Minutes for the meeting of the
Diptford Parish Council
held at the Parish Hall, Diptford on Monday 5 February 2007 at 7:30pm

MEMBERS
Cllr J Foster - Chairman
Cllr S Franklin - Vice Chairman
Cllr V Haddy Cllr S Hill Cllr S Walton
Cllr M Palmer Cllr P Preston-Day Cllr K Stow

District Council Representative - Cllr I Steer
County Council Representative - Cllr G Date

Open Forum - there were no members of the public present, parishioners had brought to the attention of the council the amount of litter between Diptford Cross and Christone Cross and on the road to Moreleigh, District Councillor Steer will ask for this area to be checked. Also that there was a mobile home parked outside Butterdon Lodge - the clerk was asked to write to SHDC planning department regarding this.
The police reported that there were no crimes in the parish this month but a 4x4 had been reported for driving on the bridleway. Councillor Franklin is meeting with the police, DCC and the Rights of Way Warden over this as they are all interested in raising the profile of the problem of unauthorised use of bridleways and footpaths.
  1. Apologies:
    2.  were received from Cllrs Foster, Haddy and County Councillor Date.
  2. Declaration of Interest and update of Members' Interests:
    3.  Cllr Franklin declared an interest in 11b.
  3. Minutes of the previous meeting Tuesday 9 January 2007 and the Planning meeting of Friday 12 January
    4.  were passed by the council and signed.
  4. Planning Matters
    5.
    1. 2955 17/2238/06/LB & 17/2239/06/F the council noted that SHDC had granted Coombes Head Farm application for the conversion of existing stone barn to gallery, office and studio - in connection with adjoining dwellinghouse only and for no business or commercial activity.
    2. 2959 17/0887/06/F SHDC refuse The Workshop, Little Curtisknowle change of use of existing building to permit residential occupancy and variation of condition e of previous planning. The council noted this refusal and a subsequent letter APP/K1128/C/05/2027459 was received naming the 19 June 10am as the time for the public inquiry at Follaton House into the appeal on The Barn, Little Curtisknowle.
  5. Highways and Paths
    6.
    1. Diptford Square: the council were pleased that a cheque has been received from Barnes & Tipping for the repair of the wall.
  6. District Councillor's Report
    7.  - Cllr Steer informed the council that the budget meetings had ended and a way forward agreed. Finding savings of the quarter of a million pounds was difficult and each year it proves harder to find any savings, this will lead to pressure to reduce services. Budget pressures include recycling credits reduced, the costs of bus concessionary fares - SHDC went Devon wide with these but they will go national needing a further £100,000. Also status salaries mean that everyone can now ask for reassessment of their wages starting at the same base so £300,000 has had to be allocated for this.
  7. County Councillor's Report
    8.  - Cllr Date sent details of his many meetings in January including attending the presentation of yellow road safety vests to Diptford Primary School, a meeting which looked at provision of premises for the youth of Totnes and chairing a task group looking at Domiciliary Care Contracts.
  8. Local Elections
    9.
    1. 2959 SHDC District & Parish Elections will take place on Thursday May 3 2007.
  9. Correspondence and Points of Information
    10.
    1. 2954 Land Registry - the council discussed the playing field and instructed the clerk to go ahead with voluntary registration of this field authorising her to pay the necessary fees.
    2. 2956 S Hams Strategic Partnership - Cllrs Foster & Hill have agreed to attend on Monday 5 March at 10am-12:30 in Totnes.
  10. Additional Items as per the Chairman:
    11.  the clerk was instructed to write to the insurers of the parish council and ask for the small raised walled garden in Diptford Cross to be added to the cover next year.
  11. Finance
    12.
    1. The clerk reported the current financial position to the council.
    2. Cheques were agreed and signed.
  12. Date of next meeting
    13.
    1. Monday 5 March 2007
Signed

John Foster - Chairman of the Diptford Parish Council      _________________Date