Parish Council Minutes – December 2018
BELSTONE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Meeting held on 4th December 2018
at 7.30pm in the Village Hall Meeting Room
Present: Michael Ash (Chairman), Ann Norman (Vice Chairman), Peter Cooper, Elisabeth Emerson, Susan Norrish, Jon Pike and Kate Little (Parish Clerk).
In attendance: David Emerson
64. Apologies for absence: Paul Boyce
65. Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting of 16th October 2018: Signed as a correct record of the meeting.
66. Matters Arising:
- HGVs passing through the village to the army camp: DCC Highways had proved difficult to contact with the new phone system. Clerk to pursue the matter.
- Rew Meadow: Clerk was instructed to sent a letter expressing the PC’s disappointment about the DNPA’s decision to take no further action. It was felt that this set an unfortunate precedent.
- The Westlake Seat: The PC was pleased with David Westlake’s offer to replace the seat dedicated to his grand-father located below Great Green and asked that the seat be of the same size as the existing to fit onto the fittings. Clerk to liaise with David Westlake.
- Car Park Lease: The lease has now been signed by all parties and is with the solicitors for registration. It was agreed to authorise the £10 ten year rent.
- Riverside Chalet: The owners’ agent’s request to engage in pre-application discussion was declined in line with the PC’s recently adopted policy. However, it was noted that in the new DNPA Local Plan, currently out for consultation, such pre application discussion was encouraged. The PC nevertheless felt that this put it in a difficult position.
67. Minutes of Special Planning Meeting: 21st November 2018 re Land adj Woodsmoke, Skaigh Lane. Signed as a correct record of the meeting.
68. Matters Arising: It was noted that DCC Highways had objected to the application.
69. Declarations of Interest: None
70. Urgent Items raised by the Chairman: None
71. Correspondence: The PC noted that the DNPA Local Plan First Draft (Regulation18) was now out for consultation.
72. Clerk’s report: The following dates for next year’s Parish Council meetings were agreed:
15th January
26th February
9th April Annual Parish Meeting (early due to the Parish Council elections in May)
2nd May Election date?
21st May Annual Parish Council Meeting, followed by an ordinary PC meeting – the APCM has to follow the election
16th July
3rd September
15th October
26th November
7th January
Cllr Mrs E Emerson left at 8.30pm
73. Finance:
- Setting precept for 2019/20 financial year: Discussion took place on the need to increase the precept to cover the new expense of maintaining the car park. It was agreed to put £100 in the budget for 2019/20. It was felt that the drainage system in the village had held up well in the recent heavy rain events and no funds were required for further work at the present time. The question of providing dog bins and paying the Borough Council to empty them was raised, but it was decided to rely on signs in the first instance – different ones for the village from at the moor gates. A provisional budget for 2019/20 was agreed. Clerk to draw up final version of the budget for a decision at the January meeting thereby allowing the Belstone precept to be established.
- Payments made: Citizen’s Advice Bureau – £15; Car park lease legal fees (Gilbert Stephens) £295. Current account: £2’577.
- Council Diary: The actions for December were signed off as completed.
74. Planning items:
- None
75. Highways:
- Cattle grid cleaning schedule: Noted for the three grids surrounding Belstone.
76. Other Matters at the Discretion of the Chairman:
- Peter Cooper agreed to let the clerk have company names for seeking quotes for the car park kerbing.
Date of Next meeting: 15th January 2019 at 7.30pmMembers of the public are welcome to attend the meeting