WIDECOMBE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a meeting of the Parish Council held on Thursday 7 September 2017 in Church House, Widecombe
Present: Councillor Newbolt-Young (Chairman), Booty, Fenton, Lomax, Morley, Routley, Southcombe & Welby Members of the Public: None
Clerk: Suzanna Hughes
4177 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
 Cllr Hassell
 County Cllr Gribble
 District Cllr Jeffery
4178 OPEN FORUM
No members of the public were present.
4179 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST & REQUESTS FOR DISPENSATIONS
Councillors were reminded of their responsibility to continually update their Notice of Registerable Interests and to declare any disclosable interests, including the nature and extent of such interests they have in any items to be considered at this meeting. 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.
Cllr Booty declared an interest in item 4186 (a)(i) as a neighbour to the property.
4180 RATIFICATION OF MINUTES
Members received the minutes of the meeting of 6 July 2017 which were approved and signed by the Chairman as a true and correct record.
4181 POLICE REPORT
No report.
4182 COUNTY COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
No report.
4183 DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
No report.
4184 DELEGATE REPORTS
None.
4185 MATTERS ARISING
(a) Trees on the Village Green
The clerk advised that Geoff Partridge had met with Brian Beasely, DNPA to discuss the proposed maintenance of the trees on the village green. An agreement has been reached as to the level of works that can be carried out. The proposed works involves crown lifting by 3-4 metres six of the trees and reducing and reshaping their side branches. It does not involve the removal of any of the trees. An application has been completed and submitted to DNPA. Geoff Partridge has quoted £200 to carry out the works. Members accepted the quotation and looked forward to the work being carried out.
(b) Widecombe Fair
Members received clarification about Widecombe Fair’s Committee’s suggestion that the Parish Council offers a donation towards the Town Criers as a form of sponsorship. As was agreed in July, members believed that all costs relating to the Fair had been transferred to Widecombe Fair Committee and therefore the request that the Parish Council makes a donation towards the services of the Town Crier was refused. This is something which could be discussed at the first review after the Fair.
There was a discussion about insurance with some members seeking clarification on the liability for various areas of the village. Cllr Welby confirmed that the Village Green will be covered by Widecombe Fair Committee’s insurance policy and a copy of the policy would be sent to the clerk. It was agreed that the Council’s own insurers should also be notified about the Fair.
(c) Defibrillator
Members were informed that Teign Hearbeat are struggling to provide trainers hence the delay in training provision. Some dates have been suggested by Cllr Southcombe and these have been forwarded to Teign Heartbeat. However, a date has not yet been confirmed. It was agreed that if a date was not forthcoming, the Parish Council should accept County Cllr Gribble’s offer of a grant from his locality budget to purchase alternative training.
It was confirmed that the Widecombe Fair programme has a map showing the location of the defibrillator and that St John Ambulance would be present at the Fair.
(d) Dartmoor Local Plan Consultation
Members received and commented on the draft settlement profiles as follows:
 With regard to additional infrastructure, it was agreed that the DNPA should be made aware of potential plans for a night landing site for the Devon Air Ambulance on Widecombe Fair Field, a new village hall (site not yet confirmed), the History Group’s plans for conversion of the pig house and creation of a memorial garden and the need to improve mobile phone reception and broadband provision (p.4)
 It was also agreed that despite the latest Housing Needs Assessment showing a need for six affordable units, the land currently owned by Teign Housing and earmarked for affordable housing could accommodate more than six houses (p.4). This land is located opposite Brook Lane Cottages.
 The settlement services should list that Widecombe has a recreation ground and that for those services not available in the settlement, the distance to the nearest available is six miles (p.8)
 There is no desire for a settlement boundary.
(e) Pay and Conserve Parking Scheme Consultation
Members received and commented on the proposals as follows:
 The voluntary donation boxes currently located in the car parks are not very visible. If these were more conspicuous it might negate the need to have a more formal arrangement.
 Would there be an opportunity for local people to purchase a season pass?
 Members requested that the income generated from the parking metres should be ring-fenced and reports provided showing the level of income and how it is being spent. All revenue generated should be reinvested into the car parks and their facilities and used to provide additional personnel to patrol the car parks and problem areas such as Deeper Marsh.
(f) Rural Skip
Members received confirm that the rural skip will be located in the main car park (coach park) on Saturday 7th October, 10am –4pm.
