Gerrans Parish Council
MINUTES of the Meeting of Gerrans Parish Council
held on Tuesday 1st March 2016
in the Memorial Hall Annexe
NEXT MEETING – Tuesday 5th April 2016 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall Annexe
Present:
Cllrs Case, Edwards, German, Greenslade, Hatwood, Hetherington, Iddison, Meek, Morse, Neal,
Taffinder ( Chairman);
CC J German, S Skull (Clerk)
5 members of the public attended.
031601
CHAIRMAN’S STATEMENT
The Chairman read out a statement in respect of the Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014 reminding those in attendance and participating in the meeting that they were liable to be filmed, recorded, photographed or otherwise recorded.
031602
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None
031603
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS IN ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
None
031604
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
The meeting was addressed by Mr David Hall, co-ordinator of the Wild Roseland Ecology Group, on the subject of the Group’s Wild Flower Project. Mr Hall outlined the background and purpose of the Group and mentioned in particular a “homes for wildlife” project and a wild flower pollination scheme the Group was undertaking. He was seeking suggestions for suitable sites in the Parish into which wild flowers could be introduced. Cllr Taffinder thanked Mr Hall for his attendance, and the clerk was asked to make this an agenda item for next time and also to include a paragraph in the PC’s article in April’s Roseland Magazine. Action clerk
Mr Steve Hooper enquired whether the PC had been made aware of the comments of the Secretary of State, in the recent appeal decision regarding the application at Bowling Green, St Just, about the relevance and validity of the policies of the Roseland Plan (RNDP). Cllr Meek said the PC had been made aware of these comments, and Cllr German said the Steering Group of the RNDP had scheduled a meeting for the following Tuesday to discuss the matter.
031605
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The Council accepted the draft minutes of the meeting held on 2nd February 2016 as being a true record. The Chairman signed the minutes.
031606
REVIEW OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – MATTERS ARISING
The clerk reported:
– the hedge in the lay-by bordering the National Trust land adjacent to New Road car park had now been cut down, and the view to the sea was no longer obstructed.
– he had still received no suggestions from Cornwall Council (CC) for a physical remedy to resolve the issue of dangerous parking opposite the Plume of Feathers but had been informed that CC had commissioned their design group to produce a suitable scheme, and had sent a team down to take photographs and measurements.
The clerk apologised for omitting from the evening’s agenda CC’s invitation to comment on a proposed submission document involving significant changes to the Draft Local Plan, which was included in Correspondence at the last meeting. As the consultation was to run only until 7th March, it was agreed to discuss the PC’s response to the consultation nevertheless.
After discussion the clerk was asked to respond to the consultation on behalf of the PC to the effect that Gerrans Parish Council had noted the increase in the overall housing requirement for Cornwall to 52,500, as referred to in CC’s consultation communication and wished to stress that in the Parish of Gerrans, and on the Roseland Peninsula in general, the local population had clearly expressed their opinion, in the recently adopted Roseland Neighbourhood Development Plan, that any new housing should be affordable to local people. The PC would urge Cornwall Council to look again at its policy on second homes, and consider the introduction of a full-time residency requirement, in the interests of building and maintaining sustainable communities in the area. Action clerk
031607
CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
- Letter from the residents of North Parade
A request for the PC to supply and erect “No Through Road”, “Private Road” and 10mph speed limit signage to be mounted on the PC’s streetlight column at the entrance to North Parade at the Junction with River Street. The clerk said he had already informed the residents that the PC was not empowered to erect new speed limit signage. After discussion it was decided unanimously that the PC was not willing to supply or erect any signs, and was of the opinion that such signage would be more appropriately sited on one of the residents’ own properties. Action clerk to reply
- HM Queen’s 90th birthday 21st April 2016
Sample commemorative medal and brochure from Tower Mint Ltd inviting orders. The clerk was asked to put an item on April’s agenda to consider appropriate suggestions for recognising the occasion in the Parish. Action clerk
031608
PLANNING MATTERS
APPLICATIONS
| Application | Description | PC decision |
| PA16/01196 | 37, Churchtown Road.
