MINUTES OF HORWOOD LOVACOTT AND NEWTON TRACEY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON WEDNESDAY, 11 MARCH 2015 IN HORWOOD AND LOVACOTT SCHOOL AT 7.30PM.
PRESENT: Councillor Miss G Edsell (Chairman), Councillors J Bennett, Mrs J Lock, K Moore, B Tilbury.
Also in attendance: District Councillor B Moores, 6 members of the public, Mrs S Squire, Parish Clerk.
147. Apologies. Councillor Mrs L Wilkinson, County Councillor F Biederman, PCSO J McEldon.
148. Declarations of Interest.
148.1 Councillor Miss Edsell declared a Prejudicial Interest in Minute No. 153.1. Planning - 58795 – Outline Application for erection of 3 dwellings, 1 affordable and 2 open market with some matters reserved at land adj Lethbridge Cottage, Lower Lovacott, Newton Tracey.
148.2 Councillor Moore declared a Prejudicial Interest in Minute No. 153.1. Planning - 58795 – Outline Application for erection of 3 dwellings, 1 affordable and 2 open market with some matters reserved at land adj Lethbridge Cottage, Lower Lovacott, Newton Tracey.
148.3 Councillor Moore declared a Prejudical Interest in Minute No. 153.4. Planning - 58799 – Installation of underground electricity cable between the wind turbine & point of connection to grid network – Lower Litchardon Farm, Newton Tracey, Barnstaple.
148.3 Councillor Moore declared a Prejudicial Interest in Minute No. 155.5.
Finance – award of Grass Cutting Tender.
149. Approval of the Minutes of the Meeting held on 11/02/15.
Approved and signed as a correct record.
150. Public Participation regarding items not on the Agenda.
150.1 Traffic through Newton Tracey was spoken about which it was felt was getting more intense, particularly with vehicles going up the hill towards Newton Cross.
The 30mph reactive sign still had to be replaced; it was thought that the Police were going to monitor traffic speed but it did not appear that this had been done.
The worse time of day is between 7.30 – 8.30am involving motorbikes coming around the Hunters Inn corner and going up the hill.
There was concern for young families living along the road and the high risk of an accident.
A photograph was taken of the motor cyclist who then followed the member of public back to their house, making them feel intimidated.
Some contractors lorries were also causing problems.
Councillor Tilbury was of the opinion that a speed survey had been undertaken a few years ago.
The matter was further discussed within the Parish Council Meeting under Minute No. 159.1.
151. Reports:
151.1 Police. When sending her apologies, PCSO McEldon advised there had been no crimes reported for the last month.
151.2 County Councillor F Biederman. Apologies sent due to being at another meeting.
151.3 District Councillor B Moores focussed on the following:
Preparations were in hand for the three Elections on 7 May: General Election, District Council Election and Parish Council Election.
He had been unable to attend the opening of The Orchard.
The recommendation from the last ND Council Meeting regarding the joint North Devon and Torridge District Council Emerging plan was that it should be submitted to the Secretary of State to include the main changes. Before this was done, there would be another 6 week consultation period in the next few weeks for Parish Councils to comment.
He had attended the ND Housing Seminar which was a useful event bringing all the different Agencies together. More details were given.
Councillor Tilbury highlighted an article about litter in north Devon covered in a national newspaper.
It was noted there was a lot of recycling items such as plastic bottles along the verges and District Councillor Moores would raise this to give further awareness.
Councillor Mrs Lock arrived.
152. Matters Arising.
152.1 DCC Highways. A letter of representation had been sent with regard to the state of the roads and verges to which no reply had been received.
152.2 DCC Highways. A reply had been sent regarding the clearance of debris from the concrete haunch explaining that this Council would have to wait for this to be done in the next financial year as the Road Warden Scheme had not progressed.
152.3 Meetings. The School had been booked from 7pm on 8 April for the Annual Parish Meeting to be followed by the April Parish Council Meeting.
The School had been advised that the May booking was required for Friday, 15 May at 4pm for the Annual Parish Council Meeting (AGM). It may not be able to be held on the second Wednesday as usual, due to the Election timetable and subsequent declaration of the result.
Due to teachers wishing to use the classroom, the School was not available at 4pm on Friday, 15 May.
It was left that when it was known if there is to be a Parish Council election or not which would be on 10 April the Meeting could then be arranged. If there is an Election, the Meeting will be held on Friday 15 May in the Village Hall; if there is not an Election, the Meeting will be held on the usual second Wednesday, 13 May.
