Parish Council Minutes: April 2026
DRAFT MINUTES
These minutes will be agreed at the Parish Council meeting due to be held on 11th May and might be subject to slight amendment
The minutes of a meeting of Oakford Parish Council held in the Committee Room at Oakford Village Hall on Monday 13th April 2026 at 7.30pm.
Present:
Cllr’s J Levick (Chair), G Baylis, F Cross, T Davies, L Gould, J Mayer and V Stevens.
In attendance:
District Cllr’s C Adcock and M Stratton, six members of the public and the Clerk, Mrs J Larcombe.
154/04/26. To receive apologies for absence.
Apologies were accepted from Cllr Cridland.
155/04/26. Declarations of Interest.
Cllr Mayer declared a personal and prejudicial interest regarding Spurway Barton as she does some work for the owners.
156/04/26. Public Forum.
A member of the public gave an update on his plans to open a riding stables. He hopes to submit the plans next month and would like to know if there is anything anyone doesn’t like about them. The access surface will be tarmac and set back from the road to give 160 metres visibility which he said was acceptable. The hedge has been removed and as there will be no livestock a token fence set 5 metres back from the road will be erected. There will be eight horses but they will not all be out at one time. Lessons will last one and a half hours. Stables, a tack room, a feed store and a 25 metre by 45 metre arena will be built and there will be car parking and solar panels. The arena will not be floodlit. Stables have to be a certain size. Riders will be using the arena and the fields on .the holding, they will not be going on other people’s land or the B3227. Manure will be stored a long way away from the river. The arena surface will be wackfen (a type of wood fibre) and synthetic arena fibre which is sustainable. An orchard will be planted to give 10% biodiversity net gain. There will be a lot more activity after school, at weekends and during holidays. Ideally he would like to get approval in time to get the stable yard in before the winter.
Cllr Levick reported that he had attended the MDDC Planning Training Session on 26th March in person. He had been told the planning and environmental breach at Oakfordbridge was still going through the legal service to bring a prosecution. The Environment Agency want to get it sorted but it has to go through the correct channels and be sorted out properly. Cllr Baylis asked what happens when the 56 day Stop Notice runs out on 24th April. Cllr Lodge is asking DCC and Cllr Adcock and Cllr Stratton are asking MDDC. The owner of the field will then be leaned on heavily. This is similar to what happened at Greenway, Uplowman and something similar is happening at Rackenford.
157/04/26. To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 9th March 2026 as an accurate record of the meeting.
The minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the meeting and they were duly signed by the Chair.
158/04/26. Matters arising from the minutes, not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
No matters arising.
159/04/26. Planning
a) To comment on any planning applications received before the meeting.
No applications received.
b) To note any planning decisions made by MDDC.
26/00111/PNCOU Prior Approval for the change of use of an agricultural building to 1 dwelling under Class Q. Location: Land and Building at NGR 289240 123320 Little Oak Farm, Oakford. Decision: approval.
c) Update on action being taken regarding the dumping of soil and associated works at Oakfordbridge.
This had previously been touched on under item 156/04/26. The Parish Council will let people know as soon as they receive any information. Because the gateposts have been damaged the gate is now down. It was noted that the earth spread onto the field will become covered in weeds during the summer and there is a risk of Himalayan Balsam spreading.
d) Update on alleged planning breaches.
Another building has appeared in the woods and does not have planning permission. This is part of a national problem. During the MDDC planning training session the Enforcement Officer mentioned dealing with four hundred plus breaches. The Clerk will ask the Enforcement Officer for an update on enforcement cases in Oakford. Cllr Adcock has passed on the Enforcement Reference Numbers.
e) Report on MDDC Planning Training Session on 26th
This was covered under item 156/04/26. Cllr Cross, Cllr Davies and the Clerk attended the session online.
f) Any other planning matters.
None.
160/04/26. Highways:
a) Any matters to note or report.
A trip hazard was created when the cobbles by the bench in the centre of the village were not put back properly by Openreach contractors. This has been reported and the contractors will be sent back. Cllr Baylis will receive a weekly email from the contractors and he hopes it will be sorted by the next meeting.
b) Update on flooding issues/blocked drains.
There is no update regarding the drain opposite the Village Hall entrance. The Highways Neighbourhood Officer will be asked to have a look and a What Three Words reference given. Cllr Baylis also gave his phone number so that he could come be phoned to come and speak to him when he comes to have a look. There is a 12 inch pile and the water is just trickling through.
c) Update on improvements to the fingerpost signs.
The fingerpost signs at Fordmoor and Pinkworthy look fine.
d) Any other matters.
No other footpath matters.
161/04/26. Footpaths
a) To report on the change of the line of Footpath 5a by the field owner.
