DIGITAL Feock parish councillors are ready to answer questions about the digital television takeover after being provided with full information packs on the subject.

TREES Ray Gjardo has been appointed tree warden for Feock parish council, members were told, and his first job is to identify any significant local trees that have no protection.

The job is a voluntary post but travel expenses are paid by the council.

COMPLAIN Feock parish council is to complain to the mineral tramways project team that all its objectives were not fulfilled in Devoran before they ran out of money and also that there was insufficient consultation with the council.

Village improvements had been identified to include information boards, signing to the quay, dealing with rotting boats and establishing a car park near the quay.

Some of the work had been done and some not, clerk Alan Truan reported.

“We have been asking the team if there is any money left and where it might have gone. It is quite clear there are not any more funds as they have spent all their allocation. Some projects have been overspent and some underspent and the underspend is around £4-5,000 which is a big bit missing from all the work the residents have put into this.”

Mr Truan said it was felt the council had not been kept in touch with progress and that it would have been better if it could have managed the money.

Coun Diana Smeath said there should be an inquiry into what had gone wrong.

Coun Sue Baker said it was a load of rubbish to say they could not have a breakdown as to where money had been spent.

Members agreed a very strong letter of complaint should be sent asking for details of spending, why there was a shortfall and why work had been done without the council’s involvement.

SIGNS Because some residents of Devoran have objected to the placing of 20mph signs in their conservation area, Feock councillors are to ask for them to be removed.

Special signs more in keeping with the village character had been requested but had been met with the reply that these were too expensive.

Another consideration was the fact that 20mph limits cannot officially be policed for prosecution and are there for self enforcement only and members felt that coupled with this and the unsightliness of the signs they would be better off without them.

BYWAY For 30 years Devoran residents have been bothered by a byway which is obstructed by an electricity sub station, some residents’ houses and the local surgery, but now it looks as though something may be done.

Countryside manager for the county council Mike Eastwood told Feock councillors the options for change were to extinguish the particular section altogether or to extinguish vehicular rights and retain some element of the footpath with a diversion.

The procedure involves a court hearing to ask for the removal of vehicular rights and asking for a diversion. Enforcement could be involved in order to effect the required change.

Members voted to retain the footpath only and remove any obstruction to an alternative route.

PLAN Feock parish council has objected to a plan for a replacement dwelling by Mr and Mrs A Murtagh, at Porthgwidden Field, Restronguet Point, claiming it is inappropriate for the area, out of keeping, visually obtrusive, particularly from the water, and unsympathetic.

GARAGE A plan to demolish a garage at Carnon Downs and replace it with six flats has been objected to by Feock parish councillors.

Mr D. Chaplin’s scheme for the site was described variously as a monstrosity, a bus depot and an office block.

Clerk Alan Truan reported that Carrick had said that any development was better than what was there already, and this angered members who were looking for something more in keeping with other buildings in the village.

It was also said that the developer was not in favour of including affordable housing among the six flats.

Coun Langdon said the “monstrosity” was completely out of keeping with the character of the village. “How the planners can even consider a design like that for Carnon Downs I don’t know”.

A previous scheme for redevelopment of the site of the garage, opened in 1981 by the late motor sport enthusiast Roger Hearn, was rejected, but this latest plan sets the building further back from the road.

Coun Jane Woolcock said the design was even worse than the last one. “One of the views of this has all the charm of a bus depot.” She thought a plan for four flats instead of six could offer more flexibility.

Coun Sue Felton thought it looked like an office block.

Members voted to object to the application, citing their original objections, in particular that it did not satisfy residents’ aspirations expressed in the parish plan, and also asking for a contribution to affordable housing to be included.

UNITARY Under changes for reorganisation for the new unitary authority Feock ward is proposed to be named as Feock and Playing Place, parish councillors were told.

Whereas before the ward consisted of Feock and Kea, under the new scheme, part of Kea is to go to Chacewater and that ward will have two councillors representing it, whereas Feock will have one.

APPLICATIONS The following planning applications were received by Feock parish council without objection and now go before Carrick District Council for further consideration: Mr Cordall, Stoneybrooke, Restronguet Point, tree works; Mr and Mrs J M Trevelyan, 38, Devoran Lane, Devoran, single storey rear extension; Mr C Berriman, The Vicarage, Devoran Lane, Devoran, tree works; Mrs A Piercy, Polgwynne, Feock, tree works; Mr J Reed, Orchard House, Feock, alterations and additions to existing dwelling; Mr and Mrs A R Picken, Fal Reach, King Harry Road, Feock, single storey rear extension; Christine Jackson, Fernleigh, Quenchwell, Carnon Downs, extension and internal alterations including balconies to front and rear at roof level; Mr K Dean, Parc View, Trevilla Road, Feock, tree work.