Council Meeting – 2nd April

Modbury Parish Council Meeting
Tuesday 2nd April 7.35 pm (Following the Annual Parish Community meeting)

Present Cllr Barbara Price (BP) (Chair), Bill Cole (BC), Richard Foss (RF), Helen Nathanson (HN), Tony Price (TP), Phil Smith (PS), Dave Trigger (DT), Ann Turner (AT), Sarah Wyatt (SW)
Also present Cllr Bernard Taylor (BT) (SHDC)

2 members of the public were in attendance
MINUTES

2024 01 There were no apologies for absence from MPC Cllrs. Cllr Gilbert (DCC) had sent apologies

2024 02 There were no declarations of interests

Public Forum:
A member of the public asked if Marigold’s Day was taking place this year and SW explained that this had now been integrated into the Marvellous Modbury Makeover initiative and would be focused on the weekends of 20th/21st and 27th/28th April with the first weekend focussing on preparation and cleaning and the second the finishing touches. AT and PS will be doing a walkabout to identify priority areas
Cllr Taylor was asked why the Bigbury car park privatisation had happened with so little notice and he explained that it had been a commercially sensitive matter. SHDC had not been making money from the car park due to various liabilities.
The design, flooding and landscaping at Kitterford roundabout was raised and it was agreed HN would email RG outlining the concerns and would copy the Chair of Ugborough Parish Council in as the roundabout is in that Parish.

District Councillor’s Report (BT)
– Complications with the adoption of the road by DCC is delaying occupation of the houses at St Ann’s Chapel
– SHDC did not support the devolution deal for Devon and Torbay
– The Community Awards Panel were meeting this month to celebrate volunteers in the community
– BT will chase up a reply to the Council’s query to SHDC regarding the planning committee decision decision on the application for New Mills Business Estate

2024 03 Minutes of Meetings of 5th March 2024
a) The Council considered the draft minutes (distributed earlier). Proposed by PS, seconded by AT and all were in favour they be approved as a true and accurate record.
Matters arising:
Allotments – MPC continue to look for alternative sites. The Church Lane allotments are due to close Feb. 2025. AT, BC and BP will look at any potential options for increasing the number of plots on the Palm Cross site. The Allotment Association have introduced a crowd funding scheme for Church Lane.
Strategic Plan – a planning morning will take place 29th April for MPC to agree priorities
Callidus report – there will be a council meeting open to the public on 23rd April, 10am – 12pm to consider this in detail
New office – Council have moved to new premises – Unit 1 Modbury Court, 32 Church Street. Modbury. PL21 0QR. Modbury Caring will continue to have use of the office on Wednesdays and the Police Surgeries will continue on a monthly basis. There are discussions with two other potential community organisations to use the space
Flooding issues at Orcheton – BT has a meeting arranged with the Environment Agency and he and AT will push for a site meeting involving all agencies to reach an agreement for a solution
New Mills Industrial Estate planning application – BT chasing a response from SHDC

2024 04 Council’s actions since the last meeting – this will now appear at the end of the meeting to record matters not covered during the meeting.

2024 05 Finance
1. Proposed by PS, seconded by AT and all agreed the following payments (plus VAT where applicable):

£19.84 Additional insurance premium
£131.07 RICOH – printer
£334.56 MS Contracting – installation of noticeboards
£244.50 Hedge for Palm Cross verge
£426.25 Office rent
£71.75 Office service charge
£1,344.34 Salary (includes additional hours)
£91.73 Nest Pensions
£183.35 Parking rates
£26.41 Store rates
£703.58 The Pot Co. – Planters
£300.00 Coastal Garden Services – Tree work identified in survey
£34.16 Screwfix – Road Warden equipment
£622.00 Memorial bench (will be re-imbursed from donator)
£66.00 Argos Fire Protection Ltd – fire extinguisher service
£190.83 The Pot Co. – Planters
£13.00 Memorial Hall Hire
£721 Office furniture
£401.92 Maintenance (March)
£1358.28 Maintenance (Nov – Jan)
£472.50 Maintenance (Fallen Tree work)
£252.37 Maintenance (Parking plots)
£94.20 Maintenance (A379 roadside weeds road closure)
£135.94 2 heaters for new office
£47.07 CUTEC
£136.80 ROSPA play park inspection (MARS)
£92.40 Parish Online mapping
£2450.26 Insurance
£36.00 DALC training
£401.47 Notice board installation
£695.00 Champernowne Play Area picnic table
£26.99 Wifi

2. Income was noted: £2,250 parking plot hire £1009.17 VAT

3. Finance Committee report from last meeting (minutes will be available for the May meeting)
A surveyor has now been appointed to undertake work on the lease arrangement between MPC and the new Modbury Recreation Trust
4. Proposed by PS, seconded by AT and all in favour of continuing to fund the servicing of the Church Clock

