MEVAGISSEY PARISH COUNCIL

 

1a.        Declarations of interest.     Cllr. Barron declared an interest in Agenda Item 18.

 

1b.        Gift Declarations.             None.

 

2.         Police Report.  A written report was received for the period 21 November – 18 December detailing 8 crimes as         follows:             criminal damage to property 3, common assault and battery 1, burglary domestic 3, non-crime domestic 1.

The 3 burglaries are not related with 1 being linked to a criminal damage for which suspects are to be interviewed by            CID.  The other 2 burglaries took place in Polkirt Hill and Market Square.

 

Clerk was actioned to a) write to Cornwall Council (CC) Highways Dept., cc Police, re. dangerous amounts of mud             on the road between the cattle shed on Old Road and Tregiskey crossroads; and b) write to PCSO Hemming about        the resurgence of skateboarding on Polkirt Hill.

 

3.         Points from the Public.

 

a)  Mr Tim Hancock, Architect, presented details of Planning Application PA13/10126 (see Item 6a) and answered   Councillors’ questions.

b)  Mrs Andrea Copper, of Pebble House, asked for the Council’s view of the Pebble House licensing application  and           appeal in the light of Agenda Item 15 (Licensing Act Policy consultation).  The Chairman explained that there was        no connection and that the ongoing dispute was nothing to do with the Parish Council.

c)  Mr Thompson of Pip House said that he could see no reason for any restrictions on dogs at Portmellon beach (re.            Agenda Item 10) and that the views of the local community should be considered in reaching a decision.

d)  Mr Peter Bowker declared himself a supporter of the Dogs Love Portmellon website and asked that any decision be          deferred pending a consultation group being set up to explore the issue.

 

4.         Minutes.   Proposed by Cllr. Daniel, Seconded by Cllr. Chesterfield that Item 5 from the Minutes of 21st November            2013 be amended to show that Mr Montagu, Architect, had agreed with Cllr. Daniel that Policy 35 referred to the     Steep House site.  Carried.  The minutes were amended.   Then Proposed by Cllr. Chesterfield, Seconded by Cllr.      Arthur that the Minutes of 21st November be accepted.  Carried.

 

5.         Actions from previous meeting:

• Clerk had written again to Western Greyhound, cc CC Public Transport Unit (PTU), to protest further at the reduced bus services.  Again, Western Greyhound had not replied but CC had replied that the Gorran Community Bus had revised its timetable to provide an additional return service to St Austell on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• Clerk had spoken to Dave Myland (SWW) about the flooding above Tregiskey.  Mr Myland said that repairs at quayside level should have solved the problem, and we should let him know if it recurs.  The main sewer pipe requires extensive repair following damage sustained (they think by farm machinery or similar) and this is awaiting funding.  Cllr. Facey said that there had been flooding of sewage in Market Square to the rear of The Ship Inn, and that SWW had said that 11 complaints were required for them to investigate.  The Chairman said that the government scheme for flood insurance had been agreed for domestic properties, but not yet for businesses.
• The Localism meeting with Jeremy Rowe had been rescheduled for 9th January.
• The clerk had received no comments on the Government Consultation for changes to Entertainment Licensing.
• The obtaining of quotes for spend of the Net Loft 106 Agreement money was ongoing.
• Cllr. Bunney issued details of totals on the Home Choice list.
• Clerk had issued details of eligibility criteria for Phase 2 of the Vicarage Hill affordable housing scheme.
• The village clock now appears to be working.
• The Planning Enforcement report into Cllr. Daniel’s complaint of an untidy and dangerous site at 59 Polkirt Hill states No Breach Found, Case Closed.
• Sourcing and costing of vellum scrolls is ongoing.
• Cllr. Whatty reported that he had requested free community trees from CC but had been told that they were all gone.  Clerk actioned to contact CC to register our interest should further trees become available.
• Cllr Bunney reported that he had secured agreement from CC to erect safety railings on the Polstreath cliffpath.
• Cllr. Bunney has contacted the Coastguard about the bins thrown over the cliff.
• Cllr. Facey reported that the removal for renovation of the village sign at Tregiskey was ongoing.
• The Chairman read out the letter from Smiths Gore, for the Tremayne Will Trust, to CC about the Polstreath steps, and asked for this to be put on the next Agenda.

 

6.         Planning

 

6a.        PA13/10126  :  Replacement of domestic garages with a 4 bedroom house.  Land at Polkirt Hill, Mevagissey.

After much discussion, Proposed by Cllr. Daniel, Seconded by Cllr. Arthur that the Council OBJECTS to the        Application because it is within the AONB, outside the development envelope, on the Heritage Coast, visible from     the South West Coast Path, and would create a hazard with cars joining the highway from the property.

Carried (by 6 votes to 5).

 

6b.        PA13/10009  :  Changes to design of rear dormer and rear extension and addition of conservation velux windows.

