1 Minutes for Meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council 12/12/12

1 Minutes for Meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council 12/12/12

1 Minutes for meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council 12/12/12

ROCKBEARE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes for a meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council to be held at 7.30pm on Wednesday 12th December 2012 at Marsh Green Village Hall.

Present: Cllrs David Miller (Chairman), David Mason (Vice Chairman), Naomi Allen, Colin Please, Dr Bryan Pepper, Jonathan Allen, Jeremy Honeywill, Cllr Peter Bowden (County and District Councillor), and two members of the public.

Apologies:Cllr Derek Button (District Councillor) & PC Dave Smith

All councillors were politely reminded of their obligation to declare interests under the Code of Conduct

1.1APOLOGIES: To receive apologies for absence.AS ABOVE

1.2MINUTES: Minutes of the last meeting of Rockbeare Parish Council held on Wednesday 21st November 2012 were signed as a correct record of that meeting. AGREED

1.3DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & RISK ASSESSMENT: To receive declarations of interest and to note any additional risks. Cllrs Mason and Please declared an interest as they are trustees of Marsh Green Hall.

2PLANNING

for details

2.1 DECISIONS (for information)

2.1.111/1218/FUL Land At Brickyard Road Little Allercombe - Construction of sand schooling/ménage area - Approval with conditions.

2.2APPLICATIONS (for comment, support or objection)

2.2.112/2574/FUL The Old Rectory – Removal of existing verandahs, conservatory and porch and construction of replacement porch and verandahs and construction of orangery (including garden wall and covered walkway link to main building), garden workshop, tractor shed and garage building with ancillary accommodation. COMMENTS: The Parish Council were supportive of this application

2.2.212/2570/LBC The Old Rectory - Removal of existing verandahs, conservatory and porch and construction of replacement porch, conservatories and verandahs and construction of orangery, including garden wall and covered walkway link to main building, and garden workshop. COMMENTS: The Parish Council were supportive of this application

2.2.312/2565/FUL Land To The South Of The Smithy London Road - Demolition of existing buildings and construction of 4no. detached dwellings and garages and provision of passing bay. COMMENTS: The Parish Council has noted the recent history of this proposal and accordingly have no objections in principle. However it is noted that a significant area of the development curtilage falls into the green wedge and the parish council would like to see this area conditioned to prevent any building, including buildings ancillary to garden use, encroaching on it in the future. The Parish Council also notes that the applicant states “Rockbeare...identified an apparent need for 110 homes...” The Parish Council has never promoted such a figure and notes that the ED Local Plan has a figure of 10 homes for Rockbeare (ref 6.142 on p95).

2.3 Cranbrook – clerk to re-circulate the contact details for Samantha Thomas the Senior Planning Officer for the

West Team who is dealing with Cranbrook applications.

2.4 East Devon Village – Planning Development Document - Parish Councils should have completed their

consultation work and identified preferred sites, then produce a short report setting out the consultation process they have followed and identifying their proposed sites/Built-up Area Boundary amendments by the end of November. This will then enable EDDC to collate the responses and report to the Development Management Committee in December. Report on recent consultation event – and full response has been sent to EDDC and will be added to the website shortly.

2.5 Neighbourhood Plan/Parish Plan/Housing needs survey – Cllr Button has suggested speaking about

a conjoined plan with other local parishes.

2.6Publication of the East Devon Local Plan 2006-2026East Devon District Council has prepared its Local

Plan and proposes to submit it to the Secretary of State under Regulation 22 of the Town and Country

Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2012. The local plan sets out strategic policy for development and development management policies across East Devon. It includes the full suite of policies for the seven main towns of the District (Axminster, Budleigh Salterton, Exmouth, Honiton, Ottery St. Mary, Seaton and Sidmouth) and the ‘West End’ and countryside areas. We will be doing further work on planning for our smaller settlements through a separate village Development Plan Document.

