DRAFT
Yarcombe Parish Council Minutes 7th November 2022
YARCOMBE PARISH COUNCIL MINUTES
Meeting held in the Jubilee Hall, Monday 7th November 2022 at 8.00 pm
In Attendance:
Cllrs S Horner (Chair), L Myhill (Vice Chair), T Long, C Ford, D Barnes, S Vining, K Thompson, M Tomkinson, A Billington & D Frost (Clerk & RFO)
Members of the public present 5
1. Apologies for Absence
Councillor D Key & Councillor C Brown
2. Declarations of Interest
To receive disclosures of pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests in items on the agenda. None were declared.
3. Minutes
Councillor Horner asked if everyone was agreeable that the minutes of the meetings held on Monday 3rd October and Monday 24th October could be signed as a correct record of the minutes of the meeting and everyone agreed.
4. Resolution for Councillor Billington to engage with speed watch and other organisations to address speeding through the village.
Councillor Billington advised the council needs to sign up to Community Speed Watch and collect data. Need to appoint a watch leader & deputy. Also need public participation to collect the data. If the village is classed as high risk then funding may be available.
The resolution was proposed by Councillor Myhill and seconded by Councillor Vining and passed unanimously.
5. Money allocated Yarcombe Inn Community Project
Resolution these monies are used for the benefit of the community in particular for a speed calming project in the village.
This had previously been suggested at the AGM. This resolution was proposed by Councillor Tomkinson and seconded by Councillor Ford and passed unanimously.
6.Resolution for Matthew Tomkinson to work to install an e-mail system for the exclusive use by all members of Yarcombe Parish Council.
Netwise who provide the website also have an email system. Each councillor will have their own email address for the parish council which will include their christian name and surname. This will part of the package subscribed to by the council so will incur no extra costs. Everything will be held centrally.
The resolution was proposed by Councillor Thomson and seconded by Councillor Billington and passed unanimously.
7.Report from the Chairman on latest position concerning the obstructions placed in Rag Lane.
The Chairman began his report by explaining that the removal of the obstructions in Rag Lane was a matter for the Highways Department of Devon County Council, it was not for the Parish Council to make any decisions in this regard, he went on to explain the law regarding obstruction to the public highways and stressed this was entirely factual and non judgemental.
He quoted from a document produced by Shropshire County Council
The obstruction of the highway is a public nuisance. A nuisance is something that materially affects the reasonable comfort and convenience of the public when exercising their lawful rights. To commit a public nuisance is a crime at common law.
8. Report from the Chairman on Insurance matters.
Councillor Horner has still been chasing Zurich and DAS about legal expenses cover contained in our insurance policy.
An event which may lead to a claim was triggered in August and is ongoing. Councillor Vining suggested contacting the ombudsman.
The end result if we are not covered will be the community having to pay for legal advice. The Parish Council would not want this to happen in Yarcombe.
9.Reports
A County Councillor
None received.
B District Councillor
None received.
C Police
None received.
D Yarcombe Communtiy Land Trust
No further progress has been made which is frustrating as there is a need for affordable housing in the area.
E Jubilee Hall Committee
Devon Communities Trust will carry out a free audit of the hall suggesting ways the building can be used in a greater variety of ways for the community.
It is proposed to open the hall for 2 hours a week for socialising for people to have a natter and coffee and use the internet. It has been suggested Tuesday from 11.30 to 1.30 but is open for discussion.
F Reports from Individual Councillors
Councillor Ford Advised a fallen tree had been removed from footpath 30.
Councillor Thomson Advised she will attend Blackdown Hills Parish Network AGM on 10th November and will report at the next meeting.
Councillor Myhill Had nothing to report.
Councillor Barnes Reported pot holes outside Stockhouse and also problems on Broadley Lane to Blackhayes Farm.
Councillor Vining Reported gate on footpath 30 was too high and not stock proof. He will liaise with Councillor Ford and Phil Holness.
Councillor Long Had a request for priority sign for Crawley Bridge. As this is a trunk road National Highways will be contacted. The path by Belfry is very slippery and needs some attention Councillor Horner will liaise with Phil Holness.
Councillor Billington Had nothing to report
Councillor Tomkinson Had nothing to report
10. Parish Council Priorities including Clerk and Correspondence
Speed through the village – feedback from Councillor Billington detailed in item 4 above.
Planters on the Layby – Councillor Barnes to complete in the new year.
11. Finance
The payments below were ratified.
| Payment Date | Payee | Details of Payment | Amount |
| 3.10.22 | Phil Holness | Footpath 16 repairs | 400.00 |
| 31.10.22 | Devon Association of Local Councils | Alistair Billington Attendance at 2022 AGM and Conference & Being a Good Councillor 2 webinar on 19/10/22 | 60.00 |
| 31.10.22 | Devon Association of Local Councils | Alistair Billington Introduction to Local Councils e-learning course | 19.20 |
| 31.10.22 | Phil Holness | Footpath 30 repairs labour and materials | 180.00 |
| 31.10.22 | HMRC | PAYE | 93.40 |
| 31.10.22 | Diane Frost | Clerks Wages including overtime | 373.46 |
| 31.10.22 | Diane Frost | Expenses May to October | 144.52 |
Councillor Myhill enquired why the Clerk was being paid overtime to which the Chairman replied that the extra hours worked by the clerk arose from the several requests to supply information under the Freedom of Information Act, there was no budget to cover this extra work and if these requests continued then it might be necessary to raise the precept which he hoped would not be necessary.
12. Contract of Employment for the Clerk
Resolution the chairman, vice chairman and Matthew Tomkinson form a subcommittee to agree this with the clerk.
The clerk currently has no contract of employment. The resolution was proposed by Councillor Ford seconded by Councillor Thomson and passed unanimously.
13. Planning
Councillor Long advised the following
Anybody wishing to view planning’s can register on EDDC site.
The Slurry lagoon on land near Moorpits has been withdrawn but is likely to be amended and resubmitted.
He also advised that a date for the appeal at Bristol for Stopgate Farm access road had been set.
Planning in adjacent parishes are received once they have gone through.
14. Open Session for Public Participation
A member of the public also suggested contacting the insurance ombudsman for assistance.
A member of the public thanked the parish council for all their hard work.
The meeting was closed at 8.55pm, the next meeting to be held on Monday 9th January 2023.