Minutes for the meeting of the

Diptford Parish Council

held at the Parish Hall, Diptford on Monday 3 September 2007 at 7:30pm

MEMBERS

Cllr J Foster - Chairman

Cllr S Franklin - Vice Chairman

Cllr V Haddy Cllr S Hill Cllr P Preston-Day

Cllr K Stow Cllr A Savery Cllr S Walton

District Council Representative - Cllr R Steer

County Council Representative - Cllr G Date

Open Forum - there were no members of the public present, however a parishioner had queried business development on a site for sale past Creber Farm, the council confirmed that this site had B1/B8 permission.

  1. Apologies; Cllrs Foster and Haddy also County Cllr Date
  2. Declaration of Interest and update of Members’ Interests; none
  3. Minutes of the previous meeting Monday 2 July & planning meeting 6 July were passed by the council without amendment.
  4. Planning Matters
    5.
    1. 3066 17/1723/07/F Fairview Diptford resubmission for conversion and extension of garage to create annexe to house - the council still objected to this for the same reasons as before.
    2. Gara Bridge Lane: parishioners have reported a suspected unauthorised occupation of a caravan on a field on Gara Bridge Lane.
    3. The Barn Little Curtisknowle: the chairman informed the council that the appeal was dismissed against an enforcement notice to stop using the site as a dwelling. The applicant was given twelve months to put the site back as it was and three months to apply for use as a farrier.
    4. SHDC have GRANTED the following planning permissions:
  5. Highways and Paths
    6.
    1. 3069 Lorry Route from Marley Head to Diptford, DCC letter states that 7.5T having a legitimate access requirement should use the Marley Head to Shorter Cross road and then Shorter Cross to Diptford Road. The clerk was instructed to clarify this matter with the police as they have stopped some lorries when using this route.
    2. 3079 Need for ‘rumble strips’ near industrial buildings at Coombeshead Cross- the DCC reply saying they cannot justify spending any money on this site was noted. The council was informed that the Mount Zion industrial site was built nearer to the road than on the original plan making the access & egress from the site more dangerous. The council asked to clerk to contact SHDC planning and highways and ask what steps were being taken to remedy this.
    3. 3071 DCC informed the council that a temporary road closure was active from Bradridge Cross to Diptford Court Farm on the 1-5 October.
    4. Lorries attempting to use Diptford Clam Bridge to access North Huish: Cllr Franklin had received complaints from parishioners on this matter and had contacted DCC highways asking for an assessment from the bridge engineer and appropriate signing to be put in place.
  6. Parish Plan
    7.
    1. The council agreed that emergency plans should be written, Cllr Stow offered to research this.
    2. Computers - the council voted unanimously that it would be advantageous for the Parish Hall to go ahead and install the computers.
  7. New Code of Conduct
    8.
    1. 3084 SHDC - the council were informed that (with the help of the DAPC) a joint advertisement stating that the council had adopted the code appeared 24 August S Hams Newspapers as required by the Standards Board.
  8. District Councillor’s Report - Cllr R C Steer had been on holiday but reminded everyone to fill in their register of electors form, he told the council that SHDC executive were considering a report on the site of Dairycrest in Totnes regarding various developments that had approached them. These must be mostly industrial.
  9. County Councillor’s Report - Cllr G Date was on holiday.
  10. Vote of thanks
    11.
  11. Provision of Skip
    12.
  12. Playing Field Group
    13.
  13. Correspondence and Points of Information
    14.
    1. 3067 SHDC letter containing feedback on Parish Cluster Meetings and form for suggestions for issues for next round of meetings was noted.
    2. 3075 SHDC Register of Electors 2008 forms are being issued - the council were encouraging everyone to return one by 15 October 2007 and a note was appearing in the parish magazine.
    3. 3082 South West regional assembly - the consultation on pitch requirements for gypsies and travellers in the south west was noted by the council.
    4. 3080 SHDC - are people happy with the choice of polling stations? This has been raised in the parish magazine.
    5. 3083 The DCC invited comments on bus information strategy for 2006 - 2011 the council wished we had a bus on which to comment.
    6. SHDC LDF response forms were discussed.
    7. 3088 Sports South Hams - nomination forms for Sports Award 2007 were handed out.
    8. 3089 NHS - public consultation until 29 September - was read with interest.
  14. Additional Items as per the Vice Chairman : none
  15. Finance
    16.
    1. A report of the current finances was made and discussion of this year’s budget commitments.
  16. Date of next meetings
    17.
    1. Monday 1 October 2007
    2. Monday 5 November 2007

    Signed

    John Foster - Chairman to the Diptford Parish Council

    _________________Date