COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT
* Denotes Attendance
Cllr. M. Fice – Mayor (in the Chair) – *
Cllr. A. Biggs – *
Cllr Mrs C. Bricknell – *
Cllr. R. Wheeler – A – attending District TAP meeting.
Cllr D. Cohen – *
Cllr T. Lang – *
Cllr Miss J. Clark – A
Cllr R. Collings – *
Cllr R. Whitfield – A
Cllr J. Valentine – *
Also in attendance:
Dist. Cllr P Coulson – *
Dist. Cllr Mrs Pearce – A
Cty. Cllr. R Gilbert – A
Gill Claydon (Clerk) – *
Pete Robinson (Cemetery Manager and Project Officer) – *
WPC Jo Pengilly – A
PCSO D. Gibson – A
Toby Leigh Kingsbridge Gazette – *
425. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
Members were invited to acknowledge any declarable interests, including the nature and extent of such interests that they may have in any items to be considered at this meeting. Cllr Biggs wished it known that by virtue of his professional and development contacts he would leave the meeting at any point he realised planning matters relating to clients came to be discussed. He would however give advanced notice of declarable interests he was aware of prior to discussion.
426. OPEN FORUM
James Valentine noted his planning with regard to Whispers Raleigh Road. He advised he had meeting with Colin Wotton and subject to a revised drawing Mr Wotton seemed satisfied. His architect had not understood town council’s comment with regard to on street parking and requested clarification. Although the intention was to create two dwellings even though there was only one gateway now there still would only be one gateway. Town Council had felt that two properties would increase parking needs but acknowledged one entrance but had felt that perhaps a larger visibility splay would be required. Cllr Cohen enquired about the issue with loss of light to the neighbour and, subject to the revised plan; yes this was dealt with by the lowering of the steps.
District Councillor Report – Dist Cllr Coulson advised that District had no formal meetings in the past fortnight however there had been a fair amount of meetings on planning issues. The Secretary of State had called in The Cottage Hotel application at Hope Cove so the Secretary of State would make the decision himself due to significant public concern as he can overrule District planning decisions. Dist Cllr Coulson felt that this came even in the face of overwhelming local opinion from Hope Cove was for granting the application. The Secretary of State was supposed to respond with his decision in two months but it was up to him. It was noted that it was the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Committee that had asked for the Secretary of State to consider this application. Cllr Biggs felt that there was also a Judicial Review being called but as yet nothing had been confirmed and this would of course be on process. The following day the Planning Obligations and Our Plan were to be discussed at District. Also it was noted that Head of Paid Services Alan Robinson had now left and the two new officers were in post with an interim delegation scheme being put in place for now.
The Tides Reach Hotel application was due at District planning committee next week and the property Lundy (formerly Trennells) would also be considered due to the proposed boardwalk. The Mayor noted town council objected to this application but Dist Cllr Coulson advised that the planning officers had felt they could let it go through as there was to be a slight screen but Dist Cllor Coulson felt this would black out the neighbouring window so he called for it to go to committee. On another application he had said yes to the proposed balcony due to the mishmash of development behind but Dist Cllr Coulson felt it was due to such dereliction of attention by planning on previous planning decisions when they should have consider that the major views were from the park side. Thus the principle elevation was to the rear not front.
Police – No report.
427. MINUTES
The Minutes of the meeting dated 28th January 2015 were approved by council and then duly signed by the Mayor as a true and correct record. .
428. PLANNING APPLICATIONS:
The following applications were considered under delegated authority during the holiday period and responses from town council submitted to District.
• 0139/15/F First floor apartment over retail/workshop premises Cottles Quay, Thorning Street, Salcombe, TQ8 8DW – Applicant Mrs S. Hosking – No objection.
• 0140/15/LB Listed building consent for first floor apartment over retail/workshop premises Cottles Quay, Thorning Street, Salcombe TQ8 8DW – Applicant Mrs S. Hosking – No objection.
WORK TO TREE PRESERVATION ORDER TREES
• 0266/15/TW (No. 26) Site: Uppercot, Devon Road, Salcombe TQ8 8HJ Proposal to reduce total canopy height of Oak by 4 metres – No objection in principle but town council would seek expert advice due to size of works from Tree Officer.
PLANNNG CORRESPONDENCE
• Most correspondence already received emailed to town council.
Dist Cllr Coulson left the meeting.