(g) Mobile phone coverage
Members were asked to consider a proposal by EE to take part in a project to improve mobile phone coverage in Widecombe using micro cells. It was agreed to defer this item until the next meeting to allow members to read the information which had been provided.
(h) Widecombe Histroy Group
Members received a request from the History Group asking the Parish Council to submit the planning application for the pig house to DNPA on its behalf. The reason for the request was to make a financial saving of £192.50 (applications submitted by the Parish Council receive a 50% discount). After discussion it was agreed that this would not be appropriate as it would set a precedent for other organisations wishing to submit a planning application and benefit from the Parish Council’s discount. Further, the Parish Council would like the opportunity to comment on the plans as a consultee and this opportunity would not be available if the Parish Council submits the application. Members agreed that the Parish Council will only submit applications for plans on land that it owns.
4186 PLANNING
(a) New applications/appeals:
(i) 0422/17 & 0423/17 - First floor extension above rear lean-to and raising of roof on side elevation of house and change of use of barn to a holiday let at Higher Sherwell Farm, Poundsgate
Members agreed to support the application.
(ii) 0424/17 - Conversion of former barn to holiday let at Cordonford Farm, Poundsgate Members agreed to support the application.
(iii) 0391/17 - Demolition of existing and replacement with new dwelling at Top Lodge, Ponsworthy Members agreed to support the application.
(iv) 0358/17 - Erection of livestock shed at Great Cator Farm, Widecombe-in-the-Moor Members had no objections to this application.
(v) 0359/17 - Erection of lean-to on existing shed (46m x 6m) at Great Cator Farm, Widecombe- in-the-Moor Members had no objections to this application.
(vi) 0648/16 - Appeal against refusal of full planning permission for the erection of agricultural workers dwelling on land at Blackdown Piper Farm, Widecombe-in-the-Moor It was agreed that the following observation would be made to the Planning Inspectorate: The Parish Council is confused by the wording of the appeal. The original planning application, which was refused by DNPA, does not match the wording of the appeal statement. The original application was for an ‘agricultural workers dwelling’. The Planning Appeal form also states ‘erection of agricultural workers dwelling’. It also states in the questionnaire that the description of the development has not changed from that stated on the application. However, the appeal statement which follows refers to ‘the farmhouse’, ‘the main farmhouse’ or ‘the proposed farmhouse’.
(vii) 0322/16 - Extension to Linhay Hill Quarry, Ashburton – Regulation 22 submission of ‘further information’ Part I No comments were made.
(b) Decisions:
(i) 0273/17 – Alterations to existing barn, Rugglestone Inn, Widecombe-in-the-Moor Members noted that DNPA has granted conditional planning permission.
(ii) 0229/17 – Formation of new vehicular access incorporating alterations to boundary treatments and change of use of land, Hatchwell Hall, Widecombe-in-the-Moor Members noted that DNPA has granted conditional planning permission.
(iii) 0204/17 – Replacement windows, Northway Farm, Widecombe-in-the-Moor Members noted that DNPA has granted conditional Listed Building Consent.
(iv) 10.2.4 0208/17 – Tennis court for domestic use, Higher Natsworthy Farm, Widecombe-in-the Moor Members noted that DNPA has granted conditional planning permission.
4187 FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE
Members received and approved the following payments for approval:
 Cheque no 000958 - Clerk’s salary and disbursements - £238.15
 Cheque no 000959 - Grant Thornton (external audit) - £120
 Cheque no 000960 - ICO (Data Protection Licence renewal) - £35
4188 HIGHWAYS
No new issues were reported.
4189 CORRESPONDENCE
(a) Members received and noted a letter from the Trustees of the Widecombe Church House and Lands Charity expressing concern about the lack of social housing in the parish for single people.
(b) Members received and noted a letter of thanks from Widecombe Pre-School for the grant received from the Parish Council towards their heating bills.
(c) Members received notification of the Dartmoor Devil Cycle Ride on Sunday 29 October which passes through the parish on both the outward and return legs.
4190 MATTERS OF INFORMATION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIRMAN
The clerk informed members that Roger Claxton and members of the History Group will be attending October’s meeting to make a short presentation about the Pig House/Memorial Garden Project.
It was asked whether any further progress had been made with the parish communication project which Cllr Hassell is working on with Roger Claxton. It was agreed that the clerk would contact Cllr Hassell for an update.
There being no further business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 9.46pm.
Signed .................................................. Dated
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The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Thursday 5 October 2017 at 7.30pm.