Minutes of the Meeting of Launcells Parish Council  held in the Parish Hall on Friday 02^nd September 2022 at 7:30pm.

Maxwell Allin (Chairman), Brian Pollard, Margaret Cleave , Trevor Elliott, Andrew Hargreaves, Paul Wingard, Ian Saltern (Clerk), Rachael Reid - Waste & Recycling Community Support Officer – Cornwall Council, five members of the public.

Cllr Nicky Chopak, Sheila Minter, Matthew Stokes, Graham Tape, Alan Whittle

The minutes of the meeting held on the 04^th July 2022, which had previously been distributed, were approved for signature.

There were no matters arising.

Rachael Reid the Waste and Recycling Community Support Officer at Cornwall Councillor gave a presentation. Rachael told Councillors that one tonne per household of waste was generated each year in Cornwall. Cornwall Council’s Resources and Waste Strategy stresses the need for us all to do more than merely recycle to address the climate emergency.

Helpful advice which Rachael gave included the fact that textiles can be recycled at the kerbside; glass put out for recycling should only be food grade (jars, bottles – not drinking glasses, mirrors, lightbulbs); most supermarkets will recycle batteries.  Further advice regarding which items can be recycled can be found at www.cornwall.gov.uk/recycling or the Facebook page Cornwall Recycles.

Rachael reported that Cornwall has a comparatively low contamination rate from co-mingling of recycled items because it asks households to separate recycled items into different bins.  All waste (black bag) in Cornwall is now sent to the Energy Recovery Centre, St Dennis where it is incinerated at temperatures exceeding 1000° centigrade providing power for 21,000 homes. 35% of Cornwall’s waste is food. Consequently, a new waste service for Cornwall will commence in 2023/4, to include weekly food waste collection (bins to be provided).  Recycling, garden waste collection will remain fortnightly, whilst general waste (black bag) collection will move to fortnightly. Waste food will be sent to anaerobic digesters.

Members of the public present at the meeting were given the opportunity to ask questions.

• Q. How can household clinical waste be disposed of? A. Some can be incinerated – infected waste cannot as it hazardous waste. Specific centres in Devon exist for this.
• Q. What is happening with regard to commercial waste generated by holiday homes/accommodation? A. There is a Cornwall Council Commercial Waste Team – its job is to send letters out to holiday home owners and gather information on those who should be using commercial waste collection.  Their job is to identify those who should be using commercial waste collection but are using domestic collection.  Andrew Hargreaves suggested a card instructing holiday accommodation users on how to recycle should be provided by Cornwall Council/contractors.
• Q. Where does commercial waste go? A. Some goes to landfill (outside of Cornwall) – some goes to Cornwall’s energy from waste centre.  It remains the case that some commercial waste is not sorted with everything is put in together.
• Q. What can and can’t be recycled/disposed of? A. Dark green, and dark brown plastics are ok to be recycled but black plastic cannot because the separating lasers cannot see the black plastic.  Nappies can be disposed of in general waste (black bag). Soft or flexible plastics cannot be accepted in recycling bins – so no wrappers, crisp packets, pet food pouches etc.

Councillors thanked Rachael Reid for travelling to give a most insightful presentation.

Cllr Chopak was not able to attend the meeting.

Maxwell Allin declared an interest in planning application PA22/07087.

There were no comments from members of the public present.

• PA22/07356 - Use of land for the erection of an agricultural building to house a milk vending/dispensing machine - Land West of Sunshine Park Launcells Bude Cornwall EX23 9NW.  It was noted that Launcells Parish Council has commented that it had no objection to this planning application.
• PA22/07101 - Outline application with all matters reserved for a proposed dwelling - Land West of Tile Yard Cottages Bridgerule Holsworthy Cornwall EX22 7HD. It was noted that Launcells Parish Council has objected to this outline planning application on a number of grounds.
• PA22/07082 - Garage/utility extension with the siting of solar panels on the South facing roof slope - Springleaze Road From Junction East of Summerleaze To Hobbacott Lane Bridgerule Holsworthy Cornwall EX22 7HB.  It was noted that Launcells Parish Council had commented that it had no objection to this planning application.
• PA22/07087 - Retrospective planning application for a replacement general purpose agricultural building - Jewells Farm Jewells Lane Grimscott Bude Cornwall EX23 9LX. It was noted that Launcells Parish Council had commented that it had no objection to this planning application.

Brian Pollard reported that he had costed a CCTV camera to be focussed on the Red Post way-marker at £270.00 (£250.00 plus VAT). It was proposed and agreed unanimously that Launcells Parish Council purchase the camera at this price.  The Clerk notified the meeting that Alan Whittle had offered to address the necessary administration with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) and had asked the Council to note that a fee of £40 a year will be charged by the ICO whilst the CCTV remains in place.  Paul Wingard asked if it would now be necessary to also insure the Red Post.  Andrew Hargreaves felt that a ‘belt and braces’ approach of CCTV and insurance would provide maximum security for the Council. It was agreed to also pursue insuring the sign. 

The Clerk explained that he was still awaiting a response from Go Cornwall regarding the number of users of the bus stops at Red Post and would chase for a response for the third time.