429. PARK AND RIDE
A report from a meeting with County enforcement with regard to the Bonfire Hill car park usage, signage and surfacing was provided. The town clerk had attempted to ascertain an update today but County solicitors were busy preparing for a court case on the Totnes one way system. County officers would ensure that all legislation used for the Salcombe car park was checked for suitability for town council level and also include any changes to the Parking Order in their updated Traffic Regulation Order due to be completed during March 2015.
The Mayor and Cllrs Lang and Wheeler had walked from the Park and Ride through to town to assess the signage required. The need for Noticeboards was also included. The Mayor had also raised the suggestion of provision for commuter parking in the Bonfire Hill area at the recent Chamber of Commerce and they seemed encouraged. For longer duration of parking RINGO could be used. However the current ticket machines cannot issue the bus ticket as well as anything issued by the machine is then subject to VAT and bus fares are not normally VATable. County would change the contact phone number from office to mobile for this duty.
When reviewing the height barrier across entrance this would be open when such seasonal bus was running so further access within the field needed a barrier to stop larger vehicles getting into the parking area. Discussion took place about how to enclose an area just inside the car park and further layout. It was questioned whether a width rather than height barrier could be used as most cars would fit. This would have to be discussed with Tally Ho and then properly measured up. The proposed layout of the car park would add a road down the bottom end for more parking area but the very bottom by the cemetery was soft town council might want to fence it off. Resurfacing at the entrance was needed and top corner of the car park road due to wear and tear.
It was AGREED to approve:
(a) approve the design and go out for quotes for the surface whilst also ascertaining a cost for either railway sleepers or telegraph poles so that they could be painted with dividing lines marking out spaces.
(b) that the Mayor and Town Clerk finalise the amount of car park and town information signage required.
(c) in principle the proposed changes to the Parking Order by Devon County under their Traffic Regulations to include permits and await further clarification before including such in the County Order.
Cllr Biggs advised that with regard to the advertising on the new buses he and Cllr Valentine had met with Don McIntosh but the size of buses might still be slightly in doubt. However they had discussed what would be available:
Three panels along each side of the bus, one on the rear and six to eight panels inside the bus with possibly the back of the drivers cabin also. On the back the sizing would be 1800 x 800, the sides 1200 x 350 with the inside top 850 x 200. The back of the bus rear wheel arch panel would be too complicated to include although a total wrapping of the bus was different. It was felt that maybe town council could use the area behind the bus driver screen for an information board.
It was AGREED that Cllrs Biggs and Valentine would return to town council at the next meeting with a Schedule of Charges in order that this advertising could be put out to advertisers.
430. PARISH PATHS SCHEME
The annual footpaths survey was noted and any additions or deletions were not offered and therefore it would be submitted to County Footpaths along with the annual expenditure sheet.
431. COUNTY CONSULTATION ON PUBLIC SERVICE REVIEW – SERVICE REDUCTIONS
The proposals made within the consultation document were noted by town council and they wished to raise concern with regard to the removal of the bus to Dartmouth on a Sunday. It was felt that this could isolate the vulnerable who wished to visit Dartmouth and would be a loss also for the tourist season. This Sunday bus service was used in summer and the Saturday early morning one to catch trains leaving from Totnes to connect to business or holiday trips. The 6.25 from Kingsbridge to Totnes and also 7.05 Totnes to Kingsbridge return were being removed and this represented 50 trips p.a.
It was asked if there was a train at 7.25 how would people get there and surely this would have a knock on effect on the use of trains. Those using also then needed to get back. Therefore a question for the consultation was how many people get on the train at Totnes on a Saturday morning?
The bus servicing Hope Cove and Thurlstone the 162 was being withdrawn 5p.m. Kingsbridge to Loddiswell and 5.15p.m. return. So anyone who worked in Kingsbridge or who lived in either would be stranded. There were fifty new homes just built at Loddiswell and then County were removing the bus service before people had moved in. The figures did not appear to match the amount of trips either and the people this change affected were the people least able to afford such cuts.
The F17 ring and ride service was being removed when it appeared it was used so it was short-sighted to remove. All cuts especially the Sunday ones in a tourist area affected a service that does brought people in. It was felt that County should consider future development in South Hams and how this would affect the service in future. Of the services highlighted by this council for two of them there were no notes as to reasons for withdrawal of that particular service.
It was AGREED that the town clerk would respond accordingly and ask for a County representative to please attend a town council meeting with a copy of such response to Cty Cllr Gilbert.
432. EMERGENCY PLAN
It was AGREED to take this matter off the next agenda to allow the group to consider and return to the first March meeting.
