MINUTES Annual Parish Council Meeting 5th May 2026
Minutes of the Brampford Speke Parish Annual Council Meeting
held on
Tuesday 5th May 2026
Meeting commenced: 19:25pm
Present: Cllrs Luxton (Chair), Bannister, Honan, Hollingsworth, Ferns (Vice Chair) and Tillett. Seven members of the public and the Clerk.
28/26 Election of Chairman
• To receive nominations and to elect a Chair for the year.
• To receive the Declaration of Acceptance of Office by the Chair
Cllr Luxton advised he was willing to stand for another year.
PROPOSED: Cllr Ferns SECONDED: Cllr Bannister RESOLVED.
Cllr Luxton signed the Acceptance of Office form which will be retained by the Clerk.
29/26 Election of Vice Chairman
• To receive nominations and to elect a Vice Chair for the year.
• To receive the Declaration of Acceptance of Office by the Chair
Cllr Honan has decided to stand down as Vice Chair. The Council thanked him for his tenure this past year.
Cllr Ferns was nominated to take over as Vice Chair. PROPOSED: Cllr Hollingsworth SECONDED: Cllr Tillett RESOLVED.
30/26 Approval for Apologies for Absence
Cllr King (EDDC) and Cllr Gent (DCC) sent their apologies. These were accepted.
31/26 Declarations of Interest under the Code of Conduct
Councillors are reminded of the requirement to declare any interest, including the type of interest, and reason for that interest, either at this stage of the meeting or as soon as they become aware of that interest.
Cllr Luxton advised of his interest in any discussions regarding the CLT as a landowner in discussions with the CLT regarding possible development.
31/26 Minutes of the previous meeting for approval
To adopt the minutes of the Parish Council Meeting held on Tuesday 3rd March 2026.
The minutes were unanimously agreed as a true record and signed by the Chair.
PROPOSED: Cllr Hollingsworth SECONDED: Cllr Tillett RESOLVED.
32/26 EDDC Update
To receive an update from Cllr Fabian King, East Devon District Council. Cllr King has already sent his apologies for not being able to attend this meeting. His latest report has been sent to Councillors.
33/36 DCC Update
To receive an update from Cllr Nat Vanstone and Cllr Henry Gent, Devon County Council. Neither Cllr Vanstone nor Gent were able to attend. Cllr Gent’s latest report has been sent to Councillors.
34/26 Public Question Time
Up to 5 minutes Public Question Time for members of the public to bring forward any issues not on the agenda (where a matter is already on the agenda members of the public will be given an opportunity to speak when that item is considered, within the framework of the Council’s standing orders). Where a decision is required, the issue will be placed on the following agenda.
No questions were raised.
35/26 THE ANNUAL INTERNAL AUDIT REPORT 2025/26
To discuss the report from the Internal Auditor, any recommendations to be noted and be acted upon during this financial year. To resolve to approve this report for submission to the External Auditor.
The Accounts for 2025-26 were given a clean bill of health by the Internal Auditor. There was one area of concern which was the Parish Council website which is run off of a Mid Devon District Council platform which has now been upgraded to .gov.uk in line with Compliance Regulations. The Clerk will take this up with MDDC.
Clerk to submit the reports to the External Auditors within given timelines and publish on the website.
PROPOSED: Cllr Luxton SECONDED: Cllr Ferns RESOLVED.
36/26 CERTIFICATE OF EXEMPTION 2025/26
To resolve to agree this certificate and sign for submission to the External Auditor.
The Certificate confirming Exemption to the £25,000 ceiling was signed by the Chair and the Clerk.
PROPOSED: Cllr Ferns SECONDED: Cllr Tillett RESOLVED.
Clerk to submit the Certificate to the External Auditors within given timelines and publish on the website.
37/26 ANNUAL GOVERNANCE STATEMENT 2025/26
To resolve to approve this statement and sign for submission to the External Auditor
PROPOSED: Cllr Luxton SECONDED: Cllr Ferns RESOLVED.
The Statement was signed by the Chair and the Clerk.
Clerk to submit the Statement to the External Auditors within given timelines and publish on the website.
38/26 ANNUAL ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS 2025/26
To resolve to agree and sign this statement for submission to the External Auditor.
PROPOSED: Cllr Luxton SECONDED: Cllr Hollingsworth RESOLVED.
The Statement was signed by the Chair and the Clerk.
Clerk to submit the Statement to the External Auditors within given timelines and publish on the website.
39/26 Notice of Public Rights and Publication of Council’s accounts –
To resolve to agree the dates of publication from Wednesday 3rd June 2026 to Tuesday 14th July 2026 thus including the first 14 days of July as required by law. The notice has already been published on the website.
PROPOSED: Cllr Luxton SECONDED: Cllr Hollingsworth RESOLVED.
