MEVAGISSEY PARISH COUNCIL
Minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held at the Mevagissey Activity Centre
On Thursday 20th August 2015 at 7pm.
Present Cllrs. M Roberts (Chairman), J Whatty, G Shephard, T Barron, J Barron, J Daniel, N Florence, D Speed.
In Attendance Cllr. J Mustoe (CC), P Howson (Clerk), 3 members of the public,
.
UNRATIFIED UNLESS SIGNED
1a. Apologies received: Cllrs. A Williams, J Morgan, S Hrydziuszka, M Facey, E Chesterfield.
2a. Declarations of interest. None. 2b. Gift Declarations. None.
- Police Report. No report received. PCSO Hemming is away.
- Dog Control Enforcement Report. Report for the period July to August 18th received: “The dog control order (Portmellon) is working really well and is being much appreciated by visitors and local families alike. I have only had to make 5 visitors aware of the ban with no prosecutions. Three of the five people had walked from the woods through the boatyard and climbed down over the steel slipway to the beach and said they had not seen the small dog ban sign. My recommendation would be to increase the size of this sign. I have had no problems from any members of the public and since I lowered the large sign it has not been tampered with. It was such a pleasure to see in excess of 100 people each day on Monday and Tuesday this week using the beach , many of them local people, with no trouble or aggravation from dogs and their owners. David Palk”.
- Points from the Public.
Mr Colin Williams spoke on behalf of his son, who was unable to attend, to ask for the Council’s support in considering Item 10b, saying that the plans had been revised to address the reasons for the previous refusal..
- Minutes of last meeting.
Proposed by Cllr. Shephard, Seconded by Cllr. Speed that the Minutes of 23rd July 2015 be Accepted. Carried.
- Actions from previous meeting:
2015/07/10c: the request to Cornwall Council (CC) to clarify the position of the boundary between the curtilage of Steep House and the paddock has finally produced a statement that the two planning permissions granted on the site relating to a domestic residential access track and a domestic garage resulted in a small increase in size of the domestic curtilage area of ‘Steep House’, and that they do not agree that the integrity of the Paddock has been compromised in a way which would result in further encroachments. The Parish Council is aware that an application in 2005 (C2/05/00296) to extend the curtilage was refused, but that the documentation attached to a 2012 application (PA12/04696) included both versions of the boundary without explanation, and the most recent application, for which the appeal was allowed, shows only the repositioned boundary. It is clear to the Council that errors have been made, but CC have not admitted this and the Planning Inspectorate has declined to comment. Proposed by Cllr. Florence, Seconded by Cllr. Daniel that all avenues having been exhausted, it would now be left to the Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group to establish the limit of the boundary. Carried.
2015/07/10d: the request to Phil Mason to address the Council on architectural design considerations for planning applications was declined, but this topic will be on the agenda for future Planning Conferences which Councillors are encouraged to attend. Also, Council is reminded that Cllr. Shephard’s presentation on this theme is at 2pm on Thursday 3rd September in the Council Chamber at St Austell. David Edmondson (CC Strategic Developments Manager), who is co-ordinating and presenting the next round of Planning Conferences, will be in attendance.
Cllr. Mustoe will approach Phil Mason to continue pressing him to address the Council.
2015/07/15: the Council’s insurance company have quoted £106 pa premium for each of the two public conveniences, should the Council take over their operation. The cover will include subsidence and confirmation would be required that there is no sign of movement and that the buildings are in a good state of repair with no knowledge of subsidence damage in that area in the past. If the cleaning is contracted out the council will need to ensure the company has public liability insurance and a risk assessment for the activity. Somebody will also need to spot check that the contractors are adhering to any procedures they have set down.
2015/07(2)/9: Martin’s Bakery have indicated that they would be willing for the village clock to be hung from their front wall, and the Clerk will progress this in September.
- Ward Member’s report.