2024 06 Planning
1. The following appeals were considered:
a) Development Site At Sx 656 515, Church Lane, Modbury Certificate of lawfulness for proposed erection of a 2m high fence above natural ground level, set in from the front boundary with Church Lane Application reference: 4092/23/CLP Appeal reference: APP/K1128/X/24/3338918
Proposed by AT, seconded by BP and all in favour that MPC would support the decision of SHDC planning officer in refusing the application – it is not a development site as described in the appeal and in line with previous objections to planning applications on this site MPC consider it to be a particularly sensitive area for development in the light of its proximity to the grade 1 listed Church.
b) 3 Sentinel House, Poundwell Street, Modbury, PL21 0QJ. Change of use from redundant office to residential use Application reference: 3557/22/FUL Mr Alex Hammerstein – The Modbury Group Ltd Appeal reference: APP/K1128/W/23/3332427 (MPC supported the original application)
Proposed by AT, seconded by BP and all in favour of responding to the appeal that MPC recognise the importance of the contributions to the Tamar Flood Zone and trust that an agreement will be reached

2. Response from LiveWest regarding affordable housing in Modbury
It was agreed that this would be considered in more detail at the strategy meeting
Standing Orders were dropped for BT to remind Council that LiveWest had an obligation to inform SHDC when social housing was going on the market and that they did not always fulfil this obligation.
Standing Orders resumed.
3. Palm Cross Estate
It was noted that Colin Whybrow, who has fought for the last 5-6 years to ensure that Bloor fulfil their S106 obligations on the estate, has finally achieved completion of his relentless battle and will be standing down from his role. Proposed by AT, seconded by PS and all in favour of recording a formal note of thanks for his tenacity and endurance and also for his final contribution by arranging the creation of an additional community orchard for Modbury.

2024 07 Policy
1. Proposed by BP, seconded by AT and all in favour of the following status and operation of the following committees and working groups:
a) Finance and Human Resources, Planning and Maintenance Committees – delegated committees with delegated powers to spend as per financial regulations, open to the public, subject to the statutory notice period and clerk to service and attend
b) Sustainability, Community Engagement – advisory groups – can have non-councillor membership (restricted voting rights), open to the public, subject to the statutory notice period and Chairs to service
c) Marvellous Modbury Makeover and Speed Awareness Group – working group
BT left at 8.45pm

2024 08 Maintenance Committee Update:
Work continues on updating the Emergency Plan, There is a meeting with the tree surgeon to agree arrangements this month, the salt bags are due for collection this month, the new picnic table in Champernowne Play Area is installed, P3 paperwork has been submitted to DCC, 2 volunteers have expressed an interest in taking on footpath maintenance to date and PS and BP to meet with DCC footpath officer. The maintenance person has undertaken various work responding to identified issues and pro-actively undertaking maintenance work in the play areas.

2024 09 Community Engagement
1. The Committee minutes will be available at the May meeting
2. Phone box – consideration is still being given to the use of the phone box. Maintenance Committee to organise refurbishment
3. Marvellous Modbury Makeover update:
The aim of the initiative is to make Modbury a great place to live and visit. MPC has teamed up with The Chamber of Commerce and local volunteers and SW and AT have put together a plan with short, medium and long term actions. The first phase is the tidy up of the high street and the 2 weekends in April will focus on this.

2024 10 MARS update
The surveyor has now been appointed to contribute to the lease heads of terms

2024 11 Sustainability Committee Update
1. Kennel Lane – Continued concern regarding the damage being done to the trees despite the current provisional TPO was noted and SHDC have been notified. It was agreed that MPC would have a follow-up meeting with the owners to discuss these concerns and the flooding damage that has been done to the footpath as a result of work blocking existing drainage courses. BP and PS to meet with DCC footpaths officer to consider remedial work and BP to chase up the previous request for a meeting and involve Rufus as necessary
2. New orchard for Modbury on the Palm Cross Estate and hedge on the Palm Cross verge – MODWAG and other volunteers were thanked for their work to create these areas.
3. Correspondence received regarding the installation of an Electric Hook Up on one of the Palm Cross parking spaces.
MPC have already expressed an interest with a DCC initiative to install 2 EHUs in Modbury. Clerk to chase

2024 12 Highways
Proposed diversion route for the road closure at The Sign of the Owl on the A3121
It was noted that Ugborough Parish Council are communicating with DCC regarding this matter and MPC will support them as required.

2024 13 Committees, Sub-committees and Working Groups:
The sustainability committee report had been circulated

2024 14 The Saturday Rota was agreed:

6th April Ann Turner
13th April Sarah Wyatt
20th April Barbara Price
27th April Bill Cole
4th may Richard Foss
11th May Helen Nathanson (in Brownston)

Date of next meetings:
Tuesday 23rd April. 10am. The Pavilion, QEII Recreation Field – Extra-ordinary meeting to consider the Callidus report on pedestrian safety options for Modbury
Tuesday 7th May 2024 7pm. The Pavilion, QEII Recreation Field – Annual Parish Council meeting followed by ordinary May monthly meeting