Minutes of Harberton Parish Council meeting held on Tuesday 10 December 2002 at Harberton Parish Hall at 7.30pm.

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Present: Cllrs Hockings, Janes, Fearn, Stubbings, Williams, Evans and D Cllr Steer

Apologies: Cllr Preston-Day

Clerk: Mrs D Crann

Matters Arising:

1) The cheque for £300 which had been presented to the Parish Council by Mr Wheeler at the previous meeting was again discussed. Councillors felt they would like more time to consider what would be the best use to which the money should be put.

2) Flooding in Harberton – still ongoing.

3) Queen’s Golden Jubilee. The photographic record for Harberton is still ongoing. The Copper Beech tree which had been donated by Mr & Mrs J Hockings had now been planted in the Harberton recreation area.

4) HGV lorries through Harberton. The Clerk has again written to John Halliday (Highways, Ivybridge) about this problem. There had been yet another very large articulated lorry trying unsuccessfully to cross Leigh Bridge and having to reverse back to the village. A site meeting will be arranged for the New Year.

5) Travellers at Dattins Quarry – still ongoing.

6) Seat at Gills Cross. So far there had been one person requesting that this seat be kept. The matter is to be further considered at the next meeting.

7) The new Zebra Crossing in Harbertonford. The reason that the skid-resistant surface cannot be applied before the Spring is that it needs warmer weather to be applied.

8) The Flood Defence Scheme had now been opened by Mrs Palmer on 6 December and three Oak trees had been ceremonially planted by her and two children from Harbertonford School. The Chairman had also handed over to the Environment Agency the £5,000 cheque from Harberton Parish Council as our contribution to the scheme.

9) re Cllr Evans’ request for the road from Langridge Cross to Dundridge to be one way down to Harberton, DCC Highways were not in favour. The Chairman’s request for signing to Cholwell via Gerston Cross and Tristford Cross had also been refused.

Planning: Parish Council recommendations –

Decisions at the meeting

23/2204/02/F Land at Sandwell, Harberton. Erection of stables and tackroom/store. No objections to stable, etc but concern over the visibility at entrance to field, which is obscured by an old Oak tree. Parish Council suggest the entrance be moved down the road towards Totnes and splayed for safety reasons. Additionally, attention is drawn to the fact that there is a water main under the proposed stables. Proposed by Cllr Stubbings, seconded by Cllr Fearn. 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

23/2263/02/LB Foalesleigh, Harberton.

23/2264/02/F Conversion of farm buildings to three dwellings. No objections. Proposed by Cllr Evans, seconded by Cllr Stubbings. 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

23/2224/02/F Fine Pine, Harbertonford. Amendments to plan 23/1742/98/F to part retail and part single dwelling. No objections. Proposed by Cllr Janes, seconded by Cllr Stubbings. 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

23/2313/02/LB Harberton House, Harberton. Removal of redundant chimney. No objections. Proposed by Cllr Williams, seconded by Cllr Fearn. 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

23/2339/02/F 1 Riverside Mill, Old Mill Cottage, Harberton. Extension at ground and first floors. No objections. Proposed by Cllr Evans, seconded by Cllr Fearn. 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

23/2330/02/LB Youldens, Harbertonford.

23/2331/02/F Conversion of barn to dwelling. No objections. Proposed by Cllr Janes, seconded by Cllr Stubbings. 6 in favour, 1 abstention.

Correspondence:

1) Freedom of Information Act 2000. Model Publication Scheme for Local Councils. The Parish Council was obliged to complete a Model Publication Scheme, to be returned to the Information Commissioner by 31/12/02. This Model Scheme will include Core Classes only. The Clerk read through the Scheme and explained to Councillors the details. All Councillors agreed to follow the Model Scheme (Core Classes only). There were a number of items that did not apply to this Council due to its small size – ie: absence of responsibility for burial grounds, playgrounds, hall, etc, since the Council do not own any of these. This Scheme, when completed and approved, will be advertised so that any elector of this Parish will have a right to access the information contained therein, on application to the Clerk by appointment and subject to payment of a small fee. Hard copies will be available. This whole Scheme (Core Classes only) was agreed and adopted by the Parish Council. Proposed by D Cllr Steer and seconded by Cllr Evans. All in favour.

