AT its December meeting Sandford Parish Council set the Precept for 2019/2020 at £17,915 (2018/2019 £16,005).

This included £6,000 towards the refurbishment of the Play Area. Also £250 each was granted to the Pavilion Maintenance Fund and the Creedy View car park maintenance funds.

A parishioner requested that a letter of thanks be sent to Graham Baker for cutting the overhanging hedge at the Orchard (belonging to Tony Wright) at the entrance to the village, improving the visibility of traffic coming down Rose and Crown Hill.

Carols in the Square December 2018 will take place at 7pm on Tuesday, December 18, followed by refreshments in Sandford Congregational Church Hall.

It was agreed to ask St Swithun’s PCC if it would like to take over the future organisation of a Community Carols event.

It was agreed to object to the planning application for the construction of an on-farm anaerobic digester although the application is in Crediton Hamlets East of Lords Meadow Industrial Estate in Crediton.

Concern was expressed over the likely increased volume of heavy traffic travelling through Sandford, and the surrounding rural area, taking waste to the plant.

It was agreed a very useful joint meeting with Sandford AFC had taken place to review the management agreement.

On the matter of the hire charge for the Pavilion it was agreed to stand by the decision taking at the January 8 joint meeting: “Pavilion including Kitchen and Changing Rooms - £30 (Adults) Pavilion including Kitchen and Changing Rooms - £20 (Youth Teams) Kitchen - £6 per hour. (Parish or Non Parish Organisations).”

It was also agreed that Sandford Parish Council should be invoiced every six months for the use of the Pavilion.

These funds, and any other income from lettings, be allocated by Sandford AFC to a Pavilion Maintenance Fund.

Councillor Pat Yeo reported that a parishioner had kindly offered to cover the cost of a sign to place on the Pavilion wall giving contact details for hiring the Pavilion.

Mid Devon District Councillor Mrs Judi Binks reported on the District Council planning meeting that had taken place the previous day when a new Lidl’s store had been approved for Tiverton.

The Crediton Garden Centre application had been turned down. And a Falconry for Upton Hellions had been approved. Concern had been raised over the conduct of the planning meeting and a formal complaint had been made over this. It was reported that Simon Trafford (Planning) would be leaving MDDC to move to Somerset.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place on January 3, 2019, 7.30pm, at Sandford Congregational Church Hall.

MJV