Cllr Weeks, Borough Councillor for the Exbourne Ward, was present. There was also a member of the public present.

Public participation the member of the public did not wish to directly address the members of the parish council.

The minutes of the last meeting were signed as a true record.

PLANNING

The Barton - proposed dwelling (alternative design) a letter has been sent to the Chief Executive expressing concerns with the planning process at this location. He has responded via email stating he was disappointed to hear of the issues raised and has asked Lesley Halton (the Corporate Director with responsibility for the planning function) to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the situation and respond to the letter.
The Planning and Licensing Committee met today. Cllr Weeks had requested a decision be deferred whilst this investigation is carried out. The Chairman of the P & L Committee wished to request a site meeting so a decision has been deferred. Mr. Greenwood and Mr. Blakeman (the applicant's architect) both addressed the committee as they would be unable to attend the next P & L meeting. One of the members of the P & L committee requested the Enforcement Officer be present at the site meeting. The Head of Planning stated he would if he was available. The site meeting will be held on Thursday March 12th (time not yet known).
A copy of the Planning and Licensing application report had been sent via email to the clerk, who had forwarded it to everyone with the facility. The report had condensed the parish council's original letter into 5 points and had failed to mention the alternative plans are dated April 2008 when the building work was not started until September and also the letters supporting the application arrived after the consultation finished. The Chairman had requested the clerk email all the Councillors on the P & L Committee pointing this out to them.
Cllr Coleman stated the Chief Executive is responsible for his officers. He also stated that he felt the applicant felt there was a campaign against him, but the Parish Council feel the planning process is at fault.
Cllr Coleman suggested a letter be sent to the Chief Executive and Lesley Halton requesting a copy of the report is sent to the District Auditor. Cllr Cartwright stated he felt there was no need to do this at this stage. He felt it would be better to see the report first and then it can always be sent to the District Auditor if it is felt it would be beneficial to do so. It was decided not to write asking for a copy of the report to be sent to the District Auditor.
Cllr Weeks stated that no decisions would be made at the site meeting; it would be merely to assess the situation.
Cllr Coleman stated he felt there were weaknesses in WDBC, abuse and failure of process and weaknesses with officers.
Cllr Coleman proposed Cllr Cartwright as the best person to attend the site meeting. This was agreed to by other Cllrs present. Cllr Coleman stated he could provide drawings showing the two applications superimposed on one another (to show if there is any difference in the building's footprint) for Cllr Cartwright's information.
211.1
The Chairman asked Cllr Weeks if anyone measured the original farm building to ascertain its height. Cllr Weeks was not aware that anyone had done this, but he had been advised that the building complies with the plan.
The clerk will advise Cllrs of the time of the site meeting when she has been informed.

The following application has been received:-
Farfield, S.C. extension including addition of first floor for loft conversion. It was resolved to support the application.

Local Government Review of Devon update the deadline for finalising their recommendation has been extended to 13th July 2009.

The clerk has written to Building Control with regard to the work being carried out at Stonewold, but has not yet received an answer. Cllr Squire stated the roof has been passed, but there are other issues that need to be sorted.
Cllr Squire asked if you need planning permission to build a shed. A shed has been built to the north of Langdale. The clerk stated the Enforcement Officer had been contacted before (possibly by telephone) about this. She would contact him again.

Cllr Weeks stated he had emailed the clerk about getting a possible reduction on the rates being paid on the public toilets. The clerk stated she had spoken to Stephen Heal at WDBC and he was looking into it.

Owing to other commitments Cllr Weeks left the meeting.

MATTERS ARISING

Parish Plan - this will be deferred to the next meeting as Cllr Askew is not present.

Parish Paths Partnership the clerk has advertised the footpath maintenance. The deadline for applications is March 30th so these can be considered at the next meeting.
Cllr Coleman has printed off draft copies of the footpath maps. Cllrs Squire and Askew will study them.
Cllr Squire asked the clerk to contact Tim Freeman and ask him if he can meet with Cllr Squire to discuss Footpath 1 (the footpath that is crossed by the A30).

Public Toilets i. appointment of toilet cleaner - Mr. Beer has applied and his application was accepted.
The Chairman stated the light outside the ladies had gone out. On investigation there was water in it. Mr. Morris had suggested getting motion sensor lights that come on when someone goes into the toilets as this would help reduce electricity consumption. The chairman to ask for him for a quotation.
As previously mentioned contact has been made with WDBC to see if there can be a reduction on the rates bill.

Playground Equipment Inspection Cllr Askew had carried out the inspection. There are a few new molehills, but the play equipment is in good order.
Playline Design has sent a letter stating they offer an annual maintenance contract at the cost of £250 + VAT. It was decided not to accept this offer.
Cllr Coleman will carry out the next inspection.

Highway Matters the clerk has emailed DCC regarding the mirror and blocked drains at Sampford Chapple and potholes. The clerk will chase this up.
Cllr Squire commented on the grit lorries and why they couldn't have travelled up into the village.
Cllr Coleman suggested asking for a container of grit at Thornbury X as it is easier to travel uphill to get to it rather than travelling downhill. The clerk to ask DCC.

Cllr Cartwright stated the white lines that had been painted on the highway by Willow Tree Farm have worn away. He also requested DCC arrange for the plough to visit the parish and clear the mud that has built up on the sides of the small roads.
Cllr Forrest asked about the fallen branches in Honeychurch. The clerk has not yet spoken to Mr. Pyle.

