Combe Martin Parish Council s1

COMBE MARTIN PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of a meeting of Combe Martin Parish Council held at the Community Centre on Monday, 9 November, 2015, at 7pm.

Present: Cllrs Wendy Druce (Chairman) Julia Clark, Yvette Gubb, Ian Lawton, Celia Withers.

In Attendance: County Cllr Andrea Davis, District Cllr John Lovering, 6 parishioners, Parish Clerk.

The meeting commenced with prayers.

178/15 Public Session a Nicky Tossell - expressed concerns that the C460 will be closed for up to 6 weeks commencing 18 November, 2015, resulting in the traffic being diverted onto the A399, where the hole caused by the fallen tree has not been repaired. She was concerned that traffic queuing on the bends was dangerous. DCC was asked to put up additional signage to warn traffic.

Mrs Tossell was advised that the Parish Council had contacted DCC several times to draw their attention to this problem, and had been advised that attempts had been made to repair the A399 before the C460 closure. DCC had advised that the A399 is structurally still capable of bearing the additional traffic load created by the diversion.

b Nicky Tossell - asked why central Government was insisting on so many new houses being built in north Devon when at the same time it was cutting down on funding, leading to the closure of nursing homes, hospitals and police stations. She was advised to contact Peter Heanton-Jones, MP.

1 c Ray Druce - objected to the manner in which single potholes are repaired on the roads, and the repair gangs then drive past other potholes and defects. County Cllr Andrea Davis said that SWHighways (DCC's contractor) are in control of how the work is done and that DCC cannot do anything about it.

d Dave Sharratt - advised the meeting that Ross Ayres and Sonny Thwaites had been very successful in obtaining a grant of £1,000 from Ilfracombe Lions. He asked why the Parish Council had chosen a site for a possible skatepark at Blackmore Ham Gardens when this was in the floodplain. It was explained that the professional skatepark manufacturer who had come out to look at sites in Combe Martin had chosen the site as the most likely option, and that the professional had explained hat he had built a skatepark in a similar location.

He was advised that the Parish Council had that day received a response from North Devon Council about the pre-application enquiry for Blackmore Ham Gardens, and the Skatepark Group would be provided with a copy once the Parish Council had had the opportunity to see the report. The report advises that NDC's informal opinion is that such an application would not receive planning permission.

The Chairman advised Mr Sharratt that a remark he made was offensive and would not be tolerated.

Mr Sharratt asked why the skatepark manufacturer had not considered the area at the top of Hollands Park and was advised that the designer had considered it but was of the opinion that it would be too expensive to build there.

e Ray Druce - asked Mr Sharratt why Nigel Brettle, Trevor Kibble, Steve Seldon and Paul White had not progressed the project at the top of Hollands Park when they were on the Parish Council? Mr Sharratt said that he could not answer for those people.

179/15 Apologies for absence Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Peter James, Helen Mallinder and Lin Wheelan.

180/15 County and District Councillors Reports a Devon County Council DCC will be completely closing the Link Road at the River Exe viaduct for two nights (11 and 12 November 2015) as part of the on-going work to repair the road. The scheme to replace the failed expansion joint and waterproof the bridge deck is almost half way through. Work on the eastbound carriageway is due to be complete by mid November. Following these closures, a contraflow will be introduced so that traffic entering north Devon may use the road, but traffic leaving north Devon will be diverted as at present. There will be further overnight closures later in the project, and work is expected to be complete by January, 2016.

Residents are reminded to get their annual flu vaccination.

DCC is encouraging car-sharing with a 'win a tank of petrol' competition. Everyone who registers a journey on the Car Share Devon webpage, sending a request to car-share between now and 30 November 2015 will be entered into a draw.

