East Worlington Parish Council Meeting 3rd November 2020

A Parish Council meeting was held on Tuesday, 3 November 2020, the first of the new monthly meetings, attended by Councillors Good, Old, Mrs Rhodes, Risdon, Miss Sturla and County Councillor Yabsley.

Councillor Old was willing to be Chairman for the duration of the municipal year and was elected as such.

There were no representations from the public.

Apologies were received from Councillors Miss Smyth and D Webber.

No declarations of interest were announced.

The Minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 6 October were approved after it was noted that Councillor Old, not Councillor Miss Smyth, proposed moving the telephone box nearer to the Parish Hall.

Reports were received on behalf of Devon County Council and North Devon Council from County / District Councillor Yabsley; from Councillor Risdon on behalf of the Parish Hall; Councillor Good confirmed that the defibrillator was in working order.  A report on Highways and Parish drainage will be given at the December meeting.

Finance.  Balances were given and budgetary figures had been circulated to Councillors ahead of the meeting.

Payments were agreed which included a donation of £312.00 to Worlington PCC for the upkeep of the churchyards of West and East Worlington Churches.

Councillors addressed the items raised in the 2019/20 internal audit.

The transfer of land between the Parish Hall and the highway continued to be dealt with by the Parish Council’s solicitors and the Diocese of Exeter.

The Clerk is to request BT to move the telephone line, not the telephone box, nearer to the Parish Hall for the opportunity to install a wi-fi hub in the Hall.

Councillors decided not to form a separate Planning Committee.

The preparation and publication of the Annual Parish magazine will be an item on the next Agenda.  Meanwhile, Councillors approved and adopted a Data Privacy Policy and Data Protection Policy.  Also adopted:  updated Equal Opportunities Policy, Health and Safety Policy and Subject Access Requests Policy.

The Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and General Risk Assessment were reviewed and approved.

The content of a New Residents Welcome Information Pack was discussed and Councillors were happy with the existing arrangements

Planning.  Amendments to Listed Building Consent 43464 (extension to dwelling together with other alterations to dwelling & conversion of first floor of stable to form 1 self-contained annexe and erection of car part) at The Stables, East Worlington House.  Councillors decided to respond ’no comment’.

Councillor Old had conveyed the Council’s thanks to Mr P Brown regarding the website and highway matters.

The website Accessibility Statement was discussed.  At present, it is 90% compliant in its present form.  The Council would like to comply but is not in a position to do so because of the burden on the limited resources of the authority for a new website to be constructed.

Monthly meetings were discussed which would be ongoing, and as from January 2021 they would not be on the first Tuesday of the month, but the third Thursday of the month thereafter.

The Clerk is attending a Covid-19 Preparedness session on 9 November organised by Devon Communities Together in collaboration with North Devon Council.

Councillor Good advised that help is on-going as before in the first lockdown and anyone requiring assistance is encouraged to contact him.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, 1 December at 7.30pm by Zoom.  Among the items on the Agenda, the 2021/22 budget and Precept will be set.
Sue Squire, Parish Clerk.