433. MAYOR’S REPORT
The Mayor attended the Chamber of Commerce meeting and advised of a proposed for commuter permits in the P&R and also gave an outline of work SW Water would be doing and it was noted that the businesses in Fore Street would be pleased. The Field of Light was now to be potentially extended from mid Sept to mid February 2016. Bruce Munro and his team were dealing with whether planning was needed or not. Attended Lifeboat shop meeting relating to the centenary of the lifeboat disaster and various ideas were discussed. There was no central funding from RNLI for this to happen and the Mayor advised that potentially the group could apply to the Town Council when the precept was finalised for 2016-17. Cllr Lang questioned whether funds could be allocated to charitable organisations as legislation only allowed certain payments. It was noted that this would be purely a commemoration of a historical event and there would be no fund raising for the charity involved. Cllr Lang felt that the RNLI should put some fund towards this but the Mayor advised that RNLI funds were supposed to be used for specific charitable criteria.
With regard to newly formed Port User Group Cllrs Wheeler and Whitfield had been put forward for this group as they already undertook harbour meeting as the Town Clerk had contacted Adam Parnell and he invited two representatives. The Mayor had not yet written to Boots the Chemist but due to receiving complaints from users around the town he would do so now from the Town as Mayor. He noted that the complaints were about systems not staff.
The Mayor noted that the meeting to discuss cycle parking provision on sites elsewhere in the town to those originally proposed had been suggested. It was felt that the Mayor, Cllrs Lang and Biggs (with Cllr Cohen as reserve should anyone not be able to attend) take place on Wednesdays 25th February 12noon meeting at Cliff House and the town clerk would email confirmation.
Martin Hodgson as new Chairman of the Egremont Trust appointed Monday 19th January had written to explain that they were immediately making sure the ship was safe and complied to regulations and wished to keep town council advised of progress.
He had also received a note from Clic Sergeant inviting town councillors to be involved in Wig Wednesday on 20th May 2015. The aim was explained and it was noted that this would be after the elections and thus was not a decision for town council but more a personal choice for this charity.
After discussing whether further areas were to be put forward for the town council contractor to flail it was felt that this was not necessary at present. However after this discussion it was requested that the town clerk place on the next agenda consideration of installing a fence on the dangerous section adjacent to the pavement opposite Bonaventure Road.
Following a request from Dist Cllr Mrs Pearce by email town council considered the current Enforcement List and what matters were still outstanding that she would chase for them.
434. COUNCILLORS REPORTS
Cllr Biggs – Attended a very interesting Future Homes Conference in Dartington last Friday and felt it had been a shame that there was no one from the Salcombe Neighbourhood Plan team there because other Neighbourhood Plan teams were. It was felt that if this had been the case then perhaps this should have been highlighted before attendance at the meeting so that the local team were aware. Of interest however was that most Neighbourhood Plan teams had not sought professional advice and a Torbay Councillor felt that there should be a planning professional on each team all the way through. The Town Clerk advised that the Salcombe team had employed professionals and in fact had Graham Swiss from District Forward Planning. St. James, Exeter and Serne Valley had done Neighbourhood Plans which were felt to be very good. There was some information from a solicitor from up country which nobody present understood with regard to Declarations of Interest that appeared to say that if a person had a house in a Neighbourhood Plan area they had to declare it as an interest and therefore a councillor could not take part in a Neighbourhood meeting. This was felt to be misinformed but further questions would be raised.
With regard to Jubilee Gardens he felt that now was the time to take down the design information signs which was agreed. The Mayor noted at this point that on the Park and Ride walk around town he and Cllrs Wheeler and Lang had measured the path and edging for quotations.
Cllr Lang – Noted that District had decided to approve The Grange application but had the town council not objected, which they had. This point was noted but as Planning Authority District had the ability to veto decisions made locally. All the highway drains in town were jet cleaned but the one outside Bonningtons had collapsed so would need to be dug up and repaired. He had measured more of the allotments and this project was still in progress.
Cllr Cohen – Noted at low tide at the Fort Charles end of North Sands it smelt and the water in rock pools was not nice. This would be reported to SW Water and Nigel Mortimer Estuary Officer.
CLERK’S REPORT.
• Peter Howard had emailed to raise concern with regard to the Shadycombe Cemetery gates and need for maintenance. He advised they had been done some twelve years ago. Town Council would seek estimates and consider such works.
• Ownership with regard to the gate off the cycle path into the Park & Ride was unclear and there were no funds at present at County. It was suggested that if it served no purpose as it was only an access on to the cycle path anyway and was not securing livestock it could be removed. The gate would be removed.
