Broadwoodkelly Parish Council
Minutes of the Broadwoodkelly Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday March 28th 2023 at 7.45pm in the village hall.
An informal meeting had been held with the three candidates who had applied to fill the vacancy on the parish council prior to the council meeting.
Present: Councillors R. Heggadon (Chairman), R. Gant, Mrs B. Cook, D. Reed, J. Clark and Mrs. S. Walters
Borough Councillor for the Exbourne Ward, Barry Ratcliffe arrived later in the meeting.
There were four members of the public in attendance.
1.To receive apologies for absence and consider if the reason for the absence should be approved by the council.
Councillor Penny was ill with flu. His apology was accepted. Borough Councillor Barry Ratcliffe was attending the Exbourne with Jacobstowe Parish Council meeting and would be coming to this meeting around 8.30pm.
2.Co-option to fill vacancy for a councillor
Mr David Mendus-Edwards has withdrawn his application. There were two applicants Andrew Hawkey and Sue Walters. A vote by show of hands was taken. There were two votes for Andrew Hawkey and three votes for Sue Walters. Sue Walters was co-opted and took her seat on the council. She signed a Declaration of Acceptance of Office and was given a Register of Interests form to complete.
2. To receive any declarations of Interest from Members:
Councillors are reminded to declare any personal or prejudicial interest they may have in any agenda items.
2.1 The parish council has delegated the power of granting dispensations to the clerk.
2.2 To receive written requests for dispensations for disclosable pecuniary interests (if any)
2.3 To grant any requests for dispensations as appropriate
Councillor Gant stated he has an interest in item 7 e (Village hall insurance) as he is a member of the village hall.
3.To receive and approve the Minutes of the meeting held on January 24th 2023
Councillor Mrs B. Cook proposed that the minutes be signed as a correct record. This was seconded by Councillor Gant. The chairman signed the minutes.
4.Public Participation
The members of the public did not wish to address the council.
5.Report by Borough Councillor
The Borough Councillor will be in attendance later on.
6.Past Subject Matters for further discussion:
a. [6.a] Parish Website – Councillor Mrs B Cook stated she had progressed things with the developer of the website. There are two options:
1. That she manages the website or
2. The developer manages the website.
As there is an election coming up, she felt it would be best to leave it until after the election to make a decision. This was unanimously agreed.
b. [8.b] To consider improvements to the present webpages used by the parish council in the context of renewal of the existing website contract for the next financial year and of giving adequate publicity for future meetings.
Discussed above.
c. [6.b] Areas of highways requiring work to utilise TAP fund money
The clerk had contacted Ben Pell, who had previously carried out work on the highways (clearing gullies, drains etc.), but he is no longer carrying out this work. The clerk will contact some other clerks and ascertain if they have a contractor they use.
The road out to Middlecott has water running along it. Councillor Gant stated he reports potholes and they have been filled in.
d. [6.f] Broadband – Councillor Gant reported that there was a meeting regarding Airband in Bondleigh Church this evening. He had emailed a contact at Bondleigh, but was informed the meeting was just for the Bondleigh area. A member of the public commented that he had found Airband to be slow.
e. [5] Discuss arrangements for Neighbourhood Plan Surgery – Councillor Mrs B Cook has spoken to Rowan Western and Marion Vanstone and they will publicise this event. It was felt that it would be best to arrange and hold the event after the election.
7.Clerk’s report and correspondence received:
a.Clerks and Councils Direct
A circular letter has also been received from Elan City (radar speed signs)
b.An email from Citizens Advice thanking the parish council for their donation.
c.Borough Council and Parish and Town Council elections May 4th 2023
Councillor Gant offered to deliver the nomination papers to the Borough Council offices at Tavistock.
d.HM King Charles III coronation – discuss whether to give mugs to the children in the parish.