2 b North Devon Council Section 106 funding has been approved for a 'birds nest' swings and new grass matting for a play area at Roundswell. NDC has agreed to release £2,000 to Fremington Parish Council towards the cost of buying and installing the play equipment. NDC has approved grants from the North Devon Communities Fund for the following:  The Voice - £3,600 to equip and furnish affordable meeting rooms for community use.  Clarity - £4,750 to support mental health counselling and support services  Devon Rape Crisis service - £3,360 to pay the rent on an office in Barnstaple for a year to offer a local service instead of the Exeter outreach service.  Abbey Gateway Club - £2,500 towards a community event promoting social cohesion for the community and adults with learning difficulties.

New fishermen's stores on the Cove in Ilfracombe will be completed later in November, enabling fishermen to use the new facilities before Christmas, 2015.

NDC will no longer be posting copies of individual refuse calendars to households. These can now be downloaded from the NDC website. This will save NDC £18,000 a year. Any residents who do not have internet access can request a hard copy from NDC, who will post them out. Details of collections over the Christmas period are also available on the website.

181/15 Police and Vandalism Reports a Police Report PCSO Ade Drury sent her apologies as she was on annual leave and had therefore been unable to collate the figures for the last four weeks.

b Vandalism Report There was no vandalism to report.

182/15 Minutes of the last meeting RESOLVED that the Minutes of the meeting held on 12 October 2015, be confirmed and signed as a true record.

183/15 Planning a Applications District Councillor Yvette Gubb drew the meeting’s attention to the fact that any observations or decisions which she made regarding planning applications at this meeting were based upon the information available at the time. Such observations and decisions might well change in the light of any information which might come before district councillors when sitting upon North Devon District Council’s planning committee.

60113 - CONSTRUCTION OF NEW TIMBER FOOTBRIDGE ACROSS RIVER UMBER AT LAND BETWEEN COACH PARK AND 4 HAMS PLACE Applicant - Mr E Kerr RESOLVED to advise the planning authority that this Council owns High Street Coach/Car Park and therefore will not be commenting on this application.

3 b North Devon Council's planning approvals 58775 - Variation of approved plans for planning approval 56120 (retrospective engineering works to form vegetable area plus erection of potting shed and tool shed) at Land off Shute Lane. 59794 - Extension to dwelling at 2 Hollands Park Avenue

c Planning Correspondence - Exmoor National Park - 62/19/15/002 Girt Farm The reply from ENPA, that the floor had been removed between the rooms, creating a two-room high space, was NOTED.

184/15 Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting a Min 165/15c - Funding District Cllr John Lovering expressed concerns that his comments at the September meeting had not been clear. He is concerned that the café facility at the Landmark Theatre is only open between 10am and 5pm during the summer months. As the Landmark receives a substantial grant from North Devon Council and the TIC is housed in the building he considers that the main entrance and café facility should be open for more hours in summer.

b Min165/15d - Community Centre heating The Administration Officer has contacted British Gas to set up the maintenance contract for the Community Centre, only to be told that British Gas classifies the boiler as 'industrial' rather than 'commercial' and that the cost will therefore increase by approximately £150 per annum. RESOLVED to refer the matter to the budget meetings.

c Min165/15e - Community Centre birds' nests – update Council's workmen have removed the birds' nests from the roof space and are devising means to prevent birds returning. The larger nest was seven foot high by eight foot diameter. When Devon County Council had secondary insulation installed in the loft, the installers fitted the insulation around the birds' nest. RESOLVED to write to DCC to object to DCC's failing to remove the birds nest when it must have been obvious that it was there.

d Min168/15 - Bathing Water Quality testing – final results from DEFRA The advice from DEFRA, that the final bathing water quality result for 2015 is 'Good', was NOTED.

185/15 Representatives to Outside Bodies a Museum A leaflet covering Local History, Amenities and places to visit in 3 different languages has been suggested. A grant will be needed to cover the cost of this, but everybody on the management team felt it was important to expand these information facilities into the foreign market especially as there were a number of foreign tourists in the area.

The Museum are expecting to work with the North Devon Coast AONB on the local and north Devon coast wildlife project to be shared with schools in the area.

The Friends of Combe Martin Museum Newsletter was available for members to see.

