Annual Meeting of the Parish Council 6th May 2026

The following Councillors are summoned to attend:

Cllr J. Abbey, Cllr I. Mitchelmore, Cllr T. Fletcher, Cllr J. Harris, Cllr S. Lange, Cllr I. Luscombe, Cllr P. Osborne and Cllr G. Sutton.

Cllr J. Brazil, Cllr L. Lawford and members of the public are invited to attend.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Monday 13th April 2026, in Slapton Village Hall (main hall), at 7.00 pm.

The public comment section is 15 minutes in duration with 3 minutes allocated per person. If any parishioners wish to speak in relation to a matter on the agenda, please contact the clerk by email clerk@slaptonparishcouncil-devon.gov.uk 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be held on Wednesday 6th May 2026, in Slapton Village Hall (main hall), at 7.00 pm.

AGENDA

1) ELECTION OF THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR

2) APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: Does the PC resolve to accept the reasons for apologies for absence from…?

3) DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Councillors are invited to declare any disclosable interest they may have in any items to be considered. They are also reminded to consider whether, in the light of recent activities, any items within their Register of Interests should be updated.

4) PUBLIC COMMENT

5)COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORTS

a. Cllr J. Brazil

b. Cllr L. Lawford

6) MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 13th April 2026, if agreed, to be signed by the Chair as a true and correct record. (See separate document 6).

7) PLANNING

a. Applications (for resolution):

i. 1084/26/VAR 8 Chantry Hill Slapton TQ7 2QY

Application for Variation of a Condition 2 (Approved Plans) of planning consent 0629/25/HHO

PC comment by 28th May 2026

b) Decisions (for information):

i. 0369/26/VAR Home Farm Wood Lane Slapton TQ7 2Q

Application for variation of conditions 2 (Approved Plans), 4 (Landscape Scheme) & 5 (Drainage Scheme) of planning consent 2444/25/HHO

SHDC decision: Approved

ii. 0095/26/VAR 8 Chantry Hill Slapton TQ7 2QY

T1: Application for variation of condition 2 (Approved Plans) of planning consent 0629/25/HHO – Proposed side extension and remodelling of existing dwelling

SHDC decision: Approved

iii. 0268/26/ARC Brook Cottage, Brook Street, Slapton, TQ7 2PW

Application for approval of details reserved by condition 3 (Rear Door) of planning consent 3645/25/LBC

SHDC decision: Approved

d. Withdrawn: None

8) MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION

a. A379 Slapton Line

b. Defibrillator training

c. Proposals made to Parish Council

d. Annual Parish Meeting

e. Office expenses

f. Complaints

9) PROPOSALS RESOLUTION

a. Asset Register (See separate document 9a)

b. Governance – to review and approve the following policies:

i. Complaints Policy (See separate document 9b i), amended clerk’s address

ii. Disciplinary Policy, no amendments (See separate document 9b ii)

iii. Equality and Diversity Policy, no amendments (See separate document 9b iii)

iv. Data Policy, no amendments (See separate document 9b iv)

c. Insurance renewal (See separate document 9c)

d. Delegation of purchase of IT services and licences to the Clerk, with approval of the Chair, for total expenditure of less than an agreed amount, in line with the SPC Financial Regulations V3.

e. Co-option: Does the PC wish to co-opt Jenny Hallett onto the Council?

10) CLERK’S REPORT: Update from Clerk on matters arising since April’s PC meeting

11) CHAIR’S REPORT: Update from Chair on matters arising since April’s PC meeting

12) COUNCILLOR REPORTS: Update from Cllrs on matters arising since April’s PC meeting

13) REVIEW OF ACTION LOG: Status update (see separate document 13)

14) FINANCIAL MATTERS

a. Payments to approve: Does the PC approve the payments below, which have been examined, verified and certified by the Clerk and RFO? (see separate document 14a)

Payment no	Details of payment	Amount GBP	Paid for noting
13	Lloyds: Service Charge	4.25	DD
14	Amazon: Laptop. Invoice no 1C041126/26, dated 14th April 2026	479.99	CARD
15	Amazon: Laptop. Invoice no 10678, dated 17th April 2026	479.99	CARD
16	Slapton Village Hall: Parish Council Meeting. Invoice no 1C041126/26, dated 14th April 2026	20.00
17	Future Client: Village signs. Invoice no 10678, dated 17th April 2026. Reimburse Cllr P Osborne	474.00
18	DALC: Getting Starting With AI Webinar. Invoice no 7636, dated 23rd April 2026	42.00
19	Haddy’s: Stakes. Invoice SI-44124, dated 22nd April 2026. Reimburse Cllr P Osborne	22.32

