A meeting of Christow Parish Council was held on Tuesday 1 st March 2011 at 7.30pm in the Bowden
Room of the Teign Valley Community Hall, Christow.
PRESENT: Councillors T. Archer (Chairman); S.Clark; J.Turner; K.Orme; J.Deane; T. Fidock; J.Edwards;
R. Weaving; P.Clapham (clerk);5 members of the public; J.Brook (County Cllr); S.Purser (District Cllr).
1) Apologies:
2) Public Discussion – Member of the public thanked Cllr Clark for collecting the rubbish off the
allotments. Some discussion regarding allotments being allocated to persons outside the Christow parish.
A parishioner queried the development at Foxgrove and was informed that a certificate of lawfulness had
been granted.
District Cllr Brook reported that the budget had been approved and that Teignbridge was able to maintain
frontline services, including encouraging housing development. The downside is the loss of staff, but no
compulsory redundancies are being made. Some lower paid staff will receive a pay rise in the coming year.
County Cllr Purser reported much the same but some compulsory redundancies at County Hall. There will
now be 2 directorates instead of 6. A resident had complained to him regarding the road closures at the
top of the village. Cllr Purser had contacted Highways who indicated that any resident having problems in
the closure area should talk direct to the men carrying out the work, to make personal travel
arrangements. There is government money for all the potholes to be repaired. Cllr Weaving mentioned
that Dry Lane was breaking up in many places.
Cllr Purser and Cllr Brook left the meeting at this point.
3) Declarations Of Interest: Cllr Orme for section 10a
Cllr Weaving for section 10b & section 5
4) Minutes – After the minutes of the meeting on 1st February were amended, the Council resolved
to approve and sign them.
5) Tender contracts for grass and hedge cutting for the coming year were opened from Golden Leaf
Landscapes, A. Weaving, South West Grounds Maintenance and S. Lygo. After discussion, the grass cutting
contracts were awarded to South West Grounds Maintenance and the hedge cutting to A. Weaving, as
follows:Cemetery grass cutting to SWGM proposed by Cllr Clark, seconded by Cllr Fidock
Allotments grass cutting to SWGM proposed by Cllr Orme, seconded by Cllr Fidock
Recreation field grass cutting and maintenance to SWGM proposed by Cllr Clark seconded by Cllr Orme.
All hedge trimming to A. Weaving proposed by Cllr Fidock seconded by Cllr Deane.
6) Annual Parish Meeting – who to invite to send in a report and suggestions for the agenda, was
discussed and it was agreed to add Christow Palace, the Scouts and the Tag Rugby to the list of local
organizations. The agenda to follow the lines from previous years.
7) Recreation field:
a)
The gatepost has been replaced. AJ Orme did the work and it was agreed that he send in an
account being paid his normal hourly rate.
b)
Clerk’s report – 4/02 removed a tyre off BMX track.
c)
Budget for recreation field user contributions. The shortfall of some £1600 for this financial
year was discussed. It was agreed by the Council to charge Christow Show £100 for the use of the field as a
standard rate, plus a percentage of the profit as paid to the Council in previous years. Proposed by Cllr
Edwards and seconded by Cllr Turner.
8) Play area: Clerk’s report – 4/02 badger has now dug up about 2 meters of grass beside senior zip wire
Annual inspection by ROSPA is now due. Rubbish removed twice. On 27th Feb, the clerk noticed 3 concrete
blocks and a picnic bench had been put onto the hard play area. Unable to move these, Cllr Fidock was
notified who arranged for their removal. It is being suggested that the benches may have to be fixed into
the ground in some way. The play parks will organize a fund raiser to help towards this cost. The playpark
has also been broken into with fencing damaged. The fencing has been repaired by a parishioner and
barbed wire placed on top. This is above the required height so is considered safe.
9) Narrow road signs. The signs are already in place at the Teign House Inn turn, and Canonteign. Thanks
to Cllr Turner for arranging and setting up the signs.
PLANNING:
10) Planning Applications - Dartmoor National Park Authority has asked for comments from the Parish
Council on the following planning applications:
a) 0063/11 Use of building and land as a single dwelling house with garden at Witches Cottage,
Foxgrove Farm, Christow.
