Parish Council Minutes – February 2020

BELSTONE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 18^th February 2020

at 7.30pm in the Village Hall Meeting Room

Present:  Michael Ash (Chairman), Ann Norman (Vice Chairman), Paul Boyce, Peter Cooper, Susan Norrish, Jon Pike, Theresa Weaver and Kate Little(Parish Clerk).

82.     Apologies: None

83.     Minutes of the meeting of 7^th January 2020: These were agreed and      signed by the Chairman as a correct record of the meeting.

84.     Matters Arising:

• Code of Conduct – Cllr Theresa Weaver proposed that the Council use the 7 Nolan principles rather then the 10 currently in the Code, as other PCs do.  It was agreed that the updated version of the code be circulated to all Cllrs for comment before the next meeting.
• Village bin – It was resolved that in the absence of an identified owner of the bin, Cllr Peter Cooper will remove the bin, as previously agreed.
• Abandoned car in the village car park – The green car has been towed away following the website item, but the red Rover remains. Clerk to seek advice from the police on the administrative process that needs to be gone through to have the car removed.

85.     Minutes of the Special Planning Meeting of 28^th January 2020: These   were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record of the meeting.

86.     Matters Arising: None

87.     Declarations of Interest: None

88.     Chairman’s Urgent Items:  There were none.

89.     Correspondence:

• Climate change meeting 18^th February 2020 – Cllr Theresa Weaver reported back on this meeting and that various suggestions would be carried over into the next Belstone Climate Change Working Group meeting on 27^th February.  Notes  of the last working group meeting held on 14^th January were tabled and will be appended to the minutes of this meeting.
• Precept for Belstone – This has been confirmed as £2’308 for 2020/21
• Eastern Links Meetings – The next quarter’s dates have been confirmed as 12^th March ( Cllr Paul Boyce to attend), 11^th June (Susan Norrish) and 1^st October (Theresa Weaver).  Venues not known yet.

90.     Belstone Commoners’ Association:

• Livestock in the village – The Association has now replied to advise that it intends to seek to educate people about taking care around the cattle, particularly where dogs are involved, by an item on the village website and signs around the village.  It also wants to look at the feasibility of stopping cattle crossing the ford up to Cosdon by some form of fencing/gate.  This was noted and joint signage was considered(see below).  It was observed that fencing on common land requires the Secretary of State’s permission, usually following a public inquiry.
• Joint Notice Board – This thought to be a good idea. Clerk to pursue with the Secretary of the Commoners’ Association.

91.     Financial Matters:

• NatWest Account Signatories – Cllrs Jon Pike and Theresa Weaver to be new signatories and former cllrs Jane Lehni, Andrew Terry and Elisabeth Emerson and former clerk Robin Hill to be removed as signatories.
• Payments Made – Tarmasters £5’895.60 (for kerbing of the car park); refunds of upfront grant monies to Belstone Commoners’ Assoc – £800, Belstone Players £520, Belstone Village Hall Cttee – £520 and Belstone Parochial Church Council – £160; Belstone Village Hall hire – £40; and Belstone Village Hall website contribution £20.
• Payments to be made – it was resolved to pay the second instalment of the clerk’ salary for 2019/20 – £500 and HMRC (income tax) – £125.   The new contract of employment for parish clerks has not yet been published by DALC.
• Bank Accounts as at 31^st January 2020 – the current account stands at £902.08 and the business reserve account at £1’1641.32
• New Council Diary – The new diary for 2020/21 was approved and all items bar applying for the annual VAT refund were signed off as completed.

92.     Highways:

• Meeting with DCC Highways Debrief – This meeting didn’t really resolve any of the ongoing issues of blocked drains.  The lengthsmen are now all contractors who bid for the work annually and cannot easily be re-directed to individual issues.  DCC Highways to provide a plan of all known drains in the village/parish.  The Highways reps cleared the drain by the stocks and Dartmoor House following the meeting.  It was agreed that the PC should chase DCC Highway for drains clearances twice a year, in November and May.
• Responsibility for roadside drains, ditches and hedgerows – a diagram of who is responsible for which has been sent from DCC Highways. [To be put on the Parish Notice Board and website].
• Road Closure from Skaigh Lodge to Ladywell on 5/6^th and 9^th March – noted.
• The clerk to ask for the road closure notices in Market Lane to be removed.

93.     Any Other Business:

• Two Museums Way – Cllr Theresa Weaver attended the meeting on this.  Ali Cruse, the Chairman of Sticklepath PC has updated the map, applied for Locality funding in the upcoming financial year and prepared the leaflets, which will also be available electronically.

There being no other business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 8.35pm.

The next meeting will be on 7^th April 2020, at 7.30pm.

Agreed Actions