Minutes of Harberton Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 8 October 2002 at Harberton Parish Hall at 7.30pm.

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Present:  Cllrs Hockings, Janes, Stubbings, Preston-Day, Fearn, Williams and D Cllr Steer

Apologies:  Cllr Evans

Also Present:  WPC Douglas of Totnes Police

Public:  2

Clerk:  Mrs D Crann

A letter was read out from Mrs R Christiansen offering her resignation from the Parish Council due to ill health and also thanking the councillors for the flowers which she had received recently.

The Clerk then read out a letter from Mr B Lawrence of Harbertonford applying to be co-opted as Parish Councillor, but he was unable to attend this meeting as he was away on holiday.

The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and he invited WPC Douglas to speak. She started by giving a short report on last month’s events in the Parish, which included a sizeable burglary at Sandwell Farm, Harberton. She stressed that the local residents should be vigilant and report any strangers with vans or other vehicles visiting outlying farms and houses, as machinery and gardening equipment was a favourite target. The two telephone numbers to ring were 08705 777444 or 01803 860433 (Totnes Police). WPC Douglas then left the meeting.

The two members of the public were then invited to speak. Mrs Giles of Harbertonford then spoke. She had previously given the Clerk a copy of a letter which she had sent to Mr G Buxton-Smith of the Environment Agency and she read out part of it to the meeting. This outlined environmental improvements to which she aspired. New footpaths and bridges across the river Harbourne, community initiatives – eg: wild flower meadow, community orchard, allotments, etc. There was some discussion and the councillors felt they would support her in principle, but would wait to see the project progress further. The public then left and the meeting continued.

The minutes of the previous meeting were considered, agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record.

Matters Arising:

1) Flooding in Harberton. Still ongoing.

2) Queen’s Golden Jubilee photographic record for Harberton was almost completed.

3) Re HGV lorries through Harberton. Still ongoing.

4) Travellers’ vehicles at Dattins Quarry. The Clerk had again contacted the Enforcement Officer.

Correspondence:

1) Invoice received from District Auditor for the audit 2000/01 for £126.90 (inc £18.90 VAT) to be paid. Proposed by D Cllr Steer, seconded by Cllr Williams. All in favour.

2) Letter received from Harbertonford Football Club. This was requesting a grant towards the cost of their new pavilion. This is to be considered at the end of the financial year.

3) A letter had been received from Lloyds TSB Bank. They would not agree the signing arrangements proposed at the last meeting – ie: for the Clerk to be the sole signatory on all forms debiting the savings account. The Clerk now proposed that there be two signatures, one of which will be hers, to debit the savings account, but for her signature not to be included as a current account signatory. All in favour.

4) Notice received from DCC of temporary road closure of Bow Road, Harbertonford, commencing 14/10/02 for one week.

5) GLEAM. Newsletter received and passed to Cllr Stubbings. Also, notice of AGM 25/10/02 at Newbury.

6) Totnes Community Plan meeting was held on 1/10/02 at Totnes Guildhall.

7) S Hams Leisure Centres Newsletter received and timetables.

8) DCC. Two newsletters shown to the meeting.

9) SHDC. Planning surgeries were held on 24/9/02 at Kingsbridge.

10) A report received from Halcrows of a meeting held at the Ford in Harbertonford on 27/9/02 was read out by the Chairman and discussed by the meeting. This outlined plans for the reinstatement of the Ford area by Environment Agency following all the flood works.

11) Devon and Cornwall Police Authority. A notice had been posted on the board looking for five independent Police Authority members to serve from April 2003. Also, a notice had been posted for South Hams Police Liaison Meeting on 21/10/02 at 7.30pm at Community College, Kingsbridge.

12) SHDC. Agenda and Minutes shown to the meeting.

13) SHDC. Minutes of meetings 12 and 19/9/02 shown to the meeting.

14)  DCC. Local Community Self-help Plan survey card completed and returned.

15) DCC. Parish Lengthsman. Survey cards received.

16) DAPC. Various items received – National Training and Strategy, Consultation on Accounts and Audit Regulations 2003, 2002/03 Salary Awards for Clerks. This salary award is as follows:- April/October 02 + 3.5%, ie: £49.00 (current salary £1,391.00), October 02/April 03 + 1%, ie: £14.00 (totalling £1,454.00). This to be back-dated to April 2002. Proposed by Cllr Fearn, seconded by  D Cllr Steer. All in favour.

17) SHDC. Keith Mulhall had contacted the Clerk to put a litter bin in the bus shelter at Harbertonford. The councillors all agreed that this might not be a good idea and arrangements would be best kept as they were. It was, however, agreed by all councillors, to ask Mr Steve Jane to carry out repairs to the bus shelter, ie: guttering and renew several slates. D Cllr Steer asked if the Clerk could write a letter of thanks to Phil Joint, the Parish Sweeper, as he was doing a very good job and was very reliable.

18) SHDC. Revised Timetable for the Local Plan Review was received, ie: first draft deposit plan January 2002, revised deposit September 2003, enquiry start May 2004, proposed modifications November 2005 and adoption May 2006.

19) The Clerk had also received a copy of the report of the meeting of Dartington Primary School Governors 17/9/02 and minutes of Dartington Parish Council meeting 11/9/02 and Agenda for 9/10/02. These were all shown to the meeting.

Matters at the discretion of the Chairman:

1)  Cllr Janes asked if the Clerk could contact Tor Homes to ask if arrangements could be made that children’s bicycles were not left on the pavement at Riverdale, Harbertonford, for people to fall over.

2) Cllr Preston-Day asked if the road drain near the entrance to Harbertonford Church Car Park could be raised.

3) D Cllr Steer reported that the problems with the playing field adjoining Harbertonford School had been raised at a recent meeting of the Governors.

4) Cllr Stubbings reported the seat at Gills Cross, Harberton, was falling into disrepair.

Cheque signed:

No 265 – Audit Commission - £126.90

The meeting closed at 9.50pm.  The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 12 November 2002 at 7.30pm at Harbertonford Primary School.

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