Replacement of balcony with single storey extension with balcony over. |
Support:
10 in favour, Cllr German did not vote. Applicant is family friend. |
| PA16/01190 & 01191 | St Anthony Head Car Park.
Introduction of Pay and Display machine and signage. |
Machine: Unanimous Support
Signage: Unanimous object – obtrusive in AONB |
| PA16/01192 & 01193 | Porth Car Park.
Introduction of 2 Pay and Display machines and signage.. |
Machines: Unanimous Support
Signage: Unanimous object – obtrusive in AONB |
| PA16/00128 | Tregaire Barton Farm.
Conversion of 2 x redundant barns to form 2 x holiday lets
|
Majority support:
9 in favour Cllrs German & Morse objected |
PRE-APPLICATION ENQUIRY
PA16/00340/PREAPP relating to a proposed extension and refurbishment at Herons Lea, Rosevine.
Councillors considered the proposed structure constituted more of a rebuild than an extension, and was out of conformity with the area both in character and in scale. The clerk was asked to make this view known to the Case Officer concerned. Action clerk
DECISIONS
| Application | GPC comment | CC Decision |
| PA16/00548 – 7, Wellington Terrace, Portscatho | Majority support | Approved |
| PA15/11932 – 7, The Lugger, Portscatho | Support | Approved |
| PA15/11825 – 9, Parc An Dillon Road, Portscatho | Support | Approved |
| PA16/00717 – Pendennis. New Road, Portscatho | Majority support | n/a as an amendment |
The clerk also read out a letter from the Case Officer re PA15/11168 for a lambing shed at Tatey Basin Farm. The PC had objected on the grounds that the proposed shed was too high. The Case Officer was minded to approve the application and the PC was invited to agree, agree to disagree, or request that the application go to Committee. After discussion and a vote, the clerk was asked to reply that the PC agreed to disagree because a proposed reduction in the height of the building was insufficient. 8 Councillors were in favour, one abstained and Cllrs Meek and Taffinder voted to ask for the matter to go to Committee. Action clerk
ENFORCEMENT MATTERS
Nothing to report
031609
LOCALISM
Cornwall Council’s Local Devolution Fund
The clerk reported he had enquired about taking over the freehold of the Fishermen’s Shelter and was awaiting a detailed response. Cllr Hetherington said he would begin the process of filling out the application form for funding. Cllr Hatwood provided some outline budget figures for a refurbishment. It was agreed to complete and submit the form before the end of March and the clerk was asked to put this on April’s Agenda for ratification. Action clerk
Playground adjacent to Gerrans School
The clerk said he had expressed to Cornwall Council (CC) the PC’s interest in acquiring the freehold of the playground site or negotiating a new long term lease, and was awaiting a detailed response. Action clerk
031610
COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS
There were no reports which did not feature in other agenda items.
031611
TREE SURGERY
The clerk presented 3 quotes for the required works in Treloan Lane car park and on Gerrans Hill. By unanimous vote the quote of £500 plus VAT from Geoff Ham Tree Services was accepted.
031612
PARISH CAR PARKING
The clerk presented the minutes of a joint meeting of the Car Parks and Finance Committees held on 18th February. At that meeting the Committees voted unanimously to recommend to Council acceptance of Cornwall Council (CC)’s offer to transfer the freehold of Treloan Lane car park to the PC subject to contract. Members voted 10 in favour and Cllr German against. The Committees also voted unanimously to recommend Council not to accept the terms of an offer from CC regarding a new lease at New Road car park, but to respond with a counter offer they considered would be acceptable. Again, Councillors voted 10 in favour and Cllr German against. Action clerk to reply to CC
Also at the joint meeting the Committees had discussed the problem of parking congestion in Portscatho Square. Cllrs Case and Hatwood had both reported complaints from local traders that all parking spaces in the Square were occupied continuously by contractors’ vehicles and those of local residents, and that consequently potential customers for their businesses were deterred from coming into the village to shop. The clerk said that there were no enforceable parking restrictions because the limit of one hour parking was a seasonal restriction in the summer only. The notices showing this restriction had been taken down last summer because of a technicality on the marking of the bays which had rendered them unenforceable, but this situation would be remedied for the coming summer. He also said that to extend the restriction to all year round would mean applying for a new Traffic Regulation Order (TRO), which would cost in the region of £4,000, and then to enforce the restriction, wardens would have to be employed all year round.
