Minutes of the Westleigh Parish Council held remotely on Wednesday 5th May 2021


Attendees – Cllrs David Fairbrother, Lyn Gear, Chris Heard, Lesley Burgess, Kevin Farrell-Roberts, Colin Frajbis, DCCllr Frank Biederman, and the Parish Clerk (Roger Levick)

The meeting started at 7.45pm, which was slightly delayed due to the holding of the AGM prior to the monthly Council meeting.

Agenda for the May Parish Council Meeting

1. Welcome

2. Apologies – NDCllr (&MP) Selaine Saxby

3. Declarations of interest – none declared

4. Minutes – to confirm and agree the signing of the minutes of the April 7th meeting as a true record, and any matters arising not already on the agenda - unanimous

5. Correspondence, communications, and Parishioner questions – no questions had been received, and all relevant communications had been forwarded to Councillors

County & District Ward members reports – DCCllr Biederman firstly reiterated his communication regarding the 2 important ongoing planning applications - Yelland Power Station site was Deferred. The committee want to see if there is more money from viability, to use to mitigate the impact. The motion to refuse was 7-7 with the chairman using his casting vote to vote against. A motion to approve was lost 11-3 (I think) The motion to defer was won 10-4 (I think) ‘don’t quote me on the scores, but the results are right’. Councillors expressed their continued concern regarding the asbestos deposits, and how that seemed to have been ‘brushed over’ – DCCllr Biederman assured Councillors that it was a concern that was very much at the forefront of his and NDDCllr Saxby’s thinking.

Litchardon Solar Farm was unanimously approved, but agreed that in consultation with myself (DCCllr Biederman), Councillor Mackie & Councillor Saxby would seek to improve mitigation on screening and hours of HGV movements and Construction management plan. Cllr Heard expressed his concerns about HGV movements – DCClr Biederman explained that they would be limited to 10-3pm each day to avoid morning and evening traffic, but had a concern as to how that would be policed



6. Finance – to receive an update, and agree payments to J Harris (£90), and DALC subscription (£76.82) – unanimous. To confirm agreement of final accounts for 2020/21, and to approve Annual Governance Statement – both unanimous

7. Planning matters – no objections had been received regarding planning application 73233 at Mount Pleasant

8. Highway issues – Councillors expressed their continued concern about the potholes in the roads, specifically at the bottom of the Village where the road joins the Bideford/Instow road, and confusion about the thought processes regarding the Westleigh Junction on the Link Road. There still appears to be little if any gain to the massive works being done! However, one plus factor is that the roundabout at the bottom of the junction will be resurfaced later this month.

9. Environmental issues – nothing further to report. However, Cllr Farrell-Roberts reported that he has ‘grown’ some wildflowers from seeds under his ‘polythene tunnels’, and was proposing to replant them around the front of the Village Hall. Cllr Gear proposed that Andrew Woollacott should be invited to the next Council meeting to discuss Sicks Meadow and other related items – agreed, PC to action

10. Agenda items for next meeting – 23rd June. It is hoped that with Covid restrictions finally being lifted on the 21st June, that Council meetings will resume in the Village Hall, hence the later monthly date than normal – PC to email all Councillors early June to ask for agenda items. Cllr Heard asked that the state of the War Memorial at Westleigh could be one of the items, as work was needed to tidy and make good the area around it - agreed

11. Agreement that the Chairman & Clerk have the delegated authority to write cheques in payment of invoices arising between 6th May and 23rd June – unanimously agreed


The meeting closed at 8.45pm


WESTLEIGH PARISH MINUTES OF MEETINGS AGENDAS
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