Regarding the change of use of the land from agricultural to garden. The Parish Council has no knowledge
of the land being domesticated. There is no evidence that it is,or ever has been a garden. As far as the
Parish Council are concerned, it is agricultural land.
Regarding the dwelling – the Parish Council has no comment to make.
b) ENF/0105/10-comments required on unauthorised change of use of land from orchard to
domestic curtilage rear of Orchard Corner, Village Rd.
Standing Orders suspended.
The owner of Orchard Corner was allowed to speak and to answer questions from the councillors.
Standing Orders resumed.
The Parish Council register their concern regarding the change of use as their wish is to keep to the
Covenant on the Old Orchard. As the previous change of use was won on appeal, and the amount of land
is very small there is no further comment save a hope that such encroachments do not occur again.
Proposed by Cllr Deane and seconded by Cllr Fidock.
11) Planning Decisions: There were none.
FINANCE:
12) Expenditure: SW Grounds Maintenance £146.88 inc VAT
P. Clapham clerk’s salary £192.38
Bartlett & Son print of newsletter £88.00
Subscription to Clerks & Councils Direct £11.00
TVCH hire of Bowden room for meetings for 2011 £180.00
TVCH replacement cheque for invoice 2008 £10.00
BCW Unsuitable for heavy goods road signs £352.79
13) Income: Cremated remains burial fee for Wilfrid Sampson £50
The Chairman had checked the invoices, paying-in book, cheque book and bank statement against the bank
reconciliation at the agenda meeting with the clerk. The Council resolved to accept the accounts.
Proposed by Cllr Deane and seconded by Cllr Clark.
CORRESPONDENCE:
14) Letter from Briony Falch regarding parking on the grass for the church fete in June. This was agreed,
weather permitting.
OTHER BUSINESS:
15) Clerk’s request to go on an audit course end of March at a cost of £25 was agreed by the Council.
16) Confirmation of the Three parishes meeting set for 22nd March, Village Hall dressing room, Dunsford,
7.30pm.
17) Road closure from Denver to Little Court, Bridford Rd., 16/05 to 18/05 was noted.
18) Queen Elizabeth II Fields Challenge. It was decided not to continue with this for our recreation field.
19)The Cllrs visit to inspect the Cemetery and Allotments will take place on Thursday 31st March 6.30pm.
20)TCPA Neighbourhood planning conference 29th March. For details please go to http://www.tcpa.org.uk
21)DCC guide to parish production of self-help emergency plan, given to Cllr Turner to complete.
22) DALC Conference ‘Making it work locally’. Discussed and a councilor may attend if time permits.
23) Royal Wedding. There are no plans for this event at present. Cllr Fidock may organize an event within
the Layne Fields, Layne Close area.
24) The memorial seats in the recreation field require some maintenance and a parishioner has offered to
do this in his own time with his own materials. Council has offered to pay for any materials used.
25)The public toilets were closed again with no explanation, and upon enquiry it was because they had
been re-painted. It was agreed to write to Teignbridge as the Council should have been notified as we do
pay half the costs of these public toilets.
26) The Teign Tennis Trust Club rules were agreed by the council.
27) Christine Coonan of Teign Housing has been in touch with Cllr Archer, and will be invited to the next
meeting along with Steve Watson. This is to discuss the possibility of 12 affordable homes and the Land in
Hand Trust. Briony Falch is to be invited to the meeting on this point.
Items for Information
The next Council meeting is on Tuesday March 29th March
Meeting closed at 9.40pm
Signed…………………………………………
Date………………………………………….
APPENDIX A – Circulation Envelope
Care Direct factsheet
DNPA News releases
Dunsford PC Minutes January 2011
DNPA Delivering for Dartmoor 2011
Clerks & Councils Direct
Devon CC Leaflet social care for adults
DALC Newsletter
Bridford PC minutes January 2011
Teignbridge Council budget meeting notes Feb 2011
NALC Community right to Challenge
NALC Community right to buy