• In getting together Health and Safety checks for the Jubilee play area whilst ongoing checks since installation had been carried out by a councillor at present the area would need an annual inspection by a registered play area inspector. Tim Pollard at District Council had advised that he could pick up the monthly inspection of Jubilee Gardens and their outside inspector could include this area within their annual checks all within £100 p.a.
• Duncan Waters noted that the bench in in Devon Road opposite Allenhayes Road was in disrepair and the verge was not maintained last year. Tim Pollard and Rob Harkness from District had responded that this is County land and not their bench. However the spreadsheet of benches from District Council numbers it S43 seven slat concrete end bench. Tim Pollard was asking for a way to resolve as this was not in District maintenance to paint. Town Clerk to advise that the land is County but the bench had been previously maintained by District and should continue.
• It was noted that Jake Muir the site manager at the Batson Cross site had shown consideration by agreeing to stop work whilst any funeral is undertaken and when some rubbish was reported at the Park and Ride and they had cleared all regardless of whose responsibility it was. They had also offered to carry out a monthly litter pick hereafter. The Mayor noted a few people had commented on the patch of land between the Bloor site and Shadycombe Road where a considerable amount of earth works are being carried out and removed up into the Bloor site. This was not felt to be part of the drainage works and would be investigated.
Toby Leigh left the meeting.
• An application for a Licence for the area at the top of Onslow Road/Main Road to be landscaped into a bedding area had been made and Adam Keay did not see a problem with this permission.
• Adam Keay County Highways had bid into a pot of money and managed to achieve funding for the Devon Road damaged railings. He advised that the section in question had been replaced with wooden struts between the metal rails. At present this would look out of place but he hoped in time to obtain other funding and do the other sections when possible, all in wood.
• With regard to the letters received last meeting from Mr Auty on the bollard outside his cottage in town and the white lines at Moult Lane junction Cty Cllr Gilbert had advised them that Adam Keay had carried out a site visit and the bollard and road around it were raised as a safety defect for works. With regard to the white lines as this was on private land County would not do such works but the owners could.
• Electrical equipment that included old computers were to be taken to Torr Quarry as they had their hard drives removed and the office was littered with obsolete equipment.
• It was noted that Lloyds Bank had declined to meet to set up new banking arrangements. A note from other town/parish councils had found a problem with the protocols required for Town Council legislation and Lloyds and thus this was disappointing in the extreme.
• Cllr Wheeler in his absence had asked that it was suggested another meeting be set up with Stephen Forsey with regard to District land usage/sale and Keith Rennells on the amount of S106 monies held. There was a need to ensure usage of these monies perhaps before District change policy and up and coming elections. This would be set up.
Cllr Wheeler arrived at the meeting having represented Salcombe at the Super Cluster meeting at Follaton House that discussed the TAP Fund.
At the TAP Fund meeting they had voted that the monies granted for the cycle path TAP money be kept but that Salcombe be allowed to have their split in order that works on their end of the path can be controlled. There was £21000 asked for having removed Bigbury’s application amount. Kingsbridge Town Council did not want to take an even percentage cut and voiced the fact that they had more put into the pot due to their town size contribution. Therefore it was agreed they took a cut of 10% of what they requested and all other applications a 23% cut. This meant that Salcombe were entitled to £2310 and Stokenham £1540. Salcombe and Stokenham were working on the same project but applied separately in order to have the monies paid to the separate town/parish and it was noted that TAP money this year had to be released on an invoice.
A presentation was then given on Transition 18 and the new CEO Steve Jordon talked about locality teams, higher profile with various skills and knowledge, sustaining relationships. The IT redundancy costs raised a payment of £4.6million but District felt there would be annual saving of £3.3million.
435. FINANCE
Received: Salcombe Maritime Museum – Annual Rent £5000.
Councillors APPROVED the following cheques for signature:
003287 SHDC – Refuse Bonfire Hill £14.59
003288 The Spark – Neighbourhood Plan PR £350.00
003289 Bayleaf Gardening Ltd – Jubilee Gardens £400.00
003290 Salcombe PCC – 3 in 1 Magazine subscription £8.00
436. NEXT MEETING
The next meeting would be held on Wednesday 25th February 2015 in the Library at Cliff House, Cliff Road, Salcombe at 6.30p.m.
Meeting Closed: 21.13 p.m.
……………………………………………….. 25th February 2015.
Town Mayor.