The Parish Council has received two letters of concern from residents because the new landowner has moved Footpath 5a back to where it originally was. The footpath people are being expected to use is uneven and dangerous for older people to use. This has caused people to become frustrated and they are sticking their heels in . Beehives have been put on the line of the path that people were using. Councillors questioned whether the new owner realised how much upset he has caused. Cllr Lodge reported that Stuart Howell, DCC Public Right of Way Warden is writing to the owners. He has said the path has to go back to the original path. The new path has been used for at least 50 years. The Parish Council will submit a Schedule 14 application and Mr Cridland will do the paperwork. In the meantime, Mr Howell will be asked if there if there is anything that can be done to make the path less dangerous. People are not picking up after their dogs in the field.
b) Any other footpath matters.
No other footpath matters.
162/04/26. Reports:
a) District Cllr Report.
A written report was circulated by email prior to the meeting. The MDDC website will be updated with information about the crisis fund and how to claim. MDDC is in the top 5% of councils in the country for recycling and in the top 3% for residual waste.
b) County Cllr Report.
A written report was circulated by email.
The two members of the public left the meeting.
163/04/26. Community Area:
a) Any points to note from the regular inspections of community area.
Cllr Levick has carried out the inspections and there is nothing to report. The grass has been cut for the first time. The work to line the pavilion with tongue and groove has not been done yet.
b) To receive the report from the Rospa Play Safety annual inspection of the play equipment.
The report had been circulated. There was no pinch problem. with the gate this year. The secondary chains on the basket swing are too long. Cllr Baylis has found the emails from the supplier and looked at the manufacturers guide which was updated in 2024.The Pétanque pitch needs more sand. Cllr Stevens will order more sand.
The picnic benches need upgrading.
There is no fete this year but there will be a picnic in the park type event in June or July and that gives time to order the picnic benches and to paint the pavilion. Cllr Levick will get some wood preservative.
A working party meeting was arranged for 10.00am on Saturday 9th May. Volunteers will be very welcome and it will be advertised on Facebook.
Actions: Cllr Stevens to order more sand for the Pétanque court. Cllr Levick to get some wood preservative.
c) To discuss installing fitness equipment in the community area using S106
The Clerk will ask MDDC to say how much S106 funding the Parish Council might be able to apply for. The Parish Council could also consider applying for lottery funding for rural areas. The Clerk will find out from MDDC about the fitness equipment they installed in Amory Park, Tiverton,
d) Any matters to note.
No matters to note.
164/04/26. Finance
a) To approve any invoices or expense claims presented for payment.
It was resolved to make the following payments:
|
2627/01 |
Devon Association of Local Councils |
£169.11 |
Annual affiliation fee |
|
2627/02 |
Hampton Maintenance |
£189.00 |
Grass cutting |
|
2627/03 |
Mrs J Larcombe |
£159.22 |
Salary for March |
Payments since the last meeting:
Devon Association of Local Councils - £42.00 training session (Payment ref 2526/29)
Playsafety Ltd - £114.00 annual inspection (Payment reference 2526/30).A service charge of £7.00 was taken from the current account at the end of March and a service charge of £7.00 will be taken from the account at the end of April.
An internal transfer will be made from the Instant Access Account to the Current Account to return the balance to £500.00.
b) To agree to renew membership of DALC for 2026-27.
It was agreed to renew membership (Payment ref 2627/01).
c) To note any receipts since the last meeting and the bank balance.
The 2026 – 2027 precept will be paid into the Council’s account on 15th April.
The Current Account cleared balance is £547.00 and the Instant Access Account balance is £11,712.44
d) Bank reconciliation 31.03.26.
This was checked and signed by Cllr Stevens.
e) To present 2025-26 annual accounts.
The annual accounts were presented. They will be agreed when the Annual Governance and Accounting Return Forms are agreed.
f) To agree the appointment of an internal auditor.
The Clerk is still trying to obtain quotes.
165/04/26. Update on new email address for Clerk.
Still pending.
166/04/26. Community Emergency Hubs: the Clerk to report from a training session.
The Clerk reported back on the training session. This will be parked for now.
167/04/26. Correspondence.
The following correspondence was noted:
DALC Newsletters
MDDC press releases
MDDC - invite for Oakford Community Field to join Visit Mid Devon
MDDC - Lifeline Leaflet/Trifold
MDDC - Landlord Networking Event 13th May
MDDC - Let’s Talk Mid Devon Resident Survey: The Results
MDDC - Community Alcohol Partnership Slides and Contact Details
168/04/26. To confirm the date of the next meeting.
It was agreed to hold the Annual Parish Meeting at 6.30pm on Monday 11th May 2026.
That will be followed by the Annual Meeting of the Parish Council at 7.30pm.