Gerrans Parish Council
MINUTES of the Meeting of Gerrans Parish Council
held on Tuesday 7th February 2017
in the Memorial Hall Annexe
NEXT MEETING – Tuesday 7th March 2017 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall Annexe
Present:
Cllrs Case, German, Hetherington, Iddison, Meek, Morse, Neal, Taffinder ( Chairman).
S Skull (Clerk), CC Julian German.
3 members of the public attended.
021701
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Cllrs Greenslade, Hatwood and Edwards
021702
DECLARATION OF INTERESTS IN ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
– None
021703
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Mr Malcolm Tozer said he wished to inform the meeting that after 7 months he had still received no formal response from the Harbour Club Committee in the matter of his objections to the Club’s management of the new balcony, and now proposed to move 2 resolutions at the Club’s AGM. He said he had received 11 replies to a letter on the subject circulated to his neighbours, of which 9 were in support of his position. He asked whether this support indicated that the PC might now lend its support to his objections.
Mr Steve Hooper, enquired whether the clerk had seen a pre-application enquiry he had lodged in respect of Higher Tregassick Barn, as it was not on the agenda. The clerk said it had not appeared in the PC’s consultee inbox or on the weekly notifications issued by Cornwall Council. He said he would investigate.
021704
MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
The Council accepted the draft minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 3rd January 2017 as being a true record subject to the correction of one error. The Chairman signed the corrected minutes.
021705
REVIEW OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – MATTERS ARISING
The clerk reported:
- The corroded drain cover in the pavement outside Bermuda Cottage had now been replaced with a new one.
- The contracts for the cutting of village paths and coast path were annually renewable contracts. The net cost was not material in the context of the PC’s annual spend, and the rate for the job had not increased in the last 4 years. He said the current contractor was providing a satisfactory service, so it was not proposed to put the contracts out for tender. Councillors were generally in support of this position. Cllr Meek suggested it would be prudent to test the market every so often nevertheless.
021706
CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED
- EMAIL from Mr Malcolm Tozer
Mr Tozer had contacted the clerk attaching copies of letters he had written to his neighbours and the Harbour Club committee regarding the operation of the Club’s balcony. Members discussed Mr Tozer’s contribution in the open period and decided the PC’s position should remain unchanged from that adopted at the October 2016 meeting (Minute ref 101607) that this is a matter for the planning authorities at Cornwall Council rather than the PC, which has no jurisdiction over enforcement matters.
- EMAIL from Mr Mikel Fletcher
Mr Fletcher was enquiring whether the PC would permit him and his partner to use the Church Close garden to hold their civil marriage ceremony in 2018. Councillors were unanimously in support of allowing use of the garden, and wished the couple every happiness.
There was no further correspondence which would not be addressed in other items on the agenda.
021707
PLANNING MATTERS
APPLICATIONS
The PC had received one new application for comment prior to the publication of the meeting’s agenda. This is outlined below and the PC’s comments were subsequently lodged under “Consultee Comments” in the Online Planning Register.
| Application | Description | PC Comment |
| PA17/00773 | Application for Certificate of Lawfulness for existing siting and residential occupation of a mobile home at 2 Treluggan Cottages | The PC has no evidence to dispute any claims made in the application. |
DECISIONS
| Application | GPC comment | CC Decision |
| PA16/10845 – re structural works at Harbour Club | Support | Approved |
| PA16/09946 – re outline planning permission at Little Vraine | Object | Refused |
| PA16/12184 – re non material amendment at Pendennis | Object | Refused |
ENFORCEMENT MATTERS
Nothing to report
021708
LOCALISM
Community Assets
The clerk said he had received a response from Cornwall Council to the application for a listing of Gerrans school as a Community Asset. The application was refused on the grounds that there was a question as to whether there is true community use of the school at present as defined in the Localism Act 2011.
Councillors were surprised at the ruling and the clerk was asked to seek more clarification as to the precise criteria which had apparently not been met in this application. Action clerk
Cornwall Council / NHS “Shaping our Future” plan
Cllr Hetherington said it had become apparent at the cluster meeting held on January at the Millenium Rooms, St Mawes that this plan represented an extremely complex attempt to bring about the integration of health and social care services which would involve many more consultation processes going forward. He said he thought the meeting was worthwhile, but that he had trouble identifying a clear role for parish councils in the wider context of the scheme. The key to the achievement of the aims of the plan seemed to be local communities helping themselves. The problems in Cornwall, with an older demographic than many regions, were considerable and ever-increasing.