 *Additional invoices received after the agenda has been issued will be available for review at the meeting 

 b. Balance at bank 

 

Balance as per bank statements on 28.04.26	Amount GBP
Community Account	17,454.76
Commercial Instant Access Account	14,458.97
Total	31,613.73

 c. Receipts summary  

 

Receipts as per bank statements on 31.01.26	Amount GBP
Community Account	14,015.00
Commercial Instant Access Account   March interest 5.52	6.14
Total	14,021.14

 The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on
Monday 1st June 2026 at 7.00 pm at Slapton Village Hall (main hall).  

 Signed: Hannah Iles, Clerk Date: 29.04.26 

Those in attendance: Cllr J. Abbey (Chair), Cllr I. Mitchelmore (Vice Chair), Cllr T. Fletcher, Cllr S. Lange, Cllr G. Sutton, Cllr J. Harris (arrived  at 19.31), Jennifer Hallett was also in attendance and was co-opted onto the council. 

 The meeting commenced at 7.05pm 

DRAFT MINUTES 

1. ELECTION OF THE CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR 

Councillor Lange proposed, Cllr Sutton seconded and the council unanimously agreed to elect Cllr Abbey as chair and Cllr Mitchelmore as vice chair. Cllr Abbey and Cllr Mitchelmore signed their Declarations of the Acceptance of Office in the presence of the Clerk.  

2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: The council accepted apologies from Cllr Osborne and acknowledged apologies from Cllr Brazil and Cllr Lawford. Cllr I Luscombe was also absent.

3.DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Councillors were invited to declare any disclosable interest they may have in any items to be considered. None were stated. 

4. PUBLIC COMMENT None 

5. COUNTY AND DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORTS 

a) Cllr J. Brazil – No report received 

b) Cllr L. Lawford – No report received 

6. MINUTES OF THE MONTHLY PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 13th April 2026, were unanimously agreed by the council and agreed and signed by the chair as a true and accurate record.  

7. PLANNING   

a) Applications (for resolution):  

i. 1084/26/VAR 8 Chantry Hill Slapton TQ7 2QY  

Application for Variation of a Condition 2 (Approved Plans) of planning consent 0629/25/HHO 

PC comment by 28th May 2026 

Council do not wish to comment. 

b) Decisions (for information):  

i. 0369/26/VAR Home Farm Wood Lane Slapton TQ7 2Q 

Application for variation of conditions 2 (Approved Plans), 4 (Landscape Scheme) & 5 (Drainage Scheme) of planning consent 2444/25/HHO 

SHDC decision: Approved 

ii. 0095/26/VAR 8 Chantry Hill Slapton TQ7 2QY 

T1: Application for variation of condition 2 (Approved Plans) of planning consent 0629/25/HHO – Proposed side extension and remodelling of existing dwelling 

SHDC decision: Approved

iii. 0268/26/ARC Brook Cottage, Brook Street, Slapton, TQ7 2PW 

Application for approval of details reserved by condition 3 (Rear Door) of planning consent 3645/25/LBC 

SHDC decision: Approved 

d. Withdrawn: None 

8. MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION 

a. A379 Slapton Line – Cllr Abbey attended the SLP Inland Road Network working group. There are ten routes and currently Devon Highways have £1 million available. The north to south routes are being prioritised.  The representative from Highways who was in attendance was very good and has taken on board parish council suggestions. There will be further surveys from the ground and using drones. Work will be completed in five or six tranches and Devon Highways plan to start with section 3 on their map, which encompasses the Port Lane from Chillington to Coles Cross. Cllr Abbey shared the maps with councillors prior to this meeting. Meeting attendees were invited to offer opinions on whether Highways should start with the easier green sections (passable but not sufficient for vehicles to pass easily) to get as many completed as quickly as possible or with ambers/reds (where it is very tight) to reduce pinch points. Overall attendees thought that the red/amber sections should be prioritised. Highways were non-committal with their opinion but are going to come back with a plan. Highways are also aiming for line of sight from one passing place to the next unless there is a bend between. Deer Bridge will be one of the last tranches due to the land purchases necessary to widen the road adequately. At the meeting Cllr Abbey requested that landowners were approached at an early stage, so that agreements would already be in place when the other tranches are complete. Councillors are pleased with the communication from the Highway’s representative. Lou Hoskins will be arranging for the recommended routes map to be added to the SLP website, this will be sent to parishes to share. 

