Council Meeting – 7th July 2025

The following Councillors are summoned to attend:
Cllr J. Abbey, Cllr I. Mitchelmore, Cllr C. Staines, Cllr P. Osborne, Cllr S. Lange, Cllr I. Luscombe and Cllr G. Sutton.

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

The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Monday 7th July 2025, at 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 at the meeting, please contact the clerk by email at clerk@slaptonparishcouncil-devon.gov.uk 48 hours in advance of the meeting.

AGENDA

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

2) 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.

3) PUBLIC COMMENT

4) POLICE REPORT: None

5) DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORT from Cllr L. Lawford

6) MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 2nd June 2025, 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. 1690/25/FUL Land At Sx 810 464 (Lea Valley), Slapton
Retrospective application to regularise existing stable building. Application for new stable block, change of use of land to equestrian to allow livery use, & construction of horse lunge pen, erection of WC building, & access improvement
PC Comments: submit by 18th July

b. Decisions (for information only)

i. 1216/25/HHO Carlane House, Carr Lane, Slapton, TQ7 2PU
Householder application for replacement side extension, rear porch & replacement frontage wall SHDC: Conditional Approval 3rd June

ii. 1321/25/PAU Barn At Sx 803 474 Slapton
Application to determine if prior approval required for change of Agricultural Building to flexible commercial B2, B8, C1 or E Distribution Use (B8)
SHDC: Prior Approval Not Required 16th June

c. Tree Works (for information only) – Tree Wardens will assess and comment:

1714/25/TPO 6 Chantry Hill Slapton TQ7 2QY
T1: Beech – Crown reduction works: To be reduced in height by up to 2-3m, Northern aspect of canopy to be reduced by up 2m, Eastern aspect of canopy to be reduced by up 2m, Western aspect of canopy to be reduced by up 2m, Southern aspect of canopy to be reduced by up 1m, Crown lifted to achieve 2-3m clearance from ground level Pre Pruning Dimensions: H. 20m, W.14m, Post Pruning Dimension: H.17.5m, W.10m Site Address: Reasons: Tree is really over powering property, long over extended branches through canopy, reducing end weight to reduce risk of branch failure

d. Withdrawn (for information only): None

8) MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION

a. Land registration – see separate document (8a)

b. Emergency plan

9) PROPOSALS FOR RESOLUTION

a. Casual vacancy: Does the PC wish to declare a casual vacancy now that Cllr Waters is ineligible to serve as a Cllr due to non-attendance at meetings for six months (with no apologies sent)?

b. Co-option of new Councillor: Does the PC wish to co-opt Mr J. Harris to fill the vacancy left by Mr M. Crowson?

c. Defibrillator: When would the PC like defibrillator training this year?

d. Bus shelter, Sands Road: There has been no response from the camp site following the PC’s request for help with this matter. Would the PC like the Clerk to follow this up with the camp site and/or get 3 x quotes for repair and/or submit an insurance claim?

e. Proposed bus shelter, Green Banks: How does the PC wish to proceed? See separate document (9e)

f. Bank accounts: Does the PC wish to remain with Lloyds Bank or consider other banking options further? See separate document (9f)

10) CLERK’S REPORT: Update from Clerk on any matters arising since June’s PC meeting – see separate document (10)

11) CHAIR’S REPORT: Verbal update from Chair on any matters arising since June’s PC meeting.

12) COUNCILLOR REPORTS

a. Verbal update from Cllr Sutton on OPCC and other policing matters.

13) REVIEW OF ACTION LOG: Cllr updates on any pending actions/actions requiring a status update in the action log – 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	Paid for noting
35	Lloyds Community Account SERVICE CHARGES REF: 456328974, dated 17.06.25	4.25	17th June
36	Village Hall: May PC meeting £20.00 and APM 33.75. Invoice no C061024/25, dated 03.06.25	53.75
37	Nick Mathias: Grass cutting June. Invoice no 2068/26, dated 29.06.25	373.14
38	B Moor: Clerk’s salary June 2025 plus £24.00 WFH allowance	845.20
39	Chair’s annual allowance: Approved 06.01.25 (Minute ref: 136:24 a) as part of budget approval	162.50

NB: Additional invoices received between the issuing of the agenda and the meeting itself will be presented at the meeting.

b. Balance at Bank

Balance as per bank statements on 23.06.25	Amount GBP
Events Community Account	Closed
Community Account	12,677.19
Commercial Instant Access Savings Account	13,717.33
Total	26,394.52

c. Receipts summary

Receipts as per bank statements on 23.06.25	Amount GBP
Events Community Account	Closed
Community Account	0
Commercial Instant Access Savings Account (interest)	8.65
Total	8.65

d. First quarter bank reconciliation: Does the PC agree that the bank reconciliation can be signed by the Chair and another Cllr as correct? – see separate documents (14d)

e. First quarter budget update for information only – see separate document (14e)

 

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on
Monday 1^st September 2025 at 7.00 pm at Slapton Village Main Hall.

