Held in Gittisham Parish Room
Present:
Village ward: Cllr C Hall (Chair), Cllr G Pester, Cllr D Valentine
Vale ward: Cllr P Orchard
In attendance: one member of the public, Fiona Clampin (clerk)
Apologies for absence: Cllr A Rowe (Vice Chair), Cllr A Powell, Cllr A Rye, Cllr Alasdair Bruce (EDDC), Cllr Richard Jefferies (DCC), PCSO Darren England
73/25 To accept and approve apologies
Apologies were received and accepted.
74/25 To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 4th September 2025
The minutes of the meeting held on 4th September 2025 were confirmed and signed by the Chair.
75/25 To receive the Beat Manager’s Report
July 2025
Parsonage Lane: 1 x violence & sexual offences
Meadow Acre: 1 x criminal damage & arson
Hamlett Close: 1 x criminal damage & arson, 1 x violence & sexual offences
Hodges Close: 1 x criminal damage & arson, 1 x anti-social behaviour
76/25 To receive declarations of interest
None.
77/25 To consider actions from the last meeting not otherwise on the agenda
None.
78/25 To receive reports from County Council and District Council representatives, and to consider Local Government reorganisation
In his absence, Cllr Bruce sent the following report:
“A little more information is beginning to appear as to how the government’s devolution is going to work at local level, but it’s still a tiny trickle of what we need. Whilst quite how the various responsibilities of our current district and county councils are to be divided up is yet to be agreed, we don’t have to look too far to see a potential version of our local government. Across the border in Somerset where the county is run by a unitary authority, there have been major changes in where certain responsibilities fall. Unfortunately many services we currently take for granted are either underfunded or terminated. I use this example to try and offer a heads up to where we might end up in east Devon.
“What is clear is that our town and parish councils will be asked to shoulder burdens and responsibilities that they do not currently have anything to do with. My concern is that they will not be given the tools and resources to fulfil this new role. It appears that this is what’s happened across the border. Even before this new world descends on us, there are rumblings that budget constraints are biting at EDDC. Despite the embarrassing debacle of our new public toilets I understand that even more of our public toilets are going to be earmarked for either closure or replacement with new pay-to-use versions.
“I have long made the case that free to use public toilets are a vital part of our offering for tourism and for our older population. Some years ago it was removed as a statutory responsibility of councils, so it’s often first on the chopping board of cuts. Given what’s coming down the line, I hope we see town councils step up and run these, perhaps in partnership with local businesses that benefit from the provision of these toilets to their customers. We shall see. There are, of course, many more important services currently supplied by our county and district councils, and where they will end up is still up in the air, as is how well they will be funded.
“I’m afraid this has not been a very cheery report as I remain deeply concerned at this seismic change to our local government, and how it will play out for all of us. I fear that changing the table ‘place settings’ will not result in any of us getting a better service, rather I see us all paying more rates for less service.”
Cllr Richard Jefferies sent a brief report on DCC activities which is available on request.
79/25 To receive a report on the EDDC Local Plan and consider any actions arising
Cllr Valentine reported that EDDC was in the process of making what it calls minor changes to the draft Local Plan, which may mean parish councils won’t have the possibility to comment when the plan goes out for consultation again. He explained that challenging the Local Plan could be problematic: if such a challenge was successful, it would mean that EDDC could not use the previous formula to calculate housing numbers and would have to adopt the new formula from the National Planning Policy Framework. EDDC would have to find sites for an additional 5,000 dwellings under this alternative formula. Charlie Hopkins as consultant is aware of what is happening and will report back in due course.
80/25 To consider the following planning applications:
- 25/1826/TCA – Gorse Cottage, Gittisham EX14 3AH – x2 conifer: fell
Members resolved to have no objection to a).
81/25 To receive reports from councillors on areas of responsibility and actions since the last meeting:
- To consider the provision of superfast broadband in the parish (Cllr Powell)
The Chair said that the issue of wayleaves had come up once again, and the owner of Radio Fibre was looking at ways to minimise disruption. She added that she’d not had a reply as to whether those residents with Voneus were eligible to apply for a voucher.
ACTION: Clerk to request an update from Cllr Rowe.
- To note the latest planning decision notices
None.