It was decided to order 36 mugs. Priority will be given to giving the children aged 16 and under a free mug. Any spare mugs will be available to purchase by parishioners on a first come first served basis. A notice to go on the website and on notice boards.
e.Village hall insurance – Councillor Gant explained that the income was a couple of hundred pounds less than the expenditure. Cost of electricity is going up. The council is permitted to support the village hall. It was proposed by Councillor Clark that the council pays the insurance. This was seconded by Councillor Reed.
f.Confirm parish council representatives on the village hall committee – the parish council representatives on the village hall committee are Councillor Robin Gant and Councillor Jon Clark. They are happy to remain as the representatives.
It was also noted that Councillor Mrs B. Cook is a member of the village hall committee (she is the Treasurer).
g.Projector has been purchased – the projector was tested at the end of the meeting and was found to be unsuitable. The clerk will take it back to the supplier and get a refund.
h.Review clerk’s wages – in 2017 the clerk started on SCP 17 (£9.24 per hour). She went up to £12.73 (SCP 17) in December 2021. Looking at the updated scale SCP 17 is now £13.95. The council unanimously agreed the clerk’s wages increase to £13.95 as of 1st April 2023. The clerk thanked the council and suggested the wages are reviewed annually – this was also agreed by the council.
8.Planning:
a.Application No 4221/22/FUL Splatt Methodist Church, Broadwoodkelly – construction of external porch to former Chapel. Granted conditional approval.
b.Application No. 0186/23/FUL The Willows, Broadwoodkelly – Change of use of land to domestic garden (retrospective). The comment was required before the meeting. The council supported.
West Devon Borough Councillor Barry Ratcliffe arrived.
c.Application No 0647/23/FUL Land adjacent to Cedar Barn, Broadwoodkelly – Formation of a wildlife pond (retrospective). Discuss at meeting.
West Devon Borough Council will view this as a new application. The council discussed the application. Three of the councillor supported the application and three registered a neutral opinion. The chairman used his casting vote and a neutral opinion will be submitted with the comment that an assessment to ascertain potential harm to neighbours should be carried out.
d.3779/22/AGR (no consultation sent out for information only) – Walson Barton, Broadwoodkelly – Application to determine if prior approval is required for a proposed timber framed shed to sort and house sheep measuring 9.6m x 4.8m x 5.8m height to ridge.
The applicant was present and informed the council that the application has been withdrawn.
The clerk apologised to the council as the following items were not included on the agenda
e. Application No. 3937/22/CLP Redroofs, Broadwoodkelly – Certificate of Lawfulness for the extension of two existing dormers to form one larger rear dormer. Certificate of Lawfulness (Proposed) Certified
f. Application No. 3940/22/HHO Redroofs, Broadwoodkelly – Householder application for proposed alterations, internally, door and window openings, infill extension of existing covered entrance porch. Granted conditional approval.
g. The application at Holbrook (3723/22/VAR) has been taken to appeal.
9.Finance
a.Invoice from clerk for wages/expenses – £198.72 (plus cost of projector £219 if it is suitable). The projector is not suitable. Councillor Mrs B Cook proposed that the invoice for £198.72 be paid. This was seconded by Councillor R. Gant.
b.Precept request has been submitted
c.Interest on Business Reserve Account (Jan/Feb) – £9.47
d.Balance at Bank – as at 1st March 2023 the balance in the Current Account was £8379.19 (this does not include the cheques signed this evening). As at 1st March 2023 the balance in the Business Reserve Account was £6810.74.
e. Following the discussion under item 7 (d) a Cheque for Coronation mugs was signed – £295.20
f. The chairman handed over £6 from the sale of a Jubilee Mug to the clerk.
10.Matters for further reporting:
It has been noticed that there is an increasing amount of dog mess being left in the road and
on the verge along the road to Middlecott. Councillor Ratcliffe stated there was a dog warden
operating in the West Devon Borough Council area, but it is very difficult getting the evidence
to prosecute.
11.Confidential discussion:
16.1 Enforcement cases – these remain the same.
12. Date of next meeting:
May 23rd 2023 (this will include the Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Council Meeting)
There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.10pm.