- white lines through the village will be repainted within the next two weeks;
- the area around the Commonwealth War Grave, behind the chapel of rest, has been cut and tidied up;
- the replacement of the crash barrier posts at the bottom of School Hill is out for quotes;
- some further trimming of the bank on School Hill has been done;
- Mr Mark Groom (our street cleaner) has been put forward for a commendation award for always going the extra mile;
- The Member has visited Ocean Housing to progress the ongoing problems with Wesley Court (the Chairman has also been active here and is meeting CC and Ocean on site on 21st August).
- Correspondence received.
- Letter from Mrs Diana Littlejohns offering a number of suggestions for improvements around the village.
Clerk to reply, and painting of the memorial railings to be considered at the next meeting.
- Letter from Mr Graham Bulkeley regarding unsafe use of the beach and vehicle parking at Portmellon.
The Chairman will raise with the Harbour Board the possibility of reinstating the sign covering water activities between Penare Point and Chapel Point; Cllr Mustoe will press again for yellow lines at the bottom of Portmellon Park. Clerk to reply to Mr Bulkeley.
- Proposals from H&H Scaffolding for temporary road closures at the Fore Street / Tregoney Hill junction.
See Item 18 below.
- Five day Notice received from the Local Planning Authority (LPA) regarding PA15/06577 (patio and summerhouse at Longpoint, Chapel Point Lane). Proposed by Cllr. Shephard, Seconded by Cllr. Daniel that the LPA should be asked to go back to the applicant for a design which is more sensitive to the landscape, otherwise Cllr. Mustoe will be asked to call it in to Committee. Carried.
- Planning.
10a. PA15/06209 : Extension with the inclusion of an additional Juliette balcony on the front (north east elevation).
Kittiwake Bodrugan Hill Portmellon Mevagissey Cornwall.
Proposed by Cllr. Shephard, Seconded by Cllr. T Barron that the Council has no objections. Carried.
10b. PA15/06183 : Rooms-in-roof addition to existing first floor flat and additional storey above lean-to store to create a dining kitchen for first floor flat. Harbour House Gurnard’s Quay Mevagissey PL26 6UP.
Proposed by Cllr. Florence, Seconded by Cllr. Shephard that the Council does not support this proposal. The existing building is a well-proportioned archetype of the Cornish vernacular, and the proposed changes would be to the detriment of the harbour scape and the Conservation Area as well as to the building itself. Carried.
10c. PA15/02414/PREAPP : Pre-application advice for works to a Listed Building – to replace ground floor sash window and entrance door with new. To remove first floor sash window, increase opening to receive french door with ‘Juliette’ style flat glass balcony attached to front elevation. 2 Sea View Cottages Portmellon Mevagissey PL26 6PJ.
Proposed by Cllr. Daniel, Seconded by Cllr. J Barron that the Council would support this proposal. Carried.
The following planning decisions have been published (included for information only):
10d. PA15/05305 : Erection of new garage and conversion of existing garage to kitchen.
Casma Chapel Point Lane Portmellon. APPROVED
10e. PA15/05340 : Alteration and extensions to dwelling. Hokent Tregoney Hill Mevagissey. APPROVED
10f. PA15/04048 : Proposed new bespoke modern dwelling. Plot 2 The Boatyard Portmellon. APPROVED
10g. PA15/03181 : Demolition of existing derelict dwelling and the front wall and the erection of a five bedroom dwelling house with roof accommodation and basement garage. Tremellyn 59 Polkirt Hill Mevagissey. APPROVED
10h. PA15/06319 : Submission of details to discharge conditions 3, 4 and 8 in respect of decision notice PA13/04433.
Plot 1 Portmellon Park. DISCHARGED.