The Clerk advised that nomination forms would be available to send from the following Monday. They could also be downloaded from the ND Council website.
The forms had to be delivered by hand to the Election Department at the Civic Centre. The deadline date was 4pm on Thursday, 9 April.
152.4 Memorial at Horwood. Councillors were advised that the Memorial Information Plaque had been mounted, framed and secured in pride of place by the main door or Horwood Church, so readily visible for anyone visiting. Councillors were shown the details which were considered to be sensitively appropriate.
Similar details had been put on the three notice boards in the Parish which was felt to be additional beneficial information throughout the three Wards.
Thanks were expressed to Councillor Mrs Lock for her efforts in this regard.
153. Planning.
153.1 58795 – Outline Application for erection of 3 dwellings, 1 affordable and 2 open market with some matters reserved at land adj Lethbridge Cottage, Lower Lovacott, Newton Tracey.
Councillors Miss Edsell and Moore declared a Prejudicial Interest, left the room and did not take part in the discussion, decision or voting thereon.
Councillor Bennett proposed Councillor Tilbury chair this part of the Meeting, seconded by Councillor Mrs Lock.
Councillor Tilbury gave the historical details. He had concerns regarding the highway and the hedge being opened with possibly the removal of trees to affect the rural aspect.
Councillor Tilbury pointed out that we are split into Wards to safeguard not being joined with the other Parishes.
The properties were elevated and would look down onto existing properties.
Councillor Tilbury felt there were more than allocated properties in Lovacott.
Members of the public were given the opportunity to give their opinions.
It was advised the applicant wanted the affordable property to be for someone in Lovacott or the Parish.
Councillor Bennett was concerned about the access and street lighting, also the amount of development and change of character of the village.
Councillor Mrs Lock stated she liked to see development where it is appropriate and suitable, with room for growth. She had a concern on the impact for people in the village, also the narrow access, visibility and speeding vehicles.
Proposal 1.
Councillor Tilbury proposed to recommend refusal on the grounds of:
- History of the previous Applications being refused
- It is outside the Lovacott boundary line, in a greenfield development
- Concern about the highway and removal of hedgerow bank and therefore the rural aspect of the approach to the village
- The properties going from the proposal to the West are all in Horwood, so closing up the Ward towards the Horwood Ward.
- The properties are elevated and looking down into the existing properties
- The importance of safeguarding the Warding, the Parish is specifically split into Wards to safeguard the areas and they would be closed up.
Proposal 2.
Councillor Mrs Lock proposed agreement for the development that is suitable and appropriate.
Proposal 3.
Councillor Bennett proposed it is not suitable on the basis of access and change of hedgerow and character of the village with concerns regarding the village boundary.
There was no majority vote to recommend refusal and Councillors were in agreement for the following comments to be submitted:
Horwood Lovacott and Newton Tracey Parish Council respond that there was no majority vote to recommend refusal although Councillors had the following concerns:
The proposal is outside the Lovacott boundary line and is a greenfield development.
There is concern about access, the highway and removal of the hedgerow bank.
3. The rural aspect of the approach to the village.
District Councillor Moores left the Meeting.
153.2 58783 – Retrospective Listed Building Application for works relating to the creation of a bathroom at Courtledge, Horwood.
It was resolved to recommend approval as long as the conservation officer is satisfied.
The following Applications were received after the Agenda had been prepared and sent.
153.3 58846 – Change of use of agricultural land to form extension to residential curtilage at Stableway Cottage, Newton Tracey.
It was resolved to recommend approval.
153.4 58799 – Installation of underground electricity cable between the wind turbine & point of connection to grid network – Lower Litchardon Farm, Newton Tracey, Barnstaple. An email and letter from One Wind Renewables had been received separately from the Planning Application, advising that a construction date was yet to be finalised, with a possible date in July 2015. The Parish Council would be advised when the final construction date has been set.
It was resolved to recommend approval.
154. Planning Correspondence.
154.1 Application 58148 – It was noted that this Application for the installation of underground 11kv cable & double pole mounted transformer along with associated low voltage underground cable at Parsonage Farm, Newton Tracey had been WITHDRAWN.
155. Finance.
155.1 A request was considered for a donation to The Woodcott News.
A copy of the latest set of accounts has been supplied to comply with Audit Commission criteria.
Councillors had a general concern that The Woodcott News had always been a community Magazine. It was noted that there were recently political views with an individual’s own Agenda included. As a Parish Council, it has to be totally impartial and recent articles were considered inappropriate and not to be encouraged.
