Present: Cllrs Hockings, E Janes, G Janes, Johnson, Fearn, Patrick, Stubbings, Williams, Jeffreys, Beamish and D Cllr Steer.
Public: 1
Clerk: Mrs D Crann
Late Arrival: Devon County Cllr O Masters
The Chairman opened the meeting, welcomed everyone and invited the member of the public to speak. Mr Beagley of Harberton had come to talk about the proposed flood prevention scheme in Harberton. He was aware of the situation that SHDC had promised extra funding provided that DCC would match it and that DCC had, conversely, withdrawn some of their promised funding, saying they would not contribute any more money. There was a full discussion of the matter and it was finally agreed by the meeting that the Parish Council would write to DCC, ie: Mr Halliday, explaining that, in the Council’s opinion the problem was partly due to the run-off from all the road network which led down the hills surrounding the village and drained into the bottom of the village. This must, therefore, constitute a Highways responsibility. Mr Beagley then left and the meeting commenced.
The minutes of the previous meeting were considered, agreed and signed by the Chairman as a true record.
Matters Arising:
1) Community Rooms, Bow Road, Harbertonford. These rooms will be closed at the end of March.
2) Flooding in Harberton. This matter had already been discussed.
3) P3 Footpath Scheme. It was agreed that a further meeting be held at 7.00pm on Tuesday 12 April 2005 ahead of the Parish Council meeting.
4) Harbertonford Playground Scheme. The Clerk had received a letter from Graham Davies of the Diocese and we are awaiting a visit from the Charities Surveyor and his report.
5) Proposed 20mph speed limit in Harbertonford. Final notification had now been received.
6) Re narrow road signs in Harberton. A letter had now been received from DCC with minor amendments which were acceptable. However, a further letter had also been received from Mr & Mrs Ganter, following an accident to their car (parked outside Fern Cottage) by a passing van hoping to gain access down Parish Road. The Clerk is continuing to follow up the matter of the signing.
7) Re sewage sludge on the road near Brockhills Farm, Harbertonford. A further reply had been received from SHDC saying they would contact the managing agents regarding the problem.
8) Parking at the splay entrance to Harberton Parish Hall. This matter is ongoing.
9) Re dam at the ponds in Harberton at the rear of Town Farm. Ongoing.
10) Re goal posts to be erected at Harbertonford Playground by Cllr Beamish. Ongoing.
Correspondence:
1) Room hire for meetings. Meeting at Harberton Parish Hall 6 x £5.00. Cheque for £30.00 due; Harbertonford Primary School 8 x £5.00. Cheque for £40.00 due. Both to be paid. Proposed by Cllr E Janes, seconded by Cllr Fearn. All in favour.
2) A letter from Bynes, solicitors of Torquay, had been received re change of licence for Church House Inn, Harberton, to D J Sorton, M R Sorton and J Bawer, from 4/3/05.
3) A letter had been received from Messrs Ashfords, Exeter, regarding advertising of proposed new 20mph speed limit zone in Harbertonford. The Parish Council fully supported this proposal.
4) Letter received re DCC monthly news roundup. This was read to the meeting.
5) Letter received from DEFRA re Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill was shown to the meeting.
6) Letter received from Office of the Deputy Prime Minister re Citizen Engagement and Public Services: Why Neighbourhoods Matter and Vibrant Local Leadership. All shown to the meeting.
7) SHDC. New Ethical Framework: Members Code of Conduct Meetings to be held on 6,8,12 and 14 April 2005 shown to the meeting.
8) Letter from Jan Culf of HPFA requesting an annual grant. This is to be discussed at the next meeting.
9) Letter received from Standards Board for England. “A Code for the Future” consultation document shown to the meeting.
10) Letter received from Rotary Club of Totnes to nominate an “Unsung Community Hero or Heroine”. After some discussion it was proposed by Cllr Johnson, seconded by Cllr Fearn to nominate John Culf for all his community work in Harberton. All in favour.
11) Letter received from RNLI seeking volunteers who would open their gardens to the public in order to raise funds for the RNLI cause.
12) DAPC. Various items received:- Village Green magazine, Training Days for Chairmen and Councillors, newsletter and Finding Funding workshops.
13) SHDC are conducting a burial grounds survey. The Clerk will reply.
SHDC Agenda 10/2/05; SHDC Minutes of Executive Meeting 3/3/05; S & W Internal Audit; S Hams Society newsletter; DCC newsletters.
Annual grants will be considered at the April meeting.
At this point Devon County Councillor Owen Masters entered the meeting with apologies for his late arrival. The Chairman invited him to speak. He had come, primarily, to talk about the Harberton flood prevention scheme and the news was not good. DCC had withdrawn the balance of their funding, saying it was a land drainage problem. This subject had been considered at the beginning of the meeting, but further discussion followed. Cllr Masters was keen that the Parish Council should write a letter to DCC explaining the situation and stressing that there was a wide road network leading down into the village, causing surface water to overload road drains at times of heavy rain. It was unanimously agreed that the Clerk should write to Mr Halliday on these lines. Cllr Masters hoped, in the near future, to arrange a meeting between Mr Halliday and Bill Lawrence of SHDC with D Cllr Steer and himself also in attendance.
Cllr Masters also mentioned the subject of travellers’ sites and, to his knowledge, there were none planned for this parish.
Matters at the discretion of the Chairman:
1) Cllr E Janes reported that there would be new signing at the woods down Bow Road, Harbertonford, signing “Private. Keep Out”.
2) Cllr Patrick reported the road markings at the Marylands junction and outside Harbertonford Primary School needed repainting.
3) Cllr Fearn reported that he had arranged for meetings on 22/3/05 regarding pension information at the Community Rooms, Harbertonford 2pm-4pm and at Harberton Parish Hall 11.30am-1.30pm for anyone to attend.
Cheques signed:
No 328 – Mrs D Crann - £406.32
No 329 – Harberton Parish Hall - £30.00
No 330 – Devon County Council - £40.00
The meeting closed at 10.05pm. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 12 April 2005 at 7.30pm at Harberton Parish Hall.