Beer Parish Council s2

Beer Parish Council

The Parish Council Meeting was held on Tuesday 11 July 2017 at the Mariners’ Hall. Copies of minutes and reports are available on request.

Present: Cllr. D Clinch Cllr. M Graham Cllr. M Green Cllr. L Harrison Cllr. U Makepeace Cllr. G Pook Cllr. M Richards Cllr. M Westlake

In attendance: A Dallaway (Clerk), Clare James (Clinton Devon Estates), one member of the public

1. Apologies accepted by the Council: Cllr. G Hirons; Cllr. L Vine

2. Declarations of Interest: None declared. Cllr Green declared an interest in the planning application 17/1155/FUL (Planning Committee agenda) as the applicant is his son.

3. Items to be dealt with after the public, including the press have been excluded: Council agreed that there were none.

4. Public participation: The member of public present raised issues relating to a shared alleyway in the village. As the land is privately owned, this is a civil matter. However, some of the issues raised are public health issues and Cllr Pook will refer matters to the Environmental Health Officer at EDDC.

5. Police report: There were no members of Devon & Cornwall Constabulary in attendance at the meeting but a report had been previously circulated. There were four offences in June, two non-residential burglaries, a vehicle offence and a public order offence.

6. CLARE JAMES, ESTATES MANAGER FOR CLINTON DEVON ESTATES

Clare James provided an update on Clinton Devon Estates activities in Beer.  Couchill Farm is currently without a tenant but is still being farmed with the help of Countryside Stewardship grants. It is hoped that the farm will be re-let in the future.  CDE provided assistance to EDDC with fencing materials for Jubilee field.  Plantation thinning has taken place on Bovey Lane.  There are two CDE rented properties available in Beer.  Kate Pontin, CDE Education Officer has launched the ‘Bat friendly Beer project’ and is also working with Beer Primary School.  CDE is positive about supporting village events and will help with sponsorship where possible, for example helping towards the printing costs of ‘Crab & Gardens’ weekend.  The fencing along the footpath from Short Furlong to Quarry Lane is not stock proof. Cllr Green will look into this. ACTION: CLLR GREEN  All the allotments are taken and there is a waiting list.  The cliffs owned by CDE have been surveyed and some vegetation clearance has been scheduled. Clare is liaising with DCC regarding the highways issues raised in the survey report. CDE will aim to ensure that the cliffs are surveyed at the same time as the cliffs owned by EDDC.  A contractor will cut the hedge adjacent Common Hill in mid-July.  CDE are continuing to monitor any flooding on Hollyhead Road in case of run off from the pig unit.

Agenda item 11 was brought forward at the Chairman’s discretion as Cllr Shaw had advised he may need to leave the meeting early. 11. Highways matters – to review progress and receive feedback from Highways Officers: i) Review of traffic signage to encourage HGV to avoid Common Hill

Bpcmins11072017AD 1 Lee Cranmer, DCC Engineer has provided feedback on the Parish Council’s road signage proposals. Cllr Green will refine proposals and make suggestions regarding wording and location of signs. Once clear proposals have been agreed, it will be necessary to explore funding options. ACTION: CLLR GREEN ii) Traffic order for Beer Cllr Shaw will discuss the Parish Council’s proposals with Stephen Kelly, Highways Officer.

7. Approval of minutes: The minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on the 6 June 2017 were approved and signed as a true record. Action points from the meeting: 6/6/2017/6 The gate has been adjusted at Ash Hill play area and the sign now includes the Parish Council email address. The permissive footpath sign for Short Furlong has been ordered. 6/6/2017/9 Cllr Richards is still trying to source suitable benches to fill gaps identified in the recent bench review. ACTION: CLLR RICHARDS

8. Reports – Chairman, Clerk Chairman’s Report:  The volume of cars parking at the top of Underleys during school drop-off is causing safety concerns. The Clerk will raise the matter with PC Jenkins.  The faulty street light at the bottom of Fore Street will be reported to DCC.  Due to a lack of enforcement at the weekends, cars are repeatedly parking on double yellow lines outside Lion Villas.

Clerk’s Report:  The Casual Vacancy has been advertised and we are waiting to hear from EDDC whether an election is required.

