easier for us to contact you in a more targeted way.
Phil looked into access by Fire and Rescue to try to answer the sensible question of “can a fire engine fit down this road?”, hence the visit today from our guest speaker.
DPC looked into a drainage issue near The Level Car Park, fixed and painted the railings at the Old Chapel [Burial Ground], and made repairs to The Ham’s retaining wall. Richard has started work on a speed survey in collaboration with Ashprington. There is ongoing work looking into a possible rejuvenation project on Riverside Road which might include EV chargepoints. There was a new Manor Street no turning sign, some A5 flyers for cars parked there, and a new playground sign. We put in some new posts and the Ham Maintenance group, made up of Graham, Ros and Richard have, as usual been busy.
The maintenance of the grass, banks and verges on The Ham, Level Car Park and The Old Chapel Burial ground has been carried out in a very satisfactory manner as Cllrs and the contractors (South Hams District Council) have developed a very good working relationship. The Ham Triangle looked particularly beautiful this Spring. Daffodils and crocuses in March, joined by primroses and cowslips in April and bluebells, wild garlic and cherry blossom in May. The maintenance of Parish owned land is ongoing to ensure the areas remain pleasant and safe, with some railings added in this year to secure pathways.
Thanks to our Lengthsman, often helped by Richard, who is doing great, especially as climate change already means more intense bouts of rainfall, and higher levels of soil and silt runoff.
We had the famous case of pigs on the loose. And an emu down at Old Mill!
- Fire Prevention – Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service
A member of the Fire Prevention Team gave an informative and sobering presentation. The home safety visits are a free service, including the provision of an impressive range of safety equipment.
You can register for a home safety visit from the Fire & Rescue Service using the online form https://www.dsfire.gov.uk/safety/home/book-home-safety-visit
or phoning: 0800 05 02 999.
- TQ6 Partnership
The TQ6 Partnership is a Lottery funded initiative to support and empower local people to receive the services they need. The Coordinator discussed the project, links already made with Dittisham, and future plans. They can be contacted via: or 07823322083
- Sustainable Dittisham
The co-ordinator of Sustainable Dittisham’s Habitat Group discussed the Group’s activities and introduced the new Gardening for Wildlife booklet. The booklet is a practical guide which has been written by the Group’s very knowledgeable and enthusiastic members. A copy will be delivered to every residence in the Parish soon – look out for it in your letter box!
Speakers finished at 8:20 approximately, and we then enjoyed refreshments and conversation!