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Minutes of the meeting of Yarcombe parish council held at 8.00pm on
Monday 1st October 2012 in the Jubilee Hall, Yarcombe
Present: Councillors Mr D Barnes (Vice Chairman), Cllrs P Nicholls, A Long, B Anning, C Button-Stephens, H Derryman, A Wiggins, N Randle and S Waplington (Parish Clerk) and W Randle, and Cllr P Diviani.
1. Apologies
Apologies were received from Cllr L Pidgeon, Cllr A Moulding and PCSO Phil Anning and PC Clive Vickery.
2. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Nick Randle signed a declaration of interest in relation to agenda item number 9.
3. To receive a report from PC Clive Vickery/PCSO Phil Anning
a) The police did not attend the meeting but sent a report stating that there have been four crimes within the parish since the last report as follows;
· 2 cases of drink driving
· A public order offense involving road rage
· A domestic assault
b) The fatal accident and subsequent grid-lock of the parish lanes that occurred on Friday 21st September was discussed. The Clerk explained that she has written to both the police and Highways department to outline a number of issues which had caused widespread dissatisfaction relating to the arrangements for the re-routing of traffic and, in particular, the time for which the A303 remained closed.
4. To confirm the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 03 September 2012
The minutes were confirmed and signed as a correct record.
5. Reports on ongoing activities of the council
a) The housing needs survey has been delivered to all houses in the parish. The importance of encouraging everyone to complete this was re-iterated and it was RESOLVED that Councillors would remind parishioners at every opportunity.
b) The commemorative tree will be purchased very soon. It needs to be planted between now and February. It was RESOLVED to purchase the tree first and then arrange a date on which it would be planted. Once that date is agreed it was RESOLVED to put a notice in the Voices to invite members of the public to attend the planting if they wish. It was further RESOLVED that the plaque could be added at a later date if necessary.
c) The Clerk has heard no more about the badly kept land at Marsh and it was therefore RESOLVED that she would follow it up with Brian Hoare.
d) Both Cllr Diviani and the Clerk have again contacted Highways to report the road surface on the A303 at Stopgate and Knightshayne Corner. Cllr Diviani has had no reply and the Clerk has had a reply from the contractor to say that it is not in this year’s build programme but that there is a daily safety patrol team that will repair any defects in the surface to ensure that the road is kept in a safe condition. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk would explain again that the road is not safe and that Cllr Diviani will continue to attempt to get a positive response.
e) Following the last meeting Cllr Long identified on the map the location of the blocked drains around the Beacon and sent the map back to Brian Hoare. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk would check if the drains have yet been cleared.
f) Cllr Pidgeon attended a recent meeting organised by Cllr Moulding to discuss the parishes together funding. The meeting took place in Axminster and it was felt that it would be more appropriate for Yarcombe to join forces with parishes nearer Honiton such as Uppotery, Luppit and Dunkeswell. A group is being organised by Tracey Bell, the Clerk to Dunkeswell Parish Council. It was RESOLVED that the Clerk would get in touch with Tracey to register our possible interest in becoming involved.
g) The Clerk called to ask if we could have 100 copies of the Blackdown Hills AONB design guide. She was told that they could only spare 30 copies. It was RESOLVED that Cllr Diviani would bring these to the next meeting. It was further RESOLVED that the guides would be held by the council and an article placed in the Voices to let people know that they are available to borrow by any interested members of the community.
6. Open session for public participation
There was no public participation.
7. To discuss financial matters
a) Payments were approved and made in line with the following schedule:-
Date / Payee / Particulars of Payment / Cheque No / Amount01/10/12 / S Waplington / Clerk’s Salary / 000360 / £249.37
b) It was RESOLVED to present a mid-year budget at the next meeting so that the newly appointed Clerk could be involved in its preparation.
8. To hear reports from individual Councillors / Clerk
There were no individual reports.
9. Appointment of new clerk
It was RESOLVED that the new Parish Clerk would start on 1st November 2012 and work alongside the old Clerk until she finished on 1st December 2012.
It was further RESOLVED to pay the new Parish Clerk at SCP 15 for six hours per week and that following a successful six month probationary period the salary would be reviewed with a view to increasing it to SCP 18. It was RESOLVED that this information would be sent in writing to the proposed new Clerk along with a job description/specification.
10. Parish paths
Cllr Wiggins has received an email from Ros Davies of DCC to say that she will sort out the work that has been reported as necessary to maintain the Parish paths. It was RESOLVED that Cllr Wiggins would follow this up if necessary.
11. Highway matters
a) Update on previous outstanding matters;
· An instruction has been placed to replace the bollards at Devonshire Inn turning
· Brian Hoare has had a site meeting with Cllr Wiggins to discuss drainage issues around Moorhayne Lane. It was RESOLVED that the lengthsman will clear the drains on his next visit (this week) and report any blockages to Brian. Machine ditching will be done before the end of the financial year, funds permitting.
· Brian reported that he did not think the maintenance category of Watchford Moor Lane or Clifthayne Lane had been changed, with Watchford being category 11 and Clifthayne category 9.
b) It was RESOLVED to report the following;
· There are two new potholes on the Taunton Road, one is map reference 24/088 and is opposite footpath 29 at the entrance to Emmits Farm. The other further up the hill near Curtis’s.
· The verges have become squashed and there is debris that is covering potholes on the lower part of Moorhayne Lane.
· On the A303 at Birch Oak junction, the turning to Marsh there is a broken manhole cover.
12. Planning
a) 12/2058/AGR – Higher Pithayne Farm, Yarcombe, EX14 9AD – Re-siting of existing agricultural building – pending consideration.
13. To discuss items of general correspondence received:-
a) A letter and leaflet has been received from DCC detailing new developments in Devon Heritage Services.
b) A letter has been received from the Audit Commission detailing the appointment of the external auditor for 2012/13.
c) A letter has been received from the Citizen’s Advice Burueau asking for a donation of £58.08 based on the population of the parish. It was RESOLVED to donate the same as last year which is £50.00.
d) An email has been received from the Blackdown Hills Parish network to advise that the next meeting will be on Tuesday evening 6th November – venue to be confirmed.
14. Publications received:-
· None received.
15. To confirm date of the next meeting – Monday 12th November 2012.