AT the July meeting of Sandford Parish Council Michael Lee and Nick Unstead were co-opted to fill the two vacant seats.

A letter has been sent to Alan McCreadie, who has now moved to Dawlish, thanking him for his time as a parish councillor.?Cllr John Daw (Chairman of Mid Devon District Council) attended the meeting and gave an overview of the structure of the district council and current issues being dealt with.

The parish council agreed to accept the play area sub committees recommendation to use the estimate from Sutcliffe Play South West for £15,933 to furnish the new play area at Creedy View.

As the Section 106 allocation for this was less than the amount allocated it was agreed that the extra cost could be topped up from the current Sandford Section 106 balance.

Due to delays on the part of the solicitor’s acting on behalf of Summerfield Homes Ltd, disappointment was expressed over the long delay in conveyancing this land to the parish council and creating the new play area.

The chairman reported that the Sandford Queen Elizabeth’s 90th Birthday Celebrations had gone well and the events held during the weekend had been self-financing.

The cost of the programme and hire of the Parish Hall and Congregational Church, as previously agreed, would be taken from the funds left over from the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.

Thanks were expressed to the parish council for financing the cost of the rulers distributed to Sandford School pupils and the prizes for the the art contest to design a picture of the Queen for the Royal Birthday Card sent to HM the Queen and the cover of the parish programme of events.

The clerk was also thanked for the time he had put into the planning of the celebrations and he reported that he was in the process of putting together a scrapbook of the Sandford Royal celebrations.

It was agreed to set a date for a sweep-up meeting later in the year once the final finances had been settled.

The clerk gave an update on the new parish council website: http://www.sandfordparishcouncil.gov.uk which came into operation on July 1.

Also the new parish council email address: [email protected] .

Disappointment had been expressed in Sandford that the parish website no longer existed.

Cllr Jake Weedon offered to explore the possibility of replacing this with a parish “Facebook” account.

Morchard Bishop Parish Council had responded on the suggestion to purchase and install a Flashing Speed Sign.

The Morchard council decided that due to the “red tape” involved, and also the cost, it would not be pursuing the suggestion.

The clerk had written to Councillor John Hart (Leader of Devon County Council) to express ongoing concerns over the weeds growing in the Shute stream, likely to cause a potential flooding problem.

The matter had been repeatedly reported to the county council with no action having being taken.

A parishioner had written suggesting that following the decision for the UK to exit Europe “to show that we are not turning our backs on Europe” that the Twinning Link between Sandford and Demouville be resurrected.

The parish council, whilst admiring the sentiment, felt that the Sandford Twinning link had run its course.

A feasibility study has been carried out on behalf of Sport England for the proposed creation of the Sandford Sports Pavilion and a reply is awaited as to whether funding is to be allocated.

Tania Weeks (DCC Public Rights of Way) has advised that the Gorwyn Trust are not in agreement for a ramp to be made into the field behind Creedy View to make a footpath down to Snows.

The clerk reported on recent break-ins at the Sandford allotments which has included the theft of a rotavator.

Also vandalism to the football club hut roof and, in the last few days, parking cones had been taken from outside St Swithun’s Church and a miniature Acer tree has been taken from outside the home of an elderly resident in the Square.

There was also reported to be a rat problem at Meadowside.

The parish council has now gone into summer recess and will not meet again until September 1, although a provisional date for a planning meeting has been set for August 11.

MJV