Parish Council
West Down Parish Council Meeting
Wednesday 1st December 2021
Commencing at 7.30pm in West Down Parish Hall
The public and press are cordially invited to be present
Tender for Grass Cutting and Bus Shelter Cleaning 2022
West Down Parish Council invite tenders for grass cutting and bus shelter cleaning for 2022.
For further details, please contact the Parish Clerk, Val Ford, 10 Berrynarbor Park, Sterridge Valley, Berrynarbor, Devon, EX34 9TA
or phone: 07852627967
or email: clerk@westdownparishcouncil.org.uk
Tenders are to be received in time for the next Parish Council meeting on 1st December.
Co-option onto Parish Council
The Parish Council comprises of up to 8 Councillors. Following the resignation of one of the Parish Councillors there is now a vacancy for co-option onto the Parish Council.
Apply by writing a short letter to the Parish Council Chairman via the Clerk at 10 Berrynarbor Park, Sterridge Valley, Berrynarbor, Devon, EX34 9TA giving the reasons why you would like to be co-opted onto the Council. Closing date for applications is 30 November 2021.
For more information about becoming a Parish Councillor, please speak to an existing Parish Councillor or the Parish Clerk. Thank you.
Qualifications for Candidates
To be qualified to be elected a member of a parish council, a person must be 21 years of age or over, and a British subject or citizen of the Republic of Ireland, and either:-
(i) be a local government elector of the parish, or
(ii) have during the whole of the twelve months preceding the day on which he/she is nominated as a candidate occupied as owner or tenant any land or other premises in the parish, or
(iii) his/her principal or only place of work in the twelve months preceding the day on which he/she is nominated as a candidate have been in the area of the parish; or
(iv) have resided either in the parish or within 3 miles thereof during the whole of the 12 months preceding the day on which he/she is nominated as a candidate.
There are certain disqualifications for election, of which the main are:-
a) holding a paid office under the local authority.
b) bankruptcy.
c) having been sentenced to a term of imprisonment (whether suspended or not) of not less than three months, without the option of a fine during the five years preceding the election; and
d) Being disqualified under any enactment relating to corrupt or illegal practices.
Parish Councillors
Chair: Sue Ayre, Vice-Chair: Mike Reeves Cllrs. Roy Drew, Keith Oades, Sue Squire, Tony Verney and Richard Kenshole.
West Down Parish Council (WDPC) – Small Grant Fund
Each year West Down Parish Council allocates an expenditure budget from the annual precept in order to support local groups and organisations.
The Council’s guidelines for grant applications are now available.
This process will ensure access, openness and fairness to the groups and organisations we aim to support.
WDPC grants run within a financial year April – March.
Application forms and our Grant Fund Policy can be obtained by contacting the Chair, Sue Ayre, at sue.ayre@outlook.com . Alternatively, The Grand Fund Policy can be downloaded HERE and the Application Form can be downloaded HERE.
Completed application forms for the 2022/23 financial year must be received by the Chair before 15th October 2021.
West Down Parish Council
NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF UNAUDITED ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN
ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2021
Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 26 and 27
The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)
| NOTICE |
| 1. Date of announcement 1st June 2021
2. Each year the smaller authority’s Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) needs to be reviewed by an external auditor appointed by Smaller Authorities’ Audit Appointments Ltd. The unaudited AGAR has been published with this notice. As it has yet to be reviewed by the appointed auditor, it is subject to change as a result of that review. Any person interested has the right to inspect and make copies of the accounting records for the financial year to which the audit relates and all books, deeds, contracts, bills, vouchers, receipts and other documents relating to those records must be made available for inspection by any person interested. For the year ended 31 March 2021, these documents will be available on reasonable notice by application to:
The Parish Clerk, London House, West Down, Nr Ilfracombe, Devon EX34 8NH. Email: v.huntwdparishclerk@gmail.com Tel: 01271 863799 commencing on Monday 14th June 2021 and ending on Friday 23rd July 2021. 3. Local government electors and their representatives also have: · The opportunity to question the appointed auditor about the accounting records; and · The right to make an objection which concerns a matter in respect of which the appointed auditor could either make a public interest report or apply to the court for a declaration that an item of account is unlawful. Written notice of an objection must first be given to the auditor and a copy sent to the smaller authority. The appointed auditor can be contacted at the address in paragraph 4 below for this purpose between the above dates only. 4. The smaller authority’s AGAR is subject to review by the appointed auditor under the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 and the NAO’s Code of Audit Practice 2015. The appointed auditor is: PKF Littlejohn LLP (Ref: SBA Team) 1 Westferry Circus Canary Wharf London E14 4HD 5. This announcement is made by Vanessa Hunt. Clerk and RFO. |
Dear Dog Owners
WARNING
Adders have been sighted
What to do if your dog is bitten by an Adder.
If you think your dog has been bitten by an Adder, take it to a vet as quickly as possible.
The sooner your dog sees a vet, the better their chances of making a full recovery.