- Finances
| Bills to Pay | Salaries | £ | 647.38 | ||
| HMRC (Income Tax & NIC) | £ | 207.67 | |||
| VGA cable video converter adapter for laptop | £ | 4.82 | |||
| War memorial gate | £ | 279.00 | |||
| St Andrew’s Church (grant for police room) | £ | 600.00 | |||
| TOTAL | £ | 1,738.87 | |||
| Accounts | Amount available to spend as of last meeting | £ | 27,188.76 | ||
| Expenditure last month | £ | 897.54 | |||
| plus repair to cemetery gate | £ | 45.00 | |||
| plus Mevagissey FC (grant towards defibrillator) | £ | 400.00 | |||
| Public conveniences fund contribution | £ | 2,200.00 | received | ||
| Balance (money in bank) | £ | 28,533.72 | |||
| Unpresented cheques (101188, 89, 93) | £ | 487.50 | |||
| Available to spend | £ | 28,046.22 | |||
| Bank Statements (01/08/2015): | |||||
| Current Account | £ | 2,701.85 | |||
| Deposit Account | £ | 25,831.87 | |||
| TOTAL | £ | 28,533.72 |
Proposed by Cllr. Florence, Seconded by Cllr. J Barron that the accounts be accepted and the bills paid. Carried.
- To receive an update on the Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP). Cllr Shephard reported that revisions to the current draft were ongoing; meetings were imminent with CC to look at the recently produced Landscape Assessment Report, and with the Compliance Officer; and a public meeting would be arranged for late September / early October to present the latest version of the Plan to the community for comment. Cllr. Shephard also pointed out that because the NDP is retaining the existing development area, there is no allocation of land outside this area for affordable homes. Therefore, because the NDP makes no provision for affordable homes, it will be entirely up to the Affordable Housing Committee to cater for this, and it was agreed that Cllr. Florence would lead on this.
- To receive an update on funding for public toilets. The Harbour Trustees are still looking into the legal implications of changes to the operation of the West Wharf toilets. It was noted that there was a £700 shortfall in the required contributions from the business community for keeping the Valley Road facility open until the end of September.
- To agree the response to Cornwall Council’s call for potential housing sites on brownfield land. No sites identified.
- Considerations pertaining to the Valley Road cemetery. See the Ward Member’s report above.
- To agree publication in the Tower and Spire of recent correspondence with Royal Mail.
Proposed by Cllr. Shephard, Seconded by Cllr. Speed that publication is agreed. Carried.
- To agree action(s) following the planning approval of PA15/03181 (59 Polkirt Hill). Cllr. Shephard explained that the original planning application (PA14/06878) had been refused on grounds of highway safety arising from the access to the underground car park, with no acknowledgement of the Parish Council’s objection on architectural design grounds, so that when the subsequent application came before the Planning Committee, and Cllr. Shephard had presented the Parish Council’s case, the Committee was instructed by the attendant Planning Officer that, as the access had been redesigned to address the reason for the previous refusal, they were obliged to approve the application and disregard the Parish Council’s objection. Also, because Polkirt Hill is not classified as a major road, the inevitable disruption was not given sufficient weight. The Clerk was instructed to make a formal complaint to CC on these grounds.
- To accept proposed road closures arising from scaffolding to be erected at junction of Fore Street and Tregoney Hill.
To facilitate general repairs at 5 Fore Street, on the junction with Tregoney Hill, it is proposed that Fore Street will be closed between Lloyds Bank and the Ship Inn on Sunday 1st November between 12.30pm-4.30pm, and Tregoney Hill closed between number 5 and the junction with Fore Street on the same day between 8.30am-12.30pm, for the erection of gantry scaffolding; and that the same length of Fore Street will be closed on Sunday 29th November between 8.30am-12.30pm, and the same length of Tregoney Hill will be closed on the same day between 12.30pm-4.30pm, for the dismantling of the scaffolding.
Proposed by Cllr. Florence, Seconded by Cllr. Speed that the Parish Council agrees to the proposal. Carried.
- To agree the response to Cornwall Council’s Street Trading Review consultation. No comments.
- To receive an update on the Steep House site. See Item 7 above.
- The meeting ended at 9.30pm. Date of next meeting : 17th September 2015.
Signed …………………………………………………………………………….. Dated ………………………………