Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting
Held on Wednesday 12 May 2010 at 8.20pm
In the Meeting Point, High Bickington

Present:
Myc Riggulsford (Chairman), Chris Brown, Stella Burrows, Roger Keen, Mike Leatham, Stan Maskell, Peter Tucker

In attendance:
David Venner – Community Property Trust; 3 members of the public; Mrs Di Carter, Clerk

1. Election of Chairman
   Proposed by Peter Tucker and seconded by Chris Brown, Myc Riggulsford was unanimously elected to continue as Chairman of the Parish Council. There were no other nominations.


2. Apologies
   Apologies were received from David Brown.
   


3. Declarations of Interest
   Mike Leatham declared a personal interest in agenda item 15(a) as the Parish Council's representative to the Community Property Trust.
   Stella Burrows and Roger Keen declared a personal interest in agenda item 17(a) as members of the Parochial Church Council.
   


4. Election of Vice-Chairman
   Proposed by Myc Riggulsford and seconded by Roger Keen, Mike Leatham was unanimously elected to continue as Vice-Chairman of the Parish Council.


5. Election of Finance Committee
   The Finance Committee comprises 3 Councillors to consider any financial issues and make recommendations to the full Parish Council and, if required, to make decisions on any urgent financial matters and report that decision to the full Parish Council. Proposed by Roger Keen and seconded by Stan Maskell it was unanimously agreed that the Finance Committee be comprised of the present Chairman, Vice Chairman and immediate past Chairman, Peter Tucker.


6. Appointment of Tree and Footpath Warden
   Proposed by Myc Riggulsford and seconded by Mike Leatham, Councillors unanimously agreed that Roger Keen be asked to continue as Tree and Footpath Warden


7. Appointment of Highways representative
   CProposed by Myc Riggulsford and seconded by Chris Brown, Councillors unanimously agreed that Stan Maskell be asked to continue as Highways representative.


8. Council Representative to High Bickington Community Property Trust
   Proposed by Myc Riggulsford and seconded by Roger Keen, Councillors unanimously agreed that Mike Leatham be asked to continue as the Parish Council's representative on the High Bickington Community Property Trust.


9. Council Representative to Torrington MCTA
   Proposed by Myc Riggulsford and seconded by Mike Leatham, Councillors unanimously agreed that David Brown be asked to continue in this role.


10. Confirmation of Clerk’s Salary
    Proposed by Roger Keen and seconded by Chris Brown, it was agreed that the Clerk be awarded the backdated revised pay for 2009/10 as follows:
    SCP 20
    5.5 hrs per week x 52 + 16 holiday = 302 hrs p.a
    Revised salary = £9.591 pr hr = £2,896.48
    Paid £9.49 pr hr = £2,866.00 p.a.
    Difference: = £30.48
    
    There has been no increase notified for 2010 and therefore the Clerk's salary for 2010/11 will be:
    302 hrs p.a. @ £9.591 pr hr = £2,896.48 p.a.
    = £241.37 per month
    


11. Minutes of the Annual Parish Council Meeting held on 13 May 2009
    The Minutes of this meeting were approved and adopted at the Parish Council meeting held on 10 June 2009. There were no matters arising from these minutes.


12. Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on held on 14 April 2010
    The Minutes of the meeting held on 14 April 2010 were agreed and adopted by Councillors. The Chairman signed the minutes.
    


13. Matters Arising from the Minutes of the meeting held on 14 April 2010
    
    1. Dog fouling. The flyers have been delivered to all households in the village. There appeared to be some misunderstanding about the funding of the new dog bin at the Playing Fields. Councillors agreed at their April meeting to fund this bin unaware that an offer to do so had been made by the Playing Field Association. Following a discussion Councillors felt they would like to provide this bin and the Clerk was asked to write to Sharne Worrall informing her of this decision and thanking her for their kind offer.
    2. Defibrillator. The Clerk has written to the Practice Manager at the High Bickington surgery asking for their advice on this. A response is awaited.
    
    
14. Police Matters
    Stella Burrows reported two burglaries from sheds in the Seckington area over the May Bank Holiday when a strimmer, wheelbarrow and other garden equipment was stolen. The Chairman was concerned to receive an e-mail from a resident informing him of a visit to his property by two women claiming to be from the Parish Council. They had entered the property and were inspecting kitchen work when discovered. The Chairman had assured the property owner that the women were definitely not from the Parish Council and had advised informing the Police. PCSO Brown had been informed and given certain details, descriptions and vehicle information of the two women involved. She will follow this up.
    


