Minutes from July 2026 meeting
DRAFT
Newton St Cyres Parish Council
Minutes of Newton St Cyres Parish Council Meeting held in the Parish Hall Club Room on Thursday 2 July 2026
The meeting commenced at 7.00pm
Members present
Cllr L Ouldridge (Chair) Cllr M Herpoldt-Bright
Cllr J Campbell Cllr I Marshall
Cllr J Dean Cllr J Rimbon-Whittaker
Cllr D Harris (note taker)
In attendance: C/Cllr S Keable, 2 members of public
Public Participation
A Tytheing Close resident spoke about the ongoing difficulties of crossing the A377 at Tytheing Close and had sent the Clerk an email with details of an article from 3 years ago about an accident on the A377. C/Cllr S Keable confirmed he was aware of the issues and had spoken to our DCC Neighbourhood Highways Officer about the specifications required for a pedestrian refuge. Cllr I Marshall would continue to work on a resident’s petition. C/Cllr S Keable asked the Parish Council to send a request to MDDC that future S106 contributions from new housing developments be allocated to this scheme and to copy in DCC.
A resident from Kingfisher Close requested that there should be a 20mph speed limit on Station Road
01/07/26 Apologies
J Hole, Parish Clerk
02/07/26 Declaration of Interest
None noted
03/07/26 Minutes of the last meeting held on Thursday 4 June 2026
Agreed and signed as a true record
04/07/26 Newton St Cyres Parish Council Issues relevant to Mid Devon District Council
4.1 Planning Applications
26/00796/FULL - Variation of condition 2 of planning permission 23/00431/FULL (Variation of
Condition 2 of Planning Permission 21/01501/FULL (Demolition of existing school buildings, including adjacent detached classroom buildings and erection of 8 dwellings with garages - for a substitution of plot 5 design with detached garage)) to allow substitution of approved plans relating to Plot 5, including reinstatement of the originally approved dwelling design with
attached garage and office/study at Former Primary School Site Newton St Cyres Devon.
The NSC PC Planning check list had been circulated and was noted. No comment
4.2 Planning Decisions
None
4.3 Report from District Councillors on issues relevant to the parish
4.3.1 Update on Potholes in Tytheing Close
Cllr J Dean reported that the largest potholes in Tytheing Close had been filled. The Road Wardens would revisit the site to look at the remaining smaller holes.
4.4 MDDC Local Plan and notification of HELAA – to consider response
Cllr J Campbell raised a concern that the report suggested Grade 2 land was to be used. It was resolved that Cllrs J Campbell and L Ouldridge would meet with C/Cllr S Keable would discuss the HELAA report further
4.5 Update on abandoned cars
The abandoned cars seem to have been removed
4.6 To agree delegated authority for the Clerk to respond to planning applications over the summer, following consultation with councillors, where an extension cannot be granted.
This was agreed
05/07/26 Newton St Cyres Parish Council issues relevant to Devon County Council
5.1 Report from County Councillor on issues relevant to the parish
C/Cllr S Keable circulated a report, and this was noted
5.1.1 Update on progress with school signs
C/Cllr S Keable circulated notes from his meeting with the Head of NSC School and confirmed that £1,000.00 from his locality budget would be available for signage. He anticipated that the signs would be in place for September. He would take forward a request for double yellow lines at the entrance to the school to the HATOC meeting in September.
5.1.2 Roadworks at Tesco
C/Cllr S Keable was unhappy with the lack of information from Tesco and suggested that in future calling him or DCC Transport co-ordination for information regarding road diversions.
5.2 Update on PROW
FP4 from Langford to Marsh Mills Lane had been strimmed by the parish and DCC would start strimming shortly. The grant money from DCC was still outstanding.
06/07/26 Finance
6.1 To agree Payments and note Receipts:
These were agreed as:
|
Expenditure – current account |
£ |
Receipts – current account |
£ |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Unity Trust Bank Charges DD (May) |
7.00 |
Transfer from Car Park acct |
500.00 |
|
|
Simon Saunders – allotment grass cutting |
100.00 |
|
|
|
|
Simon Saunders – grass cutting |
135.00 |
Receipts Car Park Maintenance Account |
|
|
|
J Hole – reimbursement for RW Chpt 8 manual x 2 |
44.00 |
Contribution from Parish Hall |
500.00 |
|
|
Parish online subscription |
90.00 |
Footpath Account |
|
|
|
A J Carpenter – repair to Langford noticeboard |
90.00 |
Nil |
|
|
|
Senior – Email addresses and domain |
290.40 |
|
|
|
|
DALC training Cllr |
54.00 |
|
|
|
|
J Hole – Salary and expenses |
419.93 |
|
|
|
|
HMRC – PAYE and emp’er NI |
66.79 |
|
|
|
|
Expenditure – Footpath Account |
|
|
|
|
|
Simon Saunders – FP4 strimming |
80.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
6.2 To approve on-line authorisation for this month’s payments
Cllr J Dean and Cllr D HArris
6.3 Balances (after above transactions)
6.3.1 Parish Council Current Account balance: £10,148.91
6.3.2 Footpath Account: £578.55 (separate account)
6.3.3 Parish Hall Car Park maintenance fund balance: £7,891.94 (separate account)
6.4 Financial Statement and Budget Monitor
Noted
6.5 To note that the bid for drainage rods was successful (£150.00), but the bid for depth poles was unsuccessful. To consider whether to apply for a grant from Devon Communities Together (DCT) or self-fund the depth poles at approximately £62 per pole.
