MINUTES OF ORDINARY MEETING
MADRON PARISH COUNCIL
HELD AT MADRON COMMUNITY ROOMS
THURSDAY 4th SEPTEMBER 2014 AT 7.30pm
Draft to be approved on 2nd October 2014
Present:
Cllr Mrs C. Roberts (vice chairman) Cllr V. Peake (vice chairman Cllr Mrs G. Burlton Cllr. M. Scoble
Cllr R. Matthews Cllr C. Bone
Cllr S. Bates Cllr I. Phillips
Cornwall Cllr W.Maddern
Clerk, Mr W.E. Wilkins, no members of the public
1.Apologies
Cllrs Tanner and Pritchard on holiday, Cllr Jenkin and Cornwall Cllr Mann at separate meetings and Cllr Eddy representing this council at a meeting with the Minister responsible for Common Land Registration in the House of Commons and PC Thomas.
2. Acceptance of Minutes
The minutes of the Ordinary Parish Council Meeting held at Trythall CP School on 7th August 2014 were unanimously accepted
3. Declarations of Interest
None
4. Dispensations
None
5. Public Participation
None
6. Police Report
In the absence of police officers clerk informed members that there has been no crime reported in the parish in August compared to six offences in August 2013. This is the second month with no crime reports. Also anti-social behaviour is reported as staying low.
7. Chairman’s Comments
Cllr Roberts reported that Cormac had checked on various hedges in New Mill and instructed landowners to cut them back where necessary
8. Councillors’ Questions and Comments
Cllr Phillips reported erosion at the road edges on the Chysauster Road outside Garris Farm – clerk to inform Highways
Cllr Phillips reported that there were still untaxed cars parked by the Badgers Cross notice board Some of the vehicles were also on the pavement. Cllr Roberts asked Cllr Phillips to supply registration numbers and she would inform DVLA. Comments were made concerning no tax discs being displayed next year
Clerk has prepared a notice for the Badgers Cross board asking drivers to make sure access to the board is clear and pointing out that obstructing the pavement is an offence
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Cllr Phillips also reported rubbish (a mattress and other items) in the lay-by at Badgers Cross – Clerk to inform Cornwall Council.
9. Comments from Cornwall Councillors
Cllr Maddern commented on a book contained 250 pages relating to savings to be made by Cornwall Council next year and a suggestion that £38 million pounds of work would be directed to parishes to deal with.
Other items on savings were discussed and Cllr Bates reported that the charges at St Erth tip were causing people to reduce use of that facility. Cornwall Cllr Maddern agreed that this would encourage ‘fly-tipping and he would put these concerns to the full council.
Cllr Bone asked whether the cutting of footpaths was likely to be reduced and he was advised that the coast path should not be affected as it was financed by the government but paths in parishes may be subject to reduced funding. Cllr Bone was advised to attend a special budget meeting at Penzance, details in Clerk’s Report (item 12), when questions such as this could be put to the Cornwall Council officers.
Cllr Mann has emailed the clerk to the effect that he has made enquiries regarding superfast broadband at New Mill and he has received assurance that superfast broadband will be installed in the green box at New Mill by the end of the year providing all works remain on schedule.
10. Planning
Applications
PA14/07375 – ground mounted solar panels at Myghal, Boskednan, New Mill – supported
Results
PA14/05602 – removal of condition 2 in relation to decision notice W1/02/P/0552 dated 5.7.2002 to allow full residential use at Trelowarren Barn, Boskednan, New Mill – approved
PA14/0961 – conversion of existing barn to form annexe for ancillary accommodation and extension of residential curtilage at Carnequidden Barn, New Mill – approved.
PA14/05100 – certificate of lawfulness for use of existing use of Summer House as a single residential dwelling at Tregoddick Farm, Madron – approved
PA14/06584 – reduction of branches of one macrocarpa tree and reduction of conifer hedge at Vicarage Cottage, Church Road, Madron – decided not to make a TPO
Other Planning Matters
A Planning Conference for local councils will be held from 2pm to 7.30pm at Pool on Tuesday 30th September 2014. Details of this event have been circulated to councillors by email and Councillors are invited to attend and to nominate 4 subjects in which they wished to be involved. A form to complete for interested members has been circulated and members wishing to attend should forwarded the forms to the clerk.