4 b Community Centre The heating is now working well. Anne Bacon has been busy getting more future users of the Centre to come forward. A table top sale is being held on the first Saturday of the month until the December Saturday when it will be judged on how well it has done. It has been suggested that the Community Centre sells the unwanted swivel chairs in the top room, using the internet. The Community Centre user group requests that the number of parish councillors on the Community Centre user group stays at 2 to give a better balance in the group.

RESOLVED to agree to this request. Cllrs Julia Clark and Celia Withers were happy to continue as parish council representatives.

186/15 Proof of the Annual Report The proof of the Annual Report will be considered at a later meeting.

187/15 Procedure for setting this Council's budgets for 2016-17 RESOLVED: i to hold separate meetings to discuss the Parks and Open Spaces budgets, the Highways, Property and Planning committee's budgets, and to then hold a meeting to consider both of these budgets plus Council's other expenditure and its income, and to recommend a precept. ii that the Chairman and Vice-Chairman will attend both the HPP and POS meetings, iii that three councillors other than the Chairman and Vice-Chairman will attend the POS meeting, making a total of five members eligible to vote, iv that the remaining three members will attend the HPP meeting, also making a total of five members eligible to vote. v that all councillors will attend the Finance Committee meeting. vi The following members will attend the POS meeting: Cllrs Ian Lawton Helen Mallinder Lin Wheelan vii The following members will attend the HPP meeting: Cllrs Yvette Gubb Peter James Celia Withers.

188/15 Date of Audit Committee meeting It was AGREED that the Clerk would liaise with Audit Committee members to agree a date, as not all committee members were present.

189/15 Correspondence: a The following items were NOTED: Combe Martin Tourism Association – letter of thanks to council staff re Combe Martin Beach Devon County Council – Notice of road closure – C460 Rectory Road to Henstridge, starting 18 November, 2015. North Devon Council - agenda for North Devon Parish Forum – 11 November, 2015

5 Exmoor National Park Authority - Parish Planning newsletter Exmoor Consultative and Parish Forum - agenda for meeting on 19 November, 2015 b Mark Ressel – Icon Classic Ski Race There were no objections to the proposed date for the 2016 Icon Classic Ski Race of Saturday 16 July 2016, subject to provision of evidence of insurance cover . The organizer is to be reminded that no cars are allowed to park on Combe Martin Beach. c David Coomber, Carnival Committee – request to hold a Christmas event There were no objections to the Carnival Committee's holding a Christmas event at Adams Hay, subject to provision of insurance cover and the area being left in a clean and safe condition. Members welcomed this initiative. d Jenny Carey-Wood (North Devon Coast AONB) – Coastal Creature project proposal The North Devon Coast AONB project proposal was welcomed. Mr Brookman is to be asked if he would be interested in participating as he has such an extensive knowledge of the local wildlife. e Lynton and Lynmouth Town Council - Community Grant RESOLVED to write to support Lynton and Lynmouth TC's grant application for dog patrols. It was agreed to advise Lynton and Lynmouth TC that this Council's members have organized dog patrols for several years and this has been successful. f Ros Davies, Devon County Council Rights of Way – Parish Paths Partnership RESOLVED that Cllrs Helen Mallinder and/or Celia Withers should complete the footpaths surveys for 2015. The matter of the P3 Co-ordinator was left on the table. The dates for P3 drop in sessions were NOTED. g North Devon Council Planning Unit - response to pre-application enquiry Dave Sharratt - email regarding Skatepark Group A copy of NDC's response to this Council's pre-application enquiry, which had been received today, was distributed to members. The informal opinion was that planning permission would not be granted for a skatepark at Blackmore Ham Gardens. Mr Sharratt's email, again asking for an item to be put on the agenda was also given to members. It was NOTED that Mr Sharratt had been advised at the meeting held with the Skatepark Group in September, that this matter would not be on an agenda until members had had the opportunity to read the reply from NDC. It was AGREED that both items would be considered by this Council when members had had the opportunity to study the report.