15. Parish Plans - May Update
    
    1. David Venner gave a verbal report for May including current Bank balances. Quotations for printing the Community Directory have been received and once a decision is made the Directory will be finalised.
    
    
    2. Pearce Construction Ltd - the contract for the sale of the land at Barton Meadow has been signed and a cheque for £100,000 is being held by the Solicitor pending a decision by the Parish Council as to the account the money should be credited to. The £100,000 to be used for capital work in providing a new village hall on the Little Bickington Farm site
       Decision: Proposed by Peter Tucker and seconded by Stella Burrows Councillors present agreed unanimously that the Solicitor be asked to pay the £100,000 into the High Bickington Community Property Trust Ltd Village/Community Hall account. Councillors further agreed that the Torridge District Council funds should be used before the Pearce funds due to the time constraints on this money and asked for regular reports to provide an audit trail of expenditure.
    
    


16. Barton Meadow Recreational Play Area
    
    1. Chris Brown reported that the 2010 Play area inspection report has been received and shows only minor repair work is required.
       
    
    
    2. Chris Brown further reported that the gates installed at the recently sold Hall site have been removed by the builders and it was felt as these were installed by the Parish Council and presumably not required by Pearce, they could be used at the Community woodland. The Chairman will speak to Pearce to ask if the Parish Council can retrieve the gates.
       
    
    
    3. The Clerk was asked to obtain new football nets for the play area, maximum expenditure to be £100.
       
    
    
    4. Following the letter from a member of the public and the discussion held in the Annual Parish Meeting, Councillors considered the matters raised about the behaviour of young people at the play area. Councillors felt it was totally inappropriate to install CCTV cameras in a rural area and questioned the feasibility of doing it. They felt that the resident's letter had been a reasonable one and they would continue to ask PCSO Brown to work with young people in the village and will endeavour to improve leisure facilities. Peter Tucker will make enquiries about football coaching and the Clerk will follow up the O2 grant scheme to ascertain criteria etc.
       
    
    


17. Matters raised by the Chairman
    Stella Burrows and Roger Keen left the meeting.
    


18. Maintenance
    
    1. Highways update - Stan Maskell had nothing to report.
       The Clerk reported a notification of 30mph speed restrictions due to be imposed on part of the A377 - details circulated in pack.
       Mike Leatham reported that resurfacing work to Taylors Lane has been completed.
       
    2. Footways and Byways - Roger Keen had nothing to report.


19. Finance
    
    1. Accounts as at 30 April 2010. These were agreed, accepted by Councillors present and showed a bank carry forward figure of £16,854.92 which included the first instalment of the precept payment and following authorisation for payment of the cheques listed below:
       
       100291 Playsafety Limited (play area inspection) £77.56
       100292 Came & Company - insurance £877.00
       100293 Derek Jones - grasscutting £30.00
       100294 D Carter - Salary £238.87/Expenses £58.29 £297.16
       100295 Ramblings Subscription £6.00
       100296 Penimagic - printing dog fouling flyers £30.00 - £1317.72
       
       
    2. Statement of Income and Expenditure.
       Proposed by Myc Riggulsford and seconded by Stella Burrows, Councillors present unanimously agreed to adopt the accounts as presented (attached cum pages 718/719/720). The Chairman and Clerk signed the accounts. Copies will be displayed on the noticeboards.
    3. Audit - the internal audit will take place on 15 June 2010.


20. Planning
    
    1. Applications:
       
       1/0272/2010/EXT
       Extension of time of planning permission 1/0054/2007/FUL
       
       Proposed barn conversion to form 3 units of holiday accommodation
       Yelland Farm, High Bickington
       Mr A Woolacottr A Woolacott
       
       Decision:The Parish Council supports the application.
       
    2. Decisions:
       No decisions had been received as at 11/05/10.


21. Correspondence
    
    1. CCD - Evaluation of the Rural Housing Enabler Programme - questionnaire - in circulated pack.
    2. DCC - notice of road closure - 25-27 May inclusive - R6301 Weirmarsh Farm to Southwood Cross for utility works.
    3. TDC - Review of Parish/ Town action plans - questionnaire - to be passed to David Brown.
    4. Chulmleigh Community College - Building Schools for the future - questionnaire - Peter Tucker to respond.


22. Items for information
    The Chairman suggested the purchase of a new book "Standing Orders for Local Councils".
    Decision: Councillors present agreed that the Clerk be asked to purchase the book at a cost of £35.00.


23. Date of next meeting:
    Date of next meeting: Wednesday 9 June 2010 at 7.30 pm in the Meeting Point.
    

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.55pm.