Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting
Held on Wednesday 13 January 2010
In the Meeting Point, High Bickington at 7.30pm

Present: Myc Riggulsford (Chairman), Mike Leatham (Vice-Chairman), Chris Brown, David Brown, Roger Keen, Stan Maskell, Peter Tucker.

In attendance: Mr Paul Knox – Pearce Construction Ltd; David Venner – Community Property Trust; 3 members of the public; Mrs Di Carter - Clerk

The Chairman wished everyone a very Happy New Year and welcomed them to the meeting. There were no representatives present from the County Council, District Council nor the Police. Following the matter raised by a member of the public at the December meeting regarding the issue of where the foul drainage system from the Little Bickington Farm project will be connected to the main sewer, David Brown reported that he has followed up this query and read confirmation from South West Water that the connection will be in Quarry Lane, not in North Road.  This was accepted by the member of the public who raised the query and the Chairman thanked David Brown for clearing up this matter.

1. Apologies for absence
   Apologies were received from Stella Burrows (business) and PCSO Sandra Brown.


2. Declarations of Interest
   Mike Leatham declared a personal interest in agenda items 6 and 7 as the Parish Council’s representative to the Community Property Trust.
   
   David Brown declared a personal and prejudicial interest in agenda item 6 and a personal interest in agenda item 7 as Chairman of the Community Property Trust.
   
   Following advice from the Torridge District Council solicitor the following declarations of interest were declared regarding the planning application in agenda item 12 – Pearce Construction Ltd :
   
   David Brown declared a prejudicial interest as Chairman of the Community Property Trust.
   
   All remaining Councillors present – Myc Riggulsford, Mike Leatham, Chris Brown, Roger Keen, Stan Maskell and Peter Tucker – declared a personal interest as members of the Parish Council, current owners of the land. The declaration of a personal interest is not a bar to discussing the application nor registering views on it.


3. Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on held on 9 December 2009
   The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2009 were agreed and adopted by Councillors. The Chairman signed the minutes.


4. Matters Arising from the Minutes of the meeting held on 9 December 2009
   There were no matters arising


5. Police Matters
   The Clerk reported the January Police Newsletter received from PCSO Sandra Brown. High Bickington had been crime free in the preceeding 30 days with two computer logs – 1 road traffic accident and 1 assault. The Clerk was asked to follow up the apparent anomaly of no crimes reported but one assault logged. The newsletter also contained adverse weather advice.


6. Sale of the Barton Meadow Hall site
   The Clerk reported that Pearce Construction has now confirmed that the pegs marked E,F,G do represent the boundary on the Hall Site and as agreed at the December meeting she has asked Mr Budge to draw up the contract.


7. Parish Plans
   January update – David Venner circulated copies of the January report showing current Bank balances.
   
   David Brown reported that Pearce Construction Ltd will be carrying out pre-contract site preparation work at Little Bickington Farm in February to avoid interfering with environmental issues such as bird nesting later in the year.
   
   Loan offers have been received from Charity Bank (£1,750,000) and Venturesome (£250,000) giving a total loan offer of £2,000,000. An offer is awaited from Tridos in Bristol following which a decision will be made on which offer to accept. This, with the funds agreed from Devon County Council, will mean the main contract work should be under way in April.
   
   David Brown reported that the School has been asked to provide a time capsule for burial on the site and a turf cutting ceremony is planned for some time in February.
   
   Councillors were pleased to hear encouraging news on the Little Bickington Farm development and funding offers.


8. Barton Meadow Recreational Play Area
   The Clerk reported that the annual Play Area Inspection is due in March and Councillors agreed that ROSPA be asked to carry out this inspection again this year.


9. Matters raised by the Chairman
   The Chairman said the most likely date for a General Election is May 2010 with a Parish Council election taking place at the same time. He hoped members of the public would put their names forward for election


10. Maintenance
    1. Highways – Stan Maskell said he felt Highways had done a good job in keeping the main roads open during the recent adverse weather conditions. The Chairman reported flooding problems in Quarry Lane – this has been reported. The centre of High Bickington village has been particularly treacherous with a number of access problems. Peter Tucker has reported a manhole cover in North Road which is in danger of collapsing.
    
    
    2. Footpaths – Roger Keen has carried out his annual inspection and had no problems to report apart from the broken fence alongside the footpath at Old Park. The Clerk has reported this to the Footpaths Officer and Roger Keen agreed to follow this up. Councillors felt this has been an ongoing serious problem which is in need of urgent attention. Councillors agreed that Roger Keen apply for the annual footpaths grant in order that the kissing gates can be installed and further improvement work undertaken in the village.
    
