Update on Defibrillators

​The Parish Council would like to thank parishioners and resident businesses for their generosity in grants and donations. So far £3,895 has been pledged of which £550 is still to be deposited into the council bank account. There is a £300 grant application still outstanding and the February Country News newsletter will appeal for further donations. At the Parish Council meeting on 15th January, Cllr Sharpe presented 4 options for Councillors to consider. She recommended locating one unit at the Village hall and in anticipation of this, the VH committee had arranged easy access from the road through the curtilage wall. The second concentration of population is the area around the Lord Haldon Hotel driveway. The challenge is to find  mains power in that area. There is a reliable solar solution available but it is £700 more expensive than a mains powered system. The benefit is that there are no ongoing electrical costs (estimated by Western Power to be approximately £30 per annum). Our chosen provider has confirmed that HMRC view the purchase as a charitable donation and therefore the only item subject to VAT will be the annual management cost which covers insurance, replacement pads and batteries. VAT can be reclaimed but this will assist with the Parish Council cash flow. .  Councillors considered the options presented and it was agreed an order should be placed for one mains powered and one solar powered unit and that fundraising should continue to try to install a 3rd unit when donations allow. 
The defibrillators are semi automatic units which diagnose the condition of the patient and will only administer a shock if it is needed.  They cannot therefore be misused or further harm the patient. They give visual and audible instructions and can be used without any training.  However once they have been installed, the providers will run a community awareness session to give our community an opportunity to handle the defibrillator and understand what to expect should they ever need to use it.