EN14/00659 – alleged stationing of a caravan at land at Gweal Cranken, Gear Hill, New Mill – no breach of planning control and no further action planned by Cornwall Council. An enforcement officer has visited the caravan and it is being used as a store for tools.
Clerk has received an email since the publication of this agenda concerning a schedule of focussed changes to Cornwall Local Plan. This has been circulated by email and will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting for interested members to comment if they so wish. In addition, notices to advise the public will be posted on notice boards.
11. Public Rights of Way
Clerk reported that he had invoiced Cormac for reimbursement of the cost of cutting silver paths and he had received payment for the first cut of gold paths. The second cut of gold paths is due to take place during September.
He has also written to Bolitho Estates informing them that plans were in hand to open up silver path 24 which is on their land. Receipt of the letter has been acknowledged, thanking this council for notifying them of the plan but stating that they do not have the resources to help.
Cornwall Council has given notice that the bridleway 55 between Chysauster Road and grid reference 147708:34522 will be closed from 18th September and access is prohibited due to erosion. Details have been circulated to councillors by email.
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Cornwall Cllr Mann has informed the clerk that this closure will remain in force until 17th March 2015 as work may commence in this autumn but the has to be formally announced for legal reasons.
12. Clerk’s Report and Correspondence
All instructions from the last meeting have been completed. After letters to the police, fire and ambulance had been sent concerning parking problems in Trelawney Estate, replies have been received from the police and fire brigade in which both state that access is possible, but only just and if any more parking takes place on the Estate there will be real access problems. Clerk has sent copies of these replies to the Head Office of Devon and Cornwall Housing at Exeter requesting financial assistance as the local association have pointed out that they do not have funds in their budget to assist with any work to accommodate vehicles on hard-core on the verges. A reply is awaited.This will now be deferred until November when the budget for the next financial year will be discussed
Cllr Scoble has received a request from residents for assistance with repairs needed at one of the old peoples’ bungalows in Fore Street, Madron and clerk has contacted Devon and Cornwall Housing and the problems should have been addressed.
West Penwith Town and Parish Forum will take place at 7pm on 11th September at Committee Room 1 at Penzance One Stop Shop. Agendas have been circulated by email.
Cllrs Roberts, Scoble and Peake intimated that they would endeavour to attend with the clerk.
Cornwall Council are holding a Partner Budget Event at New County Hall at 6.30pm on 30th September in which interested parties are invited to be involved in the budget making for the next financial year, but a local event concerning this matter is being held at 7pm on Wednesday 8th October at Penzance One-Stop Shop. Support for this meeting is requested..
The organisation South West Resilience have forwarded a letter to councils in the south-west in which they are asking all to write to the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor of the Exchequer requesting further investment in railways and roads to the south west. Cornwall Cllr Maddern reported that he had responded asking available finance to be spent on roads as this was the main access for freight and tourism. It was proposed by Cllr Peake, seconded by Cllr Scoble and unanimously agreed that the clerk should write on behalf of this council as requested.
CALC – Guidance on implementing new Openness Regulations covering filming and recording meetings, documentation and standing orders have been circulated by email to councillors. There is a lot of reading here and clerk has taken hard copies so that they are available if required at meetings. He has read the documents and he is satisfied that the meetings of this council are being run correctly and all is in order. There will have to be amendments to standing orders at some point but as the changes in openness are now law and if we conform to any matters in relation to this we are still in order. This is short notice and so it will be on the agenda for the next meeting should any councillors wish to make any comments.
Finally the clerk informed members that he has booked a holiday and will take a period of leave between Friday 12th September and Wednesday 24th September
13. Madron Parish Council website – update
Cllr Scoble reported that the website is now live and available for all on google – madron.org. He has received the passwords and he has found that editing is comparatively easy. It was agreed that councillors’ details and phone numbers should be on the site but not email addresses and any emails for individual councillors should be sent via the clerk.
Inputs from the New Mill side are required and Cllrs Peake and Roberts will do this.
It was agreed that the clerk should cancel all dealings with ‘1 and 1 internet’ as provider now that Audana have taken over.
14. Finance
It was proposed by Cllr Burlton, seconded by Cllr Bone and unanimously agreed that the following accounts be paid: -W.E. Wilkins, clerk – salary £606.63, office allowance £30.00, mileage £18.80, petty cash £26.48; HMRC – PAYE and Nat Ins £164.74
15. Time and Date of Next Meeting
7.30pm, Thursday 2nd October 2014 at Trythall CP School.