FLOODING - the chairman stated Tracey Windermer at WDBC had contacted the clerk and warned her of some severe weather. The clerk had contacted the Chairman who had advised the residents.

Removal of BT payphones Cllr Coleman stated that DCC have gone out to tender for broadband link for the market and coastal towns. This would be ideal for using with telephone boxes. It should be a
condition that the boxes marked for removal should be enabled to utilise this technology. It would initially only enable the actual towns, but it would provide a structure for the technology to widen to more remote areas.

The Clerk has completed the form to send to Land Registry to obtain a copy of the register showing who owns the ground underneath the telephone box at Sampford Station.

The future of the New Inn the clerk has received a response from Heavitree Brewery. The local community must ask themselves if they are doing all they can to ensure the pubs profitability. The Brewery feels they are doing their bit as they have invested heavily in The New Inn. They are currently considering offers from potential leaseholders.
Cllr Coleman stated he did not think the Brewery wish to sell the pub it is an accounting strategy.
Cllr Coleman felt a response could be made to these points.
Cllr Askew had downloaded a copy of 'How to save your village pub' pack. This was passed to Cllr Cartwright for him to study.

Arrangements for the Eastern Link Committee Meeting on March 5th this meeting is being held at Sampford Courtenay. The Chairman and Cllr Askew are unable to attend. The Chairman will show Cllr Smith where everything is and Cllr Squire stated he would come down and switch on the heating etc.

Land Registration the clerk is still going through the old minutes with regard to the village green.

Bus Shelters the clerk has received the sketch plan showing the verge improvement and possible location for the shelter. The sketch plan was studied and the Chairman then asked the Cllrs present Did they wish to go ahead with a bus shelter at this location? There was one vote against, one abstention and four for the bus shelter. The motion was carried. The clerk to write to DCC and advise them to go ahead with the bus shelter, but it must be situated far enough out from the hedge to allow room for someone to trim the hedge.
Grass cutting on village green the clerk has received two tenders: -
Mr. Pattison - £2000
L. & M. Garden Maintenance - £672
The price tendered by L & M is a good price, but the parish council hasn't been totally happy with the work they have carried out this season. A decision to be put on hold. The chairman will speak to Mr. Coventry, who does this type of work and lives locally. There is also someone who quoted last year that could be contacted.
Freedom of Information Act the information has been sent to Mr. Flanagan, but it has not yet appeared on the website.

FINANCE

Cheques were signed for the following: -
Sampford Courtenay Village Hall (hire of hall) £48.00
Mr. L. Beer (toilet cleaning 2/2/09 - 1/3/09) £45.84
Mrs. M. Weeks (clerks wages and telephone expenses) £181.60
Tavistock Newspapers (advert for grass cutting/footpath maintenance) £22.43
Land Registry (application for copy of the register) £6.00

Prior to the meeting the Chairman and Vice Chairman signed a letter authorising a transfer of £150 from the Reserve Account to the Current Account.
This evening Cllrs signed a letter authorising a transfer of £1000 (interest rates are quite low at the moment) from the Reserve Account to the Current Account.

Amount in bank is £715.29 and total in Reserve Account is £4163.87 TOTAL - £4879.16
Represented thus P3 - -£60.23 Precept, toilets + other £4578.61 Interest £313.87 Countryside Agency - £46.91

The clerk submitted a petty cash claim for Feb totalling £3.64. The Chairman checked the receipts and authorised payment.
£1 was taken out of the petty cash float to put in the electric meter for heating.

The Chairman conducted a mini audit.

Review of budget the balance for the toilets currently shows a surplus, but there will be bills for water, electricity and the remainder of the toilet cleaners wages to pay so there will be a deficit of under £100. There are no major overspends. There is £231 left on the repair fund. Cllr Cartwright suggested this money could be used to fund the sensor lights in the public toilets.

CORRESPONDENCE
WDBC - Community Planning Event, ROSPA - Play equipment Inspections, The Playing Field, Junk Mail, Police Authority Liaison Meeting, Spinal Injuries Association - Fish and Chip Supper Event, West Devon e-connect, Village Green, Clerks and Councils Direct, Standards Committee, DAPC Newsletter, Highway Maintenance in Devon, Norwich Union Insurance (the clerk to ask them for a quote), WDBC - meeting schedule, Town and Parish Standard, Financing and Sustaining Growth, Calor Village of the year.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Cllr Coleman stated the amount of litter on the road to Sampford Chapple was unattractive. A lot of it comes off the recycling lorry. He asked if it would be possible to organise a 'village picking up litter day'. Cllr Cartwright raised the issue of insurance. The Chairman stated she would mention it at the next village hall meeting and see if anyone was interested

The dates for the next few meetings are: -
Tuesday 31st March 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,Tuesday 28th April 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,
Tuesday 26th May 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,Tuesday 23rd June 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,
Tuesday 21st July 2009 at 7.30 p.m., Tuesday 18th August 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,
Tuesday 15th September 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,Tuesday 13th October 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,
Tuesday 10th November 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,Tuesday 8th December 2009 at 7.30 p.m.,
Tuesday 5th January 2010 at 7.30 p.m.,

There being no further business the meeting closed at 9.20 p.m.