- Carry your dog to reduce the spread of the Adder’s venom around your dog’s body.
- Bathe the wound in cold water to help control the swelling.
- Keep your dog warm, but not too warm, and quiet as you transport it to the vet.
- Don’t attempt any first aid as this can do more harm than good.
If you don’t see the incident, symptoms of Adder bites in dogs can include:
- Two small puncture wounds
- Major swelling that may be dark in colour
- Limping, yelping or other evidence of your dog being in pain
- Blood/bruises
- Inflamed skin – from where the venom has spread
Dog Warden Visits
Dear Residents and Visitors
After continued reports and concerns of Dog Waste being left on the Public Highway, Community Field and other green areas it has become necessary to ask the Dog Warden Service from the Local Council to help.
The Dog Warden will visit the Village on a regular basis to check areas of concern.
Your assistance in keeping the Village clean is appreciated.
Kind regards
West Down Parish Council.
Accessibility Statement
If you have any problems accessing the information on the West Down Parish Council pages, please contact the Parish Clerk, Val Ford by email v.huntwdparishclerk@gmail.com who will provide a format suitable for your needs.
West Down Parish Council Statement
from Chair Carole King and Vice Chair Sue Ayre
Due to the Coronavirus, the West Down Parish Council will not be meeting in the usual way.
We are awaiting legal information on alternative ways of carrying out our duties. In the meantime, we are forwarding information on the current situation to those who are updating the various community websites and social media outlets. Our contact details are on the village website, please let us know if you have any concerns and we will deal with them to the best of our ability.
We are liaising with Deb Hayes who is co-ordinating the West Down Volunteer Group, and as a community, we are all very grateful to her and her team. There is some finance support available from the Devon County Council and the Fullabrook CIC to support this initiative.
Our Community Shop has been working really hard to keep us all supplied and are to be congratulated. Sue Bond and her team have put in long hours and still remain cheerful and helpful. It is great that so many new volunteers have stepped up to take over from those regulars who are over 70. There are a number of NHS workers in our community and we are sure that everyone applauds them and wishes them well.
We are a strong, vibrant community and we will come through this. We will have found new strengths and made new friends. The West Down After the Virus Party will be quite something! Stay safe!
Parish Council – Ash dieback
Ash die-back is becoming increasingly prevalent and landowners are reminded that it is their responsibility to ensure public safety. Dead or diseased trees need to be removed or made safe where they could fall across roads or pathways. Advice and information can be found on
https://www.devon.gov.uk/environment/ash-dieback
About our Parish Council
West Down Parish Council meets in Room 2000 of the Parish Hall on the first Wednesday in the month at 7.30 p.m. Members of the public are invited to attend these meetings.
Public Speaking/Question Time
The Parish Council’s Standing Orders for Agenda Item ‘Public Speaking/Question Time’ are as follows:
- People wishing to speak should advise the Parish Clerk or Chair at least 24 hours before the start of the meeting in writing or by email.
- A 15-minute period will be allowed at the start of every meeting where members of the Public may speak to issue a statement and/or ask a question to the Parish Council. Speaking/Question Time be limited to 2 minutes per person but may be extended at the Chair’s discretion. A maximum of two questions be allowed per person. In the event of no one wishing to speak, the meeting may proceed immediately.
- Questions are to be brought back into the meeting for consideration under Agenda item ‘Unresolved Questions’. This item to be scheduled before ‘Any Other Business’.
- Parishioners may also raise issues without attending the meeting, but these must be submitted to the Parish Council in writing or by email (see below).
Parish Council Minutes
Minutes of the meetings are posted here after approval – usually one month after the meeting is held.
The Parish Council team
Councillors and officials are:
| Sue Ayre (Chair) | April Cottage, West Down | 07980 182317 or 01271 867922 | Sue.ayre@outlook.com |
| Mike Reeves (Vice-Chair) | Pipcott, West Down | 01271 862595 | mikereeves2014@gmail.com |
| Roy Drew | Jasmine Cottage, West Down | 01271 866727 | roydrew47@gmail.com |
| Keith Oades (Auditor) | 15 Lower Broad Park, West Down | 01271 865554 | pops@samoades.com |
| Sue Squire | 3 Eaton Place, West Down | 01271 864365 | |
| Tony Verney | The Old Barn, West Down | thepantrybakery105@gmail.com | |
| Richard Kenshole | Eastergate, West Down, | richard.kenshole@gmail.com |
Councillors and Officials
Parish Clerk Val Ford – 10 Berrynarbor Park, Sterridge Valley 07852 627 967 – clerk@westdownparishcouncil.org.uk
County Councillor – Andrea Davis – andrea.davis@devon.gov.uk
District Councillor – Malcolm Wilkinson – Malcolm.wilkinson@northdevon.gov.uk
Police Representative – PCSO Andy Frisby – Andy.Frisby@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk
West Down Parish Council – Standing Orders. (click here)