AT the March 21 meeting of Colebrooke Parish Council, members agreed the final arrangements for the Annual Parish Meeting, which was due to take place on March 28 in Colebrooke Parish Hall.

The council heard that the Asset Management Committee had been working hard all year to repair/replace and maintain the many assets held by the Parish Council.

Thanks were given to John Richards for taking down and disposing of the old bus shelter in Colebrooke.

A new shelter was due to be erected on March 23 with the aid of a grant from Devon County Council.

Thanks were given to Granny’s Meadow for their continuing work in maintaining the Millennium Garden. The council heard that the priority work was now nearing completion and agreed an annual budget of £500 to maintain the assets.

The council recorded thanks to Neil Herridge for agreeing to be the Road Warden. Mr Herridge will now be trained and the council approved the payment for the clothing that he would require for his new role.

The council was concerned about the incidents of dog fouling in the parish and particularly at Bellingate. The clerk reported on her liaison with MDDC and the Dog Warden’s visit to the parish. The clerk reported that the dog fouling continued.

The council agreed that dog faeces are unsightly, unpleasant and can lead to Toxocariasis in humans, which can cause serious illness and blindness.

This is caused by a roundworm parasite and is spread through contact with infected faeces. This usually affects young children because they are more likely to come into contact with contaminated soil when they play. Dog owners are required to pick up and dispose of faeces immediately.

The council would urge residents to report to them any dog owners who are not doing this. The fine for not picking up dog faeces is £1,000.

The clerk was also asked to purchase a tin of pink biodegradable paint to highlight where the dog fouling is taking place. This latter strategy has been tried successfully elsewhere in Mid Devon and Cornwall.

Cllr Graham reported on a recent training course he had attended on how to effectively respond to planning applications.

It was agreed that the Planning Committee would meet to discuss how they operate currently.

The council had received some further comments regarding a dirty water store at Brocks Farm. The council understood from MDDC that a retrospective planning application had not yet been finalised.

The council resolved to ask Simon Trafford of MDDC to attend the next council meeting to explain the principles involved in the siting of a dirty water store.

The council approved an updated constitution for the Parish Hall which will now be forwarded to the Charity Commission as a supplement to the Deed of Conveyance.

The council received a report from Mr Butt, chairman of the Parish Hall committee indicating that there were now a number of regular users of the parish hall and that the most recent project was the development of a new bar area.

Several events are planned for the coming months commencing with the Colebrooke Concert due to be held on March 25.

The clerk reported that since January 17 there had been three calls to the police: one concern for welfare; one damage only RTC and one suspicious vehicle. Two crimes had been reported: a criminal damage to property and one theft of motor vehicle.

The Council responded to the MDDC Town and Parish Charter and the Local Enforcement Plan. All seemed good in principle but it was the practice that would be of most interest to the council.

Cllr Way (DCC) and Steve Tucker (DCC) had completed a tour of the roads in the parish in recent days.

Councillors noted that the road to North Down Farm was still a problem and there had been a nasty cycle accident reported there since the council had last met.

The council also noted the continuing flooding at West Studham and the muddy layby at Coleford.

Councillors said there was a continuing parking problem at Coleford which needed to be addressed. The clerk was asked to report these matters.

All residents have been advised that if they spot a problem on the roads they need to report it on the DCC website. The more people who report the problem online the more attention it is likely to receive from MDDC. The link can be found on the Parish Council website.

The parish clerk is Diane Shepherd, Squirrel Lodge, Colebrooke, tel 01363 85051 or email: [email protected] . The clerk is available on the first Tuesday of the month from 10am to 12 noon on 01363 85051 or 07565 350457.

The next meeting of the Parish Council is on May 16 at 7.30pm at Colebrooke Parish Hall. The Annual Meeting will take place first and then the main council meeting.

DS