45 Polkirt Hill, Mevagissey.    Proposed by Cllr. Facey, Seconded by Cllr. Shephard that the Council APPROVES            the Application.                                      Carried.

 

6c.        PA13/09378  :  Addition of an extension to the rear of the property to add accommodation space and stabilise the    structure of the existing building.   54 Cliff Street Mevagissey                    WITHDRAWN              Noted.

 

7.         Finances

 

Bills to Pay	Clerk’s salary	£	646.25
	Income Tax & NIC	£	215.62
	TOTAL	£	861.87
Accounts	Amount available to spend as of last meeting	£	27,481.40
	Expenditure at last meeting	£	17,062.99
	Leaving a total of	£	10,418.41
	Unpresented cheques (CC, RBL, Cormac)		6,325.31
	Destroyed cheques (Road salt & The Ship Inn)	£	677.80
	M.B.A. payment towards toilets not received		2,150.50
	Money at Bank	£	15,271.02
	Available to spend	£	8,945.71
	Bank Statements:
	Current Account			£	7,087.08
	Deposit Account			£	8,183.94
	TOTAL			£	15,271.02

 

Proposed by Cllr. Arthur, Seconded by Cllr. Shephard that the accounts be accepted and the bills paid.

Carried.

 

8.         Agree Parish Precept for 2014-15.   The Clerk presented proposed spend for the next year and confirmed that the Support Grant would be payable.   Proposed by Cllr. Daniel, Seconded by Cllr. Chesterfield that the Precept be increased by two per cent (2{c8c3b3d140ed11cb7662417ff7b2dc686ffa9c2daf0848ac14f76e68f36d0c20}).                                  Carried.

 

9.         Resolution to make a Dog Control Order to exclude dogs from Portmellon beach from 1st July to 30th September each year.   After much discussion, Proposed by Cllr. Arthur, Seconded by Cllr. Chesterfield that the Resolution be made.   The vote was against the Resolution by 5 votes to 3, but one Councillor immediately protested that they had misunderstood the Resolution and a second vote was taken.  This time the Resolution was carried by 5 votes to 4 after the Chairman had used his casting vote.              Carried.

[NOTE: legal advice is being sought on the validity of the second vote]

 

10.        Street lighting in village car parks.  The lights by the ticket machines in the Keirs and Church Street car parks were not working.  Agreed that Cllr. Feeley should report the offending pole numbers to CC.

 

11.        Cessation of weed spraying by Cornwall Council.     CC has since notified that the services of Cormac can be secured at £160 per km. excl. VAT, to include 2 sprays during each growing season.        Noted.

 

12.        Street name for Phase 2 of Vicarage Hill affordable housing.    After a secret ballot it was Proposed by Cllr. Chesterfield, Seconded by Cllr. Hrydziuszka that the Council’s preferred name was ROBERTS CLOSE.

Carried.

 

13.        Neighbourhood Plan.  Cllr. Shephard asked for an allocation of up to £1,000 to commission an independent study of areas in and around Mevagissey to identify sites suitable for affordable housing developments.  Approval was Proposed by Cllr. Arthur, Seconded by Cllr. Paige.         Carried.

 

14.        Licensing Act Policy consultation (deferred from November).  The Council will make no response to the Consultation.  Discussion turned to the appeal being brought against the Pebble House license application decision by a neighbour to the property, and it was proposed by Cllr. Chesterfield, Seconded by Cllr. Arthur that power was delegated to the Chairman and the Clerk to write a letter to the appeal inspector reiterating the Council’s opposition to the original licence application.

 

15.        Review of Standing Orders – Cllr. Roberts (deferred from October).  The Chairman drew Councillors’ attention to the “three minute rule” which applied to all speakers, including Councillors.

 

16.        Community Network Panels – feedback on discussion document – Cllr. Roberts (deferred from October).

It was agreed that the Panel, if it continues, should do so in its current form; therefore no feedback required.

 

17.        School Hill development  –  update:

1)  Judicial Review: Cllr. Shephard provided a summary of the Review, and the Chairman thanked Cllr Shephard for his hard work throughout the case.  Our solicitors had gone out of business two weeks prior to the Inquiry and Cllr. Shephard had dealt directly with the Barrister from that point on.

2)  Costs:  Proposed by Cllr. Arthur, Seconded by Cllr. Hrydziuszka that this be deferred to closed session at the end of the meeting.   Carried.   Cllrs. Barron and Bunney left the room prior to the closed session, during which Cllr. Shephard gave a complete breakdown of the costs of the case and the steps currently progressing for reclamation of costs.  To avoid the further cost of a Costs Solicitor, Cllr. Shephard had handled all the work himself, and a further vote of thanks was proposed by the Chairman.

 

19.        The meeting closed at 21:35.     Date of next meeting  :  16th January 2014