Parish Council Minutes – July 2020

BELSTONE PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on 28^th July 2020

at 8.40pm in the Village Hall

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

In Attendance: DCC Cllr James McInnes, Eddy and Robin Hill, Chris Townsend, Chris Walpole, Edward Currie, Sophia Clyst, and Bob Weaver

1.       Apologies: Paul Boyce

2.       Minutes of the meeting of  18^th February 2020: These were agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record of the meeting.

3.       Matters Arising not dealt with elsewhere on the agenda:

•  Abandoned cars in the car park – The two identified abandoned cars have now been removed.  It was agreed that a draft policy for the use of the car park should be brought to the next meeting.
• Eastern Links meeting – 1^st October – Cllr Theresa Weaver to attend

4.       Minutes of the Virtual (written) Meeting of 7^th April 2020: These were                       agreed and signed by the Chairman as a correct record of the meeting.

   5.        Matters Arising not dealt with elsewhere on the agenda:

• It was agreed that it had been difficult making decisions during the lockdown period and online meetings had proved not to be practical.  A short debate followed on how the PC could rise to the technological challenge  and move business on more efficiently.
• Information Commissioner’s Office and WDBC Payroll payments –The clerk has put these payments onto annual direct debit payments for the future
• Notice board at Tongue End – It was proposed by Cllr Ann Norman and seconded by Cllr Peter Cooper thatthe current sign remain for the present.

6.       Planning Consultations Received:  The following applications have been           received since the last meeting. The Parish Council raised no objection to all        of them.

• The Rills
• Tor Down House
• Steeperton (declaration of interest made by cllr Michael Ash)
• Sweet Briar (declaration of interest made by cllrs Michael Ash and Peter Cooper)
• Beechcroft
• Rose Cottage

7.       Declarations of Interest – None

8.       Urgent Items Raised by the Chairman  – There were none.

9.       Livestock in the Village – This matter is being dealt with by Belstone           Commoners’ Association which has been investigating the use of warning signs around the village.  There has been a campaign of livestock    awareness on the moor recently by the police, the DNPA and the Dartmoor         Livestock Officer.

10.     Model Code of Conduct Consultation: It was agreed that the proposed   code produced by NALC was acceptable but in the interim before the new          one came on stream, the Code of Conduct prepared by Cllr Theresa   Weaver would be adopted by   the Parish Council.

11.     Climate Change Working Group:  Following a misunderstanding as to the           status of the working group, Cllr Peter Cooper proposed and Cllr Ann Norman           seconded the following, which was agreed:

          The climate change working group is a community group and not a parish Council working group.  Cllr Theresa Weaver would represent the PC on the working group.

12.     Financial Matters

• Approval of the 2019/20 Accounts  – These had been approved at the Annual Parish Meeting earlier in the evening
• Certificate of Exemption – It was resolved to seek certification.
• Honorarium for the internal auditor –It was agreed to give the auditor a £20 gift token in thanks for his work
• 1^st quarter budget

Revenue Budget

Business Reserve Account

It was resolved to agreed this first quarter budget.

• Payments made: Refer to the 1^st quarter budget above

• Payments to be made: It was agreed to reimburse the clerk for printer ink (which has been in very short supply and has consequently gone up in price) £55.

13.     Annual Risk Assessment:  This needs updating to take account of data   protection and pandemic implications.

14.     Correspondence received:

• Covid 19 updates
• Copy letter from Fred Scott-Lawson re cattle attack
• Email from Sarah Porterfield re projecting stone in Skaigh Lane
• Request for location for plaque to celebrate life of former resident of Rose Cottage

15.     Any Other Business:

• Cllr Theresa Weaver wll be attending a DCC working group re the countrywide charging network.
• Cllr Theresa Weaver will explore parish council email addresses separate from personal ones.
• The asset review will be undertaken next time and cllrs were asked to check to see if any required attention:

1. The telephone kiosk
2. The Pound
3. The stocks
4. The bus shelter at Tongue End
5. The car park
6. The PC also oversees the seats no longer looked after by the donor families

There being no other business, the Chairman closed the meeting at 10.00pm.

The next meeting will be on 8^th September 2020.  Arrangements for this will be available nearer the time.

Agreed Actions