6 190/15 Finance a Balances £ £ Balance b/fwd 145392.02 at 1 October 2015 less outstanding chqs 35.64 145356.38 Income Rents 2316.25 Water Contribution 27.25 Car parks 8995.00 Com Centre 338.76 Interest Total income 11677.26

Expenses 17537.99

Balance carried forward 139495.65 plus outstanding chqs 3786.00

Balance in bank as at 30 October 2015 143281.65

b Car Park takings - gross of VAT 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 Meters Meters Meters Meters and and and and Meters Season Meters Season Meters Season Meters Season Gross Takings Only Tickets Only Tickets Only Tickets Only Tickets

April 7,749 9,394 4,649 6,094 6,948 8,253 8,713 10,643 May 7,280 8,110 8,117 9,937 8,053 11,238 9,085 10,676 June 9,275 12,175 9,175 11,085 10,050 12,305 10,343 15,443 July 8,681 10,251 15,497 17,177 16,380 18,266 14,660 16,630 August 16,928 17,933 26,407 27,467 23,512 24,796 22,436 23,127 September 13,655 14,540 9,286 11,016 10,285 11,325 10,810 12,160 October 5,606 6,116 4,366 5,151 5,111 5,251 7,071 7,466 November 2,226 3,306 1,497 2,657 2,747 3,572 December 1,176 1,506 1,724 1,944 1,900 2,260 January 973 1,373 853 1,513 1,423 1,923 February 1,501 1,861 1,004 1,144 1,460 1,715 March 3,487 5,087 2,840 4,215 3,785 5,915

Total Year to Date 69,174 78,519 77,497 87,927 80,339 91,434 83,118 96,145

Annual Total 78,537 91,652 85,415 99,400 91,654 106,819 83,118 96,145

7 c Payments The payments as set out on the attached sheet were approved following recommendation by the Chairman and Cllr Celia Withers.

d Business rates The rateable value of the High Street Coach/Car Park was NOTED and will be taken into account at budget time.

Cllr Yvette Gubb declared an interest in the following item and left the room. e Quotation to repair street light at The Grove, Woodlands. RESOLVED to have the street light at The Grove, Woodlands repaired. It was noted that the wall of the property on which the light is located may need to be repaired once the job has been done.

Cllr Ian Lawton declared an interest in the following item. f To agree arrangements for both Christmas trees, and lights. RESOLVED: i to accept Cllr Peter James' offer of a Christmas tree. Enquiries had been made to source a second tree, and replies are awaited. ii the Chairman and Clerk be granted Power to Act to purchase new lights for both trees and to source the trees.

Cllrs Julia Clark and Yvette Gubb declared interests in the following item. g Donation for Community Centre To note that a donation of £200 has been received from the Earl of Rone Council for the Community Centre. Cllr Julia Clark reported that the Civic Society has now been wound up, and the proceeds of the bank account are to be donated to village groups, one of which is the Community Centre, which will receive £194.53.

191/15 EXCLUSION OF PUBLIC AND PRESS AND RESTRICTION OF DOCUMENTS

RESOLVED: a That under section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the public and the press be excluded from the meeting for the following items as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act, ie information in respect of which a claim to legal professional privilege could be maintained in legal proceedings or, information relating to a particular employee, former employee or applicant to become an employee of, or a particular office holder, former office holder or applicant to become an office holder under the authority. b That all reports and documents relating to the items be confirmed as ‘Not for publication’.

192/15 Repairs to Eberleigh House The Clerk's report regarding Eberleigh House was NOTED.

193/15 Min175/15 – Hollands Park lease – maintenance of boiler

8 RESOLVED to advise the Football Club that it is the Club's responsibility to service the boiler.

The Clerk declared an interest in Minute 194/15a. 194/15 Seacott flat a RESOLVED to approve the choice of letting agent and agreed rental.

b RESOLVED that the Chairman and Clerk be granted Power to Act to select the tenant and approve release of the deposit.

The meeting closed at 9.17pm.

…………………………………………………….. Chairman