Minutes – July 14th 2020

Minutes of the  Meeting of Lydford Parish Council held online on Tuesday 14th July 2020, 7.00pm 

Present:  Cllr. Squires (Chair); Cllr. MacIntyre;  Cllr. Skeaping; Cllr Blackmore; Cllr Tainsh; John Bright (Clerk); Cllr Philip Sanders (County Councillor); Cllrs Mott & Southcott (Borough Councillors) 1 member of the parish.

Meeting commenced 7:00pm

1) Public Discussion:

Mr Tony Williams attended to formally object to the planning application 0280/20 Brambleside. To his knowledge the railway carriage to which this application refers has never been used as a residence. 

2) Apologies for absence:

Cllrs Grigg and Cook. Accepted.

3) Declarations of interest: 

Cllr Blackmore – item 14: application 0310/20 refers to the property adjoining his own.

4)   Minutes of previous meeting:

Approved as a true record. Proposed – Cllr Skeaping, Seconded – Cllr Tainsh. All in favour. The agreement to be noted.

5)  Matters arising from previous meeting:

None that do not form part of tonight’s agenda

6) Reports from Outside Bodies

Cllr Squires – Nicholls Hall. The Trustees have received a grant of £10,000 to allow it to be maintained through the Covid crisis. Trustees have resolved not to open the hall in the immediate future, although the Post Office outreach service resumed the previous Tuesday and has returned to normal service. It is hoped that the Parish Council will return to using the hall for its meetings in September, although that depends upon appropriate advice.

Cllr Blackmore – N.T. Lydford Gorge. The Gorge has partially re-opened, and is accepting pre-bookings only. Regrettably this system does not currently allow for the free entry normally allowed to Lydford residents, although they will still be able to book in the normal way and entry will be free if they are N.T. members.

7) Report from Borough Councillor:

A report from Cllr Mott was sent for circulation to Councillors. Briefly –

  1. DCC want to remind families with young children under 4 that they may be eligible for free food vouchers to be spent on fresh or frozen fruit & vegetables, milk, baby formula or vitamins under the Healthy Start Scheme.
  1. Heart of the SW Local Enterprise Partnership is trying to establish a free Business Support programme and is asking businesses to complete a survey – https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/btbhosw

Cllr Sanders reminded Councillors that there are still locality grant funds available for deserving projects. There are issues with a group camping unlawfully in the area below Venford, DNP are dealing but with little support from other agencies.

8) Covid-19 crisis

Nothing new to add.

9) Climate Emergency (Standing Item)

Deferred until September.

10) Public toilets (Standing Item)

Councillors were very keen to ensure the public toilets were opened as soon as possible. Having now received informal tenders for the toilets to be cleaned to the currently recommended standard an extraordinary meeting was scheduled for Monday 20.7.2020 to allow Councillors to select and approve one of the tenders.

It is anticipated that the toilets will be opened on Tuesday 21st July, once cleaning has been arranged.

Councillors expressed their deep gratitude to Cllr Grigg who has undertaken the very great majority of the work required to ensure the toilets are in a fit condition to open. 

11) Trees beside bridleway between Lydford Castle and the Castle PH

Cllr Tainsh reported that Rob Taylor from DNP is now dealing with these trees. No need for further Council action.

12) Finances

a) Payments: 

Cllrs resolved to make the following payments –

  1. J Bright                                          £ 249.28          (Pay June)      
    1. HMRC                                           £ 57.80            (PAYE June)  
    1. J Bright                                          £ 20.85            (Dog fouling signs)
    1. Signs Express                               £ 84.00            (2nd set of toilet signs)
    1. AUK Supplies                               £ 51.65            (Toilet cleaning supplies)
    1. J Bright                                          £ 20.44            (Postage & stamps)
    1. Neil Grigg                                      £ 30.00            (Flowers of appreciation to 

volunteer toilet cleaners)

Proposed – Cllr Blackmore, seconded Cllr Skeaping. All in favour.

  • Finances

Cllrs resolved to accept the quarterly financial report – proposed Cllr Squires, seconded Cllr MacIntyre. All in favour

13) VAS

Cllrs agreed to try and return to the original suggested site for the sign. 

14) Planning Applications

Cllrs agreed the following responses:

0280/20 Brambleside – use of an existing building as a dwelling. Object, with observations.

0299/20 Barberry Cottage – construction of a front porch. Support.

0310/20 6 South View – demolition of single storey structure and erection of single and two storey extensions to front, side and rear, plus double garage, with associated tree works. Support, with observation on the tree work.

Proposed – Cllr Skeaping, seconded Cllr Tainsh

15) Correspondence

All noted

16) Other Business by permission of the Chair

Cllr Tainsh reported that to her understanding two black cats have gone missing from similar locations near the centre of the village. It has been reported that one has been shot. 

Public meeting closed 20:16

Councillors resolved to exclude members of the press and public (Part 2) in order to discuss a confidential matter. 

Proposed, Cllr Blackmore, seconded Cllr Squires. All in favour.

Part 2 minutes – Cllrs resolved to increase the Clerk’s pay to SCP 7 on the NJC pay scales, and increase the number of paid hours to 8 hours per week. All with effect from 1.4.2020. To be reviewed 1.4.2021.

Next meeting Tuesday 8th September 2020, 19:00. This meeting to be held online.

Signed……………………………………….Position………………………………Date………………………………

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