COLEBROOKE Parish Council met on Tuesday, November 15 at Colebrooke Parish Hall. No members of the public were present.

The Council heard from the newly-formed Asset Management Committee, chaired by Cllr Wood, that has made an assessment of all the Community Assets and has begun to implement a programme of work to repair, improve and maintain the assets.

Some assets need replacing and grants have been applied for to assist with this.

The chairman reported that the Parish Hall Committee had successfully applied for £1,200 from the TAP Fund towards the rebuilding of the bar area.

Cllr Graham reported that an application to Awards for All towards floor improvements had been rejected.

The Chairman reported on the implementation of the Parish Plan.

The Communications Group had developed a new parish magazine called the “Colebrooke Bell”. The first issue is to be distributed free to all households in the parish in December.

The magazine will be monthly and the council is very keen to receive feedback from the parish about the magazine and to have suggestions for entries for future issues.

The chairman reported that he is also convening a meeting of the Roads and Transport Groups to consider whether the parish should become involved in the Road Warden Scheme and the Community Payback Scheme.

More volunteers are wanted for these groups so please contact the council if you would like to help.

Cllr Graham provided an update on the options for improving Broadband services in the parish.

Airband, who currently provide Broadband to Exmoor and Dartmoor, would consider providing services in the parish if 16 subscribers could be identified. The council debated whether to increase the precept particularly in view of the likelihood that Mid Devon District Council would not continue to maintain the Playground in Coleford when the lease runs out in 2017.

The Parish Council would then have to consider whether it could afford to take on the lease plus the maintenance and inspection of the equipment and in the long-term the replacement of the equipment.

The councillors also considered whether they should ask for an increase at this stage before the Parish Councils are capped as other tiers of Government are. The council resolved not to increase the precept.

Councillors debated the way the council currently communicates via: Council website www.colebrookeparishcouncil.org.uk , Council noticeboard in Coleford (and soon Penstone and Colebrooke), “Colebrooke Bell” magazine, “Crediton Courier”, Public are invited to attend all Council meetings, Clerk is available the first Tuesday of every month between 10am and 12 noon via telephone on 01363 85051 or 07565 350457 and email: [email protected] .

The council would like to know what the parish thinks of these various means of communication? What works? What doesn’t work? How can the council improve its communication?

Each year the council holds an Annual Parish Meeting. In 2016/17 the meeting will be at 7.30pm on March 29, 2017.

A small group of councillors are going to meet to plan the event which will include a Parish Plan implementation update.

The council provide small grants to community groups each year. Full details of the grant application process can be obtained from the Clerk.

The council resolved to approve a grant of £200 to Crediton and District Community Transport Association.

The council received a Police report indicating that there had been seven calls to the Police since September 9: three RTC’s, one report of cows running on the road, two concern for the welfare of a resident, one report of tree falling across the road. There had also been one call resulting in a crime being reported which was that of a vehicle being stolen.

The full draft minutes of Colebrooke Parish Council are available on the council noticeboard in Coleford and on the website: www.colebrookeparishcouncil.org.uk .

If you have any comments or queries, please contact the Clerk, Diane Shepherd.

The next meeting of the Parish Council will be on January 17 at 7.30pm at Colebrooke Parish Hall.

Alan Quick