Parish Council Meeting – July 2021
BELSTONE PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes for the meeting of Belstone Parish Council held on 27th July 2021 in the Meeting Room, Belstone Village Hall at 7.30 pm
Councillors Present:
Michael Ash (Joint Chairman), Ann Norman (Joint Chairman), Paul Boyce, Peter Cooper, Susan Norrish, Jon Pike, Theresa Weaver.
Also present: Sally Fullwood (Clerk), Simon Hill, Edwina Hill, Jenny Gibbons.
2021/22-28 Apologies for Absence.
There were no apologies.
2021/22-29 Disclosures of Interests
There were no disclosures of personal and prejudicial interest from Councillors on matters to be considered at the meeting.
2021/22-30 Minutes
It was agreed that the minutes of the meetings of the Council held on the 15th June and 29th June 2021 were signed as a correct record.
2021/22-31 Borough Councillor Statement
Lynn Daniels was unable to attend the meeting, but sent a statement.
2021/22-32 Chairman’s Announcements
There were no Chairman’s Announcements.
2021/22-33 Parish Council Website
Simon Hill and Edwina Hill attended the meeting at the Council’s request, as the current administrators of the Parish Council Website on belstonevillage.net. It is run by the Village Hall who pay for the hosting (£120 annually), domain registration and ticket software, and voluntarily keep it up to date. The Village Hall is no longer happy to voluntarily upkeep the Parish Council pages, and suggest that the Parish Council Clerk take this over. Simon Hill will support the Clerk if she needs help, fixes or advice at no cost, but will need payment for any large changes.
The Village Hall are happy to pay for the Domain Registration and ticket software.
Cllr Boyce moved that from February 2022 the Parish Council will share the hosting equally with the Village Hall, who will invoice the £60.
The Parish Council expressed thanks to Simon, Edwina, Robin and the Village Hall for all the work that they had done for the Parish Council website over the past years.
Resolved that:
The Parish Council will share the cost of the hosting for belstonevillage.net equally with the Village Hall. The Parish Council Clerk will take over the day to day posting on the Parish Council pages.
Simon and Edwina Hill left the meeting.
2021/22-34 Car Park Actions
A. The Commoners have been asked to put more rocks around the edge of the Car Park and Great Green. (Minute 2021/22-16)
The rocks on the Great Green is the Commoners responsibility, and the Parish Council recommend it for visibility and emergency access reasons. The Parish Council agreed that the placing of rocks on the Car Park boundary was their responsibility, for which they may need assistance from the Commoners. However, the placing of rocks, or tree trunks, to define the boundary will be reconsidered after the actions at B below are completed.
Jenny Gibbons, Secretary to Belstone Commoners Association was present at the meeting and will notify the Commoners of this decision.
The meeting was adjourned while the council members went to inspect the Car Park.
The meeting was resumed.
B. Car park users are not parking up to the edge of the car park because of the grass and mud on the left-hand side, which loses several metres of parking area. The tree roots on that side are close to the surface and need protection.
Resolved that:
Cllr Cooper will investigate the cost of covering the grass on the left-hand (North) side of the car park with subbase, and scraping off the grass on the right-hand (South) side of the car park. Care will be taken to prevent any damage. Action – Cllr Cooper.
C. Resolution to put up temporary A-Frame boards on busy days (Minute 2021/22-16).
We will not need a weighted version as they will only be out in good weather.
Cllr Pike moved to authorise expenditure on the A1 size A-frame and printed notices, at around £88 + VAT.
All in favour
Resolved that:
The Parish Council will buy an A-Frame notice board and printed notices. The poster on the front of the board will be based on the suggested poster supplied by the Parish Clerk. Action – Clerk
D. Resolution to put a drawing of the ideal car park layout (Minute 2021/22-16) .
Resolved that:
The Parish Clerk will approach Peter Grubb for his suggestions on the ideal layout, and develop a draft version. This will be confirmed after the actions at B above. The layout will go on the back side of the A-Frame authorised above. Action – Clerk
E. To resolve the need to take down the tree guards around the trees in the Car Park, and provide a new support for the car park noticeboard. It is believed that there are some memorial name plates on the guards.
Resolved that:
Cllr Ash, Cllr Boyce, Cllr Cooper and Cllr Pike will take down all the tree frames apart from the first frame on the left to which some notices are attached as soon as possible. They will provide alternative positions and support for any memorial name plates and the Parish Car Park notice board.
Action – Cllr Ash, Cllr Boyce, Cllr Cooper and Cllr Pike
Jenny Gibbons left the meeting.
2021/22-35 Training for Councillors
Cllr Weaver had researched Devon Association of Local Councils (DALC) Training courses for councillors She had found some interesting training opportunities at £30 each.
Cllr Cooper moved that the Parish Council pay for Cllr Weaver to attend one of the Breakthrough Communications courses supplied through DALC. The Parish Clerk has a Community Engagement module in her forthcoming ILCA training, and will share this training with Cllr Weaver before a webinar is booked.
Resolved that:
Cllr Weaver to attend Breakthrough Communications course at Parish Council Expense.
Communication and social media will be put on the next agenda.
Action – Cllr Weaver and Clerk
2021/22-36 Payroll
Belstone Parish Council currently pays £120 a year to West Devon Borough Council to do the payroll for the Parish Clerk.
Cllr Norrish moved that the Parish Clerk should do the payroll in future.
All agreed.
Resolved that:
The Parish Clerk will take over the payroll from West Devon Borough Council.
Action – Clerk
2021/22-37 Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC) Membership for Clerk
The Clerk’s Job Description suggests that she should join the SLCC. The fee would be £72 this year and £67 in subsequent years. More Details
The Local Government Act 1972 s 143 (1) (b) states that, ‘a local Authority may pay reasonable subscriptions, whether annually or otherwise, to the funds of any association of officers or members of local authorities which was so formed.’
Cllr Weaver moved that the Parish Council should pay the subscription. All agreed.
Resolved that:
The Parish Council will pay the subscription of the Parish Clerk to the SLCC.
Action – Clerk
2021/22-38 Greener Belstone
Cllr Weaver reported on a well-attended Community Garden Walk on 18th September, which links in with the Wild About Devon work that Cllr Pike investigated.
Greener Belstone will now be looking at encouraging swifts and swallows in Belstone.
2021/22-39 Items for next Agenda
An email had been received with regard to the lack of mobile signal and analogue phone facilities in the village. This will be discussed at the next meeting.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 21:02 pm
The next meeting will be on Tuesday September 7th 2021 in the Meeting Room of Belstone Village Hall at 7.30 pm.