 

Signed: Bella Moor, Clerk                                                                                           30^th June 2025

MINUTES

Those in attendance:
Cllr J. Abbey, Cllr I. Mitchelmore, Cllr P. Osborne, Cllr S. Lange, Cllr I. Luscombe, Cllr G. Sutton and Cllr Lawford (arrived 7.00pm and left 7.25pm).

One member of the public was in attendance.

45:25 APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: The PC resolved to accept the apologies and reasons for absence from Cllr Julian Brazil. No apologies were received from Cllr Staines although the PC acknowledged that this was due to ill health.

46:25 DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: None

47:25 PUBLIC COMMENT: None

48:25 POLICE REPORT: None

49:25 DISTRICT COUNCILLOR REPORT from Cllr L. Lawford

a. Apprenticeships: South Hams District Council (SHDC) is currently offering apprenticeships in both arboriculture and carpentry.
b. Parking scams: SHDC has been made aware of scams involving QR codes and text messages related to parking payments, particularly in Dartmouth. The Clerk confirmed information regarding these scams has already been published on the PC’s website.
c. Solar panels: These have now been installed on all leisure centres and at Follaton House. This initiative is part of efforts to secure long-term energy sustainability as leisure centres are significant consumers of electricity.
d. Wheelie bins: Residents are reminded not to modify wheelie bins for safety reasons. Furthermore, vapes and batteries must not be disposed of in black bins. The Clerk will add this information to the PC’s website. Clerk to action.
e. Fly tipping: There has been a high incidence of fly tipping recently. Residents are advised to ensure they use certified waste contractors to avoid contributing to this issue.
f. Public Survey: Devon County Council (DCC) is currently conducting a public survey. Cllrs and members of the public are encouraged to participate. The Clerk confirmed this has been circulated to Cllrs and published on the PC’s website.
g. Highways: Cllr Abbey advised Cllr Lawford that she and Cllr Osborne wish to arrange a meeting with Tom Vaughan of DCC Highways to discuss issues pertinent to the parish, including the surface redressing on the A379 and Sands Road and the lack of work on the alternative inland routes.
h. Slapton Line Partnership: Dan Field of SHDC made it clear at the last meeting that the adaptation plan will not include any additional defences necessary to prolong the life of the A379 Slapton Line. It was noted that Caroline Voaden MP will be unavailable to engage on this issue until October.

50:25 MINUTES OF THE PARISH COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON 2nd June 2025 were signed by the Chair as a true and correct record.

51:25 PLANNING

a. Applications (for resolution)

i. 1690/25/FUL Land At Sx 810 464 (Lea Valley), Slapton
Retrospective application to regularise existing stable building. Application for new stable block, change of use of land to equestrian to allow livery use, & construction of horse lunge pen, erection of WC building, & access improvement
PC Comments: submit by 18th July
Cllr Lange proposed, Cllr Mitchelmore seconded and it was resolved unanimously that the PC has no comment to make on this application.

b. Decisions (for information only)

i. 1216/25/HHO Carlane House, Carr Lane, Slapton, TQ7 2PU
Householder application for replacement side extension, rear porch & replacement frontage wall SHDC: Conditional Approval 3rd June

ii. 1321/25/PAU Barn At Sx 803 474 Slapton
Application to determine if prior approval required for change of Agricultural Building to flexible commercial B2, B8, C1 or E Distribution Use (B8)
SHDC: Prior Approval Not Required 16th June

c. Tree Works (for information only) – Tree Wardens will assess and comment:

1714/25/TPO 6 Chantry Hill Slapton TQ7 2QY
T1: Beech – Crown reduction works: To be reduced in height by up to 2-3m, Northern aspect of canopy to be reduced by up 2m, Eastern aspect of canopy to be reduced by up 2m, Western aspect of canopy to be reduced by up 2m, Southern aspect of canopy to be reduced by up 1m, Crown lifted to achieve 2-3m clearance from ground level Pre Pruning Dimensions: H. 20m, W.14m, Post Pruning Dimension: H.17.5m, W.10m Site Address: Reasons: Tree is really over powering property, long over extended branches through canopy, reducing end weight to reduce risk of branch failure

d. Withdrawn (for information only): None

52:25 MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION

a. Land registration: There was a brief discussion about this matter and it was agreed that it would be added to September’s agenda for further discussion/resolution. Clerk to action.

b. Emergency plan: There was a discussion about the remaining gaps in the plan and information provided to fill some but not all of these.

53:25 PROPOSALS FOR RESOLUTION

a. Casual vacancy: Cllr Osborne proposed, Cllr Abbey seconded and it was resolved unanimously that the PC would declare a casual vacancy now that Cllr Waters is ineligible to serve as a Cllr due to non-attendance at meetings for six months (with no apologies sent). Clerk to action.

b. Co-option of new Councillor: Cllr Lange proposed, Cllr Mitchelmore seconded and it was resolved unanimously co-opt Mr J. Harris onto the PC to fill the vacancy left by Mr M. Crowson. Clerk to action.

c. Defibrillator: Cllr Osborne proposed, Cllr Abbey seconded and it was resolved unanimously to book the defibrillator training for a Tuesday in December when the village hall is free. Clerk to action.

