The minutes of Harberton Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 11March 2008 at 7.30pm. at Harberton Parish Hall.

Present: Cllrs. Fearn, Knight, Hill, Williams, Hoddinott, Hookway, Steer, Janes, Hockings & Jeffries

Also Present: District Cllr R Steer, PCVO V Gummow and another PC.

Clerk: Mrs D Crann

The Chairman opened the meeting, welcomed everyone and invited D.Cllr R Steer to give his report. Cllr Steer had met with DCC Highways officers. The subject of the pedestrian crossing in Harbertonford had come up, but there was little joy. The Clerk read out a letter received from John Halliday of DCC suggesting improvements to signing from Kingsbridge direction. Cllr Steer had also visited a new estate of eco-friendly houses recently built for rent and was very impressed with their construction, but said they were very expensive to build. He had also had a meeting with Transitional Town Totnes tackling the problems of saving heat and fuel.

PCSO V Gummow then gave the Police report. There had been 5 crimes last month, 2 of which are detected. The subject of parked cars at the splay of A381 and Old Road, Harbertonford, was discussed as a perennial problem. Car numbers should be noted and passed on to the Police.

County Cllr G Date sent apologies by email. His report consisted of the fact that he is on the Postwatch Committee which will oversee the local Post Office closures.

Mrs Padfield then spoke regarding the Harbertonford Allotment Society. She and her colleagues had been visiting several local farmers for a possible site. David Camp had been very receptive and offered an acre of one of his fields just above the Primary School. Having written to his agents, Michelmore Hughes of Totnes, their reply stated that David Camp was not in a position to sub-let any land. After some further discussion it was agreed that the Clerk would write to Mr. Wiseman of Michelmore Hughes for any further information regarding the possibility that the Parish Council might lease the land to sub-let for allotments. Mrs Padfield also agreed she would write to DCC Highways regarding the problems at the Pedestrian Crossing.

The minutes to the previous meeting were then considered, agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

Matters Arising:

1) Harbertonford Village Hall Loan application. The Clerk had this day heard from the Communities & Local Government Office in London who were processing the Permission for Borrowing forms sent in by the Parish Council. The Clerk was told that the Parish Council could not borrow for a loan only for a grant. She then referred immediately to DAPC’s Lesley Smith who had not heard of this. After a full discussion on this matter it was with great regret that councillors realised they would be unable to make a loan to Harbertonford Village Hall for their improvements. D Cllr R. Steer agreed he would enquire of SHDC if funds would be available there. Meanwhile, the Clerk still had not received any reply to her letter to Mr Monaghan of the Harbertonford Village Hall Committee. dated 26/02/08.

2) Plaque for the bench in memory of Edmund Janes now received.

3) Bottle Bank in Harberton ongoing.

4) Potholes still not repaired in Harberton.

5) Textile Bank in Harberton ongoing.

6) Harbertonford Bottle Bank ongoing.

7) Letter received from Mr. Lund of Harberton re “moto-cross” in a field adjacent to Screws Lane, Harberton. The Clerk had contacted SHDC who said they were unable to act as it was allowed to carry on for 28 days a year. Cllr Hoddinott had spoken to the farmer who was to plough up the field soon.

8) HAS re allotments. Full report at start of the meeting.

Planning: Parish Council recommendations. Decisions between meetings.

23/0261/08/TCA Shambahala, 1 Moreleigh Rd. Harbertonford. Surgery to ash tree. No objections.

23/0262/08/LB Overleigh, Harberton. Consent for repairs & alterations. No objections.

23/0324/08/F 2 Broad Steps, Old Road, Harbertonford. Erection of garden shed. No objections.

23/0351/08/F Gosworthy Farm, Harberton. Erection of double garage with storage within loft. No objections.

For Information

39/2605/07/F Channer Head Plantation, Webland Lane, South Brent. Construction of buildings etc. for processing of deadstock/livestock. Planning meeting to be held 19/03/08 at Council Chamber, Follaton House, Totnes at 2.00pm.

Correspondence:

1) Allotments in Harbertonford. Already discussed.

2) Room hire invoices for 2007/8 to be paid. £30.00 for Harberton Parish Hall and £25.00 for Harbertonford Primary School. Proposed by Cllr.Steer, seconded by Cllr Williams. All in favour.

3) Broadband installation now completed for the Clerk. The monthly Direct Debit now activated. Initial debit of £40.00 for installation + £9.99. per month. Proposed by Cllr Jeffries, seconded by Cllr Hill. All in favour.

4) Plaque for the bench now received. Invoice to be paid for £51.00. Proposed by Cllr Steer, seconded by Cllr Hockings. All in favour.

5) DCC Listening Events. The nearest meeting will be held on 11/04/08 at 10.00am in Ivybridge Town Hall to discuss the way forward for Devon CC.

6) SHDC. New website for south Devon www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk

7) SHDC Local Govt. Review – Devon. Letter received from Cllr J Tucker.

8) DCC Road Works - Totnes Cross to Halwell Camp extended an extra three weeks.

9) SW Lifelong Network questionnaire to be completed by all councillors and returned to the University of Plymouth.

10) Letter from Mrs Patrick of Harberton regarding the “moto-cross” in Harberton received. The Clerk had informed Mrs. Patrick of the situation.

11) Copy of a letter from County Cllr Date to Mr Broad re the flooding at his property received.

12) Letter from Geoff Broom of HSSG to be further discussed at the next meeting.

13) Letter received from HPFA for a grant towards the grass cutting in Harberton to be discussed at the next meeting.

14) Letter from Mr & Mrs Lawrence regarding problems at the pedestrian crossing in Harbertonford shown to the meeting.

15) DAPC. Village Green magazine + other items shown to the meeting.

16) Letter from D&C Constabulary showing graphs of user satisfaction & crime reduction shown to the meeting.

17) Letter from CPRE shown to the meeting.

18) Invoice from Audit Commission for the Annual Audit 2006/7 for £158.63 (incl. £23.63 VAT) to be paid. Proposed by Cllr Jeffries, seconded by Cllr Williams. All in favour.

Other matters on the table:

Voluntary Vine, SHDC Executive Forward Plan.

Matters at the Discretion of the Chairman:

1) Cllr Jeffries reported that Harbertonford Playground Association had ordered two benches and a picnic table for the playground.

2) Cllr Knight reported that DCC had started to repair the new road drains along A381 down the hill from Langridge Cross to Harbertonford. Also that the gates to the Primary School swimming pool had been ripped off last weekend.

Cheques signed:

No 414 - Mrs. D.Crann - £510.32 No 415 - Audit Commission - £158.63

The meeting closed at 9.50.pm. The next will be held on Tuesday 08 April 2008 at 7.30.pm at Harbertonford Primary School.