- To receive an update on Highways
14 October 2000–2359hrs Road under Ironbridge closed to repair a safety defect.
- To consider plans for expenditure in the parish under the Community Infrastructure Levy & S106
Cllr Orchard said the next meeting at Honiton TC is pencilled in for 17 November to evaluate bids from sports
groups. If HTC receives a large number of applications, it will have to go to public consultation again.
ACTION: Clerk to check with EDDC if S106 money can be donated to a particular organisation.
- To receive an update on public transport
Cllr Orchard said there was no update this month. Members noted that the bus service went awry during the recent water leak in the village when the road had to be closed.
- To consider updating the parish emergency plan
-
- To consider climate change measures within the parish, including proposals for rewilding land in the parish
-
- To consider limited residential development in the parish
-
- To consider the creation of a footpath linking Hayne Farm with Gittisham village
-
- To consider the refurbishment and maintenance of the village play area
-
- To consider the scope of future lengthsman work
- Village bus shelter refurbishment
- Cllr Pester’s interpretation board
- Bench
- Village noticeboard
Several members said they had contacted Cllr Rowe to update him on the status of the grit bins.
This was deferred to the next meeting.
Cllr Valentine reported that EDDC’s Landscape Officer had presented a late submission to the planning application asking for the boundaries of the site to be changed. The Chair thanked Cllr Valentine for his persistence and wished him luck in the determination process.
There was no update this month. The Chair said she had received an email from a resident asking if a footpath in the parish was possible.
ACTION: Clerk to respond to resident.
The clerk said she had asked Michael Poll to quote for work to replace the post on the small gate, which is rotten.
Cllr Valentine said he had contacted Cllr Powell to ask if the lengthsman would do some work on Dark Lane. Cllr Valentine will meet him on site so Fabian Trim can understand the issues. The Chair reported that some gullies outside Myrtle Cottage needed cleaning, and also outside the village hall. There are weeds to be cleared from the gullies outside Clyst Hayes.
82/25 To receive a report from the Chair
There was no report this month.
83/25 To approve the October payments and to note the current bank balance
Members resolved to approve the following payments:
Members resolved to approve the following payments:
F Clampin £275.29 clerk’s salary + £10.13 expenses (travel Ottery – Gittisham 7.5-mile round trip x 3 for minutes, agenda & September meeting @0.45p / mile)
Michael Poll, grass cutting play area £70 (inv. ref. 10451)
NEST (clerk’s pension) £28.98
Members were informed that the current bank balance stands at £28,136.64 (which includes approximately £7,258 in the business reserve account).
84/25 To consider proposals to reduce the balance of Gittisham Parish Council’s reserves
Members agreed possible candidates were:
ACTION: Clerk to contact EDDC about bench, Luton Sawmills about noticeboard, Ottery & Budleigh TCs about interpretation board, Michael Poll about bus shelter.
ACTION: Cllr Orchard to enquire with Taylor Signs at Heathpark about interpretation board
ACTION: Cllr Rowe to update members on his suggestion to Combe Estate to cut down the dead hawthorn on the edge of the village green.
Cllr Valentine explain that under the Local Government Act of 1972 a parish council has discretionary powers to award grants to local groups or organisation which may bring a direct benefit to the area for some or all of its inhabitants. This is known as S137. He said he would be making an application to GPC for a grant under those provisions for the Community Land Trust. Cllr Valentine suggested the parish council should make this provision more widely known. There are criteria to be eligible (these are found on the Gittisham website under the grant giving policy). The amount set is calculated per head of electoral roll, at £11.10 per head.
ACTION: Clerk to circulate advice from DALC regarding providing for a CLT under S137.
85/25 Clerk’s report
None.
86/25 For information only; items for the forward agenda
Cllr Pester provided an update about the welcome pack, the draft text of which he had previously circulated to members. The consensus is to amalgamate information for Gittisham Vale and village. Cllr Pester said Cllr Powell had agreed to send him information about the Vale, which Cllr Pester will then circulate to a friend for fact and spell checking. Cllr Pester will keep the file which can be updated as and when necessary.
87/25 To consider any late entry correspondence
None.
88/25 Date of next two meetings
Thursday 6th November 2025 and December tbc at 7.30pm.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at 2055 hrs.
Chair…………………………………….
6th November 2025