    


11. Finance
    1. Accounts as at 30 December 2009. These were agreed, accepted by Councillors present and showed a bank carry forward figure of £17,062.92 following authorisation for payment of the cheque below:
       
       100276 D Carter, salary (£238.87) + (Expenses £54.17) - (Total: £293.04)
       
       Councillors agreed that the Clerk may purchase some plastic storage boxes for older files.
    
    
    2. High Bickington Directory: A student has agreed to take on the work of collating information for the Directory.
       The grant of £300 from James Morrish’s award scheme towards the cost of producing the directory has been agreed.
    
    


12. Planning
    
    1. Applications:
    
    David Brown left the meeting. In accordance with declarations of interest listed earlier Councillors considered the following application:
    
    
    1. 1/1202/2009/FUL
       
       Erection of 3 new dwellings - Church Meadow, High Bickington
       
       Pearce Construction, Barnstaple.
       
       Discussion: Chairman led an informal discussion about the style of houses proposed for the Hall Site which he thinks should better reflect the style of traditional Devon vernacular architecture. Councillors felt on balance that the style of housing proposed matches the surrounding houses recently built at Barton Meadow and therefore they are suitable for this site. Chairman accepted the majority view and withdrew his objections. Chairman proposed that the Parish Council support the Pearce application, seconded by Peter Tucker.
       
       Decision:Councillors present and eligible to vote (6) agreed to support the application. The Clerk was asked to send a separate letter indicating the response and that it was made in the full knowledge that the Parish Council are current owners of the land in question.
       
       Mike Leatham, as Parish Council representative to the Community Property Trust, reported that Torridge District Council has informed Pearce Construction Ltd that they will not allow the houses to be built until the community facilities are constructed and are capable of occupation at Little Bickington Farm, on the basis that this application represents a departure from the local plan.
       
       Councillors agreed that this decision would effectively prevent the building of the village hall at the Little Bickington Farm site as monies received from the sale of this land would be required to undertake the building work. They wished to record their frustration with this situation.
       
       Resolution: Councillors present and eligible to vote (6) resolved to ask Mike Leatham, on behalf of the Parish Council, in consultation with the Chairman, to draft a letter to Torridge District Council expressing their concerns about this decision and the effect it would have on the provision of community facilities at Little Bickington Farm. They also wished to register their disappointment that, as owners of the Hall Site land, and applicants for the new community hall plans at Little Bickington Farm they had not been informed by Torridge of this decision.
       
    
    David Brown returned to the meeting.
    
    
    2. Decisions:
    
    There were no decisions to report.
    
    48299
    
    N Devon District Council - Proposed blending shed, NWF Agriculture, Wixland, Atherington:
    
    No decision recorded at present.
    
    


13. Correspondence
    1. The Clerk read a letter received from James Morrish thanking the Parish Council for their congratulations and good wishes.
    
    
    2. TDC – North Devon and Torridge Core Strategy – notice of forthcoming consultation and details of drop in sessions – in circulation pack.
    
    
    3. Information Commissioner’s Office – advice for Councillors regarding Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations – in circulation pack.
    
    
    4. Sustainable Communities Bill – request for Parish Councils to write to their MP asking for their support for this Bill – in circulation pack for response at next meeting.
    
    


14. Items for information
    1. David Brown informed the meeting of forthcoming events which will raise the profile of High Bickington:
       
       1. A recent radio 4 interview regarding the Little Bickington Farm project has resulted in an approach from a group in Sussex undertaking a similar project.
       
       
       2. David Brown will be facilitating a seminar at the Guardian National Housing Summit at the Russell Hotel in London on 25 February.
       
       
       3. An article on the Little Bickington Farm project is due to appear in the Mail on Sunday on 17 January.
       
       
    
    
    2. Peter Tucker reported incidents of postmen who had walked considerable distances during the recent adverse weather to ensure deliveries were made. Other reports of people undertaking work beyond their normal duties were recorded and Councillors wished to commend all those who had worked hard to ensure services were kept running and those local residents who had assisted elderly neighbours.
    
    
    3. Copies of a Standards Board advice paper on declarations of Personal and Prejudicial interests will be circulated to all Councillors.
    
    


15. Date of next meeting:
    Wednesday 10 February 2010 at 7.30pm in the Meeting Point, High Bickington.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.33pm.