The route treatment works will be completed during the best weather conditions, with work planned to take place overnight to minimise disruption. 

Cllr Harris arrived. 

Cllr Abbey and Cllr Mitchelmore attended the Slapton Alliance meeting. It is apparent that the representatives want the A379 to be repaired and consequently they are trying to keep the Slapton Line in the media. There will be an organised walk from Strete Gate to Torcross on Monday 25th May 2026. 

The council have received several requests for more road signs around the parish to dissuade drivers of larger vehicles from entering unsuitable roads, where they are either blocking the highway or using private property to turn. The councillor discussed the need for a consistent approach to current and future requests taking into account residents frustrations with vehicles, costs and also the visual impact of too many signs. The PC note that responsibility for road signage sits with highways. The Parish Council will continue to highlight road issues to Devon County Council but they will not supply any more signs at the present time. The Parish Council will provide the details of the company who produced the current signs for residents to purchase and erect on private property. Highways have previously indicated that signs on private property, that do not obstruct the highway will not be removed. 

Councillors discussed suitable dates for the defibrillator training and proposed either 3rd, 10th or 17th June to start at 7.30pm. The clerk will email Sarah Osborne at the Village Hall and the defibrillator training provider to agree a date. 

Clerk to action 

Councillors discussed a new form with guidance notes to be used for all future proposals presented to the council to ensure that councillors have all the information they need to make decisions and to ensure transparency and consistency. The Clerk will send the sample form to councillors to be agreed at the June meeting 

Clerk to action 

b) Cllr Brazil, Cllr Lawford, Lou Hoskins and a representative from the FSC have or will be invited to speak at the Annual Parish Meeting. The council will ask for a short statement from the FSC and a brief Q&A session. The clerk will email Lou Hoskins and Kate Payne to confirm attendance. Cllr Lange will try to arrange for pizzas to be supplied and Cllr Osborne will be asked to arrange the drinks from the village shop. The council will produce a booklet of the report with five copies of to be printed and a copy to be uploaded on the website. 

Cllr Lange and Clerk to action 

c) Office expenses – councillors agreed that the clerk will submit expenses claims forms for the portion of the printing subscription used by the Parish Council. 

d) Complaints – A complaint was received by the clerk and investigated in line with the complaints policy. Councillors were given a summary of the complaint and discussed lessons learned. Councillors agreed to put in place a procedure for the handling of proposals to ensure a fair, consistent and transparent process. The reason that the complaint could not be investigated further was explained to the complainant, who acknowledged the reason provided. 

9) PROPOSALS RESOLUTION 

a) Asset Register – Cllr Sutton proposed, Cllr Fletcher seconded and it was resolved unanimously that the PC would approve the new version of the asset register. 

b) Governance – Cllr Lange proposed, Cllr Mitchelmore seconded and it was resolved unanimously that the PC would approve the following policies: 

i. Complaints Policy – amended clerk’s address 

ii. Disciplinary Policy, no amendments 

iii. Equality and Diversity Policy, no amendments 

iV. Data Policy, no amendments 

c) Insurance renewal – Councillors discussed the sum insured against the total reinstatement value on the fixed asset register. The Clerk will attempt to resolve the matter of the insurance liability for the phone box. Two other insurance companies were approached for quotes. Cllr Abbey proposed, Cllr Lange seconded and it was resolved unanimously that the PC would accept the three year renewal quote from the current insurance provider. 

d) Delegation of purchase of IT services and licenses – Cllr Sutton proposed and Cllr Fletcher seconded and the PC unanimously agreed to delegate the purchase of IT services and licenses for the two new laptops to the Clerk, with approval of the Chair, for total expenditure of less than an agreed amount, in line with the SPC Financial Regulations V3. 

e) Co-option – Jennifer Hallett left the room while the PC discussed whether they wished to co-opt her onto the Council. Cllr Mitchelmore proposed, Cllr Fletcher seconded and the PC unanimously resolved to co-opt Jennifer Hallett onto the council. Cllr Hallett signed the Declaration of the Acceptance of Office in the presence of the Clerk.  