40/26 Financial Items
To resolve to approve the end of year reconciliation of accounts to 31st March 2026 and an explanation of variances (End of year budget spreadsheet has already been circulated).
PROPOSED: Cllr Tillett SECONDED: Cllr Ferns RESOLVED.
Payment approvals - Currently 2 councillors need to approve a payment via email before the Clerk makes the payment – Cllr Ferns will be added to this list and Cllr Honan removed.
Budgets – The budgets were reviewed in November 2025 before setting the Precept. They will be monitored each month.
End of year Variances- Income was up due to grants from DCC for defib cabinet, bench and noticeboard and also a large VAT refund (from the Hall porch repairs). Spend was also up due to the purchase of above but this was covered by the grants received. The asset register value increased due to the items purchased above
Asset Register (circulated) To resolve to approve the Asset register and publish. Clerk confirmed all new items including the heated defib cabinet have been added.
Financial Risk Assessment and Financial Regulations Policy
These were reviewed in November 2025. To be reviewed again in Nov 2026. A Councillor will need to complete the risk assessment going forward. To be decided at the next meeting.
Approval of bank standing orders and direct debits for 26/27
HMRC – NI and PAYE payments – variable – Standing Order
Hall phone line – £12.09 per month – Direct Debit
ICO – Data Protection certificate- Annual cost £47 – Direct Debit
Bank Charges - £9.98 per month
PROPOSED: Cllr Tillett SECONDED: Cllr Ferns RESOLVED.
To NOTE the following payments were approved remotely in accordance with Financial Regulations up to 30th April 2026. Payments approved by Councillors S Luxton, R Tillett and W Honan in accordance with the Financial Regulations.
2 x Payments to Tracy Watkins (March & April salary)
1 x Payment to HMRC (January, February and March)
2 x Payments to BT for Village Hall line rental of £12.09 (02.03.26 and 30.03.26) and £13.74 (28.04.2026)
1 x Payment DALC annual membership £158.73 (07.04.2026)
1 x Payment to Ladds of Crediton – antivirus software - £38.95 (21.04.26).
1 x payment to P Clapham for Internal Audit fees - £75.40 (23.04.26)
1 x Payment for defib pads £150.00 (23.04.26)
Council to NOTE that the following payments have been received:
01.04.2026 – EDDC – Precept - £4375.00
PROPOSED: Cllr Luxton SECONDED: Cllr Hollingsworth RESOLVED.
41/26 Parish policies
To review and re-adopt the following policies:
Code of Conduct
Internal Control Policy
Complaints Procedure
Community Grant Policy
Complaints Policy
Standing Orders – these have been updated by NALC. Clerk to rewrite and will adopt at the next meeting.
GDPR Policy
Reserves Policy
Publication Scheme
Internal Control Checklist
Scheme of Delegation
All Councillors confirmed that they have reviewed the Policies above and that they should be re-adopted for the next year. The Clerk will update review dates and re-publish on the website.
PROPOSED: Cllr Tillett SECONDED: Cllr Hollingsworth RESOLVED.
42/26 Affordable Housing
To receive an update on affordable housing. Cllr Luxton declared interest as a landowner.
There were 2 members of the CLT at the meeting. They advised after community consultation and ongoing discussions with the landowner they would like to make a change to the Stonilands development proposal.
No agreement has been reached with the landowner and they have come up with a new proposal. Landowner will now get 1 x detached 4-bedroomed and 2 x semi-detached 3-bedroomed plots. Affordable housing element would remain the same at 7. Propose to write an article for the next Speke Up inviting people for feedback and come back to a future Parish Council meeting once residents have had a say. Cllr Tillett will put the revised plan in the next Speke Up.
43/26 Lead Councillor Updates
These will be presented at the Annual Parish Meeting which follows directly after this meeting. These were already presented in the APM.
44/26 Village Hall
An update about the Village Hall was given in the APM. The Parish Council will invite the Trustees to come to a future meeting to discuss future annual donations. The 100th birthday party for the Hall will hopefully be in September.
45/26 Consideration of Planning applications
26/0169/LBC - The Avenue Brampford Speke Exeter EX5 5DW - Internal works to include: at first floor removal and installation of floor finishes, replacement or repair of floor joists, installation of plasterboard; reinstate shower cubicle. Reinstate ceiling in room on ground floor. – No comment
46/26 Other information/correspondence received for possible action/discussion/attendance
• Speke Up Submissions – DCC link to report potholes, CLT update,
• Dates for future meetings July 7th, Sept 1st, Nov 3rd, 2027 – Jan 5th, March 2nd, May 4th APM and AGM, July 6th
47/26 Date of the next meeting(s)
• Next Meeting on Tuesday 7th July - 7.30pm– Village Hall
Meeting closed at 20:00pm