Meeting Minutes 2014-01-08

Present: Alison Cruse(Acting Chair), Malcolm Brewer, Val Barns, Emma Bell, Celia Pitts, Philip Davies, Cllr Bill Cann

In Attendance: Rachel Bertram (Clerk), Dora Cowland

405/1 APOLOGIES: Michael Allen (Chairman),

405/2 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST:

Clerk granted dispensation to all Councillors to review the Parish Precept.

405/3 MINUTES OF 4^th December 2013 – Agreed and signed.

• Actions:
• Planning Application- Clerk replied
• DNPA enforcement – clerk replied
• Standing orders – VB reviewed, to be discussed below
• Absence of chairman – to be discussed below

405/4 FINANCE:

Balances:
Current Account: £1881.25
Deposit Account: £9614.42
Petty Cash: £59.03

Statement approved and signed.

Payments:
Rachel Bertram salary (Dec) £100
Scouts TAP Fund £600
Donations: Burial Ground £25
Scouts £50
ODCTG £50
STOC £50
CAB £25

405/5 ASSET REGISTER:

Cllr Brewer continues to carry out monthly asset checks. Two new issues were reported; a silver birch tree has blown over in the corner of the playing field and needs removing and the parish notice board doors blew open in the high winds and are now not opening or closing properly. MB volunteered to take a look at this.

ACTION MB

405/6 STANDING ORDERS:

Cllr Barns presented an amended draft of the new model standing orders for adoption. Some alterations to the model have been made:

• Changes were suggested to the Playing Field Committee – AC to draft terms of reference.
• Some additional items were highlighted for inclusion during the annual meeting of the council, as per section 5 of the standing orders
• Clerk to extend Agenda and Minutes to Cllr Cann and Cllr Mcinnes as per section 23a of the standing orders
• Section 18 d, the tender process –  it was decided to continue to advertise for tenders as appropriate to this council and was not felt financially appropriate to advertise in the local press- standing orders amended.

Most other sections were felt to be applicable to this council. All voted to adopt the new amended standing orders. ACTION AC

406/1 VILLAGE WORKDAY:

To be arranged for end Feb/early March. AC to contact Ian Brooker to arrange a suitable date. To be discussed next meeting. ACTION AC

406/2 CHAIRMANSHIP:

The current chairman has moved out of the village and asked for councillors views on his remaining chair. All agreed that MA remain as chairman for the current term of office, with the council’s full support.

406/3 PLAYING FIELD COMMITTEE:

EB brought along architects plans for the prospective new shelter and photographs of similar completed projects. The new building is estimated to cost approx £20000, including hardwood frame, roof and base. Fundraising continues.

406/4 REVIEW OF PRECEPT:

Councillors entered Part Two business.

Councillors left Part Two business

406/5 RATIONALISATION OF EMAILS:

Cllr Davies raised the issue of the large volume of emails received by councillors. It was felt by all that a proportion of these are unnecessary! The clerk does not forward on those that do not apply to this council, but does pass on anything that may be relevant. It was proposed that the clerk would highlight any important emails by adding *** to the message and the following responsibilities were made clear:

• MB and the chair will receive emails regarding DNPA Forum,
• VB and the chair will receive emails regarding Eastern Links
• AC and the chair will receive emails regarding Heartlands
• EB and the chair will receive emails regarding playing fields info

406/6 CORRESPONDENCE:

• TAP Fund Cheque for £600 for S.Zeal Scouts received from Sampford Courteney PC. Clerk has responded.
• Letter from DCC Social Care Commissioning re changes to provisions, invitation to attend seminars
• Western Power stakeholder workshops
• Road closure notice for Willey Lane w/c 06/01/14, displayed on noticeboard.
• Love Food Hate Waste campaign, posters not required
• Cllr Brewer attended DNP Forum meeting and reported that a new film produced by DNP can be viewed online.
• Letter received from Tavistock Newspapers Ltd asking for future details of any events deemed newsworthy.
• Parish lengthsman schedules have postponed due to redeployment following recent weather events
• Cllr Cann attended to discuss the government electoral review of parish boundaries. The Council expressed its satisfaction with the current situation regarding the parish boundary and district councillor allocation. Cllr Cann to return to discuss further.

Date of next meeting: Tuesday February 4th at 7.30pm

There being no further business the meeting closed at 21.25pm