Parishes and public are invited to submit representations on the ‘soundness’ of the proposed plan from Friday 16th November 2012 until 12 noon on Monday 14th January 2013. Representations will be sent to the Inspector with the plan and only those representations received within this period have a statutory right to be considered by the Inspector at the subsequent examination.

The proposed submission document, a statement of representation procedure and other documents in support of the plan are available to view and download from the Council’s website at:

The plan is also available for inspection during normal opening hours at: East Devon District Council Offices, Knowle, Sidmouth, EX10 8HL and at public libraries in East Devon.

Paper copies of the plan (black and white text book and colour maps booklet) can also be purchased at a cost of £5 plus £2.50 postage and packaging. And we will be sending paper copies free of charge to town and parish Councils in East Devon.

For more information please contact the Planning Policy team on 01395 - 571533, or at the above address or email .

Representations can be made in the following ways: All comments made should use the RefPoints (Reference Points) in the document to pinpoint the place in the document to which the comment refers.

ONLINE – by clicking on a RefPoint (Reference Points) in the document at the point in the text on which you wish to comment (Online submission will be available from 1 December 2012)

Via email By sending a completed representation form to

Via post By sending a completed representation form to Planning Policy, East Devon District Council, Knowle, Sidmouth EX10 8HL

Once your Comments are received you will receive an acknowledgement. However, they will not appear on the list of Representations (which can be viewed online from 1 December) until they have been processed.

Whilst we will consider all representations made within the consultation period completion of the representation form is our preferred method of receiving comments because it will help us to handle your representation quickly and efficiently.

3 HIGHWAYS, FOOTPATHS

3.1Highways & Footpaths - to accept items to report;Culvert at the top of Silver Lane needs the ends

clearing, culvert at the bottom of Quartermile and Watery Lane where the road is gouged

out needs clearing, the road is flooded between Marsh Green and New Ford Farm – there is a culvert from Allercombe to brickyard where the hump in the road is bowed up with stone and this needs jetting/sucking out. Drain outside the village hall gate is blocked. The slot drain at Greenacres (immediately opposite Little Croft) is blocked The ditch needs clearing at the Manor Gate (this needs to be the full length not the end). Gribble Lane and Rag Lane there are deep potholes. North side of church entrance there is an under-pavement drain blocked.

3.2It was agreed that a ditch on parish council land will be cleared in Marsh Green. Quotes are to be invited by Cllr Mason.

3 REPORTS

3.1Community Policing – PC Smith – none sent

3.2Rockbeare Village Hall/Marsh Green Hall – to receive any reports

3.3 District Councillor Derek Button – apologies and report sent.

3.4District & County Councillor Peter Bowden– praised the efforts of all the council and environment teams

that were deployed to assist with the flooding and told of the successes and surprises in terms of drainage.

Some houses were successfully protected and others were flooded for the first time in sixty years. Richard

Hosgood our area manager is now responsible for almost 1/3rd of our county and now drives the areas daily to

inspect damage. Councillors asked about the governments push to make insurance companies offer cover to

properties that have been flooded, it was discussed at length but there seems no resolution at present. The

issue of flood defences in Rockbeare was raised and Clllr Bowden was asked to support the letter about to be

sent to EDDC. The parish Council and parishioners were urged to respond to the Local Plan as it will affect

everyone. Flood defences at Cranbrook did not fail, there was water on site, but this was due to a breach left open.

3.5 Exeter International Airport Consultative Group – to receive report – Cllr Miller – a question has been

formally tabled for a response from EDDC on the number of houses projected based on plane numbers. The

issue of solar farms and pilot safety is also to be raised.

4 BUSINESS & FINANCE

4.2 Funding applications– Marsh Green Village Hall is in need of frost protection and flooring of the toilets in

the sum of £445 inc. VAT AGREED to fund this work.

