Welcome to Widecombe-in-the-Moor

WIDECOMBE-IN-THE-MOOR PARISH COUNCIL

Clerk – Mrs Suzanna Hughes LL.B (Hons)

16 Westwood Cleave, Ogwell, Newton Abbot, TQ12 6YE

Telephone: 01626 330311      Email: suzanna.hughes21@gmail.com

To:  Councillors Y Elliott (Chair), J Bibby, D Edwards, T Guest, C Partridge & S Raynor

You are hereby summoned to attend the ANNUAL MEETING OF THE PARISH COUNCIL in Church House, Widecombe on

THURSDAY 1 MAY 2025 at 7.30pm

Suzanna Hughes

Clerk to the Parish Council

Agenda

1. ELECTION OF CHAIR

To elect a Chair of the Council and, in accordance with Section 83(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, to receive their properly executed Declaration of Acceptance of Office

• ELECTION OF VICE CHAIR

To elect a Vice Chair of the Council and, in accordance with Section 83(a) of the Local Government Act 1972, to receive their properly executed Declaration of Acceptance of Office

• APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

4.    DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST AND REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATION

Members to be reminded of their responsibility to continually update their Notice of Registerable Interests and invited to state whether they have any interest in the items to be discussed during this meeting in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct.  Unforeseen requests for a Dispensation to be considered at this point only if there was no way a Councillor would have been aware of such before the meeting.

      5.    OPEN FORUM

Members of the public are invited to address the Council

      6.     MINUTES

To approve and sign the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 3 April 2025

      7.     REVIEW OF COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND MEMBERSHIP

      8.     OTHER ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

              To agree the roles and responsibilities of members

      9.     REVIEW OF PARISH COUNCIL GOVERNANCE DOCUMENTS          

              (a)         To adopt updated Model Standing Orders and Finance Regulations

              (b)         To review Assets Register

              (c)          No changes proposed to other governance documents

      10.   REPORTS

              To receive the following reports:

              (a)         County Councillor

              (b)         District Councillors

              (c)          DNPA Representatives

              (d)         Police

              (e)         Delegate Reports

     11.    PROJECTS & ESTATES

•        Closure of Dartmeet toilets

To receive a response from Sally Morgan

(b)         Parish Field

       (i)           To note that there has been no change to the income and expenditure since last month

(ii)          Grazing licence – to note that there have been no applications to graze the field.

In view of this, it is proposed to accept an offer from a parishioner to graze the field at no cost.

     12.    PLANNING/LOCAL LIAISON

• New planning applications/appeals
•        0141/25 – Cockingford Farm, Widecombe-in-the-Moor

Covering over livestock handling and feeding areas

                                    (ii)          0146/25 & 0147/25 – Jordan Manor, Widecombe-in-the-Moor

Partial dismantling and rebuilding of a section of dry-stone granite boundary wall to facilitate remedial excavations following a heating oil leak

• Planning Decisions/Withdrawals

(i)           0210/24 – Challamoor Field, Buckland-in-the-Moor

Installation of 20m lattice telecommunications tower supporting 9 no. antennas, 2 no 600mm dishes, together with 1no. foul weather enclosure, 1 no. generator and 1no. meter cabinet plus a 1.2m satellite dish and compound fencing for the EAS and Shared Rural Network projects

To note that DNPA has granted conditional consent

     13.    FINANCE & GOVERNANCE

(a)         Payments          

To approve the following payments:

• Clerk’s salary & disbursements – £287.37
• DALC membership fees – £223.09
• Lee Accounting (SW) Ltd (internal audit of accounts) – £108
• G Partridge – repairs to bench in car park – £225
• Community First – insurance renewal (third year of 3-year LTA) – tbc

(b)         Audit 2024/25

(i)           To receive and note the year end bank reconciliation

(ii)          To receive and note the internal auditor’s report to agree that this Council is confident                               that the internal audit arrangements provided by Lee Accounting (South West) Ltd

provides excellent reassurance for the public that the financial systems are robust and fit for purpose and to continue with their appointment as the Internal Auditor to the Parish Council

              (iii)         To agree that this Council is exempt from a limited assurance review under s9 of the Local Audit

                      (Smaller Authorities) Regulations 2015 and to sign the Certificate of Exemption

(iv)         To complete and approve Section 1 of the Annual Return (Annual Governance Statement 2024/25)

(v)          To receive, approve and sign Section 2 of the Annual Return (Accounting Statements 2024/25)

     14.    HIGHWAYS

(a)         Road Warden Scheme – update

(b)         Other highways matters including:

(i)           Plymouth Motor Club 12-car navigational rally on 25 April. Concerns have been raised regarding the speed of vehicles and the impact on other vehicles, residents and animals.

Potholes and other highways maintenance issues can be reported direct to DCC:

Online:           https://www.devon.gov.uk/roadsandtransport/report-a-problem/

Telephone:      0345 155 1004

Email:              customer@devon.gov.uk

     15.    CORRESPONDENCE

Members to be informed of all relevant correspondence not otherwise dealt with on the agenda

     16.    MEMBERS’ ITEMS FOR INFORMATION OR GENERAL DISCUSSION, FOR INCLUSION ON FUTURE AGENDAS AND/OR ITEMS REQUIRING URGENT ATTENTION

Members are reminded that they have not received the statutory notice of this business to be transacted and should therefore recognise that any decision made may be taken to be unlawful if challenged in the future

     17.    NEXT MEETINGS

• Annual Parish Meeting – 22 May 2025 (Church House Widecombe)
• Parish Council Meeting – 5 June 2025 (Leusdon Memorial Hall)