10 . CLERK’S REPORT: Nick Mathias has kindly agreed to extend the current road warden and grass cutting contracts. Caroline Voaden MP has received no update about the funding for the sea defences in front of the homes at Torcross. 

11. CHAIR’S REPORT:  Ian Tomlinson has just been renewed but will be reviewed at the beginning of 2027. Potential meeting with experts who can present on the Slapton Line, Cllr Abbey will gauge village interest at the APM. Cllr Abbey completed first session of DALC AI training, looking at the different AI models and how to phrase questions to get the best response. Cllr Abbey has been liaising with the FSC to share concerns over coach travel and parking in the village. The communication is ongoing but councillors query whether the FSC have assessed the risk to other road users. 

12. COUNCILLOR REPORTS:  

Cllr Sutton attended the DALC cluster connect webinar. Notes shared with councillors before the meeting. Feedback from councils already in a cluster were positive, noting they feel stronger as a group. The downside is that it is another meeting for the clerk or chair to attend. There was general concern over the potential impact of devolution on council workload. 

Cllr Lange has contact six different surveyors for the bus stop and they have all refused to survey the potential bus stop site. 

Cllr Harris has taken delivery of the scalpings, invoice to be sent to the clerk when received. A team of volunteers will need to be established along with a plan for which areas to fill and then the required machinery will be sourced. Flooding works cannot be carried out until the field of hay is cut. 

13. REVIEW OF ACTION LOG: See clerk and councillors reports for updates 

14. FINANCIAL MATTERS  

a) Payments to approve: Councillors attention was drawn to payment 17. In accordance with the council’s adopted Financial Regulations 8.2. Personal credit or debit cards of members or staff shall not be used except for expenses of up to £250 including VAT. The payment will be made on the occasion but in future Cllr Osborne must adhere to the Financial Regulations. Payments to Cllr Osborne will be made on completion of an expenses claim form. Cllr Abbey proposed, Cllr Lange Seconded and it was resolved unanimously to approve the payments below. 

 

Payment no	Details of payment	Amount GBP	Paid for noting
13	Lloyds: Service Charge	4.25	DD
14	Amazon: Laptop. Invoice no GB62PIX3RAEUI, dated 14th April 2026	479.99	CARD
15	Amazon: Laptop. Invoice no GB62PIX9RAEUI, dated 17th April 2026	479.99	CARD
16	Slapton Village Hall: Parish Council Meeting. Invoice no 1C041126/26, dated 14th April 2026	20.00
17	Future Client: Village signs. Invoice no 10678, dated 17th April 2026. Reimburse Cllr P Osborne	474.00
18	DALC: Getting Starting With AI Webinar. Invoice no 7636, dated 23rd April 2026	42.00
19	Haddy’s: Stakes. Invoice SI-44124, dated 22nd April 2026. Reimburse Cllr P Osborne	22.32
20	VC Warehouse: Invoice no 1017134, dated 1st May 2026	11.94	DD
21	Slapton Village Hall: Invoice no C051181/26, dated 1st May 2026	20.00
22	Nick Matthias: Invoice no INV-2279, dated 3rd May 2026. Grass cutting.	406.25
23	Nick Matthias: Invoice no INV-2282, dated 3rd May 2026. Road warden tasks.	366.47
24	Clerks April wages	551.76
25	HMRC Month 1, ending 05/05/2026	131.20
26	Woolston Accounts: INV-1136, dated 30th April 2026. Monthly payroll	20.00

 

*Additional invoices received after the agenda has been issued will be available for review at the meeting 

b) Balance at bank 

 

Balance as per bank statements on 28.04.26	Amount GBP
Community Account	17,454.76
Commercial Instant Access Account	14,458.97
Total	31,613.73

c) Receipts summary  

 

Receipts as per bank statements on 31.01.26	Amount GBP
Community Account	14,015.00
Commercial Instant Access Account   March interest 5.52	6.14
Total	14,021.14

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on
Monday 1st June 2026 at 7.00 pm at Slapton Village Hall (main hall).  

The meeting closed at 21.15