2) A letter had been received from Mrs Pope and passed round the Councillors.

3) GLEAM. A newsletter had been received, shown to the meeting and passed on to Cllr Stubbings. A letter had also been received from Mrs Rymer Cooper of Harberton, following a telephone call to the Clerk on 1 December. This made reference to a motor cycle rally around all the green lanes (byways) of Harberton, particularly those from Belsford, Tristford and near the reservoir, making the lanes extremely muddy and impassable even for 4-wheel drive vehicles and also bad for horse riding. Where the motor cycles crossed roads they made them dangerously slippery to traffic. The Parish Council had not had any prior knowledge of this rally, nor had DCC Highways in Totnes. The Clerk will write to GLEAM with reference to this matter.

4) SHDC. Executive Forward Plan received and posted on noticeboard.

5) SHDC. Notes of Development, Control and Conservation User Group 22/8/02 and Planning Liaison meeting 7/11/02 shown to the meeting.

6) SHDC. Telecommunications Database 2002 shown to the meeting.

7) DCC. Bus Information Strategy shown to the meeting.

8) Devon and Cornwall Police Annual Report shown to the meeting.

9) A letter from Mr B Lawrence of Harbertonford was read out to the meeting. He apologised for not attending the last meeting and hoped to be able to join the Parish Council in March next year.

10) New Electoral Roll received. This can be inspected by arrangement with the Clerk – tel: 01803 732210. Written notes only may be taken.

11) DAPC. Village Green magazine received. Also, Clerk’s Training Day 30/1/03, Training in the Community and Best Kept Village Competition 2003.

12) St John Ambulance First Aid courses are available – details from the Clerk.

13) South Hams Sports Awards to be held on 12/3/03 at Kingsbridge Community College. Any nominations?

14) DCC. Monthly newsletter shown to the meeting.

15) An invoice had been received from James Miller for grasscutting in Harbertonford. Only three cuts this season due to the flood prevention works. Total to be paid £116.32 (inc VAT £17.32) proposed by D Cllr Steer, seconded by Cllr Janes. All in favour. D Cllr Steer proposed that James Miller be asked if he would include Harberton’s newly laid out Ford Area grass in the same quote for next year of £33 per cut + VAT (10 cuts), as there is considerably less grass in Harbertonford. The Chairman agreed to ask him.

16) The Clerk reported a successful conclusion of the Audit for the year ended 31/3/02. Notices to be posted in both villages.

17) A letter from Mr Johnson of Harberton had just been received. Mr Johnson raised the issue of a skateboard park in the Playing Field at Harberton. After some discussion, the idea was supported in principle, but the financial viability must be explored.

Matters at the discretion of the Chairman:

1) Cllr Janes reported fingerposts lying at the top end of Chapel Lane, Harbertonford.

2) At the Hernaford junction with the A381 on the Totnes side, the side wall was collapsing (Janes)

3) The new footway at Harbertonford Bridge was causing motorists some problems and new signing was urgently required. The Clerk had already been in contact with J Halliday of DCC (Janes).

4) At 5 Pendarves, Harberton, there was reported to be a mobile home in the back garden (Janes).

5) Cllr Fearn reported that opposite 1 and 2 Meadow Close, Harberton, some of the trees need attention after a large branch

6) It was reported that Watery Lane, Harberton, had been impassable and at Screws Lane, Harberton, a hole in the road needed patching (Fearn).

7) Cllr Stubbings reported mud on the road from the field next to Harberton Parish Hall.

8) D Cllr Steer requested that Harbertonford Playing Field be an agenda item for the next meeting.

Cheques signed:

No 268 – Mrs D Crann - £422.88

No 269 – J T Miller - £116.32

Cheque paid in – Mr G Wheeler - £300.00

The meeting closed at 10.40pm.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 14 January 2003 at 7.30pm at Harbertonford Primary School.

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