Gerrans Parish Council

MINUTES of the Meeting of Gerrans Parish Council

held on Tuesday 5^th June 2018

in the Memorial Hall Annexe

NEXT MEETING – Tuesday 3rd July 2018 at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall Annexe

Present:

Cllrs Charlotte Taffinder (Chairman) (CT), Ralph German (RG), James Hetherington (JH), Nev Meek (NM), Val Neal (VN), Mary Watson (MW); S Skull (Clerk), CC Julian German (JG)

 

4 members of the public attended.

 

061801

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Cllrs Richard Cochrane, Robin Edwards, Will Gill, Helen Hastings and Rick Iddison.

061802

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS IN ITEMS ON THE AGENDA

CT declared a non registerable interest in PA18/05024, to be discussed in item 7 on the agenda.

061803

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

– none

061804

MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS

The Council unanimously accepted the draft minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual Parish Council Meeting, both held on Tuesday 1^st May 2018, as being true records.

061805

REVIEW OF MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING – MATTERS ARISING

The clerk reported:

– a reply had been received from Sarah Newton MP to the PC’s email of 18^th April responding to a second letter from the Minister for Housing about the attitude of the Planning Inspectorate towards Local Plans. Mrs Newton had agreed to attend a cluster meeting of the Roseland Parish Councils on Thursday July 26^th to discuss the issue.

– JG had sent him a jpg image of the original artwork for the information board at New Road car park.

061806

CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED

1. Mikel Fletcher

Email thanking the PC for allowing the use of Church Close for his recent wedding ceremony.

2. Cornwall Council

Notice of Planning Appeal ref APP/D0840/w/18/3195867 relating to application ref PA17/06909 – Demolition of storage building and construction of new dwelling at Land West of Chapel house, Well Lane. The clerk was asked to submit a comment to the effect that the PC maintained its original objection to the proposal, on the grounds that it contravened two clear policies of the adopted Roseland Neighbourhood Plan (RNDP), and furthermore that it would be detrimental to local faith in the RNDP if it were to be undermined once again by a successful appeal to the Planning Inspectorate in Bristol. Action clerk.

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

3. National Trust

Notification that the NT will be submitting a planning application to develop the existing workshop/wc/office area at Porth to provide a new café and toilets.

  

061807

PLANNING MATTERS

(a) APPLICATIONS

 

Application	Description	PC decision
PA18/05024	Non Material Amendment in respect of PA18/03359 at Dingerein Cottage, Curgurrell	Unanimous support

CT left the room during discussion of this application.

 

The PC had also received 2 new applications in respect of No 17, The Lugger. Notification of these was only received on the Friday prior to this meeting, however, and the PC had been granted an extension on the deadline for comment, so consideration of these applications was deferred until the July meeting.

 

Members also considered a request from the Planning Officer dealing with proposed developments at Higher Tregassa Barn, New Road, for an informal response to a revised draft of PA18/01968, to which the PC had objected and which was subsequently withdrawn by the applicant. The clerk was asked to convey the comment that the PC still considered the scheme, even as revised, to be in contravention of policies HO3 and HO9 of the Roseland Neighbourhood development Plan in that the proposed extension is too competitive with the original barn, rather than being subsidiary. A design with a clearer definition of the original barn would be preferred. Action clerk

 

(b) DECISIONS

Application	GPC comment	CC Decision
PA18/03359 re Dingerein Cottage	support	approved
PA18/03682 re Polgrean, 10 Tregassa Road	support	approved

 

(c) ENFORCEMENT MATTERS

– Nothing to report

061808

COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS

NM reported on a Police liaison meeting held at Feock on 14^th May and chaired by Insp. Milburn. He said the general news was that crime levels were up across the board, but that percentages were misleading, given the low number of actual incidents. He said the meeting demonstrated once again the need for the maintenance of rural policing levels.

JH reported on the latest meeting of the Truro and Roseland Network Community Panel, at which there was a presentation by a representative of Biffa about their rural policy and priorities.

He also said the Panel would shortly be producing an “expression of interest” form in connection with the proposed devolved Highways budget referred to last month. Minute 051811 refers.

061809

LOCALISM

The clerk produced the first of NM’s Parish footpath reports. The report covered path ref 306/1 and highlighted various areas where remedial action was required. The clerk said he had asked the PC’s contractor to cut back vegetation where required, and NM had reported other problems to Cornwall Council (CC). Councillors expressed their appreciation of NM’s efforts.

061810

THE GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION

The clerk read out a previously circulated email in which he had outlined to Councillors their new responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 2018. After discussion it was decided that a Data Protection Officer (DPO) would be engaged for at least the first year of the new regime to ensure and oversee compliance with the legislation and that the clerk would liaise with the DPO and do the necessary extra work involved subject to a suitable amendment to his contract to be agreed. The clerk said he had been informed that CC would be offering DPO services he and would pursue the matter. CT proposed the following resolution:

“Gerrans Parish Council acknowledges its responsibilities as a data controller as defined by the Data Protection Act 2018 and resolves to take all necessary steps towards achieving full compliance with the legislation as soon as possible”.

This was seconded by RG and agreed by five votes to nil with one abstention.

061811

FINANCIAL MATTERS

INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT

The clerk produced for review the previously circulated report of the PC’s auditors following their independent internal audit examination, undertaken in respect of the PC’s accounting records and system of internal control for the year ended 31^st March 2018. The stated conclusion of the auditors was that the PC has maintained an effective and accurate system of control, and that the control objectives have been met to a high standard. The auditors further commended the clerk for his meticulous compilation, maintenance and accuracy of Parish records.

RG proposed (seconded JH) that the report be approved. Agreed unanimously.

ANNUAL ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS

The clerk presented for review the previously circulated Accounting Statements for the year ended 31^st March 2018.

RG proposed (seconded JH) that the Statements be approved. Agreed unanimously.

ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT

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.

It was resolved that the outstanding invoices totalling £5,797.02 (including VAT of £171.05) be paid.

BANK RECONCILIATION

The reconciled bank balance as at 25^th May was £54,175.60.

061812

OTHER PARISH MATTERS

1. Any urgent business

– None

2. Matters to be included on the next agenda (not heretofore minuted)

– two benches in need of repair

– judging of Gerrans Primary School competition to design a poster to raise awareness of dog fouling.

3. Minor items for report

The clerk said he had reported pot holes outside the Harbour Club and they were scheduled for repair, but North Parade is classed as a byway and thus allotted lower priority than the adjacent roads.

RG reported a complaint that the footpath below Admiralty Terrace was very uneven. The clerk said he would investigate and report if necessary.

RG also reported complaints that the drains in Churchtown Road needed attention. JG said this could be reported online to CC.

JH said the roadside verges at Trewithian were overgrown. JG said he would investigate.

VN said the peacocks at Trewithian represented a road safety hazard. JG said they were classed as wild birds rather than domestic so no enforcement was possible.

JG also reported CC’s dog wardens had been back for a further visit to the Eshcol Lane area.

 

The meeting closed at 9.10 pm