DRAFT

Charleton Parish Council.

MINUTES of a Meeting of Charleton Parish Council, held on Thursday 1^st July 2004, at 7.30 pm., in Charleton Village Hall.

PRESENT were:-       Mr. Hoggart (Chairman, presiding), Mrs Hawkes, Mr. Smith, Mr. Conboy, Mr. Faulkner and Mr. Brown

Also present were:-    PC Fletcher (Neighbourhood Beat Manager), Mrs Gross (Village Press Correspondent),  and Mrs Raymond (Clerk).

 1. APOLOGIES for absence were received from Wg. Cdr. Leigh, Mr. Brazil (SHDC), Inspector Antill and Mr. Masters (DCC).

 PC Fletcher, the Neighbourhood Beat Manager, stated that he had carried out a brief speed check in West Charleton, and all of the four motorists whom he stopped were local residents, not visitors.  

After discussing the problem of speeding motorists briefly, he then left the Meeting, assuring the Parish Councillors that he will liaise with them in the proposed Community Travel Plan, which will include as far as possible every aspect of travel and traffic control. 

2. The MINUTES of the previous Meeting,  held on Thursday 3^rd June, had been circulated, were approved and signed as correct. 

3. MATTERS ARISING:- 

i) Traffic matters:- Mr. Hoggart said that the preferred speed limit through the village might prove to be 25 mph rather than 20mph, which is not observed by the majority of drivers especially down the hill into West Charleton from the Kingsbridge direction.  There is still no news of the pedestrian warning signs requested for East Charleton, nor of the priority arrows in the narrow section of road in West Charleton.

ii) Village Flower Beds:- Following the mention in the newspaper column by Mrs Gross    of the need to tidy up the flower beds, one person has telephoned the Clerk offering to help.  A notice will be put in the Notice Boards inviting people to join a small working party. 

4. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION:- None. 

5. CORRESPONDENCE:-  

A copy of a letter concerning the safety of memorials in cemeteries will be sent to the Parochial Church Council. 

Mr. Hoggart said that the Parish Council  was sorry that the Bottle Bank had to be removed, due to complaints about the noise, and asked for suggestions as to a more suitable location.  The Clerk will contact Mr. Rogers and ask for his suggestions, and if he would permit the bottle bank to be located on his land where the Pick-Your-Own field was formerly located. 

A further copy of The Parish Councillors Guide, published by Shaw and Sons, will be purchased. 

6. PLANNING:- 

Notices of granting of Conditional Planning Permission was received in respect of

Application Number 09/0873/04/F,  Alterations and extension to dwelling, Heron Dyke, Curlew Drive, and

Application Number 09/0981/04/F, Erection of garden summer house, Heron Dyke, Curlew Drive. 

Mr. Hoggart reported that he had attended the recent Meeting of SHDC Planning Committee, at which Application Number 09/0887/04/F, Erection of dwelling, associated landscaping and parking facilities,  Charleton Court, West Charleton, was considered.  The residents of Charleton Court Barns had met and considered what they wished to bring to the notice of the Planning Committee. The Planning Officer recommended approval, Mr. Hoggart spoke for 3 minutes outlining the reasons which the neighbouring residents thought would be relevant in urging the Planning Committee to refuse to grant permission, and the Applicant spoke for an equal length of time.  The Committee voted 11 to 7 in favour of granting permission.  Mr. Hoggart recommended that in future if the Parish Council should wish to oppose any Application, a letter with the reasons would carry more weight than just the standard reply form. 

7. REPORTS:- 

a) School:-  Mr. Smith brought to the notice of the Meeting a letter which the Headteacher, Mrs Evans, had written to express  thanks to those who continue to maintain the adventure playground, and to point out that there are the stumps of metal posts sticking out of the ground, holes under the safety matting beneath the climbing frame, and no cover on the sand pit, which she would like to be removed.  Mr. Hoggart said that these matters once again bring to notice the divided responsibility between the LEA, PTA and PC.  Negotiations are under way to rent another piece of land, so that the present adventure playground would then be redundant.

            The security light at the side of the school has been on all night lately.  This was not used for some time after complaints that it disturbed neighbouring residents, but as yet no new complaint has been received.

b) Footpaths:-  Mr. Conboy reported that  he had received a note from Steve Malek stating that a new kissing gate kit could be supplied free of charge to the Parish Council, who would need to obtain the permission of the land owner, Mr. Beasley, to replace the stile on Church Lane.  The cost of fitting the kissing gate would be the responsibility of the Parish Council.  The Clerk will write to Mr. Beasley for permission to replace the stile with a kissing gate.  Subject to the agreement of Mr. Beasley, the Parish Council will obtain a wooden kissing gate and to have it fitted by one of the two contractors recommended by Steve Malek.

            The shoreline footpath is impassable at high tide, but the issue of a new route has not yet been resolved. Eventually the footpath will be re-routed through the field to allow it to be used at all states of the tide.

            The new sign for Footpath 11, near New Bridge, has not yet been supplied, and Mr. Malek asked for the names of the appropriate land owners.

c) Village Hall:-Mr. Smith reported that the new name board over the front door of the hall, with its decorative lettering, has been well-received by the hall users.  He has obtained new curtains for the stage, and is organising new rails on which to hang them.

d) Coleridge Association:- Mr. Hoggart reported that the main item for discussion at the last Meeting of the Association was the Parish Plans which many of the member parishes are working on at present.  It was decided that the annual subscription be held at £12.

e) Saltstone group:- Nothing to report.

f) Leisure Centre:- Mr. Hoggart reported that SHDC is considering appointing a charitable trust to run its leisure centres, in order to save a sufficient sum annually to pay for the new centre at Dartmouth.  A decision will be made on 4^th July. 

8. FINANCE:- 

The following cheques were approved and signed for payment:-

            Cheque no. 100626, £12.00 to the Coleridge Association, for annual subscription

            Cheque no. 100627, £49.50 to the Village Hall Committee, for rent for 2003-04 

The internal audit was recently carried out by Mr. Ken Abraham without any problems being identified, and the Audit Form was signed by the Chairman, to be forwarded to the Audit Commission for annual audit. 

9. HIGHWAY AND COMMUNITY:- 

a) The Bottle Bank:- suggestions will be invited for a new location for the Bottle Bank.

b) Bonfires:- Mr. Brown asked if bonfires were legally permitted.  Mr. Smith said that they are provided that they are lit after 7 pm.  Mr. Brown said that the people who asked him to make I enquiries were concerned that their neighbour lit his bonfire in the evening, when they would like to sit out in their garden on fine evenings.

c) Community Travel Plan:- An open Meeting will be held on Tuesday 7^th September 2004, in the Committee Room of the Village hall, from 2 to 4 pm,. and from 6 to 8 pm, to encourage residents to offer ideas for inclusion in the CTP.  Fliers will be delivered to every house, notices will be put in the Notice Boards, and further publicity will be given via the Gazette village article.

The Clerk was instructed to contact Mr. Halliday again about the proposed lay-by opposite the school, requesting an indication of the possible cost, and possible sources of funding.

d) The cherry trees below Lyte Lane:- The Clerk will write again and request that these trees be trimmed as soon as possible.

e) Telephone kiosk:- Following the recent concern expressed about the untidy and dirty state of the telephone kiosk in West Charleton, it was felt that the status of this kiosk should be ascertained.  It is believed that some if not all red kiosks are listed, and so this will be checked with Mr. Richard Gage of the Planning Department at Follaton House. 

10. MATTERS OF URGENCY:- None. 

11. ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING:- None noted. 

12. DATE of the next Meeting - Thursday 2^nd September 2004.