DRAFT MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 14th June 2010

Present: Cllr M Smith (Chairman)

Councillors: Mr P Privett, Mrs B Powell, Mr G Preston, Mrs P Blackmore and Mr G Broom.

In Attendance: Cllr G Brown (EDDC) 5 members of the public and J Masters (FPC Clerk).

31. Questions from the public:-
Mrs Valentine, Salisbury Avenue said that last Tuesday after only half an hour of heavy rain the road in Salisbury Avenue was flooded and is concerned as to how often this happens; when she purchased her house early this year she was told that the flood of 2008 was a one off.

The owners of Sweethans, Ottery Road said that they were flooded yet again last week they had 2 inches of water in their kitchen this is the third time sine the 2008 flood.

The Chairman invited Cllr Graham Brown (EDDC) to reply, Cllr Brown read out the following statement which is also his District Councillors report for this month: - The current situation at Feniton New Village

July last year, with the help of the Environment Agency (EA) EDDC submitted a bid to Defra for a study and a scheme to substantially reduce the risk of flooding in Feniton New Village.

In December 2009, it was reported back that the money for a study was successful, but not until 2014/15.

Unbeknown to EDDC, in January 2010, a bench line exercise was carried out by EA southwest office on bids submitted to Defra by councils in the South West. This was to make sure nothing important had slipped through the net!!

Just over a month ago, EDDC have learnt that, following reconsideration, the Feniton New Village bid had been successful. EDDC have received written confirmation that £40k has been made available in 2010/11 for an appraisal, £160k has been put aside for 2011/12 for the scheme design and £1,060,000 has been put aside for 2012/13 for the scheme its self. This money has been set aside by DEFRA & EA for this scheme BUT CAN ONLY BE DRAWN DOWN AND USED ONCE FURTHER FORMS AND APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY FILLED OUT AND THE SCHEME CONFORMS WITH THE EA’s OUTCOME MEASSURES.

EDDC is currently working closely with the EA and our consultants, Howicks, to get the ball rolling in order to spend this years £40k. End of statement.

Cllr Brown emphasized that although this grant money is ring fenced for Feniton we still need to complete all the various applications correctly and in the right order to progress the application, he went on to say that he wanted to thank Cllr Privett for all the hard work he had put in representing the interests of Feniton at the various Flood Recovery Group Meetings.

Whilst pleased for the residents of Feniton New Village the owners of Sweethans in Ottery Road are concerned that even more water will come from the village at a faster rate and they will be flooded more often. Cllr Brown assured them that any scheme will take them into consideration. Cllr Brown left the meeting at 19.47hrs.

Mrs S Tyson said that she had been inundated with flies, the Chairman encouraged her to report them to the Environmental Agency at EDDC, and the Clerk was instructed to make a complaint on behalf of the Parish Council.

32. Apologies for absence: - Cllr M Jolly and Cllr Roger Giles (DCC)

33. To confirm the Minutes of the meeting held on 10th May 2010:-
The minutes were agreed and the Chairman initialled each page and signed the last page.

34. Declarations of Interest from Members and Officers: -
No declarations were made.

35. Police Officer’s Report:-
No Police Report was received this month.

36. County and District Councilors’ Reports:-
Cllr Roger Giles sent his apologies and asked that his Email of 8th June 2010 to Cllr Privett be read out as his report for this month: -
As a result of a phone call from Pam Wass of 22 Wells Avenue who told me that heavy rainfall this afternoon had resulted in water in the road/bubbling up from the new manhole, and requiring them, 20 WA and across the road (?5/7/9 WA) to put up flood boards. The response from JH is that the work carried out a few months ago had helped by replacing a length of about 40metres of 150ml pipe with two x 225ml pipes and providing some extra capacity. It was known that that would help, but was not the whole answer. As I think you will have appreciated at the recent Flood Recovery Group meeting, DCC was successful in obtaining £93k of Government funding for more highways flood improvement work. The intention is to use the £93k to continue working eastwards from where the last work stopped to York Crescent past the junction with Salisbury Avenue (to approx 37 York Crescent) and replace approx 180metres of 225ml pipe with 450ml pipe (or possibly greater). This will produce even greater capacity for dealing with a heavy storm. The work is to take place during this financial year. You will also have heard at the FRG meeting (and this is Graham Brown’s domain) the good news about the broader picture: the £40k feasibility study, the £100k design work, and hopefully the £1.6m for the major flood defence works. It does seem that really good progress is being made towards a permanent solution to Feniton’s long standing flooding problems. It seems to me that this is partly as a result of good partnership working between Feniton PC, EDDC and DCC. I assume that discussions between the partners about the next phase of works will take place shortly. Best Wishes ROGER GILES

37. Finance – The following June payments were authorized:-

38. Correspondence:-

39. Planning Applications:-

40. 2009 – 2010 Accounts:-
The Clerk advised the Council that the Accounts had not yet been internally audited, it was agreed to call a meeting on Monday 21st June 2010 at 7pm in the Village Hall Annex to approve the accounts.

41. Village Handyman’s Report:-
Extra 6 hours grass cutting due to the growing season.
Ely Close replace broken seat rail, supply new fixings and timber, rub down whole seat and paint, 4 hours extra.

42. Clerks Report:-
On Sunday 16th May I was advised of a problem with the pavement in Station Road which I investigated and found a hole at least 1 foot deep and about a size 9 shoe, I reported it to DCC to make safe. As of today the repairs still have not been carried out.

I again reported the broken road signs at the Railway Crossing & Green Lane, this time I had a reply from John Hopkins (DCC Highway) who advised me that the road sign at the Railway Crossing was now missing and EDDC was responsible for the Green Lane Road Name, he has reported it to EDDC.

I have received an Email from John Hopkins (DCC Highway) about the excess number of signs that are being placed at Pattersons Cross, he singled out three for criticism: -

The first one being the 5 a side football event in Feniton the signs were not removed after the event. The County Council had to clear these away. The second one is the Feniton Fun Day which is not until July these were first sited in May. The third one was for Plants Sales, the out of date signs were cleared leaving just one for the Fun Day. DCC would like us to remind organisations that signs should only be put out 48 hours before the event and removed as soon as the event is over.

I’ve been through the Parish Council Insurance documents and cannot find any insurance cover for the Village Handyman because he is a third party; the Insurance only covers the activities of Parish Council Employees.

After some discussion it was agreed to ask the Village Handyman if he would like to be a part time paid employee of the Parish Council so that the work he does for the Parish council will be covered by the Councils insurance. This will be fully discussed at the next Parish Council Meeting.

43. Individual Member responsibilities:-
Cllr Privett said he wanted the Parish Council to acknowledge the hard work that Cllr Brown (EDDC) had done on the FRG in helping to secure the funding for the flood relief scheme also thanks to Karime Hassan at EDDC.
The Parish Council agreed that an invite should go out to our new MP so that we can get him onboard.
The Chairman thanked Cllr Privett in his unstinting work he had done on the Flood Recovery Group representing Feniton.
Cllr Powell told the meeting that the Feniton History Group is putting on an exhibition in the Chapel in Colestocks Road on the 18th July to celebrate the 150 years of the Railway reaching Feniton.
Cllr Preston said that there was an infestation of rats on the railway embankment; it is currently being dealt with.

44. Date of next Parish Council meeting to approve the 2009/2010 accounts 7.pm Monday 21st June 2010

45. Date of next full Parish Council meeting 7.30pm Monday 12th July 2010

There being no further business the meeting closed at 20.50hrs

Last Updated 18th January 2012