Gerrans Parish Council

MINUTES of the Meeting of Gerrans Parish Council

held on Tuesday 4^th April 2017

in the Memorial Hall Annexe

NEXT MEETING – Tuesday 9^th May 2017 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall Annexe

Present:

Cllrs Case, German, Hetherington, Meek, Morse, Taffinder ( Chairman).

S Skull (Clerk), CC Julian German.

 

1 member of the public attended.

 

041701

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Cllrs Edwards, Greenslade, Hatwood. Iddison, Neal

041702

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS IN ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

– None

041703

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

CC Julian German expressed his thanks to members of the PC, prior to the forthcoming election on May 4^th, for their four years of service in the current session.

041704

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

The Council accepted the draft minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 7^th March 2017 as being a true record subject to the correction of two errors. The Chairman signed the corrected minutes.

041705

REVIEW OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – MATTERS ARISING

The clerk reported:

1. He had sought an indicative quote from SSE Ltd for the possible installation of new street lights as discussed at the March meeting. Correspondence had been entered into but no quote received to date.
2. The broken door at Portscatho public conveniences had been repaired, and new locks fitted to both the main facility and the disabled toilet. He had arranged with the management of Tatams café that the default position would be to keep the toilets open at all times, but now there was the option of locking them at night in the event of further vandalism.

041706

CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED

1. Request to site a commemorative bench at Gerrans Cricket Club

Permission granted. No objection from the Cricket Club. Bench to be purchased via the PC in the usual way. Action clerk to liaise and arrange

2. Invitation to police liaison meeting.

Cllr Meek volunteered to attend the first meeting of a liaison group for the Truro policing area on 24^th April as the representative of the PC.

3. Email from Mr M Tozer

Mr Tozer asked for it to be recorded that he withdrew his two resolutions for the recent Harbour Club AGM, the Club management having agreed to lock the door to the balcony at 11.00 pm each evening.

4. Cornwall Council safeguarding course

Invitation to attend a safeguarding training day on 20^th April. The course would provide an overview of the issues and cover how to develop a local safeguarding policy. In the event the course was already oversubscribed prior to this meeting. Councillors discussed whether the policy mechanisms were aimed at organisations larger than the PC. CC Julian German suggested CALC’s advice should be sought in the matter. This was agreed and the clerk was asked to make enquiries and report back to the June meeting. Action clerk

 

There was no further correspondence which would not be addressed in other items on the agenda.

 

 

041707

PLANNING MATTERS

 

APPLICATIONS

The PC had received no new applications for comment prior to the publication of the meeting’s agenda.

 

The PC did discuss outline pre-application proposals for works at Higher Tregassa Barn, submitted for their opinion. Mr Steve Hooper, of CAD Architects Ltd, gave some background to the proposals and was concerned whether the size of the proposed extension, and also the use of current workshop as residential space would be considered acceptable in the event of a full application. After discussion, the PC’s position was that the combined size of the proposed extension to be built on an existing approved extension might run contra to policy ref HO9 (ii) of the RNDP, and it was concerned about any loss of commercial space in the community, where such space was in short supply and important for the continuing viability of the local economy and job opportunities. The clerk was asked to communicate this position formally to CAD architects Ltd. Action clerk

 

DECISIONS

Application	GPC comment	CC Decision
PA17/00773   Permission for continued residential occupation of existing mobile home at 2 Treluggan Cottages	No objection	Granted
PA17/01008 Replacement of existing conservatory at Tregerein, New Road	Support	Approved

 

ENFORCEMENT MATTERS

– Agricultural Storage Barn at the Cornish Heritage Farm, Trewithian.

Cllr Meek said the conditions attached to approval of PA16/08661 relating to this barn designated the site as being for agricultural use. He held that it was currently being used as a brownfield site for the dumping of soil and other material from other land owned by the proprietor.

Cllr German proposed (seconded by Cllr Hetherington) that the situation warranted a notification of an alleged breach of planning conditions. CC Julian German said he was willing to take the matter forward, and all Councillors agreed.

 

Cllr German said he was concerned about the height of the new garage under construction at Pendennis, New Road. It was agreed to put this on May’s agenda. Action clerk

 

There was also discussion about the rise in the number of chalets and summer houses being put up without planning permission. It was suggested the PC should seek advice from a professional planning consultant as to the current rules concerning the permitted size of such structures. CC Julian German said there would be a new Planning Committee at Cornwall Council after the May election, and advice would be available from them.

 

041708

LOCALISM

Community Assets

The clerk produced the current list of potential Community Assets for review and the clerk was asked to proceed with preliminary work in seeking the listing of the red telephone box on The Lugger. Action clerk

Other localism issues

– None

 

041709

COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS

Cllr Hetherington reported on the March meeting of the Truro and Roseland Community Network Panel, at which he had expressed the PC’s appreciation for the devolution funding grant which has been used for new equipment in the Gerrans playground. He said there had been a presentation on highway safety, and the question was raised whether Cornwall could apply for a dispensation for individual communities to set local speed limits regardless of national guidelines.

 

041710 PORTSCATHO POST OFFICE

The clerk read out a previously circulated email correspondence between himself, on behalf of the PC, and the Network Operations Manager, Devon and Cornwall for Post Office Ltd (PO). Councillors considered that PO had been less than co-operative in supplying clear information as to the situation and were dissatisfied in general with PO’s management of events. Cllr German proposed (seconded by Cllr Hetherington) that the clerk be asked to write again, stating that the PC felt that, as a minimum, it should be supplied with some idea of the timescale for resumption being envisaged by PO, what options were being considered, and what was their plan of operation. This was unanimously agreed and the clerk was also asked to write to Sarah Newton MP on the subject. Action clerk

 

041711

CHURCH CLOSE OPEN SPACE AREA

The clerk proposed an increase in the amount budgeted for the installation of a backstop net behind the football goal having found out that the original sum budgeted was unrealistic. He said there had been savings in that the goalpost itself had been donated free, and that the sum should be recoverable from existing S106 monies. Cllr German proposed (seconded by Cllr Taffinder) that the net should be purchased and this was unanimously agreed.

Councillors then discussed the possibility of renaming the site. No alternative names were suggested and Cllr German proposed (seconded by Cllr Taffinder) that no change should be made. Unanimously agreed.

Cllr German proposed the motion that dogs should be banned from the site in the interests of public health. This was seconded by Cllr Meek. 5 Councillors voted in favour and Cllr Taffinder voted against. Motion carried. Action clerk to arrange signage.

 

041712

LOCAL ELECTIONS 2017

The clerk reported that the day of this meeting was the closing date for nominations for the new PC. He said he had given out 11 packs, but was unaware whether more applications had been made direct to Cornwall Council.

 

041713

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 £4,563.81 (including VAT of £101.27) be paid. A schedule of all the payments is available from the clerk.

BANK RECONCILIATION

The reconciled bank balance as at 25^th March was £34,917.06.

 

041715

OTHER PARISH MATTERS

1. Any urgent business

– None

2. Matters to be included on the next agenda

– None other than already minuted above.

3. Minor items for report

– Cllr Meek reported a length of fencing had collapsed at Percuil car park, and there was also a large caravan which seemed to be parked there long term. The clerk said he would investigate.

– Cllr Meek also said he would shortly beginning the tree works at his address.

– In response to a question from Cllr German, the clerk said he was aware that the street cleaning contractor was currently having difficulty in fulfilling the contract, and was in the process of resolving the issue with the contractor.

 

The meeting closed at 9.20 pm