The Clerk reported that Alan Whittle will work with the new website managers – Bude Solutions – to further evolve the Launcells Parish Council website. Councillors wished for a vote of thanks to be recorded for all the work which Sheridon Rosser had undertaken in managing the website previously, and wished her and Tom well in their move.  Sheridon has been a tremendous supporter of the Parish over many years and will be missed.

The Clerk reported that Sheila Mills had relayed her disappointment with the red road markings laid down with funding through the Vision Zero grant at Launcells Cross, feeling that these were not sufficient at present to slow traffic and improve safety.  Andrew Hargreaves echoed these sentiments and did not feel that the work at Launcells Cross was yet sufficient.  The Clerk reported that Alan Whittle was intending to meet with Oliver Jones, Highways Manager at a forthcoming Highways meeting (late September) when he would raise the Council’s concerns regarding the work at Launcells Cross.

• Playing Field – No issues.
• Parish Hall/Car Park – No issues – Maxwell Allin will trim grass at the Hall.
• Orchard Trust – No issues.
• Bus Shelter – see below at item 557.02/09
• Commons – Sheila Minter not present.
• Footpaths – The Clerk reported that Mr Jose has now cut the paths for which the Council has responsibility.  The Clerk will now progress the request for grant from Cornwall Council to contribute towards the cost of the path maintenance.
• Salt Bin – No issues.
• Flowerbeds – Graham Tape not present.
• Defibrillator – Alan Whittle is still awaiting delivery of the new pads.
• Emergency Plan – see below at item 557.02/09
• Bude Area Community Network Panel – see below at item 557.02/09

1. Holsworthy Rural Transport (HRT) – The Clerk reported that Holsworthy Rural Transport had written to the Council (received 29 June) inviting it to a meeting to discuss its future which looked uncertain. HRT had written to the Parish Council again asking if it would be prepared to make a donation towards its running costs.  Andrew Hargreaves felt that the amount suggested in the letter for donation was high, but asked the Clerk to make enquiries as to whether a smaller amount would still be acceptable to HRT.
2. VAT Claim – The Clerk reported that a claim of £1,043.85 had been submitted to HMRC in August, and had now been paid into the Parish Council’s bank account.
3. Bude-Stratton Town Council – Debt and Money Advice and Warm Rooms.  The Clerk reported that as a consequence of the cost-of-living crisis, Bude-Stratton Town Council had commissioned work to investigate levels of economic distress in the area; to investigate those organisations providing assistance to those in distress, and to provide a directory of such services and organisations which would be made freely available to households. In addition, the Town Council was convening a forum to which those organisations providing direct or indirect assistance to those in financial need would be invited. Alan Whittle had been invited in his role as Chairman of the Bude Area Community Network Panel. The Town Council was also investigating the possibility of establishing ‘warm rooms’ – spaces in which people who could not afford to heat their homes all day could gather.  It was noted that the Monday Lunch Café would continue to operate one day a month at Launcells Parish Hall, and that this could double as ‘warm room’ accommodation.
4. Levelling-up Funding – The Clerk reported that the ‘Good Growth Fund’ has been launched by Cornwall Council on 5^th August 2022.  The Fund is part of the Shared Prosperity Funding which replaced European Union funding, albeit at a lower level of investment at present. The Clerk had attended a webinar held by Cornwall Council which explained the funding and he outlined the salient points to Parish Councillors.  He explained that the minimum grant request under most of the funding ‘streams’ of the Good Growth Fund was £100,000, but there were plans in place to launch more community orientated funding streams with lower minimum grant requests which might better suit smaller communities such as Launcells. More information about the Good Growth Fund, its criteria and priorities is available at www.ciosgoodgrowth.com

1. Purchase of new defibrillator pads – The Clerk reported that Alan Whittle is still awaiting delivery of pads.
2. Hersham bus shelter – The bus shelter redevelopment is now complete. Thanks were extended to Matt Stokes and his team for clearing the ivy etc, and to Graham Tape for his bright idea on a window in the back wall (oncoming buses can now be seen from within the shelter) and for clearing the inside of debris. It would now be up to the local users to keep the shelter usable.
3. Launcells History Group - The Group is now being led by Suzanne Littlejohns - the next meeting will be a tour of St Swithin’s, 24th November.
4. Bude Area Community Network Panel - At the next Area Network meeting, the Cornwall Council Emergency Plan coordinator will present.  Any further information about Parish Emergency Plans provided at the Network Panel meeting will be relayed by Alan Whittle to the Parish Council.  

• Alan Whittle for Camel Glass – Hersham Bus Shelter - £54.99
• Alan Whittle for Tamar Trading (Putty) – Hersham Shelter - £7.58
• GJ & YV Pears – Bus stop and mirror cleaning - £30.00
• Pitch Perfect (S Jose) – Footpath maintenance - £288.00
• Zurich Insurance – Zip Wire Premium - £64.20
• Clerk’s salary – July and August 2022 - £425.20

It was proposed by Andrew Hargreaves, seconded by Maxwell Allin, and unanimously agreed, to approve the above listed payments.

There were no further matters raised.

There were no further matters raised.

The meeting closed at 8:55 pm

Next Meeting: Monday 03^rd October 2022 – 7:30pm