d. Bus shelter, Sands Road: There was a brief discussion about the lack of response from the camp site following the PC’s request for identifying those responsible for the damage. Cllr Osborne proposed, Cllr Mitchelmore seconded and it was resolved unanimously that the PC would get quotes for the repair of the damage. Clerk to action.

e. Proposed bus shelter, Green Banks: There was a discussion about the information provided by the Planning Department. Cllr Sutton proposed, Cllr Lange seconded and it was resolved that the PC would explore whether Tally Ho would turn in to Green Banks and, if yes, then consideration could be given to whether a more suitable location for a bus shelter could be found. Clerk to action.

f. Bank accounts: The PC discussed the banking options most suitable for Parish Councils. Cllr Osborne proposed, Cllr Abbey seconded and it was resolved unanimously that the PC would continue to bank with Lloyds Bank.

54:25 CLERK’S REPORT: A written report was issued with the agenda and the Clerk provided a verbal update on the following:

a. Grit bin at corner of Marsh Lane: The surrounding area needs dug out so that the bin can sit flat and flush against the wall.
b. Dog bin at Brandis Park: There has been no response from SHDC about the request to relocate this. The Clerk will follow this up.
c. Holiday: The Clerk carried over 5 days holiday entitlement and will take some of this throughout June, July and August.

55:25 CHAIR’S REPORT: The Chair gave a verbal update on the following matters arising since June’s PC meeting:

a. Door to door scams: Contacted Age UK regarding stickers and flyers. Will add to Chair’s report in next Slapton Lines.
b. SLP meeting on 18th June: There were 18 attendees. Frogmore and Sherford Parish Council have joined the partnership. There were new representatives from existing stakeholders, including Tom Vaughn from DCC Highways and Martin Davis from the Environment Agency. The meeting was chaired by Caroline Voaden MP. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the new Adaptation Manager, Lou Hoskins. Cllr Abbey has arranged a meeting with Lou Hoskins on Monday 21st June. Cllr Abbey has also tried to schedule a meeting with Tom Vaughn of DCC Highways but has received no reply to date.

56:25 COUNCILLOR REPORTS

a. Cllr Sutton explained that the police are preparing for an influx of ~14 million tourists across Devon and Cornwall over the summer so resources will be directed towards that. He also explained that he had reported the door to door cold callers/scammers to the Neighbourhood Police Team and requested foot patrols. Whilst the local policing team acknowledge this is a good idea, realistically they are coming to a very busy time so this may not happen in the near future. Finally, he reported that the Neighbourhood Police Team are keen to enforce speed limits on the A379 Slapton Line so he will follow this up.

57:25 REVIEW OF ACTION LOG: Cllr updates on any pending actions/actions requiring a status update in the action log are as follows:

a. Bench: The bench has been delivered to the public area on Carr Lane.
b. Signage: Cllr Abbey would like to wait to speak to Highways before finishing her report.

58:25 FINANCIAL MATTERS

a. Payments to approve: Cllr Osborne proposed, Cllr Abbey seconded and it was resolved unanimously to approve the payments below, which have been examined, verified and certified by the Clerk and RFO.

Payment no	Details of payment	Amount	Paid for noting
35	Lloyds Community Account SERVICE CHARGES REF: 456328974, dated 17.06.25	4.25	17th June
36	Village Hall: May PC meeting £20.00 and APM 33.75. Invoice no C061024/25, dated 03.06.25	53.75
37	Nick Mathias: Grass cutting June. Invoice no 2068/26, dated 29.06.25	373.14
38	B Moor: Clerk’s salary June 2025 plus £24.00 WFH allowance	845.20
39	Chair’s annual allowance: Approved 06.01.25 (Minute ref: 136:24 a) as part of budget approval	162.50
DD40	VC Warehouse: June phone. Invoice no 10, dated 01.07.25	11.94 9.95 + 1.99 VAT
41	Village Hall: June PC meeting. Invoice no C071042/25, dated  01.07.25	20.00
42	Nick Mathias: Road warden June. Invoice no 2069/26, dated 30.06.25	370.97
43	Woolston Accounts: June payroll. Invoice no INV-0825, dated 30.06.25	20.00
44	Slapton Community Village Shop. APM refreshments. Invoice dated 24.06.25	41.36

 

b. Balance at Bank

Balance as per bank statements on 23.06.25	Amount GBP
Events Community Account	Closed
Community Account	12,677.19
Commercial Instant Access Savings Account	13,717.33
Total	26,394.52

 

c. Receipts summary

Receipts as per bank statements on 23.06.25	Amount GBP
Events Community Account	Closed
Community Account	0
Commercial Instant Access Savings Account (interest)	8.65
Total	8.65

 

d. First quarter bank reconciliation: Cllr Abbey proposed, Cllr Osborne seconded and it was resolved unanimously that the bank reconciliation should be signed by the Chair and another Cllr as correct.

 

 

e. First quarter budget update for information only: The PC noted receipt of the information and had no questions.

 

The next Parish Council Meeting will be held on
Monday 1^st September 2025 at 7.00 pm at Slapton Village Main Hall.

 

Signed:                                                                                    Date: