Present: Cllrs Knight, Janes, Hookway, Beamish, Hoddinott, Hockings, Johnson, Williams and District Cllr Robert Steer.
Apologies: Cllrs Steer, Hill, Fearn and County Cllr Paula Black.
Clerk: Mrs D Crann.
Cllr. Knight took the Chair again due to the illness of the Chairman. He welcomed everyone and invited District Cllr Steer to give his report.
Cllr Steer reported he had attended a recent meeting with the Princes Foundation and it was recommended there should be approx 40 new houses in Harbertonford. Sites to be considered - At the former Glanville’s Mill 2016 and at Brockhills and Factory Hill sites 2026. Re 23/1828/09/F, an enforcement order was possible at Tigley Croft, Tigley. The Tree Officer of SHDC had been called by Mr Broadway to his Dundridge Yard site after some trees had been blown down recently and all was in order. Cllr Steer then wished everyone a Happy Christmas.
No Police Report had been received.
The minutes of the last meeting were considered, agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record.
Matters Arising:
1) Repair of fence to Playground in Harberton. Lead caps are to be placed on fence posts. Thanks go to Cllrs Hoddinott, Hockings and Hill for their work.
2) Community Planning ongoing.
3) Interactive Road Signs on A381 in Harbertonford. No further progress.
4) Boundary Marker Stone at Peak Cross. Cllr. Hoddinott reported a new stone had been placed on the opposite side of the road the wrong way round.
5) P3 Footpath Scheme – Refer to Correspondence Item 5.
6) Re buses to and from Kingsbridge School ongoing.
7) South Hams Standards Committee. The Clerk had now arranged for Delyth Jenkins Evans, South Hams Monitoring Officer to speak at the January meeting.
8) Damaged South West Water marker along Bow Rd. Harbertonford – ongoing.
Planning: Parish Council recommendations.
Decision between meetings.
23/1990/09/F – Higher Grove, Tigley. Side extension for annexe + dormers to rear for disabled parents. No objections.
Correspondence:
1) BT Phone Boxes. Details received regarding the ‘Adopt-a-kiosk’ scheme. The kiosks can be purchased for £1.00 then the equipment would be removed. After discussions it was decided not to follow this route and object to their removal at this time. All in favour.
2) GLEAM. A letter had been received explaining the success they have had with their campaign to preserve the Byways in the Countryside and Traffic Regulation Orders banning motor vehicles from damaging them. Councillors will consider any grants they might give at the end of the financial year to support this work. Details also enclosed of AGM held 23/10/09.
3) DAPC – Village Green magazine received, also ‘Rising to the Challenge Conference’ 08/02/10 at Tiverton, at Follaton House 11/01/10 a pilot scheme by Stoke Fleming PC and NALC details to update legislation regarding internet payments by Councils.
4) BBC Breathing Places – World record attempt with tree planting 05/12/09.
5) P3 Parish Paths Scheme. Following the meeting on 17/11/09 between Cllrs Hookway, Hoddinott and Hockings, the Parish Clerk and from DCC Messrs Jenkins, Spurway and Malec at Harbertonford Football Club the following had been agreed. The invoice sent to the Parish Council by Richard Everitt for work on Footpath No 13 had now been apportioned so that £200.00 of the labour costs + VAT will be paid by DCC and the balance of £580.42 (inc £75.71 VAT) will be paid out of the Parish Council’s P3 fund of £1630.00. This would leave a balance in the P3 Fund of £1,125.29 exc VAT. At the meeting on 17/11/09 there had been a difference of opinion between Harberton Parish Councillors and DCC representatives on the excessive cost of this particular job and the fact that the Parish Council had not been invited to get quotes for the job. The quality of the work was also questioned as the 14’ gate had been hung so high as to enable sheep to pass underneath. Mr Jenkins of DCC made the comment that the gate was for the convenience of users of the footpath and not hung to prevent animals from escaping from the field. There was further discussion on this matter and Cllrs Hockings and Hoddinott proposed that the Clerk write to DCC Leader, Mr J Hart on the matter, explaining Harberton Parish Councillors’ concern at the labour costs of this particular job. All in favour.
6) Some emails from Mrs. Padfield were then discussed and will be further discussed at the January meeting.
7) SHDC Budget meeting at Follaton 14/01/10. will be attended by Cllr Williams.
8) Empowering Parish & Town Councils. Details shown to the meeting.
9) SHDC Play Areas. A letter had been received from Mr Ken Carter of SHDC asking that the Parish Councils each contribute £100.00 towards the insurance and inspections of these areas in 2010/11 due to the reduction of possibly 25% in Local Authority budgets. After discussion it was proposed by Cllr Hoddinott, seconded by Cllr Janes, to make this £100.00 contribution next year. All in favour.
10) Email from Lee Bray of SHDC. This said that the site allocations DPDs & the Princes Foundation reports will be issued simultaneously on 17/12/09.
11) Invoice received from K C Garden Machinery for service to mower of £203.00 (inc £26.48 VAT). To be paid. Proposed by Cllr Hockings, seconded by Cllr Hoddinott. All in favour. A donation cheque for £176.52 received from Harberton Playing Fields Association had been paid into the bank.
Other items on the table: SHDC Executive Forward Plan; DCC In Touch magazine; Devon Talk; SHDC minutes of Executive meetings 19/11/09 & 13/12/09 and South Hams Magazine.
Matters at the Discretion of the Chairman:
1) Cllr Williams questioned if Joyners Nurseries should be retailing Christmas Trees.
2) Potholes at Leigh Hill and on the corner at top of the hill, at Ford Barn Cross and on the Avonwick/Totnes road opposite Blakemore on the left-hand side were reported by Cllr Hoddinott and at Coppithorne near the reservoir by Cllr Johnson, all in Harberton. Cllr Hoddinott also queried why DCC no longer cleared the encroaching grass and mud at the edges of the roads as they used to.
Cheques signed:
No 471 - Mrs D Crann - £535.31
No.472 – R J Everitt - £580.42
No.473 – K C Garden Machinery - £203.00
D/D - PlusNet - £9.75
Paid into bank:
HPFA - £176.52
The meeting closed at 9.30pm. The next will be held at Harberton Parish Hall on Tuesday 12 January 2010 at 7.30pm.