Minutes – May 10th 2022

LYDFORD PARISH COUNCIL

Annual and Parish Meeting 

At the WI Room, The Nicholls Hall, Lydford

On Tuesday 10th May 2022 at 7.15pm

Present: Cllr Squires (outgoing Chair), Cllr Grigg, Cllr Tainsh, Cllr Skeaping, Cllr Cook, John Bright (Clerk), 1 member of the public.

  1. Election of Chair
  2. The Clerk received one nomination for the vacant post of Chair of the Council; Cllr Grigg was proposed by Cllr Squires and seconded by Cllr Tainsh. Cllr Grigg accepted the nomination. After the vote (3 in favour, Cllr Cook abstaining) Cllr Grigg was duly elected as Chair of the Council for the coming year.
  3. The Council received the Declaration of Acceptance of Office by the incoming Chair, Cllr Grigg.
  • Election of Vice Chair

The Council received one nomination for the now vacant post of Vice Chair; Cllr Squires was duly elected as Vice Chair of the Council for the coming year. Proposed Cllr Grigg, seconded Cllr Skeaping. 3 Cllrs in favour, Cllr Cook abstaining.

  • Public Session (15 minutes)

Sue Powne outlined the order for the Jubilee weekend.

At the Sunday party to be held in the Nicholls Hall, the parish council grant which has already been provisionally approved pending full application, will be used to provide the prosecco and cake for parishioners. 

  • Apologies for absence

Cllr Blackmore & Cllr MacIntyre

  • Declarations of Interest

None

  • Minutes of the meetings held 15th February 2022 & 8th March 2022

To resolve to agree the minutes

Both sets of minutes were agreed without amendment. Proposed Cllr Tainsh, seconded Cllr Skeaping.

  • Matters arising from the February & March meetings 

(For information only)

Speedwatch – Cllr Cook informed the Council that currently there are only two trained volunteers, and more are still needed. Cllr Cook will write a piece for the Parish Magazine asking for more parishioners to come forward. (AP1) Cllr Tainsh will write a piece along the same lines for inclusion in the school newsletter to parents (AP2). 

Cllr Skeaping informed the Council that Dartmoor National Park has filled in some of the holes in the car park, although the work appears to be only a temporary fix and is likely to need replacing in a short time. Cllrs agreed to invite Rob the Ranger to the next meeting to discuss the matter with him (AP3)

  • Reports from Outside Bodies

Nil

  • Borough Councillors Report (to be circulated)

Nil

  1. Climate Change Emergency (Standing Item)

The Council looked at the two principle business models that would allow for a rapid charger to be installed in the car park: 

  1. to fund the installation (with grant support) of the charger, assume responsibility for operation and management of the charger and potentially derive an income from its use;
  2. to facilitate the setting up by an independent company who would pay for installation and management of the charger, with the possibility of some profit sharing.

Councillors took the position that they would not risk parishioners’ money on the installation, nor were they willing to see the Council involved in operating a business. Consequently the first option was dismissed in favour of the second. The Clerk has been in discussion with one company (econetiQ) who are interested in installing and operating a 25kWh charger and has recently learnt of another company ECC (Electric Car Chargers UK) who might be offering a similar deal. Clerk to contact the company and carry out research into the business (AP4) and to contact any parish council who might have already installed rapid car chargers to help the Council learn from their experiences (AP5)

  1. Public toilets (standing item)

Cllr Grigg reported that everything at the toilets is working properly and the CCTV system is installed and operational. The CCTV warning sign is to be installed in the next few days (AP6).

  1. Playground (standing item)
    1. The recent ROSPA inspection identified an issue with some of the wooden “stepping stones” showing signs of decay.
    1. On a routine visit, Cllr Blackmore found that a retaining strap on one of the swings needed replacing.

