ITEM 12

EXMOOR NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY CONSULTATIVE AND PARISH FORUM MINUTES of the meeting of the Exmoor Consultative and Parish Forum held on Thursday 13 June 2019 at 7.00pm at and Village Hall.

PRESENT Steven Pugsley Exmoor National Park Authority and Chairman of the Forum John Anson Parish Council Andrew Bray Parish Council John Bray Winsford Parish Council Beccy Brown West and Taunton District Council Kevin Connell Winsford Parish Council Martin Dewdney Nettlecombe Parish Council Mike Ellicott Exmoor National Park Authority and Exford Parish Council Astra Fletcher Parish Council Wendy Floyd Brendon and Countisbury Parish Council David Garth Brushford Parish Council Rosamund Griffin Wootton Courtenay Parish Council Mike Groves Exmoor Uprising Molly Groves Parish Council Suzette Hibbert and Town Council Graham Lamacraft Parish Council Robin Milton Exmoor National Park Authority Frances Nicholson Exmoor National Park Authority and Somerset County Council Jeremy Payne Oare and Culbone Parish Meeting Bearnard Peacock Exmoor National Park Authority and Lynton & Lynmouth Town Council Angela Percival Brendon and Countisbury Parish Council Alastair Rodway Town Council Leslie Silverlock Exmoor Young Voices Vivian White Exmoor National Park Authority and Cutcombe Parish Council James Wilmoth Wootton Courtenay Parish Council David Woodbury Parish Council Christine Wyer Combe Martin Parish Council

1. Apologies for absence were received from:

John Addicott Beagles Sarah Bryan Exmoor National Park Authority Valerie Carveth Exton Parish Council Louise Crossman Invitee Andrea Davis Exmoor National Park Authority, DCC & Parish Council Richard Edgell Exmoor National Park Authority, DCC & North District Council Samantha Harris Exmoor Young Voices Bruce Heywood Exmoor National Park Authority Nick Holliday Exmoor National Park Authority Will Lock Exmoor Young Voices and & Hawkridge Parish Council Susan May Exmoor Trust Sir Richard Peek Exmoor National Park Authority and Parish Council Evelyn Stacey Exmoor National Park Authority Item 12 – Page 1

Nick Thwaites Somerset West and Taunton District Council Richard Webber Business Exmoor

National Park Authority staff in attendance: Dean Kinsella, Head of Planning & Sustainable Development Shirley Blaylock, Historic Environment Conservation Officer Hazel Malcolm, Business Support Officer (Note Taker)

2. MINUTES: The minutes of the Forum meeting held on 14 March 2019 were agreed as a correct record. Matters Arising  Parish Council Election Ballot – To note that the official count of the Parish Council Election will take place at 3pm on Tuesday 18 June at Exmoor House.

3. QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR:  The issue of unofficial unauthorised events such as Raves taking place on Exmoor was raised. There had been a recent unauthorised event at Brendon Common attended by approx. 150 vehicles. The National Park Authority has no official powers to deal with such events but can provide a watching brief and report matters to the police. The Police have a range of powers to deal with raves and illegal gatherings through the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 and can also deal with any specific illegal behaviour that may be going on such as use of drugs, criminal damage etc. In February 2018 Devon and Cornwall Police issued a strategy on the Policing of Unlicensed Music Events / Raves. This is available at Appendix 1.  Exmoor Young Voices reminded the Forum there was to be a Self-Build Tour at Wheddon Cross on Saturday, 15 June. Four Housing Associations and 13 Parish Councils are supportive of the scheme. There are 10 Case Studies on Exmoor of young people / affordable housing. Steven Pugsley is setting up a summit of the 9 organisations involved.  The Housing Needs Survey has now closed and the responses are being analysed.

4. HISTORIC SIGNPOST PROJECT: Shirley Blaylock, Conservation Officer – Historic Environment, provided an update on the Historic Signposts Project.  This has been a very successful project with 219 signposts repaired, and 163 volunteers involved in the project.  There has been a huge amount of work from Charlotte Thomas, the Project Officer. Charlotte’s efforts were noted and commended by the Forum.  A booklet about the project has been published and is available to purchase through National Park Centres, at a cost of £2. Profits from booklet sales will fund future repairs.  The project is ongoing, though not on the same scale. Other Signpost projects have been rolled out across Somerset.  There is now an appeal in CareMoor for the project. Volunteers involved in the ongoing Signpost Project who need Health & Safety training, will have their training paid for by donations to the project through CareMoor.  Co-ordination on the condition of signposts on Exmoor is via the Signpost section of the Exmoor National Park Authority website or can be reported to the relevant Parish Council who will forward to the National Park. The Steering Group will then collate these reports.

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5. FARMING ISSUES:  A joint meeting of the Moorland and Farming Board and the Historic Environment Advisory Group had taken place, the meeting had reported on 2019 being a good year for swaling.  The National Environmental Land Management Scheme (NELMS) is still being considered by DEFRA. £70 million is needed by DEFRA for Tests and Trials. 2024 is the proposed start date for NELMS, and 2020 is when the current Stewardship Scheme will stop payments. This will leave a funding gap. In cases of rural hardship, faster payment can be achieved by pressure from organisations such as the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) and a hardship claim submitted to DEFRA.

6. PLANNING ISSUES: Dean Kinsella, Head of Planning & Sustainable Development updated the meeting as follows: -  The consultation on Rural Worker and Succession Farm Dwellings was now live, with an extended deadline of 31 July. The Forum was reminded and encouraged to put forward views via this consultation.  The Forum was reminded should individuals have planning queries they are welcome to speak to the Planning Team at Exmoor National Park Authority.

7. EMERGING ISSUES OR TOPICS FOR WIDER DEBATE: The following were noted:  In order to ensure continuing best practice, the National Park Authority are undertaking a number of reviews, including of the Exmoor Consultative and Parish Forum. To date the Review has received no responses. The review will look at how the Forum is run, how often it meets, agenda topics, outcomes, etc. Currently the Review recommendations put forward are to hold 4 meetings of the forum per year, in the mornings. Evening meetings put considerable extra pressure on National Park Officer time, at a time when the National Park is being constrained by funding cuts. Responses to the Review and recommendations on the Forum are encouraged by emailing Dean Kinsella [email protected]. The conclusions of the review will be presented to the Forum at the next meeting.  Problem car parking of visitors to the National Park is to be kept on the agenda for the next meeting.  There was a suggestion of having an agenda item from the emergency services, covering rural policing and an update from the fire brigade.  The National Trust have offered an agenda item of a talk on their water management project. This was agreed. The contact is Beccy Brown.  Events on Exmoor agreed as an agenda item.

8. DATE AND TIME OF NEXT MEETING: The next meeting will be held on Thursday 12 September 2019 at 7.00pm at Withypool Village Hall.

9. OTHER BUSINESS OF URGENCY: There was none

The meeting closed at 8:30 pm (Chairman)

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