Minutes for a meeting of Dunkeswell Parish Council held in the Village Hall at 7.30pm, Monday 15^th March 2010.

 

Present:          Cllrs Mr G Sworder (Chairman), Mr J Barrow (Vice Chairman), Mrs B Russell and Mrs V Keitch, Mssrs M Stevens, B Procter, A Luscombe, County Councillor Mr Paul Diviani,
District Councillor Mr Bob Buxton, PCSO Anning 30012 and five members of the public.

Apologies:             Cllr C Sumpter and PC Vickery 4783.

All councillors are politely reminded of their obligation to declare interests under the Code of Conduct.

In making decisions the Parish Council recognise their statutory duties provided for in Section 11A(2) of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 (National Parks) and Section 85 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (AONBs) that in exercising or performing any functions in relation to, or so as to affect, land, they shall have regard to their purposes (ie conserve and enhance their natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage and to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of their special qualities by the public).

           

1.1            Minutes of the previous meeting held in the Village Hall on Monday 15^th February 2010 were signed as a correct record of that meeting. AGREED

1.2            Apologies AS ABOVE

2            PLANNING

(http://planning.eastdevon.gov.uk/PublicAccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_searchform.aspx )

2.1            Decisions (for information)

1. 09/2473/OUT Land adjacent Ball Knapp – permission refused for erection of six bungalows, due to positioning in open countryside outside building boundary.

 

2.2            Applications (for comment – support or objection)

1. 10/0279/COU Royal Oak Inn – change of use from pub to dwelling COMMENTS: The parish Councils view remains unchanged and they feel the retention of the village pub is important to the community and that the pub could succeed in different hands.
2. 10/0454/FUL Fancy Farm – conversion of two barns to units of holiday accommodation including re-roofing COMMENTS: No objections although it was noted there would need to be provision made for bats.
3. 09/0475/FUL 24 Liberator Way – ground floor side extension COMMENTS: no objections
1. Enforcement
1. copy letter EDDC - Rosemary Cottage – reminder of conditions imposed that within four months of permission certain works must be complete (further two months grace granted)
2. copy letter EDDC – 36 Manley’s Lane regarding fence on top of shed, letter outlines rule that a domestic fence higher than 2m requires planning permission (or 1m adjacent the highway).  Owner asked to remove it or apply for retrospective planning permission for the fence.
2. Parish Plan – meeting Monday 8^th March 2010 at 6pm in The Village Hall – report. Next meeting Monday 12^th April 2010 at 6pm. There were over 500 initial questions sheets collected including those from the youth club and preschool children, these will now be collated into a summary and then a full questionnaire produced for discussion.
3. Conservation Area – The parish council have still been awaiting a summary of the added benefits and equally the draw backs.  It is felt strongly that a full and proper consultation should be held for the airfield businesses which will be affected.  The letters to business owners have only just been received so the parish council will also request an extension to the consultation period.
4. EDDC Local Development Framework meeting – attended by GNS – the main question to be answered are whether the parish requires more housing and or employment land. Decided to ask this direct question in the parish plan use the answers to reply.

 

1. HIGHWAYS AND TRAFFIC
1. to receive issues to report – Speeding, traffic calming and speedwatch issues – Inspector Pryce D&CC and Paul Wilson of DCC Highways are meeting with GNS and PCSO Anning this week to discuss the practicalities that police will only enforce where there are engineered solutions.

DCC Highway Winter maintenance Committee has been an interesting group that Paul Diviani has been representing our interests.

Clerk has repeatedly requested C131 potholes to be filled, but there was nearly half a lorry load of tar dumped in the lay by rather than the potholes on the last visit.

Cllr Keitch explained that the shop signs will be moved shortly as no highways response has been received.

Lenthsman to be informed all ditches not cleaned last time are in need, the parish generally feel that the lengthsman needs to be clearing or checking all the problem areas on every visit, this does not seem to happen.

 

FOOTPATHS AND BRIDLEWAYS – nothing to report

ENVIRONMENT– nothing to report

 

COMMUNITY FACILITIES   

1. Community policing report – PCSO Anning – criminal damage to four coaches and also the new notice board at the Sports field. There are several youths which have been driving in a reckless or alarming manner, they will be issued with a section 59 order which grants a power to the police to confiscate the offenders car at any time within the following 12 months.  Parishioners are asked to report this sort of behaviour.
2. Playgrounds/Sports field/ Allotments – opening went well, virtually all invoices are now settled, there are still the final legal fees to be settled, but there is still a residue in the funds that should cover that. There is the possibility of a sustainability grant of up to £3500 for equipment to maintain the field, training for the use of machinery and other items. The DCP&LG wish to assign the New Century Park lease to the parish council, Mr Throgmorton has been asked and is in agreement so written confirmation will be sought to satisfy the lease terms.
3. Halls – no report this time
4. Emergency Plan – nothing to report
5. Proposed Bus Shelter Manleys Lane – for future discussion
6. Letter from a parishioner asking that in recognition of the fundraising efforts of the then Parishioners towards providing their '"Winston Churchill Playing Field", the Parish Council might consider honoring their success by reintroducing that name on any signage (please see attached history of the site supplied by Mr Jeff Marshall supporting this request). It was agreed that this was a correct record and the name will be preserved.

