MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON HELD ON MONDAY 10th SEPTEMBER 2007

Present: Cllr M Smith (Chairman)

Councillors: Mrs B Powell, P Privett, G Preston, Mrs K Tomkins,

In Attendance: Cllrs G Brown, R Giles, 2 Members of the Public

Apologies: Cllr M Jolly, PC C Vickery, PCSO P Anning

Public Participation

Both Mrs Garside and Mrs Blackmore asked as to the current situation regarding the sale of the Sports and Social Club land and cricket pitch and what was being done to prevent development of this land. It was clear that a majority of residents did not wish to see the end of the Club and the building of more houses in this area of the village. The Chairman, Clerk and Cllr Brown all gave up to date comments on the situation which was the land had been sold to a developer, that a planning application of some sort was expected in the future, but that the fight to ensure there was no development continued.

Mrs Blackmore raised the problem of heavy lorries using the village roads. The Clerk confirmed this problem had already been identified and the matter of heavy vehicles using the Talaton Road in particular would be discussed later in the meeting and any decision reported to DCC as appropriate.

Mrs Blackmore also raised the problems of vehicles parking in the school area in the morning and afternoons. The Clerk advised her that the School had been requested to produce a travel/transport plan which would be the conduit for finance to carry out traffic calming measures.

62. Apologies

Apologies were accepted and approved.

63. Minutes

The Minutes of the meeting held on 9th July 2007 were confirmed and signed by the Chairman.

64. Police Officer’s Report

Five crimes had been reported since the last meeting, theft of chainsaws from and insecure barn, non crime child protection incident, non crime domestic, and 2 thefts from a front garden.

65. County and District Councillor’s Reports

In the absence of Cllr Giles, only the EDDC report was taken. Cllr Brown briefed Members on the forthcoming procedures for EDDC to produce the Local Development Framework (the successor document to the Local Plan) which would involve the input from organisations such as parish councils and encouraged Members to fully participate when the time came as this document would lay down how Feniton was to develop over the next quarter century.

66. Declarations of Interest from Members and Officers

No declarations were made.

67. Planning matters:

68. To agree co-option to fill the vacancy on the Council.

A proposal that Mrs D E Taylor be co-opted onto the Council was not carried, and Members agreed to await further applications prior to the October meeting.

69. Parish Council Website – Spam Control (Chairman)

It was agreed that the current level of Spam emails received through the Parish Council website did not merit heavy control expenditure and Members resolved to monitor the situation.

70. Finance – to approve August and September payments

The following payments were authorised:

Clerk - 529 - £432.86 - Salary/expenses
Revenue & Customs - 530 - £154.60 - Clerk’s salary
A Spry - 531 - £331.72 - Handyman
Parish Magazine - 532 - £120.00 - Annual insertion fee

71. Village Handyman’s Report

The Clerk read out the large amount of work carried out by Mr Spry over the last two months.

72. To Review the Escot Beautiful Days Event 2007

There had been considerable numbers of complaints over noise this year, particularly over the fireworks at 4am on the Sunday, and there were reports of complaints from as far as Tipton St John. DCC had again given insufficient notice of road and public footpath closures to enable the information to go into the village magazine. A notice had been put into the September magazine showing the day and night telephone numbers of the EDDC environmental officers to enable complainants to contact EDDC direct.
It was Resolved the Clerk write to DCC to again ask that road/footpath information is provided in time for the August village magazine print, that the Council sees no reason why the footpaths should be closed at all, but if they are to be closed for the reasons stated by DCC (security and safety when setting up/closing down), then they should be open during the event itself. It was also Resolved to invite a EDDC Licensing Officer to a future meeting to enable members to express their concerns over the amount of complaints this event generates from the public.

73. Report on the current Situation regarding the sale of the Sports and Social club land at Station Road

The land (including the cricket pitch) had been purchased by a developer from Tiverton who was now having a number of meetings with interested parties. Undoubtedly, a planning application of some sort would be presented in the future. The Clerk had been invited to attend a meeting with Graham Phillips and developer on Tuesday 11th September 2007. In order to preserve the Council’s ability to fully consider any future planning application, it was agreed the Clerk did not attend this meeting, and that Members did not speculate with the public about the merits or otherwise of any possible development on this site. The Council re-affirmed its view that it would oppose any development on the cricket pitch and any development on the Sports and Social Club site which acted to the detriment of the Club.

74. Correspondence:

Cllr Brown left the meeting.

75. Late Entry Correspondence

76. DCC Members Report

The report provide by Cllr Giles is attached to these Minutes.

77. To Consider the heavy traffic using Talaton Road

Cllr Giles joined the meeting.

There had been considerable expressions of concern over heavy traffic using the road from the Station to the Talewater industrial site, particularly in relation to the left turn at the station whereby vehicles had to mount the pavement on the station side because of the tyre bollards outside the Nog Inn, and of the damage to the railway bridge (where the fear was that coping stone would be dislodged and fall onto the rail line resulting in serious injury or worse. It was known that an articulated vehicle was not able to go over the railway bridge and had to reverse to the station in order to turn round. Members Resolved the Clerk write to Mr P Wilson at DCC with a view to having some restrictions placed as to which vehicles were able to use this road.

78. Individual Member Responsibilities

Cllr Mrs Powell reported a 30 mph sign on Colestocks Road was covered by branches. The Clerk would report this to DCC.
A report by Cllr Preston that the trees at the Spar shop were too big was noted.
Concern was expressed at the growth of the hedge at the junction of Wells Avenue and Green Lane. The Clerk would write to the owners.
It was agreed to ask Mr Spry to provide a further bin and surround close to the teenage shelter in the QEII Play area.
The Clerk reported EDDC had given the Council a “bouquet” for carrying out safety work in a garden for a sick gentleman.

79. Date of Next Meeting. It was agreed not to hold a Plan meeting in September and to hold the next Council meeting on 8th October 2007 at 7.30pm.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 2115 hrs.

……………………………………………………………..Presiding Chairman
8th October 2007

Last Updated 8th October 2008