MINUTES OF ORDINARY MEETING
MADRON PARISH COUNCIL
HELD AT MADRON COMMUNITY ROOMS
THURSDAY 5th JANUARY 2012 AT 7.30pm
Present:
Cllr Mrs C. Roberts (vice chairman) Cllr Mrs A. Jenkin
Cllr Miss M. Christopher Cllr. M. Scoble
Cllr D. Westlake Cllr S.Bates
Cllr R. Matthews Cllr C. Bone
Cllr R. Mann Cllr I. Phillips
Cllr V. Peake
Cornwall Cllrs W.Maddern and Miss I. Bailey.
Clerk, Mr W.E. Wilkins and two members of the public
1.Apologies
Cllr S. Pritchard, PC Thomas, PCSOs Taylor and Nicholas.
2. Acceptance of Minutes
The minutes of the Ordinary Parish Council Meeting held at Trythall CP School on 1st December 2011 were unanimously accepted subject to Cornwall Cllrs Bailey and Maddern declaring interests in all planning applications.
3. Declarations of Interest
Cllr Mrs A. Jenkin – item 4, Churches Together in Penzance as involved in assistance to the Penzance Food Bank.
Cornwall Cllrs Bailey and Maddern – item 10, Planning – all applications as Cornwall Councillors.
Cllr Matthews – item 10, Planning PA11/0847, erection of annex to form ancilliary accommodation at Lower Boskenning Barn, Heamoor as a neighbour.
4. ‘Churches Together in Penzance’
The Chairman introduced the Rev. David Mann who was part of the ‘Churches Together in Penzance ‘scheme to provide a food bank for the homeless and/or people who were unable to afford food. (Cllr Jenkin declared an interest) There has been a request for this council to give a donation to this organisation and the purpose of this presentation was to enable Rev. David Mann to be able to explain the way the scheme operates and where money is required.
Rev David Mann gave an outline of the project, successes, and the desperate need for the services of the organisation quoting the numbers of people who had been helped since the scheme opened in October 2011. The organisation has grown and other premises are needed to give genuine assistance and people and businesses are donating tinned items and the organisers are buying bread and other necessary items. There is financial need to equip the present and future premises.
The councillors were sympathetic to the needs and Cllr Westlake asked Rev. David Mann for a précis of the activities, etc., so that he could include an item in the parish council website to enable local people to be aware, and where they are able to donate food.
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Clerk informed members that he had consulted Cllrs Jenkin and Pritchard who were involved in the scheme and they felt that this explanation of the work of the Churches was a valuable input for councillors to consider when making a donation but there was not an immediate need and the matter should be deferred to the March meeting when all requests for donations will be considered. This was agreed.
5. Public Participation
Mr Tanner referred members to his comments in opposition to planning application PA11/09175. This has been circulated by clerks to members.
6. Police Report
In the absence of police officers, the clerk reported that there had been only one reported crime in the parish in December and that was the theft of an orange flail mower from the National Trust Garden at Trengwainton. PC Thomas was pleased to report to the clerk that anti-social behaviour remained very low throughout the month.
7. Chairman’s Comments
Councillor Pritchard was absent from the meeting due to family commitments for the first time since he has been in office as chairman. In his absence Cllr Roberts as vice chairman had taken the chair and there were no comments.
8. Councillors’ Questions and Comments
Cllr Westlake reported problems with pot holes in the centre of New Mill on the turn to Trythall. Clerk to inform Highways.
9. Comments from Cornwall Councillors
Cornwall Cllr Maddern referred to the request for a walkway to be marked out at St Maddern School. It was found that there was concern regarding the policing of any offenders crossing the walkway, parking over the lines and health and safety matters should an accident occur. Cllr Jenkin agreed to take this back to the school governors
10. Planning
Applications
Clerk reported that due to the New Year and Festive Season there has been no Planning Advisory Panel prior to this meeting.
PA11/0847 and PA11/10056 (listed building consent) – erection of annex to form ancillary accommodation at Lower Boskenning Barn, Heamoor – supported
PA11/09175 – change of use of land and camping licence for 30- 35 pitches for tents only, lifting of restriction for 28 days camping, erection of an agricultural storage building, 4 – 5 yurts, 6 tree bog type compost toilets, 2 poly tunnels, 2 carbon neutral bath houses and kitchen areas and widening of gateway at land at New Mill Road, Penzance.