 

FINANCE      

1. Receipts -             Groundworks UK (funding for MUGA)                         £9151.25

Groundworks UK (funding for MUGA)                                    £1619.52

EDDC (MUGA)                                                                        £650.00

DCC P3 Grant                                                                         £800.00

1. Cheque payments –

EDDC (dog bins)                                                                        £396.56

R J Buxton (storage of records)                                                £24.00

MUGA/Sports field

Wicksteeds (MUGA)                                                                        £9780.71

Village and Urban (MUGA)                                                            £1077.48

John Barrow (work on MUGA)                                                £299.03

John Howard (work on MUGA)                                                £76.00

John Barrow (Trees MUGA)                                                            £385.98

John Howard (Trees MUGA)                                                            £206.02

Expenses and costs open day (MUGA)                                    £230.50

Perrie Hale (MUGA)                                                                        £1315.46

Brian Marshall (MUGA)                                                            £500.00

Highfield Sports and Social Club (MUGA open day)                        £55.55

DCP&LG (MUGA)                                                                        £40.75

Honiton Photographic (MUGA open day)                                    £13.05

SMP (balance of payment MUGA)                                                £292.76

Donations:            EDCAB                                                                                  £50.00

                        Honiton Library                                                                      £50.00

                        Honiton Mobile Library                                                 £50.00

                        ED victim Support                                                             £50.00

                        Ring and Ride                                                                                  £50.00
                                    (cheques agreed)

Account balances – Parish Account at 1/3/10 - £36,516.04 includes the following:

 

P3 balance of funds - £800.00   

Parish Plan SDF funds - £1399.96, plus £1500 pc match funding = total £2899.96 remains unspent

 

 

1. Ward meeting - Dunkeswell 12^th April 2010 7.30pm – Hastoe representative to be invited to speak.
2. EDDC Code of Conduct Briefing Session – Tuesday 27^th April 2010 9.30am – 12.30pm (plus a further session for clerks 1.15pm – 2.15pm) the session is free of charge and you will be provided with tea and coffee but are asked to bring your own lunch. Please inform clerk if you can attend.
1. Honiton Town Council –meeting of parishes 7pm, Thursday 11^th March 2010 regarding LDF, this was not attended as chairman had already attended similar meeting at Awliscombe

 

QUESTIONS FROM THE PUBLIC (The meeting to be closed before questions from the public).

 

Residents of Manleys Lane congratulated the Parish council and the compliment was reciprocated on their work to have the surface completed.

Dates for next meetings –    

Parish Plan: 
12^th April 2010            6pm                                                                             Dunkeswell Village Hall

Planning Applications:             

19^th April 2010            7 – 7.30pm                                                                        Dunkeswell Village Hall

Parish Council:                     

19^th April 2010            Parish Council Meeting 7.30pm                                    Dunkeswell Village Hall

 

 

The Origins of the Village Playing Field

 

It's many years since I researched this subject.  It was a result of comments I received from a number of the older residents in the Village after the Council had erected the sign at the Playing Field.  The one consistent factor in the answers I received when I tried to get some detail was that Frank Canniford had been involved.

 

From having approaching Frank and his telling me his recollections of the events, I researched the Parish Council Minute Books of the time.  I found not one contradictory indication in them.  Edwin Froggatt and Malcolm Stevens were also involved and, similarly they confirmed their involvements.  And, in 2002, I started down to the Village intending to give you my resulting text. 

 

Having been waylaid en route, I never reached the village and you, and went on to forget the matter. 

 

It's come to mind occasionally over they years; usually at times when I was interrupted shortly after putting the computer on.   This time I'm determined that it will reach you.

The Origins of the Village (Winston Churchill) Playing Field

 

            In the mid 1960's, the Village Post Office was run by the Mr Vesty (Post Master) with Mrs 'Winny' Vesty looking after the Counter Service.  A lady of conscience and concern for others, and particularly for children, the Counter area became a breeding ground for projects beneficial for the Village population.  Consequentially, the initial enquiry about a 'Village Playground' has been attributed to her.

 

The Parish Council Minutes for 1/9/1964 (p214) (Signed: H J Williams 11-3-65) record the receipt of a letter, “asking if it were possible to get a playing Field in the Village”.  The Council in turn invoked a 'Parish Meeting' to 'assess opinion'. 

