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Minutes of Harberton Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 13 May 2008 at Harberton Parish Hall at 8.00pm. Present: Cllrs Fearn, Knight, Hill, Janes, Jeffries, Johnson, Hookway, Beamish, Hoddinott and Williams. Apologies: Cllrs Steer, Hockings and County Cllr Geoff Date. Also Present: District Cllr Robert Steer. Clerk: Mrs D Crann. A report received from County Cllr Date said he had a meeting at County Hall so could not attend ours. Also regarding the Pedestrian Crossing, he suggested a change of site. District Cllr Steer then gave his report. He said that playing fields in the District were all to be visited and reclassified to upgrade facilities. A report from the Police dated 08/04/08 had been received. 6 crimes reported. An email had been received on 12/05/08 reported just one crime in the Parish last month. The minutes of the last meeting were considered, agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record. Matters Arising: 1)The plaque for the bench in memory of Edmund Janes will be repositioned to the front of the bench by Cllr Knight. 2)HSSG. They had been in touch with Cllr Beamish. Also, they will not now have to pay for the road to be closed for the Street Party in August. Good News. 3)Pedestrian Crossing in Harbertonford over A381. Cllr Beamish reported on a recent meeting in Harbertonford Primary School and protest on the crossing by villagers. After discussion it was agreed the Clerk will write to Mr John Halliday of DCC Highways to invite him to speak at the next Parish Council meeting. 4)Re Mr Monaghan’s letter from last meeting. Cllr. Jeffries reported she had also received a letter from him. It was reiterated that the Parish Council had decided not to replace the broken down fence at the top of the bank bordering on to the Playing Field in July 2003 when the bank was cleared as it might be dangerous and only get broken again by children retrieving their balls. Planning: Parish Council recommendations. Decisions between meetings - 23/0521/08/F Blacklands, Moreleigh Road, Harbertonford. Amendments to 23/1689/07/F already approved. No objections. 23/0531/08/F Marylands, Harbertonford. Erection of conservatory. No objections.ns 39/2605/07/F Channer Head plantation, Webland Lane, South Brent. Now approved. Correspondence: 1)Request for Annual Audit received for year ended 31/03/08. The books had now kindly been audited by Mr John Maddox of Harberton for yet another year. The Annual Return has now been signed by the Chairman and the Clerk ready for the audit on 30/06/08. To be advertised as required on the notice boards. 2)Annual Insurance Premium of £387.24 with Community First, Devizes, due 01/06/08. To be paid. Proposed by Cllr Jeffries, seconded by Cllr Johnson. All in favour. 3)Invoice for £285.57 received from SHDC for the cost of local elections in May 2007. To be paid. Proposed by Cllr Jeffries, seconded Cllr Janes. All in favour. 4)Invoice for £182.12 (inc £27.12 VAT) received from James Miller for 1st clearance of silt in Harberton. To be paid as per estimate. Proposed by Cllr Beamish, seconded by Cllr Johnson. All in favour. 5)GLEAM. Annual subscription now due. It was proposed by Cllr Hill, seconded by Cllr Knight, to pay £30.00 for Life Membership. All in favour. 6)DCC PP3 Parish Paths Scheme. A letter had been received and was read to the meeting. There will be no additional funding this year. 7)SHDC Parish Cluster meeting. Cllrs Knight & Hill agreed to attend at Follaton House on 22/05/08 at 7.00pm. 8)Land Registry – Voluntary First Registration of Title. This matter was discussed by Councillors. It was proposed by Cllr Jeffries to invite a speaker to the July meeting to explain further. All in favour. 9)DCC Local Involvement Network for Devon. A meeting had been held in Totnes on 07/05/08. 10)DCC & Primary Care Trust. A letter was read out to the meeting re Totnes Town Profile 2007. 11)Emails had been received from John Culf re mower repairs. Also, an Invoice for these repairs for £119.24 (inc £17.79 VAT) with a donation cheque paid into bank for £101.48. Invoice to be paid was proposed by Cllr Williams, seconded by Cllr Hoddinott. All in favour. 12)SHDC Local Govt Review & Boundary Commission letter & DCC Flying the Flag for Devon. All letters referring to the local government reorganisation to be circulated amongst Councillors for their opinions. 13)Street lighting in Harberton. The Chairman had had a request that consideration be given the street lights being turned off after midnight in Harberton. This matter to be discussed further. 14)Invoice for £56.72 (inc £8.45 VAT) received from Viking for stationery and an office chair for the Clerk. To be paid. Proposed by Cllr Jeffries, seconded by Cllr Beamish. All in favour. 15)Item from John Culf. A request to repair, or possibly replace, the fence from the road leading up to the Playground in Harberton. The bank next to the road is also in need of clearing. The Chairman agreed to obtain quotes from John Culf and James Miller - materials & labour separately. 16)D&C Police are advertising for Independent Members to join the Police Authority for a 4 year period from 01/10/08. Anyone interested in joining can telephone 01392 268333. 17)SHDC are now charging for Pre-application Planning Advice + other matters. New charges are now in force. 18)SHDC. Development Control & Conservation User Group. Next meeting to be held 01/10/08 at 2.00.pm. 19)DCC Temporary Road Closure 07/07/08 Crabadon Cross to Rolster Bridge. 20)Mrs Padfield of Harbertonford emailed on 12/05/08 again to complain that she had been misrepresented in the February 2008 minutes. Councillors agreed that the latest minutes should reflect her comments. She said that the subject of the allotments had been closed by the Chairman and that the next item was introduced by the person who had spoken last about the allotments. She said that she had not suggested that the Council delay giving an opinion until the planning decision had been made. Her point was that the Parish Council should wait until parishioners had had a reasonable time to give their comments before the Parish Council made a decision. To clarify, the Chairman repeated that the Parish Council makes a decision based on their local knowledge and experience. Members of the public should lodge their comments or objections direct to SHDC as indicated on the notice which is always displayed at the site of the application. Items on the table: SHDC Minutes of the Executive meeting 10/04/08; DCC Newsletters; DAPC Newsletter; SHDC Agenda & Minutes; DPFA Newsletter; TOR Homes newsletter & Vitalise. Matters at the Discretion of the Chairman: 1)Letter received from Harbertonford Village Hall Committee. This was asking if the Parish Council will now release the £300.00 which was donated by Mr Wheeler in November 2002. It would go towards new kitchen equipment for the new extension. It was proposed by Cllr Knight, seconded by Cllr Williams to release. All in favour. The Parish Council would be pleased to know what the money is spent on. 2)Cllr. Beamish reported that in Harbertonford Playground fencing by the former entrance gate was now broken. Cllr Jeffries will look into the matter. 3)Cllr. Johnson reported potholes by Harberton House, Harberton. Also up Old Road, Harbertonford, the hedge close to the road is overgrown. (Cllr. Beamish). Cheque paid into bank HPFA - £101.48. Cheques signed No 422 - Community First - £387.24\\ No 423 – GLEAM - £30.00 The meeting closed at 10.05pm. The next will be held on Tuesday 10 June 2008 at Harbertonford Primary School at 7.30pm. |