Councillor Bennett proposed a donation of £120.00, seconded by Councillor Mrs Lock on the basis of a letter being sent to the Editor conveying the Parish Council’s disappointment of the political views taken. The Parish Council would in future have to consider continued support.
155.2 The following payments were approved and authorised:
Mrs S Squire
March Salary £89.44
Contribution towards Broadband £ 3.00
Photocopying £14.85 £107.29
HMRC March PAYE £ 22.40
Horwood & Newton Tracey Primary School Hire of School for
Parish Council Meetings from April 2014 to March 2015 (£7.00 per session) £ 84.00
The Woodcott News Donation £ 120.00
155.3 Balance of the Lloyds Treasurers Account as at 17/2/15: £8,170.64
Budgetary figures for February 2015 were circulated.
155.4 Appointment of Internal Auditor for 2015. It noted that South & West Audit had been informed that this Council had agreed for it to carry out the 2015 audit.
155.5 Award of Grass Cutting Tender.
Ahead of a decision being made to award the grass cutting tender, the anonymous letter received by the Clerk was discussed at this point which asked for clarification of ownership of the verge outside the property known as Ellislake.
Councillor Bennett advised it belonged to him and had been cut for a great many years.
When the grass cutting was put out to Tender, the same details had always been followed.
One Tender had been received from Mr K Moore who declared a Prejudicial Interest, left the room and did not take part in the discussion, decision or voting thereon.
Councillors Bennett to ascertain the position regarding the use of red diesel.
Councillor Mrs Lock proposed to accept the Tender submitted by Mr Moore, seconded by Councillor Miss Edsell and unanimously agreed. This would not include the verge outside of Ellislake.
155.6 Quarterly inspection of Parish Council assets. This had been done and the Asset Register was updated.
156. Correspondence.
156.1 Anonymous letter from Concerned Parishioners regarding the Grass Cutting Tender. With the consent of the Chairman, an article had been included in The Woodcott News to show that the Parish Council would like to reply if the name of the sender was supplied.
156.2 Public Consultation at Yelland Quay on 11/3/15. Details had been circulated to Councillors.
156.3 Minutes of Fremington Rural TAP (Town & Parish) Fund Meeting on 9/2/15. Noted.
156.4 DCC Highways. Details of a road closure for patching between 10 – 12 March from Horwood Cross to Newton Cross, Lower Lovacott. Details were in the notice boards.
The problems to the carriageway were not being rectified.
Action Point: The Clerk to contact DCC Highways.
157. Parish Council Compliance.
157.1 Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme. Circulated to Councillors for studying ahead of the Meeting with a view to adopting.
This was deferred until all Councillors had the opportunity to read through the information.
158. Notices & Publications Received - were put on the table to see & read.
159. Items raised by Councillors/Clerk.
159.1 Speeding through Newton Tracey up the hill towards Newton Cross.
This had been raised under Public Participation.
Action Point: The Clerk to contact DCC Highways requesting that the interactive sign is replaced.
The Clerk to contact DCC Highways for a site meeting to be held with a view to chicanes being fixed. Proposed by Councillor Mrs Lock, seconded by Councillor Bennett and unanimously agreed.
The Clerk also to contact PCSO McEldon to make more enquiries about Community Speedback.
County Councillor F Biederman to be copied into the emails.
The member of the public would supply wording for the Clerk to prepare a Poster.
159.2 Councillor Miss Edsell soke about the Standing Orders were the working party recommended amendments which were adopted on 14/1/15.
At the end there is a paragraph referring to Item 3 – Meetings. Councillor Miss Edsell suggested there may be merit in adding the following stipulations:
That all formal communications from parishioners or others, be they by electronic, verbal, telephonic or written means, must have the authors name and address attributed. The Clerk must advise their contact that their details will be passed to councillors solely during the Parish Council Meeting and will not be included in the published NOTE: this establishes that the communication is a bona fide one and allows Councillors to decide if they have a conflict of interest.
The Clerk to keep a confidential log of these details and the matters involved.
This was agreed by Councillors in principle.
Action Point: To be included on the April Agenda to ratify the decision.
159.3 Councillor Miss Edsell advised she had spoken to the Planning Policy Officer at ND Council with regard to the Local Plan and in particular village boundaries. The officer confirmed that these will not be changed prior the Local Plan being submitted to the Secretary of State.
160. Items for the next Agenda. Those identified from these Minutes.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, 8 April 2015 in Horwood & Newton Tracey Primary School on the rising of the Annual Parish Meeting.
The Annual Parish Meeting will commence at 7pm.
The Meeting ended at 9.37pm.