 

At this Parish Meeting, the land “adjoining the Church” (*1) was voiced as the most suitable and a volunteer committee formed, comprising Mr Vesty Chairman, Mrs Vesty Hon Sec, with Mrs Berry, Mrs Marks, Mrs Neill, Mrs “Bandywiskyu”, Mr “Froggurt” and Mr F.Canniford.  At the next Council Meeting, 16/3/1965, the foundation of the "Winston Churchill Fund" towards a "Childrens' Playing Field in the Village" was passed

 

Mr Canniford stressed that, though he was a Parish Councillor, he acted as an individual on this Committee; the Council was not involved in any way in any of the events that were staged, or collections made, towards raising funds.  The project Committee was responsible for any and all achievements.  Fund raising efforts started immediately.  The general recollection of the volunteers is of a hectic round of activities including door-to-door collections which took in the most outlying farms and properties, and the attention of every caller at the Post Office was drawn to a collection box ie a total community contribution.  (Des & Eileen Marks were always to the fore at the Fetes and outdoor events, Des Marks recording the proceedings with his 16mm cine camera.)

 

At the same time, the Church was recognising the limited amount of further burial space in its graveyard and was giving consideration to the section of land between the East end of the Church and the field entrance for that purpose.  The transfer of this section of land was completed first and followed the next day by the purchase of the Playing Field area on behalf of the Parish Council.

 

Neither the land acquisition nor any subsequent installation of equipment etc, was minuted in that period.  To paraphrase Frank Canniford, "The Committee had no legal standing; the Parish Council was the only body which could be a Trustee and as such it acted in the transfer" (30/8/1965); the monies being taken and handed to the Solicitors by a Committee member.

 

Immediately after the completions, the villagers sprang into action again.  And, while they were clearing the trees from the Playing Field area and tidying it, the Dutch Barn adjacent the end of the Church was dismantled and relocated to Connetts Farm by Malcolm Stevens.  The residue of the monies collected and subsequent contributions was used to fund grass-cutting and maintenance.

 

Edwin Froggatt's Froggatt Engineering Works promptly donated the manufacture and installation of the Childrens' swings and the removable safety barriers (removed, but not returned, in more recent years, by person or persons unknown) at the entrance.

 

At this time there was no Speed Limit through the Village, a matter of repeated concern in the Council Minutes. During the late 1960's, a Company, off The Steep, was making Concrete Pre-fabricated Building Sections.  This meant a continuous passage of large Goods Vehicles to and fro, between there and Chapel Cross, through the Village.  At a Parish Meeting, Aug 22. 1967, "Mr Vesty suggested that could money be found, danger signs for the playing field entrance, would be erected by the playing field Committee". 

 

Children in particular were at risk and, in consequence, Mr Edwin Froggatt took a more positive action to protect his daughter and her friends.  He loosened one side of one of his Little Tencery boundary fence panels to enable safe access to the Field for them.  This quickly came to the attention of the Parish Clerk, who saw it simply as Trespass.  At its next Meeting, 25/3/1968, the Council required  therefore that a letter be written to Mr Froggatt "with regard to any right of way from his place into the playing field".

 

Mr Froggatt's reply was noted at the next Meeting, 29/4/1968, ie that "he required NO rights of way from Little Tencery to the Playing field or Vice Versa".  Also included with the letter was the Deed of Gift of a swing to the Parish Council now erected in the Playing field.  Mr Vestey proposed, Mr Ralph seconded, that the above mentioned letter be lent to Playing Field Committee to read, then to be returned to the Parish Council for safe keeping thereafter."  (Mr Froggatt subsequently replaced the wooden panel fence with the stone wall which continues to stand.)

 

The Committee continued funding grass cutting and maintenance until all its monies were spent.

 

The first record of a Parish Council Payment related to the Playing Field is recorded for 24/3/1969 when a subscription of £1/0/0 was made to the Devon Playing Fields Association, followed by a Payment of £3/0/0.to EM Insurance for "Playing Field Liability".  As of 29/6/1970 the record is of a payment of £5/0/0. to N E M Insurance*, identified as National Employers Mutual Insurance, in the 25/5/1972 reference for "Playing Field Public Liability".

 

In the Parish Meeting (20/3/1973) discussions of the land, the Council’s position was minuted ie “piece of ground at the Playing field and rented to the Parish Council as trustees of the Playing field”.  And the next Parish Meeting (14/5/1973) approved an increase in rates, if necessary, to cover the various expenses needed to maintain the Playing Field.

 

 

*1  The field had been on the market for some years.  Edwin Froggatt had been approached more than once and had eventually purchased the section which extended his plot - aligning the end of his garden with the end of the (old) Post Office plot, erecting a wooden panel fence across to the Church wall. 

Also, Peter Clist had purchased the plot on which he would later build 'Mowbarton'.

 

With Acknowledgements to -

Frank Canniford, Edwin Froggatt, and all those residents who contributed recollections, and Devon County Archives, for access to and the loan of relevant Parish Council Minute Books.