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Minutes of Harberton Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 13 November 2007 at Harbertonford Primary School at 7.30pm. Present: Cllrs. Fearn, Knight, Hockings, Hill, Steer, Janes, Jeffries, Beamish, Hookway & District Cllr Robert Steer. The Chairman opened the meeting, welcoming everyone. In his absence , the County Cllr Geoff Date’s report was read out by the Chairman. Cllr Date had attended various meetings during the past month and reported he had received a request for a grant from Harbertonford Playground Cttee. He would recommend a £500 grant which may be increased to £1,000. The Police Report was then read out by the Clerk. Three crimes reported - theft of motor vehicle, drunken driver apprehended and theft of 2 cycles. There was also a warning of thieves in the area stealing metal including garden ornaments, road signs etc. Beware! The Chairman then invited Cllr Tucker to speak. Cllr. Tucker said he welcomed the opportunity to meet all our Councillors since he had been voted Leader of SHDC in the spring. He spoke about the problems of community policing following our Police Report. Devon & Cornwall Police were now making Devon into one area instead of 2. Lack of funding seemed to be the cause of many problems and PCSOs might have to be phased out in a few years for this reason, despite their success. SHDC had the lowest per capita allowances (£65) from the Government. The former Dairy Crest site in Totnes was a high priority at the moment. SHDC would be an interested party when it came up for sale in the New Year. New arrangements for the collection of industrial waste in outlying areas were in the pipeline. At this point District Cllr R Steer spoke as he was supporting his outlying constituents as it appeared they might have to pay extra for collection. Decisions were still to be made by SHDC on this issue. Cllr I Steer then spoke regarding signing at the village end of Hernaford Road in Harbertonford where there had been problems with large vehicles (including a fire appliance) trying to get through and having to back down. D Cllr Steer took note. Mr Bob Monaghan of Harbertonford then spoke. He had come with Mrs Ros Stollard of Harbertonford to ask the Parish Council for their support with a £15,000 loan for an extension to be built at Harbertonford Village Hall. Total cost to be approx. £75,000. The Committee had received grants of £15,000 from SHDC and £15,000 from Devon Renaissance and had already raised £30,000 themselves. The proposed loan from the Public Works Loan Board would be via the Parish Council, who would act as guarantor. After some discussion it was agreed that the Clerk would speak to Leslie Smith of DAPC to obtain the necessary forms. Mrs Stollard, who had assisted with the application will provide the Parish Council with a business plan and various other details of repayments etc, liaising with Cllr Knight and the Clerk. This will then be discussed further at the next meeting. They both then left the meeting. Mr Geoff Broom of Harbertonford then spoke. He had come to tell the Parish Council of the new Harbertonford Nature Reserve Group which was being formed. This group, in conjunction with the Environment Agency, hope to manage the area down Woodland Road above the dam site developed by the Environment Agency during the Flood Prevention Scheme in 2000. There would be a public meeting in the New Year when it was hoped volunteers and interested parties would attend. Mr. Broom and D Cllr Tucker then left the meeting. The minutes of the previous meeting were then considered and after one amendment were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record. Matters Arising: 1) The plaque for the bench in memory of the late E. Janes was in hand and being prepared. 2) Re cars not stopping on Pedestrian Crossing at A381 in Harbertonford, there had been another minor incident reported by Cllr Jeffries. Planning: Parish Council recommendations. Decisions between meetings 23/2034/07/F West Leigh Farm, Harberton. Retrospective application for change of use of land for storage use as commercial premises. Following a site meeting Parish Council recommend this be refused. There is no agricultural need as business is for domestic stone, kitchen worktops and paving. There is no difference between current application and 23/1363/02/CU which was refused by SHDC. Decisions at meeting: 45/2026/07 Greenpark, Westmoor, Diptford. Certificate of Lawfulness for existing residential use of property. Councillors were unanimous in agreeing these premises had been in residential use at least since 1993, if not well before that date. 23/2005/07/F The Granary. Dorsley Barton, Harberton. Withdrawn. Correspondence: 1) Harbertonford Village Hall Loan application. This had been dealt with at the beginning of the meeting. The Clerk will follow this up and liaise with Cllr Knight. 2) Bottle Bank in Harberton. D Cllr R Steer will follow this up. 3) Letter seeking finance from Harbourne Shuttle Cttee. The Clerk will write back to Mr. Harrington, the Secretary, for further details of maintenance and costs. 4) SHDC Development Control & Conservation User Group met 31/10/07. 5) DCC Highway Structural Maintenance details shown to the meeting. 6) SHDC Parish Remuneration Panel, details shown to the meeting. 7) SHDC Local Development Framework Plan details already being circulated to Councillors. 8) SHDC Licensing Act Notifications. Letter shown to the meeting. 9) SHDC Review of Polling Districts. There are no changes for this Parish. 10) Letter from Totnes Renewable Energy Society shown to the meeting. 11) Invoice received from James Miller for clearing silt from stream at Ford Area in Harberton. 2nd visit. £176.25 (£150.00 + £26.25 VAT). This to be paid proposed by Cllr Steer, seconded by Cllr Janes. All in favour. 12) PP3 Newsletter and details of current expenditure to be passed on to Cllr Williams. 13) Dog Fouling, The Law. Details and booklets shown to Councillors. 14) DAPC Notification of Clerks Pay Award 2007/8 received. The Clerk’s salary should now be £1672.50 pa - an increase of £39.50 pa. This was proposed by Cllr Beamish, seconded by Cllr Steer. All in favour. The Clerk gave her thanks. 15) SW Water Periodic Review 2009 and beyond shown to the meeting. 16) DCC Minerals & Waste Development Framework passed around the meeting. 17) The Annual Audit of the Parish Council for 2006/7 had now been successfully completed and notices had been displayed in both villages. The Clerk wished to make a special point of thanking John Maddox of Harberton who had acted as internal auditor for yet another year. All in support of these sentiments. Other items on the table: SHDC Agenda & Minutes; Detox for Devon; Voluntary Vine; SHDC Minutes of Executive meeting 04/10/07; DAPC Newsletter; DCC Newsletter; SHDC Executive Forward Plan(posted on board) and DPFA Newsletter. Matters at the Discretion of the Chairman: 1) Cllr. Janes had met with Mrs Chattaway of Harbertonford who had been maintaining the flower beds at the Ford area in Harbertonford . Children had been using the wall and lawned area as a bike ramp. It was brought to Councillors attention that the area was being spoilt. Any suggestions as how to stop this will be welcomed by Councillors as this is a communal amenity area for residents and visitors. 2) Cllr Beamish said that a Vauxhall car had been parked at the top of Old Road, Harbertonford in a layby now for over a week. 3) Cllr Steer reported that Harbertonford Bottle Bank needed emptying. 4) Cllr Knight said that the water leak in Old Road, Harbertonford, outside the Primary School, was getting worse. 5) Cllr. Hockings reported that SHDC had responded quickly to a report of fly tipping in Harberton. 6) Cllr. Jeffries reported vermin (rats) inside the Harbertonford Playground on the left hand bank. Cheque signed: No 409 - J.T. Miller - £176.25 The meeting closed at 9.20.pm. The next will be held on Tuesday 11 December 2007 at Harberton Parish Hall at 7.30.pm. |