Minutes of Parish Council meeting held on Monday, 18 July 2011 at 8.00 p.m.

Present: Martin Platts (Chairman), Michael Stride (Vice Chairman), Mary Jones, Kevin Salter, Judith Ellard, Bill Moore, Simon Harper, Cllr Ian Thomas, Cllr Jim Knight, Sheila Crees (Clerk)

1. Police Report
2. District Councillor’s Report
– – there had been only one crime in June, none so far for July. The Police are unfortunately having to suspend the Axe Valley Community Police Cadet Scheme, due to declining numbers.

• the Broadband situation is encouraging with the next phase of government funding - £30 million for Devon and Somerset, plan for rural areas to have acceptable provision by 2015.
• Awards for all – money is available from a simple small grants scheme for local projects – groups need to apply quickly.

1. County Councillors’ report
–

• Dalwood School is to close due to lack of numbers.
• Unemployment numbers are down.
• A Locality budget grant (£1250) is available for this financial year – a grit-spreading machine was suggested - and there is a also a £25,000 development grant available for building projects. He also mentioned the Awards for All scheme and it was decided to arrange a joint meeting (provisional date Tuesday, 26 July) with the Peek Hall Management Committee to discuss how best to take advantage of these to benefit our community.

1. Apologies
2. Minutes
3. Matters Arising
4. Planning
– plans discussed at this meeting: – none.– the minutes of the last meeting (16 May 2011) were signed as a correct record by the Chairman. were received from Roy Jones and PC Steve Speariatt.

• 11/1403/COU – Retention of Yurt and Shower/toilet building for use as holiday accommodation – Higher Manor Farm, Combpyne, EX13 8SY –

The Council rejected this application and would support enforcement for the following reasons:

• Inadequate means of access and insufficient parking
• Unnecessary impact on AONB

• 11/1486/FUL – Demolition of existing shed and construction of timber shed/workshop – Land North of Manor House, Combpyne, EX13 8SX

There were no objections to this application.

Planning meeting held on Tuesday, 31 May, at 8.00 p.m. in the Peek Hall, Rousdon

Present:

Apologies

received from Roy Jones
Martin Platts, Bill Moore, Michael Stride, Mary Jones, Judith Ellard

                    Parish Council members visited the site.

Applications – 11/0830/FUL and 11/0831/LBC – East Lodge South, Rousdon, Lyme Regis, DT7 3XU – Proposed alterations to side extension including alterations to dormer windows, change of roof material and construction of decking

• The two small dormer windows appear to be serving an upper floor – this is not high enough and there is no permission for two storeys – this would surely not comply with building regulations.
• Poor quality of footings and windows
• Breeze block walls – how are these to be finished?
• The general state of the property would suggest that repairs need to be carried out as soon as possible, but this obviously needs to comply with English Heritage requirements for listed buildings and the Parish Council would also strongly recommend an inspection visit by English Heritage.

It was decided that minutes of interim planning meetings would be sent to Councillors after the meeting rather than waiting for them to be included in the minutes of the next full Council meeting.

1. New Parish Councillor
2. Payments –
3.  
4. Internal audit fee - £28.00
5. Local Council Review Subscription - £15.50
– interest had been expressed by a Mr S Smitheram – the clerk had invited him to this meeting but he had not turned up – so would contact him again, inviting him to the next meeting and requesting his CV.

The Internal Auditor had raised a query regarding the last VAT claim (Hall windows repair invoice). It may be that the incorrect amount had been claimed – nothing more had been heard to date from Customs and Excise.

1. Correspondence
2.  
3. Letter from Colin Boyd, Clockhouse, Combpyne regarding the local holiday let situation and whether planning consents are required and or requested. The yurt at Higher Manor Farm was mentioned (planning application dealt with above) and also holiday letting at Forge Cottage. The clerk would follow this up with the Planning Enforcement Officer and would also reply to Mr Boyd.
4. E-mail notice re Devon County Council’s Snow Warden Scheme – would be discussed at Finance meeting being arranged
5. Letter from EDDC re Review of Polling Station Locations – The Council were satisfied with the current arrangements (Peek Hall, Rousdon) and had received no complaints or comments about these.
6. Tree Wardens database update – clerk to send Kevin Salter’s details to add to this.

1. Date for next meeting
2. Other Business
– Mrs Harris, a Rousdon Estate property owner had contacted the clerk regarding public/private access to the Rousdon Estate – she had spoken to someone who thought parishioners had right of access – the clerk had written to her and posted a notice clarifying the position. It was decided that the notices would now be taken down and the Council could if necessary contact the actual individual involved.: 19 September, at 8.00 p.m.

The meeting finished at about 10 p.m.

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