9. Financial report: i) The Council approved the bank reconciliation to the end of June 2017 ii) Cheques required: 001784 £3600 BPP Consulting (NP SEA assessment) 001785 £100 Reimburse damage to property caused by strimmer 001786 £70 Terry Hoare (grass cutting Ash Hill) 001787 £924 eadecology (NP HRA assessment) 001788 £817.19 HMRC (PAYE/NI)

The Council resolved to approve the cheques listed above. RESOLVED

10. TRIP Community Transport – to consider request for donation A letter has been received from TRIP Community Transport, requesting a donation towards service costs. The Transport Manager has advised that they carry out over 50 journeys per month for residents of Beer. The Parish Council resolved to make a donation of £50. RESOLVED

11. Highways matters – to review progress and receive feedback from Highways Officers (see above – agenda item brought forward)

12. Parish Council surgery – to receive report Parish Council surgeries took place on 18 June and 8 July – issues raised include the following:  30mph sign in Quarry Lane – Councillors agreed that the sign should be moved 40 metres to the West as there are many more properties now in Quarry Lane. The Clerk will request that this is added to the proposed new Traffic Order for the village. ACTION: CLERK  Overgrown hedges on footpaths – the newsletter will include a prompt for landowners to trim back hedges adjacent footpaths.

Bpcmins11072017AD 2  Pot holes in Ash Hill and Common Lane – Cllr Green will measure the holes to establish whether they meet the criteria for repair by DCC highways. ACTION: CLLR GREEN

There will be no Parish Council surgery in August and surgeries will in future take place bi-monthly.

13. Environment Report – to receive an update and discuss community engagement initiatives Cllr Westlake provided a report including the following items:  There are a number of outstanding maintenance jobs for EDDC to complete at Starre Bank and on the Jubilee. ACTION: CLLR POOK  £2K has been awarded from the DCC Highways Enhancement Fund. The grant will be used to purchase tools and equipment for the volunteer group and a safe storage facility, which will be sited centrally within the village to enable easy access.

14. EDDC asset transfer – to receive an update The Asset Transfer Plan for Beer has been submitted to EDDC and all parties are working towards a transfer date of March 2018.

15. Beer Coastal Community Team – update on interim projects: A draft walking leaflet has been produced and circulated for one of the proposed walks around Beer. A series of walking leaflets is planned and a website for circular walks around Beer.

16. Neighbourhood Plan – to receive an update and reports from the Steering Group The Strategic Environmental Assessment and the Habitats Regulations Assessment (for the Short Furlong development site) have now been completed. Recommendations from the assessments are currently being assimilated into the draft Neighbourhood Plan, in preparation for the 6-week statutory public consultation period. Following this, the Plan will be formally submitted to EDDC for inspection. Ultimately, a public referendum will be necessary to adopt the Plan. An approach was made to Clinton Devon Estates for a contribution towards Neighbourhood Plan costs and the Parish Council was grateful to receive a donation towards the costs of the environmental assessments.

17. Planning: Minutes from the Planning Committee meeting held on 6 June 2017 are available on the website. The Council resolved to accept the recommendations of the Planning Committee. RESOLVED

18. Reports of EDDC and DCC Cllrs including matters for attention Cllr Pook, EDDC raised the following matters:  The Local Government Boundary Commission has now published final recommendations for the electoral review of East Devon, with proposed changes to be implemented 2019.  The new waste and recycling arrangements have now been implemented in East Devon. It was noted that owners of holiday homes (not paying Council Tax) should be paying commercial rates for the collection of refuse. Cllr Pook will liaise with EDDC Officers regarding this matter. Owners of holiday homes are also encouraged to include recycling information in their welcome packs for holiday makers.

Cllr Shaw, DCC had previously circulated a report including the following matters:  On July 25, the DCC Health Scrutiny Committee will decide whether to refer the CCG’s decision to close the beds at Seaton Hospital, to the Secretary of State for Health.  From September, First Bus Company will be reducing the X52 bus service to two off-peak, return journeys each day, from Monday and Saturday. The Parish Council will write to DCC to express concern regarding the proposed reduction in this essential service. ACTION: CLLR WESTLAKE  The next meeting of the Seaton Coastal Traffic Group (Seaton, Beer and Branscombe) will be scheduled in September. Bpcmins11072017AD 3 19. Reports of Parish Council representatives on other bodies: Cllr Makepeace reported that representatives from South West Britain in Bloom made a very successful visit to Beer on 7 July.

20. Correspondence/Literature: As on Appendix A.

The meeting closed at 8.40pm.

Date of next Parish Council meeting: Parish Council Meeting Tuesday 5 September 2017

Date: ………………………………….. Chairman: ………………………….

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