Clerk to contact Dave the handyman to have the stepping stones removed and to replace the broken chain. (AP7)

  1. Finances

To resolve to approve the payments:

  1. CPRE                                   £ 36.00           Subscription
  2. J Bright                       £2.05           Postage
  3. J Bright                  £317.21          Salary, May
  4. HMRC                                  £73.80           PAYE, May
  5. DM Payroll Svs       £120.00        Payroll Services 2022-23
  6. BHIB                      £481.41          Council Insurance 2022-23
  7. Penny Clapham     £55.00           Internal Audit fees
  8. Jade Tennant         £526.50         Toilet cleaning April

Motion to approve the payments, proposed Cllr Grigg, seconded Cllr Squires, all in favour

  1. Actions taken under delegated authority since last meeting

To note the following actions and payments:

MARCH

Payments to:

  1. J Bright                       £9.12           CCTV sign for toilets
  2. J Bright                   £307.52           Salary, March
  3. HMRC                                    £72.40            PAYE, March
  4. J Jeffery                  £336.00           Lengthsman services
  5. WDBC                     £281.45           Toilet service, water & electric
  6. WDBC                     £360.00           Wallgate servicing 4-12, 2021

Other Actions:

Comments to DNP re planning application 0096/22 – Mill Cottage

APRIL

Payments to:

  1. J Bright                   £15.99              Toilet supplies
  2. ROSPA                    £84.00             Playground inspection
  3. DALC                       £87.04             Membership fees
  4. Nicholls Hall          £116.50            Room hire 2021-22
  5. J Bright                  £376.19             Salary, April & pay rise
  6. HMRC                                  £89.40             PAYE, April
  7. J Bright                    £91.88             Wix web domain & email fees

Other Actions:

Nil

Councillors noted the payments and action taken by the Clerk.

  1. External Audit – Certificate of Exemption

Councillors resolved to agree and sign the Certificate of Exemption from External Audit 2021/22

Proposed Cllr Squires, seconded Cllr Skeaping, all in favour. The Certificate was signed by the Chair

  1. External Audit – Annual Governance Statement

Councillors resolved to agree and sign the Annual Governance Statement 2021/22

Proposed Cllr Tainsh, seconded Cllr Squires, all in favour. The Statement was signed by the Chair.

  1. External Audit – Accounting Statement 

Councillors resolved to agree and sign the Annual Accounting Statement 2021/22

Proposed Cllr Squires, seconded Cllr Grigg, all in favour.

  1. Planning Applications:

Councillors agreed that no further response to the appeal on DNP decision to refuse application 0280/20 (Brambleside, request to issue a certificate of lawfulness) was necessary as the Council could offer no further information beyond what they had already provided in 2020.

  1. Any other urgent business for discussion by permission of the chairman.

(For information only)

Councillors were asked to respond to a request made to DNP for works to a beech tree at Clearview. There were no grounds offered for objection to the work but they did ask that the Clerk request that the work on the tree be sympathetic to the tree’s appearance and setting. (AP8)

Councillor Grigg asked if others were aware of flashing lights coming from the campsite as he had received complaints. Cllr Tainsh felt that a general reminder could be sent to parishioners about dark skies. Clerk to circulate via website & Facebook (AP9).

Meeting closed 8.20pm

Signed                                               (Chair)                        Date

Date of next meeting – Tuesday 14th June 2022

Nicholls Hall, Lydford

 Action agreedOutcome
AP1Cllr Cook to write article for inclusion on newsletter & websiteCompleted 19.5. Circulated & published
AP2Cllr Tainsh to write article for inclusion in school letter to parents 
AP3Clerk to invite DNP Ranger to June meeting to discuss car park.Invite sent 23.5.22
AP4Clerk to contact ECC (UK) Ltd reference installation of RVCCompleted. Enquiries ongoing in a “fluid” market.
AP5Clerk to enquire of other councils who have had RVC installed.No others installed locally
AP6Cllr Grigg to install CCTV warning sign outside public toilets 
AP7Clerk to contact Dave the Handiman to make repairs to playground as identified by ROSPAAwaits.
AP8Clerk to send response to DNP along suggested lines.Sent 18.5. Reply from DNP – cannot stipulate the nature of work to be carried out, simply whether to place a TPO on the tree or not.
AP9Clerk to circulate reminder to parishioners about Dark Skies.Into parish newsletter 19.5.22