Clerk reminded members that Colin Noble and Nicky Brown had addressed this council in August 2011 with their ideas for planning permission.
He also circulated to members a letter from Mr Graham Tanner, a member of the public, in which he listed his objections to the application. Councillors unanimously agreed that there was strong opposition to this application on the grounds that this council opposed a similar application on the other side of Trevaylor and there has to be consistency, there is a dangerous bend in the road at this point, this site is in an area of AONB which is contrary to Penwith Local Plan policies, the field is subject to flooding and there is opposition from local people.
Cornwall Cllrs Maddern and Bailey agreed to support the views of the members.
Results
PA11/08255 – installation of photovoltaic (PV) on cattle shed with output of 50kw at Trengwainton Farm, Trengwainton, Madron – approved.
PA11/08551 – installation of 3.9kw of photovoltaic solar panels on two agricultural barns at Bosulval Farm, New Mill – approved.
Other Planning Matters
Clerk reported that he had today received details of planning training throughout the year. He has circulated this to members by email and he will place this on the agenda for the next meeting when it is requested that members inform him by then of which training sessions they wish to attend.
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11. Public Rights of Way
Cllr Westlake reported a sign post, which was rotten, has broken off on footpath 48 at New Mill. Clerk to inform Countryside Access
12. Clerk’s Report and Correspondence
Clerk reported that all instructions from the last meeting had been completed other than submitting an invoice to Cornwall Council for Aggregates Levy Sustainability Funding as this was too early. He would submit an invoice this month in order to have funding available for the new financial year
Clerk has circulated to members by email the reply from the official Communities in which they support the concerns by Leiston-cum-Sizewell about parish councils’ involvement in large planning applications. This council supported the views of that council and the response confirms that parish councils will be more involved as a result of the Localism Act.
A new item is weekly messages from Alec Robertson, leader of Cornwall Council and these have also been circulated by email.
Notes from the last West Cornwall Community Forum held on 24th November 2011 have been circulated to members as discussed at the last meeting. Also dates of the forum through 2012 have been circulated and the next meeting will be at 7pm at St Johns Hall on Thursday 19th January 2012.
CALC ‘The Week’ issue 49 has also been circulated and hard copies also forwarded to other members due to the content of the issue in relation to various planning, localism and code of conduct.
St Erth Residents Association have written showing their opposition to a park and ride within their parish and this has been circulated for information only as this council has not been invited to formally comment on the proposal.
13. Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Clerk has forwarded notices to be posted on boards within the village and entries made on the Parish Council website relating to the children who wished to have mugs to celebrate the event. To date he has not received any applications but it is anticipated that the main responses will come to light when the schools return from Christmas holidays. Cllr Jenkin produced an advertisement for other mugs and the two mugs were compared by councillors. After the councillors had seen pictures of both mugs it was agreed by 6 votes to 4 that the original mugs should continue to be advertised and used for Madron Parish Council to donate to children and sell to residents.
14. Finance
It was proposed by Cllr Mann, seconded by Cllr Scoble, and unanimously agreed that the following accounts be paid:-
W.E. Wilkins, clerk – salary £433.65, office allowance £30.00, mileage £22.00, disbursements £29.55; HMRC – PAYE for clerk £108.40; Society of Local Council Clerks – subscription for Madron Parish Clerk £97.00; West Country Fruit Sales – Christmas tree for Madron Village £100.80.
Clerk reported that he had submitted a request for the sum of £84.00 to be paid from Cornwall Councillors’ Community Chest for the tree from the allowance for Cornwall Cllr Maddern. The VAT of £16.80 will be claimed back at the end of the financial year. The chairman thanked Cornwall Cllr Maddern for his donation to the parish.
Clerk informed members that 1 and 1 internet were due to receive £25.16 by direct debit for the website on 2nd January 2012 and details will be shown on the next statement.
Cornwall Air Ambulance and Cornwall Blind Association have made requests for donations and it was agreed that these requests should be deferred with the request from Churches Together in Penzance and other requests until the March meeting in accordance with council policy.
Clerk reported that he had been subject of an audit by Cllrs Roberts and Westlake in December and all was in order.
15. Time and Date of Next Meeting
7.30pm on Thursday 2nd February 2012 at Trythall CP School.