Other localism issues
– None
021709
COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS
– Report of the Mobile Phone Mast Committee
The clerk read out the previously circularised minutes of the meeting of the committee held on 1st February to consider and make recommendations to the full PC in respect of an approach from Shared Access Ltd (SAL) to lease an area of the cricket field for 25 years to site a mobile phone mast. The committee recommended that the following position be adopted by the PC:
“1. Gerrans Parish Council (GPC) supports in principle the provision of maximum possible mobile phone coverage in the parish, subject to the appropriate planning permissions.
- Because of the cricket field’s status as a registered village green, it is unlawful for GPC, as landowner, to enclose any part of the field (Section 12, Inclosure Act, 1857) or to put up any structure unless it is with the aim of improving the enjoyment of the green (Section 29, Commons Act, 1876).
- In view of both the above two paragraphs, GPC proposes to decline the offer from SAL, but to put SAL in touch with the Roseland Squash Club, in order that the offered improved coverage might still be available to the parish”.
On a vote, 4 members were in favour, 1 was against and 3 abstained. Recommendation carried. Action clerk
Other committee representative reports
Cllr Hetherington reported on the latest meeting of the Roseland Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group. (SG). He said it was intended to wind up the SG in 2017, and its Planning Assessment Group had already disbanded. The Community Land Trust was continuing to develop, and Wild Roseland was flourishing, although both bodies would welcome more volunteers.
Cllr German said the planning authorities had informed the SG that they would abide by the provisions of the RNDP except in regard to policies HO1,2 and 3 regarding change of use, conversions and re-use of buildings in respect of affordable housing provision.
Cllr Hetherington also reported on the January 17th meeting of the Truro and Roseland Community Network Panel. Matters discussed included local initiatives on homelessness, response times of the emergency services and highway safety issues including moves to reduce speed limits where local need is demonstrated
021710
PARISH CAR PARKING
The clerk reported he had still received no formal draft contract for the transfer of the freehold of Treloan Lane car park from Cornwall Council.
He also reported that the pavement build-out at Victoria Terrace was now scheduled to be completed by 20th February.
021711
CHURCH CLOSE OPEN SPACE AREA
The clerk said that he had still to receive any response from the landlord to his last communication of 29th November. Cllr German proposed (seconded by Cllr Taffinder) that if there was still no response for a further month a proposal should be on the agenda for the March meeting to proceed with at least the more superficial items intended for the site, as the PC had a duty to use the deposited S106 monies for the purpose they were intended. This was unanimously agreed.
021712
STREET LIGHTING
Cllr Taffinder reported a suggestion that 2 stretches of footway which were currently inadequately lit at night might benefit from having small solar lights embedded at intervals in the tarmac. The clerk said permission from Cornwall Council would probably be required. After discussion the clerk was asked to start enquiries. Action clerk
Cllr Case said that New Road was badly lit in the dip below Springfield and would benefit from an extra street light.
021713
FINANCIAL MATTERS
FINAL BUDGET
The clerk presented the previously circulated final budget for the financial year ending 31st March 2018. The projected 2017-2018 figures were the same as approved in the precept budget at December’s meeting. The projected starting (and therefore finishing) balances were slightly different in the light of the 2 months actual versus forecast figures in between the two budgets. Cllr German proposed (seconded by Cllr Taffinder) that the budget be approved. Unanimously agreed.
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 £1,683.32 (including VAT of £17.62) be paid. A schedule of all the payments is available from the clerk.
BANK RECONCILIATION
The reconciled bank balance as at 25th January was £46,204.45.
021714
OTHER PARISH MATTERS
- Any urgent business
– None
- Matters to be included on the next agenda
– Election timetable and procedures (clerk)
- Minor items for report
– Cllr Neal reported there was a large dead badger by the side of New Road near the junction with Parc An Dillon. CC Julian German said he would report it to the appropriate Council department.
– Cllr Meek confirmed he had submitted planning permission for necessary tree works at his property, which is within the conservation area.
The meeting closed at 9.00 pm