Minutes of the Ordinary Meeting held on Tuesday 14 January 2025 at 7.30 pm at Woodah Farm

 

Present: Cllr W Hole (Chairman), Cllr J Sawyer, Cllr R Crocker

Clerk: A Miller

1         Welcome and Apologies for Absence

The Chairman welcomed everybody present.

Cllr Salter sent her apologies which was accepted by the Council.

District Cllr Swain sent his apologies.

2         Declarations of Interest / Requests for Dispensations

All parish councillors present declared pecuniary interests in agenda item 6.2 and requested dispensations for this meeting.

Resolved The Council unanimously agreed to give the dispensations on the basis that without the dispensations the number of persons unable to participate in the transaction of business would be so great as to impede the transaction of the business.

 

Open Forum

None.

3         County and District Councillors’ Report

District Cllr Swain’s report regarding the government’s plan to establish unitary councils instead of separate county and district councils in Devon was sent to parish councillors prior to the meeting. The Parish Council agreed that there is a lot of uncertainty regarding the future structure of local government and the timing of local elections.

4         Ratification of Minutes of Previous Meeting

Resolved The Minutes of the Ordinary Council meeting of 12 November 2024 was unanimously accepted as a true record.

The Chairman signed the Minutes.

5         To Note Planning Decisions

• 24/01414/FUL Middle Hills – Change of use of stable/barn for storage and haulage, replacement storage building and rebuild of an office/workshop (retrospective) – permission granted
• 24/01466/FUL Batts Brook – Ground mounted solar panels – permission granted
• 24/01700/HOU and 24/01701/LBC Batts Brook – Erection of lower ground floor extension, internal alterations and conversion of garage to additional accommodation – permission granted
• 24/01733/VAR Eastern Hill Farm – Variation of condition 2 on planning application 22/01443/NPA (Application for Prior Approval under Part 3 Class Q (a) & (b) and paragraph W of the GPDO for change of use of an agricultural building from agricultural use to a dwelling) to amend the design – permission granted
• 24/01050/FUL Spanish Lake Farm – Dwelling (replacement of the dwelling approved by consent reference 22/01244/NPA) – permission granted

 

The Parish Council discussed the latest information regarding the Local Plan Review – the Inspector sent an email to the Planning Authority, but there was no specific remark regarding Doddiscombsleigh.

6         To Discuss Finance

6.1       To Receive a Finance Report and to Approve the Bank Reconciliation

The total bank balance on 31 December 2024 was £17,102.67. After deducting the amount of earmarked funds and grants, the general reserve was £6,032.28.

The VAT refund of £391.10 was credited to the current account.

An interest of £107.19. was credited to the savings account. The interest rate on the savings account is decreasing – it was 2.75% when the account was opened in June 2024, in November 2024 it was reduced to 2.6% and in February 2025 it will be 2.5%.

Resolved The Parish Council approved the bank reconciliation.

The Parish Council noted the Budget – Actual Receipts and Payments Report.

6.2       Budget and Precept for the 2025/26 Financial Year

The Parish Council discussed the proposed budget which appears at the Appendix to these Minutes. The Council considered inflation, the level of its general reserves and the increasing difficulties and uncertainty of receiving grant funding from outside sources.

Resolved The Council unanimously accepted the budget with the estimated cost of £9,663 and with a net increase of £454 in the earmarked reserves.

Resolved The Council unanimously agreed to set the precept at £8,867 and decided to increase the council tax by £3.15 for a band D property to cover the expected operational costs and the increase in earmarked reserves.

Resolved The Council unanimously agreed to put the amount of unspent budgeted training costs into an earmarked reserve at the end of the financial year to help with future training expenses.

6.3       Approval of Expenditure

Venue hire 14 January 2025 £10.00

Defibrillator battery £348.01

Teign Unity subscription for office £7.50

Card monthly fee November – December 2024 £6.00

Unity Bank account fee Oct – Nov 2024 £12.00

Defibrillator power supply repair £80.00

Drain clearing November 2024 £100.00

Drain clearing December 2024 £100.00

Clerk’s salary and expenses £1,304.63

Website fee 2025 £336.00

Office mobile top up £5.00

Resolved The Council unanimously approved the expenditures.

7         To Receive Reports and Updates

7.1       To Receive a Highways Update

The Parish Council discussed the lengthsman’s report and the damage caused by recent storms. The Parish Council was of the opinion that the cleaning task after storms and heavy rainfalls is beyond a lengthsman’s or a landowner’s capacity and Devon County Council should clear the roads after storms. The Neighbourhood Highways Officer’s feedback for the parish’s request was that specific funding for storm damage is used up fast, and any flood or damage related to a storm needs to be reported within 48 hours on Devon County Council’s website.

The warning lights at the School sign do not work. A solar panel should supply the electricity for the lights. Clerk to report the problem to Devon County Council.

7.2       To Receive a Parish Path Partnership and Footpath Update

There is a new Public Rights of Way Officer for the area.

The deadline for sending the bids for next year’s projects is in March 2025.

7.3       To Receive an Update about Positioning a Cycle Rack in the Centre of the Village

The estimated cost of the project is £250. County Cllr Brook indicated during a phone call that he is ready to support the project. The Parish Council’s insurance covers third party liability. The Parish Council decided to continue with the project.

7.4       To Receive an Update about the Defibrillator

Since the last meeting the electricity supply of the defibrillator cabinet has been repaired, and a new defibrillator battery has been installed instead of the expired one.

8         Clerk’s Correspondence

A date for the community litter pick will be discussed at the next meeting.

9         Date of Next Meeting

11 February 2025

10     Chairman’s Remarks

The Chairman thanked everybody for their participation and closed the meeting at 8.33 pm.

 

 

 

 

Signed…………………………………………………………

Chair

 

Date

 

 

 

 

 

APPENDIX

Budget for 2025/26
	Proposed
Known Costs	Budget
	2025/26
Clerk`s salary with HMRC payment	£4,500
Clerk`s milage	£30
Clerk`s home working allowance	£120
HMRC agent (T P Jones)	£75
DALC and SLCC contribution	£230
Information Commissioner	£35
Insurance	£360
Admin, stationery & postage	£80
Hire of venue for meetings	£240
Training	£300
Chairman’s Allowance	£100
Bank account fee	£120
Website	£280
Software: MS 365, antivirus, laptop check	£120
Defibrillator pads / battery / repair	£155
Mobile phone and top ups	£60
Other	£8
Operational costs	£6,813
Projects:
Contingency for projects	£750
Down Lane	£1,000
Lengthsman/Drain clearing	£1,000
Lengthsman/Other	£100
Projects	£2,850
Total costs	£9,663
FUNDING
Payments from grants/donations
Down Lane – CIL or grants	£1,000
Grant payments total:	£1,000
Interest on savings account	£250
Using up reserves / earmarking reserves:
Defibrillator pads and battery	£4
Bus shelter	£0
Website	£0
Office equipment / Laptop	£100
Raised footpath maintenance	£50
Uncontested elections	£100
Notice board, maintenance	£50
Bench maintenance	£50
Telephone box maintenance	£50
Mobile phone replacement	£50
Recommended additional reserves total	£454
Precept	£8,867
Total expected costs + earmarking reserves – grants -interest
Council tax:	£58.72
Next year estimated tax base	151
New council tax: precept/tax base	£58.72
This year’s council tax:	£55.57
Current precept:	£8,224