4.3 Receipts:none

Payments:Rockbeare Roots December£210.00

Flood meeting£15.24

BT phone box£360.00

Cheques approved: Balance of account at 1/12/12Co-op account £21,950.86

4.4 Youth Club – A visit was made to Dunkeswell Youth Club, this was interesting. Cllr Miller and Tor Hodgson are going to

see Devon Youth Service and DCC shortly. A meeting has been booked for 17th January in the hall and will be supported

by a targeted mailshot to get interested youths and parents and supporters in to look at the future of youth work in

Rockbeare. Cllr N Allen suggested that Cranbrook be involved.

4.5EDDC Parishes Together Fund – meeting 21st November 2012 – the parish awaits a proposal from Ottery.

4.6Clerk has offered her resignation and prepared a job description, advertisement and contract of

employment ready for the council to use, the vacancy will need to be advertised as soon as possible with a view to filling the post in January if possible, although the clerk would be happy to overlap with a new clerk if need be – advertisement & contract for approval.

5ENVIRONMENT/COMMUNITY FACILITIES

5.2 Allotments & registration of land – currently being processed by land registry

5.3 Health and Safety – To accept items for action

5.4 Parish Field/ Playing field/ Play areas/ Bus Shelter/ War memorial – enquiry has been put forward to a

company about repair to the war memorial.

5.5 Flood group – a very successful meeting was held for householders after the recent flooding and averted

flooding in the village. There is ongoing work with householders and self-help is being scoped for the parish

for further consideration. It was agreed to send a formal letter to EDDC regarding the Defra funded works and if necessary this will be progressed to the ombudsman.

5.6Church Graveyard – update was received from David Miller.

5.7 Stoneylands - EDDC Parks Development Officer, Mark Pollard looked into ownership of the walled section.

Senior Estates Surveyor at EDDC says it appears that EDDC only own half the land covered by the shrub

bed, but not the walled section. EDDC acquired the part we own in 1986 and there is a covenant to maintain it

as a public amenity shrubbery.In terms of who may own the other section of land (the half which is walled)

this can be traced via land registry if necessary. DCC say they adopted and maintain the grass splay area

only and believe that the small wall retaining the adjacent shrubbery at the rear of the highway is part of the

shrubbed area and forms the boundary of it. As such, if EDDC are responsible for the shrubbed area then the wall is part of that and maintainable by EDDC. Reply awaited from EDDC.

5.8 Clerk to cost the installation of a litter bin by the Bus Shelter opposite the village hall. The parish Council

agreed in principle to have a bin installed and pay for emptying if the District Council are unable to supply one.

A survey of bins is awaited from the district council and if it is found we are meant to have more than we do it

might be possible to have it supplied.

5.9 Bus services through the village are set to double next year subject to the receipt of funding from the

Cranbrook development as trigger points in the development are reached.

MEETING was ADJOURNED TO RECEIVE QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC

Dates of forthcoming meetings:

7.30pm Wednesday 9th January 2013Marsh Green Village Hall

7.30pm Wednesday 20th February 2013 Marsh Green Village Hall

7.30pm Wednesday 20th March 2013 Rockbeare Village Hall

Advertisement to be placed for new clerk:

Rockbeare Parish Council Seeks an organised, independent and adaptable individual to work from home as Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer to the parish council. Rockbeare is a small but active parish council that meets twelve times per year and have recently achieved Quality Status. Rockbeare has an up-to-date parish plan and can offer varied and interesting work with the new town of Cranbrook sited partly within its boundary. The post is for nine hours per week (salary in accordance with NALC and SLCC recommended rates). We are looking for someone with AQA/CiLCA qualification (or who will take the qualification within six months of taking post), as well as confidence with general IT. Duties will include attending evening council meetings. Start date February/March 2013. A full information pack including job description and person specification is available from: The Parish Clerk, The Old Kennels, Stentwood, Dunkeswell, EX14 4RW or preferably by email
Closing date: 30th January 2013