Councillors agreed that the situation this winter had been aggravated by the large number of complicated building projects being carried out simultaneously.
It was decided that a list of potential parking changes be started to be included all together in a new TRO, and that the problem of contractors’ vehicles could be addressed at the assessment of planning applications stage, and also that the shopkeepers themselves could agree that their own staff would not take up spaces. The clerk was asked to draft a standard letter for Contractors requesting them to minimise the number of vehicles on site. Action clerk
Councillors then discussed the level of parking charges in the New Road car park and for residents’ and visitors’ permits for 2016/2017, and voted to leave them unchanged this year. 10 councillors were in favour and Cllr German was against.
Councillors then considered a quote received from a local contractor via the National Trust (NT) for drainage works to resolve the problem of water run-off from New Road car park eroding the footpath down towards Portscatho village across NT land. The total cost of the works would be £1,010 plus VAT. The clerk said £I,000 had already been allowed for in the budget for the purpose. On a vote, 10 Councillors voted to accept the quote (subject to consents from Cornwall Council and the NT) and Cllr German was against. Action clerk
031613
STREET LIGHTING
Cllr Iddison reported he had as yet made no progress in discussing with residents the possibility of installing some sort of lighting on the footpath between Churchtown Road and California Gardens, but the matter was ongoing.
031614
RUBBISH BAGS
Cllr Hatwood reported a recent incident of a second home owner leaving out bin bags of rubbish in River Street in midweek when leaving their property after a short stay. As a result seagulls had ripped them open and strewn rubbish everywhere. He said this was not the first time. The clerk said he would liaise with Cllr Hatwood in the matter as the person involved was an ex neighbour of his, and would try to resolve the situation personally. In answer to a question from Cllr Case, the clerk said this subject had been highlighted in a Roseland Magazine article in the summer, since when there had been an encouraging uptake on the seagull proof sacks, of which he still had a small stock.
031615
FINANCIAL MATTERS
CLERK’S REPORT
The clerk reported that all payments submitted for approval were materially within budget, or within forecast and agreed contingency levels where actual figures were unknown at the time of setting the budget.
ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT
It was resolved that the outstanding invoices totalling £14,603.77 (including VAT of £2,099.62) be paid Cllr German objected to the payment of £10,107.21 plus VAT to Cornwall Council in respect of turnover rent at New Road car park on the grounds that the PC was currently negotiating revised terms. The clerk said the payment related to the year ended June 2015 and was a contractual obligation. All other Councillors voted to approve the payment. A schedule of all the payments is available from the clerk.
BANK RECONCILIATION
The reconciled bank balance as at 25th February was £44,199.67
031616
OTHER PARISH MATTERS
- Any urgent business
– None
- Matters to be included on the next agenda
– Cllr Hatwood said he was concerned that the unelected RNDP Planning Assessment Group reported their assessments of applications direct to Cornwall Council, and wished this to be discussed. Action clerk
- Minor items for report
CC Julian German reported that as from the date of the meeting, Gerrans School was part of a new Multi Academy Trust.
The clerk reported that the dilapidated notice board at Trewithian had now been removed and replaced with a new one.
Cllr Case was concerned to protect the surface of Treloan Lane car park from weeds. The clerk said the PC’s contractor had added the car park to his schedule of areas to spray this year.
The meeting closed at 9.55 pm