It was resolved to make a grant application to DCT for depth poles
6.6 To note donation from The Beer Engine towards the cost of painting the BT kiosk
The Beer Engine had offered a donation of £200 towards the cost of painting the old BT Kiosk and this was gratefully accepted.
6.7 To agree invoices that received over the summer and in budget will be paid – Clerk to email details to all Cllrs for information and report payments in September meeting
This was agreed
6.8 To note the Rec defib is suitable for paediatric pads – to consider purchase (approx. £88)
It was resolved to purchase paediatric pads for the Rec defibrillator
07/07/26 Other Parish Council Matters
7.1 Areas of responsibility reports – to note any Cllr reports
Cllr M Herpoldt-Bright had circulated the risk assessment of assets and noted that the resilience shed at Smallbrook required refelting. This would be included in next year’s budget
The Britian in Bloom organisers (BIB) would make a grant application for the village green bench to be painted. BIB organisers thanked the Parish Council for applying to MDDC for the grant on their behalf and also thanked the Road Wardens for clearing School Hill’s overgrown foliage.
The NHW meeting was on 10 July at 2.30pm and Cllr J Campbell would attend together with Cllr M Herpoldt-Bright.
The Parish Council surgery would be held at next week’s coffee morning, and it was noted that the Newton Wonder had been delivered to all houses in the parish and included a questionnaire from the Parish Hall about future developments
Footpaths - Cllr I Marshall would arrange a social meeting for footpath volunteers
Community Resilience - Cllr R Vinner had met with the Road Wardens to assess the main flooding areas with a review to reducing flooding by maintaining the drains, possible by rodding the drains at the start of winter. Cllr R Vinner was now registered as a flood Warden with DCC.
Recreation Ground – Cllr R Vinner had attended the AGM and would continue to attend future meetings. The placement of future play equipment had been agreed. An update on the signing of the lease would be requested.
Road and Transport. Cllr J Dean noted that the speed detection previously undertaken on Station Road was done some time ago. A 20mph zone had been applied for twice and no feedback as to why the applications were not successful had been received from DCC.
It was agreed to consider 20 is plenty signs for Station Road in next years budget.
Allotments – Cllr L Ouldridge had met with the landowner and identified the route the footpath would take. A legal agreement would be required, the cost of which would be split 50/50. The Parish Council would pay for the fencing and ongoing path maintenance. The landowner would cut the roadside hedge as required. It was not clear who owned the bank just by the A377 where the entrance for the path would start and Cllr L Ouldridge would make enquiries.
A quote to take down the dead trees at the allotmnets had been received and circualted. After discussion it was resolved that in order to reduce the cost, Cllr L Ouldridge would meet with the contractor to identify trees most in need of felling. In addition, chain saw trained arboretum volunteers would be asked if they could cut up the wood.
Community Planning Framework – Cllr J Campbell had circulated a draft document, and this was noted.
7.2 Review of policies - IT Policy/Community Engagement/Volunteers
It was resolved to agree minor changes
7.3 To review risk assessments
Minor changes to Overall Risk – circulated and noted
Assets/NHW/Litter – circulated and no changes required.
No changes to RW/Speed watch/working from home/Snow/Flood - noted
7.4 To consider updating welcome leaflet and means for distribution
Cllr I Marshall would update the out-of-date welcome leaflet.
7.5 Volunteers celebration event – to agree date, location and arrangements
It was resolved to hold a buffet lunch starting at 1pm on Saturday September 5 at the Parish Hall and Cllrs J Rimbon-Whittaker, L Ouldridge and I Marshall would meet over the summer to finalise arrangements and the Clerk would send out invites.
08/07/26 Minor Matters and Items for Future Agenda /Miscellaneous correspondence
8.1 Notes from CAALC meeting held on 8 June 2026. Noted
8.2 To note Thank you for Mid Devon Mobility for the grant. Noted
09/07/26 Date of next Parish Council meeting: Thursday 3 September 2026 at 7pm in the Club Room
End of Formal Business
Public Participation
There was none
The meeting closed at 9pm